The City of Mississauga is blessed with many tourist attractions, including over 500 parks. Some are entirely man-made, but many were created to highlight two prominent natural features in the area: Lake Ontario, and the Credit River.
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The Best Parks in Mississauga
Mississauga parks offer a wide variety of attractions. The top 20 parks in Mississauga vary in size and features, including beaches, playing fields, splash pads, walking trails, natural areas, rivers, toboggan hills, off-leash areas, and playgrounds.
Some are huge, while others are small, but they all are worth a visit.
Additionally, most parks in Mississauga have free admission and many offer free onsite parking. Moreover, the majority of these parks are conveniently serviced by MiWay public transit.
Along Lake Ontario, the waterfront parks are linked by the Waterfront Trail, so it’s possible to spend an entire day touring several at a time.
What is the best Mississauga park? Out of the 500 parks in the city, here is our list of the top 20, in no particular order.
Brickyard Park
Brickyard Park is located in the centre of the city, near Mavis Rd. and Dundas St. W., on a site that was formerly the Canada Brickworks plant.
It has been fully transformed and today includes a walking trail, a kids play area, a water play area, two baseball diamonds and a soccer field.
This is a very popular park, especially for sporting events.
Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens
The Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens is a top attraction for flower lovers and nature lovers in general. It is located on the south side of Lakeshore Road W., near Shawnmarr Road.
Each year in May, the rhododendron bushes bloom profusely for a few weeks, producing a technicolor display of bright colours.
The bushes are scattered throughout the park and there are paved walking trails that lead through the flower beds to a forested area, and then to the shores of Lake Ontario.
There you will find a small pebbly beach, with ducks, swans and plenty of other wildfowl in evidence.
Erindale Park
Erindale Park is the largest park in Mississauga.
It features playground areas, BBQ and picnic areas, walking trails, a toboggan hill and more. There are actually five picnic areas here.
Erindale Park is a good place for bird watching and even for fishing. As with all Mississauga parks, onsite parking is free and there is no entry fee.
There is a well known hiking trail called the David J. Culham Trail that runs through Erindale Park, extending beyond in both directions. This hiking trail closely follows the path of the Credit River, and is 13.2km in length roundtrip.
Huron Heights Park
Huron Heights Park is a popular park located near Eglinton Ave. E. and Central Parkway E. It features plenty of walking and jogging trails, playground areas, and a splash pad for kids.
There are multiple picnic areas, two baseball diamonds, a basketball court, and open fields for team sports such as soccer, baseball, and cricket.
Entrance to the park is free, and there is free parking available.
J.C. Saddington Park
J.C. Saddington Park is a nice Mississauga park on the west side of the Port Credit harbor. It extends fairly far out into Lake Ontario, providing excellent views of distant points, including the Toronto skyline.
There are multiple walking and biking trails that wind their way through the park, and in the centre there is a small pond.
The park has large green spaces with rolling hills, with lots of picnic tables and BBQ areas.
J.C. Saddington Park is also known as a good spot for fishing.
Local fishing enthusiasts will tell you that where the Credit River flows into Lake Ontario is an excellent spot for catching fish.
Jack Darling Memorial Park
Jack Darling Memorial Park is one of the largest parks in Mississauga.
It is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and it offers a great mix of sandy beaches, recreational parkland, and natural waterfront areas.
The park has two large picnic areas. It is extremely popular in the summer, and although there are substantial free parking areas, they can get full on a nice day.
You will find tennis courts, swimming areas, and a leash-free zone for dogs. Entrance to the park is free.
Kariya Park
Kariya Park is a very special Japanese themed park that was opened in 1992. It is located directly across from Square One Shopping Centre, Ontario’s largest shopping mall, in an area surrounded by many high rise condominiums.
Despite its close proximity to the mall, there is a feeling of tranquility in the park.
Here you will find a relatively large Japanese garden with a meandering circular walkway. There is a pagoda with an ornamental bell, wooden walkways over a large pond, and numerous sculptures scattered throughout the park.
