Views over Lake Ontario are impressive no matter how many times you catch sight of it. Whether it’s at sunrise or sunset, or even during cloudy days, the iconic landscape over the lake never ceases to inspire me. So, if you are looking for some inspiration for your next Instagram post, or you’re just looking for a great place to relax, here are 14 of the best places to catch beautiful views over the lake. Ontario is Canada’s second-largest province, so there is no shortage of things to see and photograph. We hope you enjoy the photos!
Brant Pier Sunrise
Brant Street Pier is a signature destination and attraction located in Spencer Smith Park at the Waterfront at Downtown Burlington, Ontario. It extends 137 metres over Lake Ontario that provides fabulous views of Lake Ontario and the Burlington shoreline. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in Manual mode; at f/10 with an ISO setting of 200; exposure was 15 sec. on tripod using a 10-stop neutral density filter.
Spencer Smith Park Boardwalk
Spencer Smith Park boardwalk is located in Burlington, Ontario on the shores of Lake Ontario. These little pillars reminded me of people holding hands together as they watched the dawning of a new day. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/400 sec.
Snug Harbour Pier & Boardwalk
From this pier you get a beautiful view over the marina plus the Toronto skyline in the back ground. There are beautiful and expensive boats here, swans swimming in the lake and a sunrise second to none. What else could you want? If you’re hungry you can grab a bite from Snug Harbour, one of the loveliest restaurants in the area. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/40 sec.
Burlington Canal Pier
On the west end of Lake Ontario, we will find the Burlington Canal pier. Sunrise’s are dramatic here since they arise directly in the middle of the lake during June. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/4000 sec.
Marie Curtis Park Pier
I explored a new park today located at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek on Lake Ontario . Lots of fishermen trying to catch Carp, but what I caught was a fabulous sunrise. Marie Curtis Park Beach is located on the east bank of the Etobicoke Creek. It was a lovely unexpected find. Marie Curtis Park Beach is exactly what a local park and beach should be – fun for walking, hiking, biking, relaxing on the beach, fishing and great photo opportunities as well. You can explore some nature trails and wooded paths with lovely bridges that cross it. It is an everyday place for the people who live nearby, it’s relaxing just to sit there and watch the world go by. That is what makes Marie Curtis Park Beach so special. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/640 sec.
Trillium Park Lookout
Trillium Park is a provincial park in Toronto and offers a wonderful view of the Toronto skyline at sunrise and sunset. Close to Toronto, it’s a favourite with many of the locals. It’s a nice place to spend a lazy afternoon strolling along the waterfront or having a picnic on a blanket. The Toronto skyline is the closest from this park. Superb photo opportunities here. I took my bike and biked along the waterfront. You can also explore Ontario Place next door. It’s a great place to relax and get that cottage feel without leaving the city! This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in manual mode; at f/10 with an ISO setting of 200; exposure was 8 sec.; camera on tripod with a 10-stop neutral density filter.
Humber Bay Park Lookout
Humber Bay Park West is a narrow park jutting out into the water of Lake Ontario and is a great place to watch a sunrise from this lovely bench. I’ve come down to this park many times over the years, whether it be winter or summer. I usually pack my bike on the SUV and bike around this park – it’s big! The shoreline is incredible with some of the best views over Toronto, the Humber Bay Arch Bridge and nice ponds in the park. There’s lots of space for walking and having a nice picnic. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/50 sec.
Prince of Wales Park Lookout
The Great Lakes make up the largest body of fresh water on Earth, accounting for 21% of the world’s freshwater source. They are dotted with more than 35,000 islands. You’ll find this small park in South Etobicoke close to Third Street. This beautiful park may be small but it offers one of the best views of the Toronto skyline anywhere in the city. There are also beautiful green areas to enjoy picnics and gatherings. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in manual mode; at f/20 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 4 sec.; camera on tripod with a 10-stop neutral density filter.
Colonel Samuel Smith Park Point
You can watch the sunrise from almost anywhere along the Toronto shoreline, but Colonel Samuel Smith Park is very special. This pond is behind the shoreline and makes a wonderful place of refuge for the birds. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 160; exposure was 1/100 sec.
