4 Toronto(ish) Drives That Make for A Sublime Summertime Cruise

Going for a drive on a great road in a good car may just be the only responsible trip you can take right now. Pack a picnic and enjoy the open road. If you’re in or around Toronto, here are the routes we’d recommend.

Bayview Extension

Downtown Toronto is all right-corners and city blocks. Two notable exceptions are Bayview Avenue (south of Moore Avenue) and Rosedale Valley Road. These two roads create a wonderful 20-ish minute drive route that’s overflowing with trees. From the top of Bayview, you get a panoramic view of the city as you drive South. If you want a longer drive, you can incorporate the on/off ramps at the southern end of the Don Valley Parkway. It’s not like driving in the Alps, but by downtown Toronto standards, these are beautiful roads.

Hockley Road

Even from downtown Toronto, Hockley Road is just an hour away. Unlike so many country roads in Southern Ontario, this one wasn’t designed with a ruler. From the town of Loretto in the East to Highway 10 in the West, Hockley winds its way through rolling green countryside. It’s not the curviest piece of tarmac you ever saw, but the sightlines are scenic and it’s an easy afternoon trip outside the city. The drive out there is beautiful too: there are so many country roads, you could never take the same one twice.

Prince Edward County Coast

Prince Edward County is hardly a secret anymore but still worth the trip. While most go for the restaurants, shops, breweries, hotels and Sandbanks Provincial Park, we’d argue the roads are the real draw. Once you get to the peninsula, follow the coastline; don’t worry about getting lost, you’ve got Google. If you have around three hours, you can drive around the whole County.

Haliburton County Road 503

If you’re looking for a route that’s got more twists and turns, do as the keen motorcyclists do, and head out of Toronto and up towards cottage country. This route starts on eastern side of Lake Simcoe. Keep going until you hit Monck Road/45 and take it eastbound. Past the historic town of Kinmount, continue on Haliburton County Road 503. If you follow it all the way to Tory Hill, it’s a good hour and a half drive. Once you’re up there, near Algonquin Park, there are great roads (by Ontario standards at least) almost everywhere you turn. Don’t blame us if you just want to keep driving.