5 places to take the ideal fall selfie in Mississauga

While October is usually a magical month in Canada, these past few weeks have been tainted by an ugly and exhausting election campaign (people of all political stripes are triggered, and it’s not hard to understand why) and subsequent disharmony on social media.

For that reason, we want to take a moment to draw attention to something that we can all appreciate: The perfect fall selfie. 

Mississauga is a big city with ample green space, so that means there are a ton of places to visit to enjoy the fall colours from mid-October into November.

In fact, the city offers a ton of scenic landscapes, parks, forests, woodlands, trails and streetscapes. The city says that Mississauga’s tree canopy is, believe it or not, home to more than two million trees. 

According to the city, the unique canopy features a selection of tree species, such as poplars, maples, oaks, hickories and willows.

So, here are 5 places to check out if you want to take a great fall selfie (in no particular order):

Adamson Estate

Adamson Estate, located at 850 Enola Avenue, is a 13.33-acre waterfront park with public gardens and a private but stunning (it belongs to the Cawthra-Adamson Division of the Royal Conservatory of Music) main house that works as an ideal backdrop for classic, stunning fall photos (there are also some rumours about the place being haunted, so it’s even better for Halloween). It was originally the summer property of the Cawthra family and was built in 1919, so it’ll also give your photos a little touch of vintage grandeur. 

Erindale Park

One of Mississauga’s most iconic outdoor destinations, Erindale Park is actually the city’s largest (89.88 hectares) park and one very commonly used for group picnics, hiking, jogging, cycling, cross-country skiing, bird watching and wedding photography. The park, located on Dundas, offers vast kilometres of trails along the Credit River, a playground for children and a ton of forested areas that look absolutely stunning in the fall. The park also boasts three information kiosks, a ton of fish (it’s home to the very cool salmon run every year) and the David J. Culham Trail.

Credit River

In between Erindale Park and the Riverwood Conservancy, you will find the locally famous Credit River. According to greenbelt.ca, the Credit River spans 90 km and flows from Orangeville to Port Credit.  The river, which is surrounded by stunning fall foliage this time of year, is home to Chinook salmon and rainbow trout. It’s also a great spot for canoeing and kayaking. 

Riverwood

This area sounds elvish and fantastical and while it doesn’t really evoke images of mythical landscapes (it’s far truer to Mississauga’s indigenous roots in terms of look and feel), it is pretty special. Located in central Mississauga along the east bank of the Credit River, the Riverwood property comprises 60 hectares of space and boasts Visual Arts Mississauga (VAM) and The Riverwood Conservancy (TRC). If you love art, you’ll be happy to know that VAM offers programs for people of all ages. If it’s learning you’re after, TRC offers educational programs for students, families and adults. This place is absolutely ideal for fall photography, so feel free to snap some shots of the picturesque location on your phone while exploring the property. That said, note that you need the proper permits for group photography.

Lake Aquitaine / Lake Wabukayne Trail

Your selfie journey can start at the Meadowvale Community Centre and Library and you can walk the Lake Aquitaine Trail or Lake Wabukayne Trail. These two trails run 3.4 km and 4.2 km respectively, with plenty of natural areas that connect through neighbourhoods. If you follow one of these two trails, it’ll take you to parks overlooking a lake, and that lake is a perfect backdrop for an autumn photo shoot. You could also explore the Aquitaine Trail, where you can walk or bike (which you’ll want to do before it gets a little too cold outside). The park also boasts an in-line skating on the trail!

If you want to check out more spots, here’s a list of recommendations, courtesy of the City of Mississauga:

Meadow Wood Park (484 Apple Lane)

Cedarbrae Park (565 Lolita Gdns)

Trelawny Woods (3500 Trelawny Cir.)

Sawmill Creek Park (1955 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.)

Streetsville Memorial Park (355 Church St)

Fleetwood Park (2000 Burnhamthorpe Rd. E.)

Paul Coffey Park (3430 Derry Rd. E.)

Cover photo and some park information courtesy of City of Mississauga