The Best Views in Toronto: Free Lookouts, Towers and Rooftops

The best views in Toronto split into two kinds, and most people only try one. You can pay to go up inside the skyline, which the CN Tower does for $47, or you can stand somewhere free and look at it, which Riverdale Park East and Trillium Park do better than anything you can buy a ticket for. The honest answer is that you want both on different days.

Here is the full list, with what each one costs, when it is open and what it actually gives you. Prices and hours were checked in November 2026.

The best views in Toronto at a glance

Spot	What you see	Cost	Open
Riverdale Park East	Downtown skyline, head on	Free	Always
Trillium Park	Skyline and lake	Free	6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Ward’s Island ferry	Skyline from the water	$9.57 return	Year round
Scarborough Bluffs	Lake and cliffs	Free	Daylight
Humber Bay Park	Skyline from the west	Free	Always
CN Tower	Everything, from 346 m	$47 adult	10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Casa Loma towers	Midtown and downtown	$45 adult	9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Canoe (54th floor)	Downtown and the lake	Food and drink	Weekdays only

The free lookouts worth the trip

Riverdale Park East is the one locals send people to. The City of Toronto’s own project page describes it as a park that “draws crowds year-round with its breathtaking views of the downtown Toronto skyline,” which is unusually direct for a municipal website. You stand on the slope below Broadview Avenue and the whole downtown sits in front of you across the Don Valley, with the CN Tower just left of centre. It costs nothing, it works in any weather, and it is a ten minute walk from Broadview station.

One thing to know: the City is building a proper lookout point with seating at the top of the hill next to Broadview Avenue. Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2027 and finish in fall 2027. Until then the hill is just a hill, and after that there may be fencing for a season.

Trillium Park at 955 Lake Shore Blvd. West is the newer one and the better one for a long sit. Ontario Place calls the view from the summit “one of the best views in the city, of the city,” and the park’s Bluff has a long communal sitting area looking out over Lake Ontario. It is 7.5 acres with a 1.3 kilometre trail, the William G. Davis Trail, which links into the Martin Goodman Trail. Open daily, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Humber Bay Park is the west end option, and the City describes it as “a destination park that offers a quiet refuge on Toronto’s waterfront.” It is over 43 hectares across two peninsulas split by Mimico Creek. Because it sits west of downtown, the skyline is away to your east and the sun sets over open water behind you. That geometry is why it works at the end of the day when Riverdale does not.

The Scarborough Bluffs are a different kind of view: 15 kilometres of cliff along the Lake Ontario shore, formed from sedimentary deposits laid down over 12,000 years ago. Eleven City parks sit along them. Bluffer’s Park at 1 Brimley Rd. S. has the parking lot and the beach. Rosetta McClain Gardens at 5 Glen Everest Rd. also has parking, and no dogs are allowed except service animals. Sylvan Park is where you pick up the Doris McCarthy Trail through Gates Gully. Guild Park and Gardens at 201 Guildwood Pky. is worth a stop, though the City lists its parking lot as under construction. Read the City’s warning before you go: “The Bluffs’ edge is unstable. Stay behind the fences and use your common sense.”

The view from the water

A ferry ticket is the cheapest paid view in the city. From the deck you get the skyline rising out of the water, which is the shot that sells Toronto.

The catch right now is the season. From October 14 to mid-April, the ferry runs to Ward’s Island only. Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point are closed to ferry service until mid-April. Ward’s sailings leave the city from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and come back from the island between 6:45 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. A late one in the dark is its own thing. Our Toronto Islands ferry guide has the fares and the dock details.

Paying to go up: the CN Tower and Casa Loma

The CN Tower is the view most visitors buy, and the pricing has more tiers than it looks.

Ticket	Adult	Senior and youth	Child 3 to 5
Timed General Admission	$47	$34	$18
The Top plus General Admission	$59	$46	$30
Flex Ticket	$62	$49	$33

General admission covers the Main Observation Level at 346 metres and the Lower Observation Level at 342 metres, which is where the glass floor and the outdoor terrace are. Under 3 is free. Prices are Canadian dollars before tax.

