If you're looking for where Toronto's queer community goes to actually breathe during the summer months, let me introduce you to Hanlan's Point. This isn't just any beach: this is Canada's oldest surviving queer space, a clothing-optional slice of paradise on the Toronto Islands where the lake meets liberation, and the only dress code is sunscreen.
Welcome to story #27 of our Naked Horizons series, where we celebrate spaces that let us be completely, unapologetically ourselves.
The Island That Started It All
Here's a piece of queer history you might not know: Hanlan's Point isn't just a pretty beach with a permissive attitude toward swimwear. This is hallowed ground. In 1971, this very spot hosted Canada's first Gay Pride celebration. While the rest of the world was still figuring out whether we deserved basic human rights, queers were gathering here, claiming space, claiming visibility, claiming joy.
Over fifty years later, that spirit hasn't just survived: it's thrived. Every summer, Hanlan's Point transforms into the beating heart of Toronto's queer beach culture, a 2-kilometer stretch of sandy rebellion where clothing is optional and authenticity is mandatory.
Getting There (The Journey Is Part of the Experience)
The beauty of Hanlan's Point starts before you even arrive. You can't drive there: which is perfect, because it means you're already slowing down, already stepping out of the rush of city life. You take a ferry from the harbourfront, and during that 15-minute ride across the water, Toronto's skyline recedes behind you. The CN Tower gets smaller. Your work emails feel further away. By the time you step off the boat, you're already in vacation mode.
From the ferry dock, it's about a 20-minute walk or a quick bike ride to the clothing-optional section of the beach. And trust me, you'll know when you've arrived: there's a palpable shift in energy, a collective exhale you can almost hear.
The Scene: Where Queer Joy Lives
What makes Hanlan's Point special isn't just the lack of swimsuits (though let's be honest, that's pretty great). It's the vibe. This is where muscle bears play volleyball next to twinks reading paperback thrillers. Where lesbians set up elaborate picnic spreads. Where trans folks exist without scrutiny. Where the rainbow flag isn't performative: it's just home.
The beach stretches long enough that you can find your own rhythm. Want to socialize? The central area is buzzing with energy, spontaneous dance parties, and the kind of easy conversations that only happen when everyone's defenses (and clothes) are down. Prefer something quieter? Walk a bit further, and you'll find peaceful spots where it's just you, the lake, and the sound of gentle waves.
The facilities are solid too: washrooms, changerooms, picnic areas, sports equipment, even a fast-food spot if you didn't pack lunch. This isn't some hidden, underground space where you have to rough it. It's a fully functional beach that just happens to celebrate body freedom.
Sunset: The Main Event
Here's an insider tip: Hanlan's Point faces west, making it the absolute best spot on the Toronto Islands for sunset watching. And let me tell you, a Lake Ontario sunset hits different when you're surrounded by your people, when you're comfortable in your skin, when you're free.
As the sun dips toward the horizon, painting the sky in oranges and pinks and purples, there's this magical moment that happens almost every evening. Conversations soften. Music gets turned down just a notch. People turn toward the water, and for a few minutes, hundreds of queer folks share this perfect, quiet moment of beauty.
It's spiritual, honestly. And you don't have to explain that to anyone there: they already get it.
Beyond the Beach: Toronto's Queer Summer
Hanlan's Point doesn't exist in isolation. It's part of Toronto's larger queer ecosystem, a city that comes alive with LGBTQ+ energy every summer. After a day at the beach, you might head to the Village for drinks, catch a show, or just wander the streets where rainbow flags aren't special occasion decor: they're architecture.
This is what Read with Pride is all about: celebrating the spaces, stories, and experiences that make up queer life. Whether it's through the MM romance books and gay fiction we publish or the real-world destinations we highlight, we're here for the full spectrum of queer joy.
What to Bring (And What to Leave Behind)
Practical talk for a second:
Bring:
- Sunscreen (seriously, all of it)
- A good book (might we suggest some LGBTQ+ fiction for your beach reading?)
- Water and snacks
- A comfortable towel or blanket
- An open mind and positive energy
Leave behind:
- Judgement
- Photography equipment (this is a consent-first space)
- Expectations that everyone will look like an Instagram model
- Your hang-ups about bodies (we're all just meat suits trying to enjoy the sun)
The Naked Horizons Philosophy
This is the 27th stop in our Naked Horizons series, and if there's one thing we've learned traveling to clothing-optional queer spaces around the world, it's this: these places aren't really about being naked. They're about being free.
Free from the male gaze. Free from body shame. Free from the exhausting performance of gender norms and beauty standards. Free to just exist as messy, imperfect, beautiful humans who deserve sunshine and water and joy.
Hanlan's Point embodies that freedom. It's a space that says, "You're fine exactly as you are. Now come have fun."
Making It Yours
Whether you're a Toronto local who's been meaning to check out Hanlan's for years or a visitor planning your queer Canadian adventure, here's my advice: just go. Don't wait for the perfect body or the perfect friend group or the perfect weather.
Pack your bag, catch that ferry, walk that beach path, and claim your spot in Canada's oldest queer space. Lie in the sun. Wade into the lake. Start a conversation with a stranger who might become a friend. Stay for sunset. Feel the history beneath your feet and the possibility in the air.
This is what summer is supposed to feel like.
Explore more queer spaces and stories at Readwithpride.com ✨
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