Best Bike Routes in Toronto to Ride to Your Nearest Patio

Toronto in the late summer and early fall is a city best explored on two-wheels. The trails are flat enough for anyone to handle, the waterfront is stunning and there's a patio waiting at the end of pretty much every ride worth taking. We put together four routes that actually go somewhere, each one ending at a spot worth the ride.

Grab a bike, bring a lock and don't forget your ID. Here's where to go.

Route 1: The Waterfront Cruise to Steam Whistle

Start: Humber Bay Shores Finish: Steam Whistle Brewing at the Roundhouse Distance: About 10km one way Difficulty: Easy. Flat the whole way.

This is a Toronto staple. Start at Humber Bay Shores and take in the Humber Bay Arch Bridge before heading east on the Martin Goodman Trail. You'll roll past Sunnyside Beach, Coronation Park and Ontario Place, with the lake on one side and the city skyline on the other.

Keep going east and the trail brings you right past the CN Tower and into the John Street Roundhouse, a National Historic Site and also, conveniently, home to us, Steam Whistle. Lock up and toast the ride with a cold Pilsner. You earned it.

Why this one: No traffic, no hills and it ends exactly where it should.

Route 2: The Don Valley Run to the East End

Start: Evergreen Brick Works Finish: Corktown Common and the East End Distance: About 8km one way Difficulty: Easy to moderate. A few gentle inclines near the start.

This route trades lake views for river valley scenery. Starting at Evergreen Brick Works, follow the Lower Don Trail south along the river. It's shaded, it's quiet and it feels a world away from downtown even though you're minutes from it.

The trail spits you out near Corktown Common, close to the Distillery District and the King East strip. From there you've got your pick of patios in one of the city's most walkable (and now bikeable) neighbourhoods.

Why this one: Best pick if you want green space over skyline.

Route 3: The Humber River Escape

Start: Etienne Brulé Park Finish: West end, near Bloor West Village Distance: About 8km one way Difficulty: Easy. Mostly flat with some shaded, winding sections.

If the waterfront trail feels a little too busy for your taste, the Humber River Trail is the quieter alternative. It runs north from the lake through Etienne Brulé Park and James Gardens, past old growth trees and the odd salmon run if you time it right in the fall.

Wrap up the ride near Bloor West Village, where the patios are relaxed and the crowd skews local rather than tourist.

Why this one: Fewer people, more shade, still an easy ride.

Route 4: The Martin Goodman Trail to the Beaches

Start: Ontario Place Finish: The Beaches Distance: About 12km one way Difficulty: Easy. Flat waterfront riding the whole way.

This is the one for a long, easy ride with plenty of lake views. Start at Ontario Place and follow the Martin Goodman Trail east along the waterfront, passing through the Port Lands and Cherry Beach before continuing toward the Beaches.

Once you reach Queen Street East, you've got plenty of options for a post-ride patio, cold beer and something to eat. Or keep going along the waterfront if you're not quite ready to call it.

Why this one: Flat, scenic and plenty of patio options waiting at the finish.

A Few Notes Before You Go

Toronto's bike share network covers most of these starting points if you don't have your own set of wheels, and most trails are well marked and easy to follow even if you've never ridden them before. Bring water, bring sunscreen and remember that a patio with a bike rack out front is doing you a favour.

And if you're riding through August and September, keep an eye out for our giveaway with Butter Bikes. We teamed up because good beer and a good bike ride go together, and we wanted to give someone the setup to prove it. Details are on our Instagram, and the contest runs until September 9th.

Whichever route you pick, you'll end up somewhere worth stopping. That's kind of the point.