Lawrence Park North
Neighbourhoods
Running from Leslie Street in the west to Victoria Park Avenue in the east, Kingston Road in the north and bordered by the waterfront on the south, the Beaches has been a popular residential area for over a century. Considered east of downtown, it is one of the few neighbourhoods with a long stretch of coast, which is bordered by a wooden boardwalk and sandy beach, frequented by roller bladers, volleyball players and tourists all summer long. The main commercial stretch is Queen Street East, filled with restaurants, pubs with patios, clothing and antique stores — a thriving centre in the summer, during the jazz festival in particular, but with a small-town feel that is enjoyed year-round. The residential area is characterized by Victorian and Edwardian houses, on roads running off the main drag, on tree-lined streets with mature gardens, featuring the obligatory piece of drift wood or hammock. The area is served by streetcars east-west on Queen Street, Kingston Road and Gerrard Street, and three buses run north-south.