Sugar Beach

Instagrammable beach in the city. It is recognizable from the pink umbrellas. It has a great view of the city, and is a popular location in the summer. As implied by the name, this beach is next to the sugar factory, and does get a bit stinky in the summer. It is a good spot to watch the ships dock at the sugar factory though.

Whether you need somewhere to catch a cool breeze on a hot Summer day or want to take a scenic and crisp walk along the waterfront on a Spring or Fall afternoon, Sugar Beach is an oasis in the city. Take in the swans floating along the lapping waves and even find some inspiration.

This is a neat artificial beach setup along the Lake Ontario waterfront at the start of the Water's Edge Promenade and Dockside Drive. The beach was designed by Claude Cormier + Associés as part of a revitalisation of the waterfront area back in 2010. What you find is a row of tall trees creating some shade along a plaza and promenade as well as a 2 acres of sandy area leading up to the water. The beach has pink umbrellas and beach chairs facing the lake spaced out for visitors to enjoy. On the whole, a fun spot for locals and those walking the waterfront, worth a brief look-see if planning to pass by.

Dangerous and inaccessible. Wheelchair accessible only to within 15 feet of water's edge. Water's edge is dangerous along South exposure, no safety ladders. Hazard to anyone who might fall in, or to boaters or paddlers or rowers in distress. The boardwalk drops down about 12 inches and there could easily be an access ramp there but isn't.

A welcome space when you want a break from the grind. It’s small but it does the trick. Depending on the time, day, and weather, it can get a little crowded and noisy.

I loved this park beach vibe in sugar beach it’s so peaceful and calm and there are so many restaurants around absolutely loved it

Very cute, small beach, with no access to water, I couldn't find a seat on the beach but some benches nearby, a nice place to see sailing boats on the lake, and toronto Island.

A small, pleasant beach in the heart of the city with a stunning view of the skyline. It features a bit of sand at the start, seating areas, a dog park, and two restaurants. Highly recommended for an afternoon walk. Ideal for spending an hour or two with family or friends. We visited in the afternoon and spent about an hour walking around. It was a bit crowded, with many people bringing their unleashed dogs. Street parking is available.

Beautiful beach white sands but seems like it's a swing sell to the restaurants. No restrooms! Come on Toronto! Come on!

Ten years ago, apparently, this was a derelict and demolished parking lot. It sits next to the massive Redpath sugar port and is upon the shores of Lake Ontario. The airport is not far away so you can see and hear the planes over there every so often. But now it's a beach, complete with wooden chairs facing the water, beach umbrellas and a fine sand to walk in. No, you're probably not getting in the water but that's okay. [Review 10983 overall, 755 of 2019.]

Nice small beach near Redpath sugar factory which has a nice view of lake Ontario and Toronto Islands. The umbrellas have created a nice and pleasant view. A nice spot in downtown Toronto to lie down under the sun by the water. But, if you are interested in swimming in the water, this is not a good spot for you because it doesn't have any access to the water.

Sugar Beach is very much an urban beach meaning it's just for show and sitting. Do not expect to be able to swim in the lake. Despite that, here's why you should go: - Sunbathing: There is sand and on a hot day, you can get a tan by sitting out on the beach. -Photography: It's an Instagrammers dream. The beach has bright pink umbrellas giving beach goers shade, but making your photo pop pink. It also has great views of the CN Tower and Toronto skyline. Lakeside you can watch and photograph planes landing at Bishop Airport. There are a few restrooms and restaurants nearby and it's centrally located making it easy top walk to several other fun neighborhoods like Harborfront Centre or the Distillery District.

Lots of fun here! You can find this because on the edge of lakeshore. With some clear waters and pink umbrellas you'll be all ready for some fancy instas. You probably have to wait a bit to find seating though as this seems like a destination that many Torontonians visit on the weekends. Throwback to elementary school days where people play musical chairs. The beach is kept pretty clean and you won't have to worry about getting your towels dirty. Overall this is a good place to visit during the summer.