Lakeside Park Oakville Pier
One of my new favorite parks in the Greater Toronto area is the Lakeside Park, Oakville. It’s on the shores of Lake Ontario and features a children’s playground, benches, a gazebo, walking trail, small pier with a lighthouse and lots of rocks to sit on as you contemplate the world going by. Lots of great opportunities to take photos, especially at sunrise. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/10 with an ISO setting of 640; exposure was 1/640 sec. with camera on tripod.
Lakefront Promenade Lighthouse Pier
Located in one of the largest and most beautiful park developments on Lake Ontario, The Lakefront Promenade has a large marina, a licensed outdoor eatery, park trails and many other amenities. You can take advantage of more than 40 scenic hectares of public land featuring a playground area; play apparatus, splash pad; board walks; picnic shelters; barbecues; concession facilities and launch ramps . Lakefront Promenade’s park trails are ideal for cycling, walking or just taking beautiful photos. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/200 sec.
Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park
This is a lovely waterfront park has a good view of the lake. There’s a great variety of things to do, nice harbour, boardwalk and pier, lighthouse, beach, parklands, cycling and walking trails, picnic and children’s play area. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/10 with an ISO setting of 125; exposure was 1/30 sec.
Scarborough Bluffs Park
The Scarborough Bluffs is an escarpment just outside of Toronto. There are nine parks along the bluffs, with Bluffers Park being the only one with a beach. This place has always been near and dear to my heart as I grew up in Scarborough and this was our backyard. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 640; exposure was 1/40 sec.
Sunnyside Boardwalk
Sunnyside Beach is Toronto’s most historic summer hangout. Its heyday was between 1922 – 1950 when jazz greats like Duke Ellington played the Palais Royale and the Sunnyside park was a popular amusement park in Toronto. Much has changed in the region with its cluster of condos beyond the Humber Bay Arch, but the charm is still there. Sunnyside pool was once the largest swimming pool in the world, known as the “tank”. There’s no shortage of quirky things to note about this western beach and I just love to go down here and photograph the scene or just people watch. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 160; exposure was 1/50 sec.
We hope you enjoyed our photo adventures in Ontario and will stay in touch with us.
FREE E-Book OFFER:
Travel & Photography Made EasyHere’s your chance to get your exclusive travel guide and photo tips in our 20 page e-book, along with regular travel tips delivered directly to your inbox.
- Discover amazing places to visit and how to photograph them (for non techie people)
With over 325,000 readers, TripAdvisor has hailed us as being “In the Top 1% of Popular Reviewers” plus “Top Photographer” – having visited over “90 Cities” – so here are our TOP 5 places to visit before it’s too late!
13 thoughts on “THE 14 BEST Scenic Views over Lake Ontario”
Peter those are magnificent photos!
I’ve been thinking of upgrading to a Canon full frame camera. What are the exact model numbers of your 16-35 and 24-105 lenses.
Thanks David for the kind comments – Full frame camera’s make a BIG difference
The lenses I use are –
1. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens (it usually comes in a kit with the camera – much better deal than buying by itself)
2. Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Thanks Peter. I am going to get a full frame over Christmas and the kits often include the 24-105 model you mention, so I’ll get one of those too.
Thanks for sharing! I am always looking for new places to take photos…especially sunrises and sunsets. I am an amateur photographer, so the camera settings included in your comments are very useful. Off to take pictures!!
Thanks Stacey for dropping by our site – stay tuned – many more exciting places will be featured soon – with all this social distancing still in place, photography is a great way to spend your time
The photos and commentaries are great. The Ontario Tourism board shou;d be very happy with the result
Thanks so much Harry for the kind comments and your visit to our site 🙂
Marvelous, as always! From one of your many 365 friends/fans! 🙂
Thanks so much Barb for the kind comments – I’m thrilled that so many of my 365 friends drop by to have a look at our adventures
Cheers – Peter
These are beautiful photos and good to have the little commentary too.
I think a trip to Ontario would be delightful once these strange times have ended.
Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks Sarah for leaving a comment – we really appreciate it and the kind comments
Magnificent!
Thanks so much for the kind words – We are happy to have you drop by 🙂