Only recently have the Upper Beaches been called the Upper Beaches, and although the name was a marketing ploy from over a decade ago, it has stuck. So for those who can't afford the Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, there's the Upper Beaches (aka Kingston Road), located just north of the lakeside village.  The area is bordered by Kingston to the south, the railway tracks just south of the Danforth, Coxwell in the west and Victoria Park in the east, it's an east Toronto neighbourhood with lots of families, lots of public and Catholic school options, several parks and sports fields, and quite a few houses that are still affordable compared to the rest of the city.

The Upper Beaches is a quiet, laid back residential community. The Community is close to some pretty great entertainment and shopping areas, namely the Danforth for a livelier scene and Queen Street. There are a few playgrounds around for afternoons with the kids, like Cassels Park (it doubles as the dog park), or families can explore Small Creek in the west end of the community. For commuters, getting downtown is quick enough on one of three streetcar lines, or if you prefer to skip town for the weekend, Kingston Road makes it easy to head east and the Don Valley Parkway is close enough for travelling north to the lakes. Otherwise, for a getaway closer to home, just take a short jaunt south to the Beaches for some time on the sand along the lakeshore.