Riding essentials
Season
Apr–Nov
Months riders and schools name
How windy
15-25 kt
Character: mixed
Room to launch
tight
access rules on record, below
Water
flat
22 °C in summerSheltered freshwater urban bay, flat to choppy water with small waves under 1 m
Hazards
12
Reported by riders
Level
Intermediate to advanced
With a caveat: see Your level
Crowds
high crowds · busy Jun Jul Aug Sep
Schools
none named here
From the airport
30 min
Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)
When it fills in
No fixed clock. Spring and autumn frontal days can blow at any hour and the forecast, not the time, decides them. Summer runs on the lake breeze, which comes onshore through the afternoon and holds into the early evening. Indicative from regional lake-breeze behaviour; there is no local measurement of onset at Cherry.
Cherry Beach has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.
- Woodbine Beachno page yet
- Hanlan's Pointno page yet
- Toronto Islandsno page yet
- Ashbridges Bayno page yet
- Marie Curtis Parkno page yet
The spot
Water and launch
Wind directions
Seasons and difficulty
The wind
locals call it Great Lakes frontal wind and summer thermal/local lake breeze
Direction
Direction to shore
E, SE and SW are ideal/useful directions; W to NW becomes offshore or wind-shadowed and gusty.
Dominant direction
E, SE, S, SW, NE
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
The quiver, in words
Indicative for a 75-85 kg rider, derived from the 15-25 kt local range rather than from measurement at the beach: 9 m on the 22-25 kt spring and autumn fronts, 10-12 m at 16-20 kt, 13-14 m when it settles at 13-16 kt.Summer thermal days are often a 15-17 m or a foil, and riders here do go that big.
Character
Typical strength
15-25 kt on the stronger spring and fall days; no measured average for the beach.
Forecast
Live forecast
Month by month
- Jan58
- Feb56
- Mar53
- Apr, riders' month47
- May, riders' month19
- Jun, riders' month23
- Jul, riders' month6
- Aug, riders' month27
- Sep, riders' month28
- Oct, riders' month27
- Nov, riders' month52
- Dec60
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.
- 58%Jan
- 56%Feb
- 53%Mar
- 47%Apr
- 19%May
- 23%Jun
- 6%Jul
- 27%Aug
- 28%Sep
- 27%Oct
- 52%Nov
- 60%Dec
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal.
Every figure, month by monthWindy days · Force 4+ · 12 kn or more · Knots · Wind from · Peaks at · Air · Readings
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | Wind from | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58% | 81% | 69% | 16.4 kt | SW | 11:00 | -2.7 °C | 62 |
| Feb | 56% | 82% | 72% | 15.8 kt | SW | 13:00 | -1.5 °C | 57 |
| Mar | 53% | 79% | 74% | 15.9 kt | NE | 13:00 | 1.7 °C | 62 |
| Apr | 47% | 80% | 73% | 15.7 kt | NE | 12:00 | 6.8 °C | 60 |
| May | 19% | 56% | 44% | 12 kt | NE | 13:00 | 13.1 °C | 62 |
| Jun | 23% | 72% | 60% | 12.8 kt | NE | 14:00 | 18.3 °C | 60 |
| Jul | 6% | 52% | 31% | 11.2 kt | S | 15:00 | 21.6 °C | 62 |
| Aug | 27% | 61% | 52% | 12.1 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 21 °C | 62 |
| Sep | 28% | 52% | 47% | 11.8 kt | NE | 16:00 | 18.3 °C | 60 |
| Oct | 27% | 63% | 53% | 12.3 kt | SSW | 15:00 | 12.1 °C | 62 |
| Nov | 52% | 83% | 78% | 15 kt | NW | 14:00 | 6 °C | 60 |
| Dec | 60% | 77% | 76% | 16.1 kt | NE | 10:00 | 1.4 °C | 62 |
How this is modelledmodelled · 2023-2024
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
flat
Standing depth
Disputed. The lake is described as immediately very deep at Cherry Beach, and also as waist-deep enough for supervised deep-water lessons in the right conditions. Assume deep.
Tides
No tide issue on Lake Ontario.
Temperature
22 °C summer · 1 °C winter
Wetsuit
Lake Ontario is only comfortable at peak summer: a shorty or 3-2 on a warm windy day, full cold-water gear in winter and the shoulder seasons.
Currents
No current data. The City asks swimmers to stay inside the supervised swim zones, away from boats and other watercraft, and to stay out of the water during and after rain.
Conditions
Your level
not for beginners here
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
No school names this spot
Nobody has been recorded teaching or running a boat here.
On your own
Room to launch: tight
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Small urban sand-and-pebble beach at the foot of Cherry Street, 25-30 m wide and split by the lifeguard tower. Pump and launch on the SW side near the open end of the bay at the far end of the sand; there is a little over 20 m from treeline to shoreline.The bay itself gives about 1 km of riding on almost flat but deep water.
Rules & access
1 min read
Jet-ski restrictions
Swimming beach rules
Local kite code
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Schools that ride here
Rider tips
- Pump up on the SW side at the far end of the sand, near the open end of the bay, and get off the beach fast with the kite pointed at the water.
- Keep the kite low and never walk upwind between the trees and the power line.
- Check the Billy Bishop airport wind report before you leave; that is the local reference.
- Skip W and NW, and pack up when a WSW starts backing west; the Toronto Island shadow kills it.
- After heavy rain the City posts a no-swimming advisory for 48 hours; check it, because you will end up in the water.
- Come in spring and fall for the 15-25 kt fronts; summer is thermal and the beach is full from June to September.
- There is no rescue boat for kiters. Emergencies go to 911 and the police marine unit, so treat body-dragging and self-rescue as gear you must already have.
Getting there
Airport
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) for closest access; Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) for most flights.
Route
Drive, bike or take transit to the foot of Cherry Street south of Unwin Avenue in the Port Lands. There is a bus from Union Station; by car it is 5-25 minutes from downtown depending on traffic.
Transfer
30 min
Cost level
medium-high
Staying
Stay downtown, in the east end or around the waterfront and Distillery District; there is no kite lodging at the beach.
No-wind days
Toronto Islands, Tommy Thompson Park/Leslie Street Spit, Martin Goodman Trail cycling, Distillery District, downtown Toronto, SUP/kayak rentals when conditions and rules allow.
Photos
FAQ
When is the wind best at Cherry Beach?
Spring and fall bring the stronger 15-25 knot frontal winds, while summer typically relies on thermal or local lake-breeze patterns.
Is Cherry Beach good for beginners?
No; local kite sources say independent beginners should avoid it because the launch is short and narrow with serious downwind hazards, though supervised lessons are offered once students reach the right level.
What wind directions work at Cherry Beach?
East, southeast and southwest are the useful directions, while west and northwest become gusty, offshore, or wind-shadowed.
Are there kite schools at Cherry Beach?
Yes, PBKiteboarding and We Love Kiteboarding both offer coaching at Cherry Beach for suitable students.
What hazards does Cherry Beach have?
The launch is narrow with trees, power lines and a lifeguard tower close behind, the water is immediately deep, and poor downwind landing options mean a failed session can drift toward Toronto Island or the marina.
Last updated: August 2026