Scarborough, Ontario: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Scarborough forms the eastern side of Toronto, running from Victoria Park Avenue to the Rouge River and from Steeles Avenue down to Lake Ontario. Travellers come for the Scarborough Bluffs, Rouge National Urban Park, the Toronto Zoo, food districts, family parks and a different view of the Greater Toronto Area.
How Scarborough Started
Scarborough’s name comes from the bluffs. The City of Toronto’s exhibit on Scarborough before the Civic Centre explains that Elizabeth Simcoe renamed the area because the Lake Ontario cliffs reminded her of Scarborough in Yorkshire, England.
The township was established in 1850 with a population of about 3,000. For roughly a century, it remained mostly rural, with farms, mills along the Rouge River and Highland Creek, roads, stores, schools, churches and small communities such as Scarboro Village, Birch Cliff, Wexford, Agincourt, Woburn, Bendale, Malvern, Highland Creek, West Hill and Port Union.
Postwar growth transformed Scarborough quickly. The City of Toronto notes that wartime and postwar employment around the Golden Mile, new subdivisions, schools, roads, apartment blocks, shopping plazas and Highway 401 pushed rapid urbanization. By 1970, much of the former rural township had become suburban city.
Scarborough later became a borough, then a city, before amalgamating into Toronto in 1998. Its former municipal identity remains strong because the district is large, diverse and physically distinct: bluffs and lake in the south, Rouge landscapes in the east, postwar neighbourhoods through the centre and major immigrant food corridors throughout.
What Scarborough Is Like Today
Scarborough is not one visitor district. It is a large eastern Toronto landscape with lakefront parks, ravines, apartment clusters, malls, university lands, old villages, industrial corridors and some of the best food in the city.
The Scarborough Bluffs are the most visible natural landmark. The City identifies eleven parks along about 15 kilometres of bluffs, with views of Lake Ontario, trails, beaches, gardens and recreation facilities. The bluffs also require caution: the edge is unstable, and visitors should stay behind fences and use designated access points.
The east side is shaped by Rouge National Urban Park. Parks Canada describes Rouge as one of the largest urban parks in North America, with natural, cultural and agricultural stories, trails, forests, creeks, farms, marsh and Lake Ontario beach access.
Scarborough is also a food destination. Lawrence East, Kennedy, Eglinton, Markham Road, Sheppard and Midland corridors give travellers access to Tamil, Sri Lankan, Caribbean, Chinese, Filipino, Hakka, Middle Eastern, East African and many other food cultures. A practical Scarborough itinerary should leave time for meals.
Regional routes from Scarborough connect with North York, East York, downtown Toronto, Pickering, Ajax and the eastern Lake Ontario route. It is especially useful for travellers who want parks and food without staying downtown.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Start with the Scarborough Bluffs, but choose the park carefully. Bluffer’s Park is the clearest lake-level stop, with beach and marina access. Rosetta McClain Gardens is better for a quieter garden and lookout experience. Guild Park and Gardens adds architectural fragments, lawns and lakefront context. The safest visit uses official parks rather than informal bluff-edge routes.
Rouge National Urban Park can fill a separate day. Use Parks Canada information for trail conditions, parking and seasonal guidance. The park is free and open year-round, but weather, construction, trail conditions and wildlife activity can change the experience.
Toronto Zoo is the major family attraction. The City of Toronto describes it as Canada’s largest zoo, with more than 5,000 animals representing 500 species on more than 700 acres beside Rouge National Urban Park. It is not a quick downtown-style attraction; plan time for walking, weather and transit or parking.
Scarborough Museum gives a smaller historic stop in Thomson Memorial Park. The City says it tells how Scarborough developed from land farmed by Indigenous peoples and settlers into a major suburb. Add a park walk for local history without turning the day into a full museum visit.
Food routes are a separate reason to visit. A good day might pair Scarborough Museum or the Bluffs with lunch along Lawrence East, or combine Rouge and the Zoo with dinner near Markham Road or Sheppard. Transit can work for some corridors, but a car makes cross-district food and park trips easier.
Scarborough Town Centre is the most useful urban anchor. It connects shopping, buses, civic services and hotel access near McCowan and Highway 401. It is not the most scenic part of Scarborough, but it works as a base for travellers who want access to the Zoo, Rouge, food corridors and eastern Toronto without staying downtown.
Guild Park and Gardens has architectural fragments, lawns, gardens and a bluff-top setting that create one of Scarborough’s most unusual public spaces. Lakefront drives, Rosetta McClain Gardens or a meal in southwest Scarborough can extend the same area of the visit.
University of Toronto Scarborough and the Highland Creek valley add another layer to the east end. Visitors with students, conferences or family in the area can combine campus time with Rouge, Colonel Danforth Park, Port Union waterfront routes or the Zoo. This part of Scarborough feels closer to Durham Region and the Rouge landscape than to downtown Toronto.
Quick Facts
- Province: Ontario
- Region: Greater Toronto Area
- Municipality type: Former city, now a Toronto district
- Current census note: Scarborough is not a current separate census subdivision; use City of Toronto community and community council profiles for current local data
- Official website: https://www.toronto.ca/
- Main travel areas: Scarborough Bluffs, Bluffer’s Park, Guild Park and Gardens, Rouge National Urban Park, Toronto Zoo, Scarborough Museum, Scarborough Centre and food corridors
- Nearby communities: Toronto, North York, East York, Pickering, Ajax
- Key routes: Highway 401, Kingston Road, Eglinton Avenue East, Lawrence Avenue East, Markham Road, TTC, GO Transit, Rouge Park and Lake Ontario routes
Travel Notes
Scarborough is wide, so cluster the day. The Bluffs and lakefront parks belong together. Rouge National Urban Park and the Toronto Zoo belong together. Scarborough Town Centre, transit connections and food corridors can anchor a separate urban day.
Transit reaches many parts of Scarborough, but park trips can require patience. Check TTC routes, GO Transit stations and walking distances before relying on transit for the Bluffs, Rouge or the Zoo. Driving is often simpler, but parking fills quickly at popular lakefront parks in warm weather.
Bluff safety is not optional. Stay on marked paths, obey fencing and avoid cliff edges. Lake Ontario weather can also change conditions quickly, especially near exposed shoreline parks.
For first-time visitors, Scarborough works best as an east Toronto outdoor-and-food itinerary: morning at the Bluffs or Rouge, afternoon at a museum, zoo or garden, and dinner in one of the district’s food corridors before heading back toward Toronto or Durham Region.
Summer weekends need early starts for lakefront parks. Bluffer’s Park parking and beach access can fill quickly, and traffic near narrow park roads can slow the day. Shoulder seasons are often easier for bluff views, gardens and food-focused trips.
Families should plan the Zoo as a major outing rather than an add-on. The site is large, walking distances are real and weather changes the pace. If the Zoo is the main plan, keep dinner nearby and save the Bluffs or Rouge for a separate day.
Scarborough is also a good introduction to Toronto beyond the downtown skyline. It shows the city’s lake cliffs, postwar growth, immigrant food culture, ravines, suburban transit challenges and eastern edge all at once. That makes it a strong choice for repeat Toronto visitors who have already seen the central museums and waterfront.