Harbourfront, Toronto Neighbourhood Guide: Tranquil Living by the Water

All Greater Toronto Area roads don’t lead to Harbourfront, but most Ontarians find themselves visiting this sought-after neighbourhood all the same. From professional sports to world-class fine dining, Toronto’s renowned Harbourfront neighbourhood is the premier way to experience the best residential, recreational, and commercial experiences in the city. 

Until recently, Toronto’s primary waterfront neighbourhood was monopolized by industrial lots that kept most of the area’s residents from being able to enjoy Lake Ontario’s northern shores. 

Development of the once numerous shipping facilities, warehouses, and factories started as early as the 1840s. They remained until changing shipping patterns rendered much of the area underused. 

Just before the federal election of 1972, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau expropriated the industrial port lands, established the Harbourfront Corporation, and began reclaiming the area for mixed-use residential and leisure.

Toronto’s Harbourfront neighbourhood features the highest concentration of luxury condominiums in the entire city, most of which went up in the 1980s. Buildings like 550 Queens Quay and The Lakefront offer majestic full or partial lake views and form much of the character of the Toronto skyline marvelled at by tourists and locals alike. 

The area is just a few blocks south of two of the most talked about architectural structures in the world. Once celebrated as the tallest free-standing structure in the world, the CN Tower attracts more than two million tourists to the city every year. 

Next to the tower lies the Rogers Centre, a multi-purpose stadium that still holds its distinction as being the first venue ever to have a fully retractable motorized roof.

It would be far less time-consuming to talk about the things you can’t do in Harbourfront, Toronto. The Harbourfront Centre leads the cultural change within the neighbourhood’s borders. The venue entertains roughly 12 million visitors a year with a vast array of performances, children’s day camps, art exhibits, and more within the borders of its publicly owned four-hectare site. 

Harbourfront, Toronto, benefits greatly from its proximity to popular Toronto cultural landmarks including the Scotiabank Arena, the Rogers Centre, Ontario Place, the Exhibition Grounds, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, and the Fort York National Historic Site.

Harbourfront, Toronto, isn’t limited to just arts and entertainment. Far from it. The area boasts a staggering assemblage of shopping experiences both inside its regional borders and a few blocks outside of them. 

Locals looking to stay in town usually visit the shops that run along Queens Quay West for a mix of shops that include tourist-centric retailers, coffee shops, locally owned services, and grocery stores. Queens Quay Terminal has dedicated one of its eight floors to grocery, retail, and restaurant tenants. 

Those willing to venture out of the area’s boundaries can while away the hours at the top-tier shops inside and surrounding the Eaton Centre. The perennially fashion-forward King Street West shopping district isn’t far from home base either.

The cost of living in such close proximity to the most exciting happenings in Toronto is reflected in this exceptionally hot real estate market. Harbourfront condos may be expensive, but the perks of calling this neighbourhood home abound. 

Living within walking distance to some of the city’s best dining districts is one such perk. Most of this neighbourhood’s restaurants are clustered in the area surrounding the Harbourfront Centre on Queens Quay West starting at Dan Leckie Way through to Yonge Street. 

There are plenty of share-worthy dining experiences to be enjoyed north of the Gardiner Expressway. Specifically in Old Toronto, St. Lawrence Market, and The Distillery District.

You’d think that with all the space dedicated to commercial, residential, and recreation, there’d be scarce room left for green space. Wrong again. In fact, Harbourfront, Toronto’s, various parks offer something for everyone. 

There’s the always enchanting Toronto Music Garden at Queens Quay and Spadina. This curated forest said to be inspired by Bach’s first unaccompanied Cello Suite, enjoys waterfront views and attracts a spectrum of musical performers throughout the year. 

HTO Park features grassy hills, yellow shade umbrellas, Muskoka chairs and a sandy waterside area referred to as “Toronto’s Urban Beach,” by the locals. The neighbourhood is also home to Ann Tindal Park, Harbour Square Park, Sugar Beach, and more.

We’ve touched on some of the shopping and dining offerings to be had at the famed Harbourfront Centre, but the venue still has much more. When winter weather permits, the event calendar for the Harbourfront Centre’s rink fills up with opportunities for skating lessons, recreational skates, and even DJ skate night parties. March Break at the Harbourfront Centre means family-friendly day camps. 

The centre’s recreational services continue to exceed expectations in the summer months. Warmer weather means summer camps for everything from cooking classes, photography, kayaking, and sailing.

Living in the heart of the city has its perks. Car-less residents of Harbourfront benefit from incredible access to Toronto’s network of rapid transit options. Not only does Queens Quay have a dedicated streetcar line, but commuters can rely on both that streetcar and regular bus service connecting to the Union, Spadina, and Bathurst subway stations. 

Motorists have it pretty easy, too. Getting in, out, and around the city is as effortless as hopping on either the Gardiner Expressway or Lake Shore Boulevard, both of which are minutes away.

If luxury condo living, high-energy nightlife, and waterfront views are on your dream-home bucket list, then it’s time to narrow your real estate search to Harbourfront, Toronto. Condo prices for the area are high-end, but that price tag grants you immediate access to the best the City of Toronto has to offer. Restaurants, parks, entertainment, and transportation are all readily accessible.