Once you see a vibrant sunrise, you’re bound to be addicted and there’s not many places in the world that are more beautiful than a sunrise over the Great Lakes Ontario region. The heart of the Golden Horseshoe region begins at Niagara Falls, extends into Hamilton, Toronto, and finally ends in Oshawa. Each morning is uniquely different depending on many factors. I’m a bit of an early bird, so getting up at 5am to capture the sun rising over the lake from different vantage points is not too tough for me. Before focusing on my own backyard in Ontario, I travelled the world photographing many beautiful landscapes, but I left the best to last. Ontario is Canada’s second-largest province, so there is no shortage of things to see and photograph. We’ll start our journey in Hamilton and work our way around to Toronto.
We hope you enjoy the photos!
All photos were taken with my Canon EOS 6D camera using my 3-favourite lens – EF-16-35mm F/4L IS USM / EF-24-105mm f/4L IS USM / EF-70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM.
Confederation Park, Hamilton
You can walk the Hamilton Waterfront Trail from Confederation Park to the Burlington Lift Bridge. Sunrises are especially beautiful here since the sun rises directly over the lake from this viewpoint. Beaches are very stony but good to walk on. It’s not the best park I’ve been to, but the photo opportunities along this walk, especially in the morning are fantastic. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 160; exposure was 1/30 sec.
Burlington Canal Sunrise Splendor, Burlington
On the west end of Lake Ontario, we will find the Burlington Canal. Sunrise’s are dramatic here since they arise directly in the middle of the lake during June. There were lots of nature photographers out here early in the morning taking photos of the birds. Fishermen rise early to come here and find the catch for the day. It is very picturesque and you almost forget you have the Hamilton Steel Work factories behind you. The Burlington Canal Lighthouse dates back to the mid-1800s and has a bit of history attached to it. There is a very small park here were you can have a picnic lunch or you can walk down the stony beach. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/160 sec.
Spencer Park, Burlington
Spencer Smith Park is located in Burlington, Ontario on the shores of Lake Ontario. These little pillars reminded me of people holding hands together as they watched the dawning of a new day. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/400 sec.
The Brant Street Pier, Burlington
Brant Street Pier is a signature destination and attraction located in Spencer Smith Park on the waterfront at downtown Burlington. This pier caught me by surprise with its beauty especially during sunrise. It extends 137 metres over Lake Ontario that provides views of the lake and Burlington’s shoreline. The ‘S’-shaped Brant Street pier is fabulous for photo opportunities or you can just stroll along and enjoy the beauty of this place. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in manual mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 6 sec.; camera on tripod with a 10-stop neutral density filter.
Brant Street Winding Path, Burlington
The waterfront trail is a great spot for a cooling walk by the water at any time of day but I especially like the early morning sunrise anywhere along the waterfront trail. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/125 sec.
Water’s Edge Park, Oakville
Water’s Edge Park is bordered by Bronte Heritage Park to the west and Water’s Edge Drive to the east. There’s a lovely waterfront walkway you can follow. Easy access and good parking nearby. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/100 sec.
Lakeside Park, Mississauga
This park has a unique red rock beach. Copper colored cobblestones on the beach are one of its unique features. In the morning sunrise, they glisten a reddish color. It’s a small park, but it’s a decent location to take some great sunrise shots. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/8 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/250 sec.
St. Lawrence Park, Mississauga
Located in Mississauga, this small beach along the lake front walkway is a get-away worth experiencing. I love coming here since its close to home. Always lots going on down here, biking, hiking, fishing and taking photos. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/80 sec.
J.J Plaus Park Pier, Mississauga
From this park you get a beautiful view over the marina plus the Toronto skyline in the back ground. There are beautiful and expensive boats here, swans swimming in the lake and a sunrise second to none. What else could you want? If you’re hungry you can grab a bite from Snug Harbour, one of the loveliest restaurants anywhere. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/40 sec.