Various types wildlife can be found in the pond, including ducks, geese, goldfish, and turtles.
Kariya Park is an excellent place to go for a short walk, and decompress from the day’s stress. Entrance to the park is free. Although there is no free parking here, there are inexpensive alternatives, with metered street parking on Kariya Drive, or free parking at Square One, about a five minute walk away.
One special note. There are cherry trees in the park, and every May they bloom. The cherry blossoms are a beautiful sight.
Kariya Park is extremely popular for wedding photos in the warmer months. There are a lot of people who consider it the best park in Mississauga.
Lake Aquitaine Park
Lake Aquitaine Park is located in the Meadowvale area of northwest Mississauga.
The central feature of this park is Lake Aquitaine, a man-made lake. The lake is very popular with locals, and it even has a pier that offers opportunities for fishing.
This park has numerous walking and jogging trails, making it perfect for walking, jogging, and cycling.
You will find an abundance of wildlife in this park. There are also free exercise circuits within the park, as well as washrooms and a splash pad.
Lake Aquitaine Park is family-friendly and pet-friendly. Admittance is free, and there is plenty of nearby parking.
Lakefront Promenade
This sprawling 104 acre area is the largest public waterfront park in Mississauga.
Lakefront Promenade consists of a series of smaller parks (AE Cookes, RK McMillan and Douglas Kennedy).
The Promenade group of parks contains sandy beach areas, several playgrounds, a large splash pad, beach volleyball facilities, an area for boat launching and lots of open areas with terrific views of Lake Ontario.
Lakeside Park
Lakeside Park is one of the newest parks in Mississauga. It was opened in 2012.
It is located on Lakeshore Road West, near Winston Churhill Blvd. The park was designed using LID (Low impact design) concepts.
It was developed as part of Mississauga’s Waterfront Parks Strategy, and is administered by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority.
Lakeside Park features numerous recreational amenities including a leash-free dog walking area, a splash pad, waterfront and park trails, and a chidren’s play area.
The park also features a cobblestone beach.
Meadowvale Conservation Area
The Meadowvale Conservation Area is a relatively tranquil place to enjoy and experience the Credit River. The park has open grassy areas ideal for a game of soccer or other team sports.
Most people come to the park to go hiking along the Culham Trail, which winds its way along the river through grasslands and forests.
An interesting sight in the southeastern area of the park is the Silverthorn Grist Mill foundation.
This once booming mill operated for many years before the turn of the 20th century. It was founded in 1853. Today the mill is long abandoned, but it provides a great subject for photos.
There are two free parking lots that provide easy access to the Meadowvale Conservation Area. One runs off of Second Line and the other runs off Old Derry Road. Access to the park is free.
Mississauga Valley Park
Mississauga Valley Park is located right in the City Centre area of Mississauga, within walking distance of Square One Shopping Centre.
This is a substantial park with long walking trails, rivers with waterfalls, ravines, forests, and lots of wildlife to see.
Here you will also find a children’s playground, multiple sports fields for bocce ball, baseball, football, and softball, tennis courts, a community garden, multiple picnic and BBQ areas, and a splash pad.
Mississauga Valley Park is a large area with multiple attractions, and it is very popular, especially in the summer. It’s one of the best parks near Square One.
Port Credit Memorial Park
Port Credit Memorial Park is located on the east bank of the Credit River, just north of the marina. This large park has one of the best playgrounds anywhere in Mississauga.
The park is also connected to the harbour by a trail that runs under Lakeshore Blvd W.
This is a great place to check out the local wildlife, watch the many boats moored in the harbour, and get closeup views of the historic Port Credit Lighthouse.
The Port Credit Memorial Arena is located in the park. It is a popular public ice skating rink, where kids and adults can lean to skate and play hockey.
Port Credit itself is a busy place with multiple events scheduled throughout the year. The park plays host to the annual Busker Festival, the Southside Shuffle Blues and Jazz Festival, regular scheduled farmers’ markets, rowing regattas and concerts. There is always something happening at Port Credit Memorial Park.