My cousin suggested checking out this place so I decided to do a quick detour while I was biking to check it out. There must have been a random festival going on as there were all these food trucks surrounding Sugar Beach. I basically walked in and out of it. If you like man made beaches, this might be your thing. Otherwise, there's not much to see or do here other than to get your tan on.

We went here for the Sugar Shack TO and it was a great festival. The beach itself is good and we had good fun. They have some relaxing chairs placed (not sure if it was a part of the festival or permanently placed). It is a great place for spending quality time with friends and family in the spring and summer. You can also see some aircrafts taking off and landing at the Billy Bishop City Airport nearby. Overall, a great place to be!

Sugar beach is one of my favourite spots in Toronto. I love the pink umbrellas, it's a great place for photoshoots and relaxation. Check out this video to see Sugar Beach and many other great beaches: https://youtu.be/ZA6FItYEF9s

Sugar Beach is kind of cute! Maybe a little too cute? On this particular afternoon, I am surprise to find all these bikini all over the place... girls suntanning in a sand box? Pink umbrellas? white loungers? Good place to hang out and just looking at Lake Ontario and pretend you are in Caribbean somewhere?? Maybe? need to daydream really hard!

I still find Sugar Beach is a paradise in the busy downtown area. I know people cannot swim but the white sand is still white and the lovely pink umbrellas are still kept clean and lovely pink. Adults chill under the sun and kids play with the sand and the water fountain. I can still come chill and relax between work. Just love this little corner!

Paris has "Paris Plage" along the bank of Seine river. Toronto has something even better, a playful urban oasis that consists of water fountain, white sand beach and tree-line promenade. I visited the beach on a beautiful Tuesday morning and was very impressed with the cleanliness and the overall designed of the park. Love the pink-sculptural umbrellas and white beach chairs, they are whimsical and practical. Sugar Beach is a perfect public space for everyone, whether you want to sit on a bench, white sand beach or a large candy-striped piece of bedrock, to enjoy a beautiful view of the lake and Toronto island.

This is a faux beach. In that it has sand and umbrellas and chairs, but you can't swim in the water and the sand doesn't touch the water. It's more of a park with sand. There is easy parking right next to it which was a plus. Beyond that it's very small, but worth a quick picture if you are in the area.

BOTTOM LINE: Sugar Beach I love you but you're bringing me down... I'm pretty torn about this place. It's a cool little sandy anti-oasis with no access to water, unless you count the water fountain. It's filled with muskoka chairs and cute umbrellas (awesome), but no room to even throw a frisbee let alone get any beach sports going (not so awesome). I get it, people just come here to suntan and people watch (awesome) but because it's located right next to a sugar mill, the ever-present odours of fermentation is inescapable (not so awesome). My advice, go next door to the Sherbourne Commons to get your bronze on.

sugar beach, but don't eat the sand! in all seriousness this beach has seen its better days, but is still a beach option, but no water to swim in. so is it really a beach at this point? I digress. a great place to hang out most of the time, sometimes if you come super early in the morning, there are some questionable people hanging about, or just sleeping in the "Muskoka chairs" the pink umbrellas are really nice, im not sure how much they actually comb the sand, but sometimes its pretty filthy with cigarette butts, beer cans, and other random debris from people just littering(that's where a stat is lost in my opinion) CP24 does a really good job at making the beach look better then it Is, or they pick the proper days to go and visit. sometimes the area smells super bad, especially after a rain storm has happened, OH man does it reek. otherwise a pretty cool place to hang out and attempt to beat the heat, or watch as one of the sugar ships is offloaded...that might just be why its named sugar beach...*wink* transit options TTC bay south and sherbourne, parking is above or below ground on the corus/George brown properties.