The observation levels run 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. with last entry at 9 p.m., so going up after dark is a real option and a quieter one. Before you book a specific night, check the tower’s closures page. Through November the Main Observation Level shuts partway through several days: November 6 from 3:30 p.m., November 14 and 15 after 11:30 a.m. for the United Way ClimbUP, November 19 from 1:30 p.m., November 25 from 3:30 p.m., and December 1 after 2:30 p.m. The Lower Observation Level, The Top and the 360 Restaurant stay open through all of those. For the cheapest route up, see our CN Tower tickets guide. For EdgeWalk and the restaurant, see our CN Tower EdgeWalk and 360 guide.

Casa Loma gives you a midtown view from two towers, and both are included in general admission: $45 for adults 18 to 64, $40 for seniors and youth, $30 for children 4 to 13. Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., last admission 4:30 p.m. The towers are reached by a spiral staircase off the third and fourth floors, so they are not step-free. Timing matters more here than anywhere else on this list: the Norman Tower stays open the whole day, but the Scottish Tower closes at 3 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Turn up at 4 p.m. on a Sunday and you get one tower. Full ticket detail is in our Casa Loma guide.

Views you can order a drink at

Canoe sits on the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower at 66 Wellington St. W. It is the highest dining room in the financial district and it is weekdays only: lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., dinner 5 to 9:30 p.m., and the bar from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Online reservations open three months ahead for up to 12 guests. If you only want the window and a drink, the bar is the cheaper way in.

The Rooftop at The Broadview Hotel, 106 Broadview Avenue, looks straight down the Don River at the skyline, which the hotel calls “one of the most stunning views of the Toronto skyline and the Don River.” It is seasonal up top: the hotel listed October 31 as the last official day of the patio, and the Rooftop took a short break from November 2 to 6, reopening Saturday November 7. So for the rest of the autumn it is an indoor room with very good glass.

What to check before you go

Season beats location. Half the spots on this list change with the calendar: the ferry drops to one dock, the rooftop patio closes, the trees come off the Riverdale slope and the view gets better.
Daylight is short now. Sunset is mid afternoon by December, which means the night views start early. Our Toronto in November guide covers what that does to a day’s plan.
Free first. If you have one afternoon and a tight budget, Riverdale Park East and Trillium Park beat anything you could pay for at the same hour.
Look for the lookouts nobody lists. Our Toronto hidden gems guide has more of the off-core spots, including Guild Park on the bluffs.

We film a lot of these spots, and you can see them on our videos.

Prices, dates and hours were checked in November 2026. Sites change them without notice, so confirm on the official site before you travel across the city.

Quick answers

What is the best view in Toronto?

It depends on whether you want to be in the skyline or looking at it. For the view of the city, Riverdale Park East and Trillium Park are the two best, and both are free. For the view from inside the skyline, the CN Tower's Main Observation Level sits at 346 metres and timed general admission is $47 for adults.

Where is the best place to see the Toronto skyline for free?

Riverdale Park East, off Broadview Avenue. The City's own page says the park draws crowds year-round for its views of the downtown skyline. Trillium Park at 955 Lake Shore Blvd. West is the other one, open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

What are the best views in Toronto at night?

The CN Tower observation levels stay open until 11 p.m., with last entry at 9 p.m., so you can go up after dark. For free, Riverdale Park East and Trillium Park both work at night because you are looking at a lit skyline rather than standing in it.

Where are the best sunset views in Toronto?

Head west. Humber Bay Park sits on the waterfront west of downtown, so the skyline is to your east and the sun goes down over the lake behind you. Trillium Park's Bluff has a long communal sitting area facing the water.

Is the CN Tower worth it for the view?

For a first visit, yes. General admission at $47 gets you the Main Observation Level at 346 metres, the Lower Observation Level at 342 metres, the glass floor and the outdoor terrace. The Top costs $59 with general admission included and adds the highest platform.

Can you see the city from the Casa Loma towers?

You can climb both towers on general admission, which is $45 for adults. Check the clock first: the Norman Tower stays open all day but the Scottish Tower closes at 3 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Sources

Prices, hours and schedules change. Check the official site before you go. Spot something out of date? Email info@truecitytourism.com. Some links may be affiliate links. Disclosure.