Rattray Marsh
The Rattray Marsh Conservation Area is an unspoiled wetlands area that is renowned for its wildlife and birdwatching. It is located in the Clarkson area of Mississauga, on the north shore of Lake Ontario.
The marsh is a fairly large area of protected marshland, where you will find all kinds of birds, plants, and aquatic life.
Throughout Rattray Marsh you will find a network of elevated boardwalks that help nature lovers to access the area throughout all seasons of the year.
There are no children’s playgrounds here, it is strictly an all natural preserve, and it is one of the few remaining unspoiled wetlands remaining along the northern shore of Lake Ontario.
Richard’s Memorial Park
Richard’s Memorial Park is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario.
It features an attractive rock garden, a sandy beach, several monuments, two designated picnic areas with BBQs, a children’s playground and washroom facilities.
Richard’s Memorial is one of only a few parks in Mississauga that have sandy beaches.
The park is relatively small, but is definitely worth a visit.
Riverwood Conservancy
Riverwood Park is a unique and well regarded urban nature preserve near Burnhamthorpe Road in Mississauga. It is a large parkland area with over 150 acres of urban wilderness, and it follows the path of the Credit River..
The Riverwood area is administered by the Riverwood Conservancy. Another notable organization that is located here is Visual Arts Mississauga (VAM).
The Riverwood Conservancy is a charitable organization that offers public classroom instruction on environmental education. Its members also maintain the ground’s beautiful gardens and natural areas.
Visual Arts Mississauga is an arts school for adults, teens and children. It hosts events and exhibitions throughout the year and offers a full curriculum of art classes.
Riverwood definitely deserves recognition as one of the best parks in Mississauga.
Saigon Park
Saigon Park is a recent addition to the panoply of Mississauga parks. It is a little over eight acres in size, and is located at 240 Matheson Boulevard West.
Saigon Park features a pond and a perimeter pathway and fitness circuit.
There is also a pier with lookout points, shade structures, picnic tables, seating and public art.
The fitness circuit is approximately 1 kilometre long and includes distance markers and interpretive signage.
St. Lawrence Park
St. Lawrence Park is a small green area in Port Credit, located at the foot of Hurontario St. where it meets Lake Ontario. Here you will find a paved walking path, benches, and a scenic gazebo.
The park and gazebo offers excellent views of the lake, and the Waterfront Trail runs through it.
Streetsville Memorial Park
Streetsville Memorial Park is a large park located near the Credit River in Streetsville.
It’s a great place for families.
You will find open areas for sports, beautiful scenic areas along the Credit River, plenty of wildlife such as ducks and geese, plus numerous picnic areas.
It’s a great place to visit at any time of year. During the fall, you can see salmon swimming upstream to spawn.
Zonta Meadows Park
Zonta Meadows Park is a man-made park located just west of the Square One area of Mississauga City Centre. It features an all-inclusive, accessible, barrier-free playground.
This unique park in Mississauga has one of the most interesting play areas, with special slides and ramps built to provide accessibility for all.
There is a multiplatform playground, including a sandpit, water play area, musical instruments and a stage. There are also large open fields that are perfect for soccer and other team sports, as well as free public tennis courts. Zonta Meadows is one of the best parks near Square One.
Honourable Mention – Bud Cleary Park
I’d like to include one more park as an honourable mention:
Honourable Mention: John Bud Cleary Park
This park has a similar location to Zonta Meadows, in that it serves the high density Square One area of the city. It’s a modest park, but its location is important, and there are plans to expand it in a major way.
Conclusion
Mississauga has a wide variety of excellent parks, forested wilderness areas, and wetlands. Residents and visitors alike are able to enjoy nature here, and access to all the parks is free.
What is the best Mississauga park? You be the judge. These parks in Mississauga are just another in the long list of attractions that make living here such a great experience.
back to: Randy Selzer – Your real estate agent in Mississauga