Toronto Islands Sunrise Breakfast Tour: Cycle & Eat

Breakfast happens outside on the islands, not back in the city.

A guided cycling tour of the Toronto Islands starting from Harbourfront, with boat transport to the car-free islands, a full breakfast at Runaway Cafe, and return by ferry. The route takes in the Distillery District and Sugar Beach before heading out to the water, then explores Ward's Island Community after eating. Suitable for all fitness levels; minimum age 16, live English-speaking guide included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Toronto and Toronto Islands

• Walk through Distillery District
• Visit Sugar Beach park
• Explore Harbourfront Centre
• See Ireland Park and city views
• Travel by boat to Toronto Islands
• Cycle along Toronto Islands paths
• Have breakfast at Runaway Cafe
• Explore Ward's Island Community
• Return to city by ferry

The Experience

The morning starts at Harbourfront Centre, where you'll meet your guide before heading to the waterfront. From there, a boat takes you across the harbour to the Toronto Islands—a chain of 15 small islands just offshore from downtown. Once you arrive, you'll cycle along the car-free paths that wind through the islands, moving at a pace that lets you actually notice the natural surroundings instead of rushing past them. The islands feel removed from the city even though you can see the skyline across the water.

Breakfast at Runaway Cafe is the centerpiece of the morning. You'll sit outside and eat a sandwich, pastry and drink fresh coffee or tea—all included. This is not a quick stop; it's built into the tour as a real meal, the kind of thing that makes a morning feel unhurried. After eating, the guide takes you through the quaint neighbourhood of Ward's Island Community, where you'll see the residential side of island life. The return to the city happens by ferry, which gives you a different angle on the harbour than the boat ride out.

You'll bring a helmet and use a bicycle provided by the tour; no need to arrange your own transport to the islands or figure out the ferry schedule. The whole outing runs about three hours. Public transit is nearby if you need it before or after, and the pace is designed for all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Bicycle helmet and use of a bicycle.
• breakfast sandwich, pastry, and coffee or tea at Runaway Cafe.
• boat transport to the Toronto Islands and ferry return to the city.
• official guide leading the entire tour in English.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Pedal Toronto Incorporated

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to combine cycling with a sit-down breakfast: you'll bike the car-free Toronto Islands paths and eat at Runaway Cafe, then explore Ward's Island before ferrying back.

Top questions

What's the Distillery District and when do we visit it?

The Distillery District is a historic neighbourhood built around a whiskey producer founded in 1832, redeveloped in the 1990s with shops, restaurants and cobblestone lanes. It's part of the route before you head to the islands, so you'll walk through it early in the morning.

Do I need to know how to cycle to join this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and the paths on the Toronto Islands are car-free and flat. As long as you can ride a bike, you'll manage the distance and pace.

Is the breakfast included in the price, or do I pay extra at Runaway Cafe?

Breakfast is included: a sandwich, pastry, and your choice of coffee or tea at Runaway Cafe. No additional food purchases are required.

How do we get to and from the Toronto Islands?

A boat takes you from Harbourfront to the islands at the start, and a ferry brings you back to the city at the end. Both are included in the tour.

What is Sugar Beach and do we stop there?

Sugar Beach is an urban park that opened in 2010 across from the Redpath Sugar Refinery, offering views of the harbour and city. It's one of the stops on the route before you cycle out to the islands.