A surprising find in this neighborhood. White sands are plenty so you actually feel like you are on a beach. The retro colors and look complete the picture. The view is great and I guess this place hasn't been discovered by the rest of the city as I saw most of the neighbors lounging around :) A small water fountain will keep the kids entertained. The place is a small stretch so don't expect a huge area here. They do have a nice patio bar nearby will try it out one of these days.

It's still technically winter until next week but it was 17C and sunny on March 11 so as any good Canadian, I threw my winter coat back into storage, took off my shoes and sunk my toes into the (icy cold) fine white sand at Sugar Beach. Along with the neighbouring Corus building, this beach is part of the waterfront revitalization program. It's tiny and really nothing special but it's right downtown and if you're in the area and it's a nice sunny day, it's a good place to sit in a Muskoka chair and soak in some sun. You can smell the Redpath sugar plant next door for sure, but, I don't know, I kinda liked it...

I came here for a music party yesterday and had a blast. It was crazy that I was on the beach dancing my butt off right in downtown Toronto. The sand was beautiful, and didn't burn you in the sun - a big plus since I was dancing with no sandals. I'm told the porta-potties aren't regularly there, which would kind of suck if you were going there for a regular beach day, especially since you can't go in the water. While it's not the most ideal beach spot, the fact that it's just downtown and perfect for a quick vacation for a couple hours is pretty awesome to me.

First of all, I had seen a scenery of pink umbrellas on the sugar beach on CP24 several times. Then, I decided to go and find this Sugar Beach in downtown area. It is at the foot of Jarvis on Queens Quay East. The beach allows visitors to while away the afternoon as they read, play in the sand or watch boats on the lake. No swimming and wading... Finally, four of us went to Toronto on last Thursday. We had an afternoon break at the nearby cafe with our mojito. Sit down on the beach watching the boats passing by on the lake... What an amazing view of the waterfront!!!!

While certainly not spectacular, I feel like its one of those A for effort kind of deals. Sugar beach is the type of project we should be seeing more often in Toronto. I recommend checking it out if you happen to be close by. Otherwise you will probably be disappointed if your making a special trip to see it, its very small and more a curiosity then any thing else.

Sugar Beach is a fake beach (the sand was shipped in) and it's quite small. But at the same time, it's cute and a cool use of the space. The city needs more innovative developments like this. Some say you can smell the sugar from the plant next door. I might have gotten a quick whiff, but not really. As a previous reviewer said, this is a good place to stop by if you're in the area, but you might be disappointed if you make a major trip to get there.

Sugar Beach is cute! I'm not really one for baking in the sun, but its nice to have sand, even if not natural. Bonus points for revitalization. This spot was completely underused before. I like how you look out over the Redpath factory, this juxtaposition of new beach and old industry is part of Toronto's charm. Great spot to bring your kids if you are an East-ender and want another alternative from the Beaches or the techno-beats Cherry Beach. Extra Bonus points to be given If I ever work at Corus.

This is a cute little sliver of land, but I can't believe taxpayers shelled out an enormous sum for some artificial sand and pink umbrellas. Furthermore, it's location is out of the way so people who don't live downtown probably don't know about it. One can't swim here, so what is the use? Better to take a ferry to the Islands for a real beach. Additionally, it's unlikely that people are going to make a trip from outer areas of the city just to sit in the sun. This is merely a sop to the people who buy lakefront condos. The lakefront would be better served if some larger part of it were set aside for recreational use instead of building more condos. Those could include larger scale facilities that would benefit everyone in the city, not just Lakefront condo owners. Chicago's Lincoln, Grant and Millennium parks, which between them have free summer orchestral and jazz concerts, a free zoo, a large garden, exciting sculpture and so on could stand as a model for what Toronto could have done had it not given in to the greed of developers and politicians.