Marie Curtis Park, Toronto
Marie Curtis Park Beach is located on the east bank of the Etobicoke Creek. It was a lovely unexpected find. Marie Curtis Park Beach is exactly what a local park and beach should be – fun for walking, hiking, biking, relaxing on the beach, fishing and great photo opportunities as well. You can explore some nature trails and wooded paths with lovely bridges that cross it. It is an everyday place for the people who live nearby, it’s relaxing just to sit there and watch the world go by. That is what makes Marie Curtis Park Beach so special. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/640 sec.
Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Toronto
You can watch the sunrise from almost anywhere along the Toronto shoreline, but Colonel Samuel Smith Park is very special. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/320 sec.
Prince of Wales Park, Toronto
You’ll find this small park in South Etobicoke close to Third Street. This beautiful park may be small but it offers one of the best views of the Toronto skyline any where in the city. There are also beautiful green areas to enjoy picnics and gatherings. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in manual mode; at f/20 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 4 sec.; camera on tripod with a 10-stop neutral density filter.
Humber Bay Arch Bridge, Toronto
Right next door to the Humber Bay park, you will find this unique bridge. The Humber Bay Arch Bridge is one of those subjects that’s captivated Toronto photographers since its completion in the mid 1990s. Fabulous photo opportunities abound here at sunrise. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/125 sec.
Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto
The Martin Goodman Trail is a 56-kilometre multi-use path along the waterfront in Toronto. It traverses the entire lake shore from one end of the city to the other, from Humber Bay Arch Bridge in the west to the Rouge River in the east. To capture the bare branches, you need to be there before June. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/200 sec.
Trillium Park, Toronto
Trillium Park is a provincial park in Toronto and offers a wonderful view of the Toronto skyline at sunrise and sunset. Close to Toronto, its a favorite with many of the locals. Its a nice place to spend a lazy afternoon strolling along the waterfront or having a picnic on a blanket. The Toronto skyline is the closest from this park. Superb photo opportunities here. I took my bike and biked along the waterfront. You can also explore Ontario Place next door. It’s a great place to relax and get that cottage feel without leaving the city! This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in manual mode; at f/10 with an ISO setting of 200; exposure was 8 sec.; camera on tripod with a 10-stop neutral density filter.
Scarborough Bluffs Park
The Scarborough Bluffs is an escarpment just outside of Toronto. There are nine parks along the bluffs, with Bluffers Park being the only one with a beach. This place has always been near and dear to my heart as I grew up in Scarborough and this was our backyard. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/14 with an ISO setting of 640; exposure was 1/125 sec.
We hope you enjoyed our photo adventures on Lake Ontario and will stay in touch with us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Dulis is an award-winning photographer & large format-printing executive having worked with Canon Canada for the last 14 years. “I’ve had the chance to meet & work with some incredible people in the industry. Photography isn’t just about making photographs; it’s about choosing a life of curiosity, exploration, and wonder, immersing yourself in the world around you. Follow us on our adventures and grab your FREE e-book today – “5 Truly Amazing Places to Visit Before it’s too late!
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Good article but it is too bad it stops at Toronto. There must be some good places between Scarborough and Kingston. Living in Whitby, east of Toronto, I find most of those locations to be a bit difficult to access because driving through or past Toronto presents a psychological barrier. However, I am inspired to explore the Lake Ontario shoreline east of Toronto.
I can suggest one beautiful bit challenging location, the lighthouse at Presqu’isle Provincial Park.
This is only a quarter of the good spots, if that, Brian. You can stop anywhere along the Waterfront Trail and get beautiful sunrise images. You can also turn around and get stunning sunset images. Just west of Lakeview Park in Oshawa gives you a high vantage point with a spectacular view over the lake and port at Oshawa. If you’re lucky, you can catch a laker in your image.
Port Hope and Cobourg are two other nice spots. Prince Edward Bird Sanctuary is another favourite (anywhere in the 1,000 Islands really). Going the other direction, one image I want is the wreck of “La Grand Hermione” in Jordan Harbour with the rising sun behind it.