Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the fourth largest city in North America. It’s a vibrant metropolis filled with gorgeous skyscrapers, a bustling public transit system, and is also known by many as a city of neighbourhoods. While it may be Canada’s largest urban centre, Toronto is also comprised of several dynamic, culturally rich communities scattered across the city landscape.
New city dwellers may experience some culture shock when they first move to the city, especially when coming from smaller cities and towns. However, Toronto is a welcoming place for everyone, and just as easy as it is to experience the nightlife, so is escaping and finding solace in nature within one of Toronto’s many neighbourhoods. It’s a city that offers the best of both worlds: an energetic cosmopolitan and a safe, friendly place to settle down with ample room to explore the beauty of the outdoors.
If you are new to the city or are considering buying a new home in the Toronto area, you may have noticed something unique about the city’s design layout. Downtown Toronto has pockets of quiet residential neighbourhoods—cozy streets lined with luscious trees, gorgeous homes, as well as outdoor green spaces—surrounded by busy commercial areas offering international cuisine, art galleries, retail boutiques, and anything else a world-class city could offer. No matter where you live in Toronto, you’re always a quick subway ride away from a delicious meal, live music event, a playground in a park, or even a beach!
Read on to discover how you can embrace all that Toronto has to offer by looking at some of the city’s best neighbourhoods for families and its diverse and convenient amenities.
The Annex
If you’re interested in living in the heart of the city, then The Annex neighbourhood might be the right place for you. The Annex is centrally located downtown and is one of Toronto’s oldest regions. It’s home to the University of Toronto, one of Canada’s leading universities, and the Royal Ontario Museum, (ROM) a world-class museum featuring art, cultural, and historical exhibits. The Annex’s location couldn’t be better—it’s just west of Yorkville, the most luxurious neighbourhood in the city, providing top-of-the-line shopping and dining.
Residential streets in this part of the city are peppered with trees and stunning brownstone homes. It’s also home to the St. George subway station, which connects you to the city’s transit lines. The main high-street for this area is Bloor Street, and here you’ll find endless possibilities for coffee shops, sushi restaurants, book shopping, and one of the city’s most beloved musical venues, Lee’s Palace.
The Annex is also an excellent place to raise a family. If you’re in the process of finding schools for your kids, you won’t have to look far in this neighbourhood. The Annex is home to countless elementary schools, including several Montessori, alternative, and private options.
Bloor West Village
About a five-minute drive west from The Annex is Toronto’s historic Bloor West Village neighbourhood. Known for being family-friendly and having some of the city’s most exquisite homes built in the 1920s, the Bloor West Village is an ideal, residential place to raise a family while also maintaining the urban lifestyle that downtown Toronto has to offer.
In Bloor West Village, life is basically delivered right to your doorstep, or at the very least, about two minutes away from it. There are fresh find fruit stands, coffee shops, restaurants, bakeries, and local grocery shops along Bloor West, and it’s right along the Bloor-Danforth subway line. As a family neighbourhood, you’ll find lots of outdoor space for young kids, including Beresford Park’s playground, wading pool, and ice-skating rink. It’s also close to some of Toronto’s west ends’ most trusted daycares and public schools.
One of the best parts about this neighbourhood is that it’s home to High Park, one of Toronto’s largest recreational and natural parks. Visitors of High Park can enjoy the famous petting zoo, take their furry friends to play in the off-leash dog park, enjoy a run or walk through the beautiful grounds, look at the cherry blossom trees in the spring, or go ice-skating in the winter. It’s an outdoor space where locals go to escape the city life and to enjoy the peaceful sounds and open space of nature.
Toronto’s Hidden Gem: The Lake
Many people outside of Toronto don’t know that the city has an active lake and boating culture. It’s located right on Lake Ontario, so there is a beautiful harbour and many sandy beaches along the coastline. In fact, one of the best ways to discover Toronto’s unique beauty is to explore the city on a boat cruise. While admiring the picturesque view of the cityscape, you could also visit the beautiful and unique Toronto Islands while on a boat cruise—one of Toronto’s many hidden gems. Did you know that Toronto has its own series of small islands, a mere 13-minute ferry ride from the downtown harbourfront?
The Toronto Islands are a cluster of 15 small islands just south of the city. On the islands, you’ll find a yacht club, amusement park, several public beaches, an airport, and a private residential neighbourhood. During the summer months, the Toronto Islands come to life with activity, and for locals, visiting the island feels like a mini vacation. It’s the perfect getaway for people who want to leave the city but don’t want to stray too far from it.
Get In on The Action
If you love big cities and appreciate living life at a slower pace, consider the advantages of living in Toronto. Reach out to the best realtors in Toronto and discover how you can turn your dream of owning a home into a reality. Before you know it, with the perfect home in your favourite Toronto neighbourhood, you’ll become a full-fledged Torontonian.
Any culture shock that you may have experienced will disappear as quickly as your faith in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ ability to win the Stanley Cup (although, like a true Torontonian, you’ll never lose hope).