Mehh.....I'm not that into sugar beach. It's not a real beach, I get it. However, I'm Not that kinda person that can just lay in the sun with fake sand(pretty sure there's sugar in it) and just stay there and do nothing and not get any sort of water interaction. Oh and I'm not jumping in that polluted water any time soon, if you were thinkin' that. Plus I can't really stand the smell of the sugar factory that's right across from it. I don't know...when I first came here I was expecting a bit more. Maybe somewhere I can dip my feet in some sort of water. Some sort of sprinkler, maybe...? Personally I wouldn't really bother coming back unless if I was really bored...really really bored...and needed a tan.

I had no idea this place existed until this summer. My husband and I went to laze around this super cute little spot to picnic and really, to fall asleep on the sand. Love that they have chairs and umbrellas there. No matter what your poison is - reading, tanning, people watching, catching some sun or plain old lazing around, it's definitely worth checking out! The fountains nearby which the kids play in just add to the perfectness of a Sunday afternoon.

If you're looking for simple sun and sand and you live downtown - this place isn't so bad. Chairs, cute umbrellas, quiet environment considering you're in the city. Can't go wrong.

I'm not really sure how this can be called a beach. There's about 1000 square feet of sand dumped into what is essentially a big sandbox. There are lots of muskoka chairs and a handful of umbrellas to lounge under. Yes the candy-striped rocks are as ugly in person as they are in the pictures. Another con against this "beach" is that there is no swimming here. I hope you enjoy the smell of raw sugar and the sight of giant ships delivering said raw sugar.

It's a nice place to sit and people watch or just catch some sun. I really appreciate its existence! It's very cute and charming (pst pst date ideas). It would be swell if it were bigger and more beachlike, but if you think of it as a sandy park, it's totally fine. A nice place to daydream.

White sand, hot sun, lakefront breeze, Sugar Beach is pretty much perfect for my needs: catching rays. It's close proximity means I'm a summer regular here. The beach itself is pretty clean, has some available shade and a bunch of deck chairs scattered throughout. Keep in mind that the deck chairs are chained to the umbrellas at two-apiece. A towel is pretty much necessary if you're planning to sunbathe since the sand is quite coarse and the deck chairs likely have accumulated the sweat and skin conditions of many. Bring your brown-bagged brews (think of the kids!) for a perfect afternoon.

Does the hot weather sometimes make me a grumpy gander? Well, maybe....well, probably.....well, likely.....well, yes, yes it does. Hot bird aside, I cannot understand why any Torontonian, or any person for that matter, would ever want to spend time here. (We have swimmable beaches approx 2-3km in either direction as well as on the Toronto islands) Sugar Beach is approx 2000sf of imported soft sand, dumped in the middle of nowhere, on top of concrete, surrounded by one newly built commercial high-rise, one crumbling industrial building and a few docks meant for large ass ships. Oh, sorry, forgot about the 3 parking lots and the two barely developed, but under heavy construction, condos to the east. For any amorous types reading this, let me assure you, these are not the type of docks which inspire The Notebook type of sensibilities. There are not any cute little areas where one gets to swing or jump into the water. These docks were meant for, and are used for, heavy, large, industrial trading with the types of massive ships which should cause one nightmares if they were ever to end up swimming beside their haul. Unless you are looking to create your own Kate/Leo scenario where no one survives, Sugar Beach offers ZERO access to water, of any type; pool, splash pad, fun Epcot Center/Sherbourne Commons type jumping water balls. But don't despair, there is a water fountain. Pretty much, anyone who can get here by walking, biking, transit, driving, time-travel, spaceship, should use that energy to go anywhere else except here. If you want to hang out at a super hot place with limited access to public washrooms, refreshment options and no access to water, let me know - I will only charge $6 for access to my rooftop patio, less than half of what it will cost you to park at sugar beach.

This is a nice place to sit when your down by east side of queens quay. I am a bit of a beach snob since I love by Woodbine beach so I wouldn't call this an actual beach however it is a nice place to come and relax and there is awesome festivals all summer.

Okay, so beach isn't the best description. Maybe we should be calling this a sand park? When I visited, there were dozens of people sunning themselves (even a group of teenage girls in bathing suits!) and kids running through the fountain and splashing each other. This place is great for spending a couple of hours on a lazy weekday, and the view of the Redpath sugar factory makes it even better--I love reminders of the city's industrial past.

This is a totally awesome man-made beach sandwiched between an office building and a pier. It was a little cold so we kept our shoes and jackets on during a little bit of sun exposure. The premises are clean and well-maintained and everything is just incredibly cute! As a Californian, I've been to plenty of beaches in my life but this one left a lasting impression.

If you stand in a certain direction and squint a lot, like a lot, a lot, you could be in the Caribbean what with the white sand and blue water. Then turn 45 degrees and you'll see the Redpath Factory looming over you and the city skyline. I love the concept of Sugar Beach and the backdrop of downtown Toronto is pretty cool. Whenever I've been it's been relatively empty, which is just as well as it's very intimate (small). Location wise, it does feel somewhat out on a limb but, that said, it's only 10 minutes walk up to St Lawrence Market so close enough to purchase a picnic.

Super cute little beach right down town. There are lots of places to lock your bike which is great, and indoor bathrooms right next door. It's a great little escape downtown. My only beef is that you can't swim, although there are fountains you can run through.

An interesting man-made beach on the lake side. Came down here for a booze festival that was going on and spent the better portion of the day under the public canopies in the chairs chained to the post. The sand is clean and maintained, people aren't smoking and throwing copious amounts of butts into the sand, and you can even watch the ships unloading sugar next door. Great place to come to just relax a bit and then cruise back into town.

Awesome views and real sand. Really good and worth the trip.

Sugar Beach is an outstanding new public space which I love to visit. With fine sand, pink umbrellas, and white Muskoka chairs, it's a great place to relax and unwind in any season, to hang out and socialize, to read and enjoy a beverage, and to tan in the summer. It's a shame to read the comments about imagining being in the Caribbean because the fact that it's in downtown Toronto is cool--there's a beautiful skyline and the Toronto Islands in the background. It feels so calm and leisurely even though it's near the core of this bustling metropolitan city. The Redpath Sugar Refinery across the quay is a fascinating structure that is evocative of the city's rich history of waterfront industry. Occasionally, one can smell sugar being refined, which is great because it smells like brown sugar. Its giant "sugar shed", cranes, and ocean-going ships are interesting to see, but one can also find chairs with a view of Lake Ontario and the calm harbour waters if one prefers. It's undeniable that designer Claude Cormier produced an outstanding design by any standard with exceptional attention to the fine details. It deserves to be included in international urban and landscape design books. The massive pieces of natural Canadian Shield rock are enjoyable to climb for the views of the place and even just for the experience which you would not get without going to northern Ontario. They're whimsical with their candy cane stripes playfully reinforcing the sugar theme. The trees are lush and beautiful, and I love the details like the same trees also planted amidst the sand of the beach by the edges, an unexpected touch. The grassy berms are engaging. In North American urban design, paving is often low key, but here it's as impressive as the rest of the landscape, with an exquisite stylized maple leaf motif in three colours of granite setts. There's a splash pad for kids which looks great and has a beautiful lighting pattern of alternating colours at night. It also continues the maple leaf paving motif--this time with smooth slabs of granite. The design seems to have taken into account skyline views, which are magnificent and unobstructed by clutter. The waterfront promenade which links the space with Sherbourne Common to the east is also beautiful, lined with formal rows of trees and prominent curved wooden benches evocative of tall ships. Here, the space is most romantic, inviting strolls and intimate moments. Sugar Beach is not a traditional beach. You can't go for a swim. It's more of an inviting public space where you can enjoy many aspects of the beach in a great urban setting that embraces its surroundings. The idea of a beach is inviting; this isn't just another strip of lawns and generic benches that you'd be excused to ignore. One would be hard-pressed to find such interesting contemporary public space design even in Europe. It's beautiful and functions well as a public space. I look forward to every opportunity I get to visit Sugar Beach!