long point beach

This might be the prettiest beach in Ontario

During a heat wave, I always dream of sand, sun and surf. Luckily, one of the prettiest beaches in Ontario is only 2.5 hours away from Toronto and it’s a must-visit for a day-trip or weekend escape.

Long Point Provincial Park is the fourth oldest Provincial Park in Ontario: it boasts an epic sandy beach where the warm waters of Lake Erie are just begging to be swam in.

One of the most impressive features of the Park is the 40 km long sandpit — it’s so unique that it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve (which is pretty impressive).

The picturesque beach and soft white sands are what attract the majority of visitors every summer, but Long Point Provincial Park also has a lot more to offer, which makes it the perfect overnight getaway for you and your friends.

From May until October you can camp inside the park and take your pick from 253 campsites. Bonus: half of these campsites have electrical service, so you won’t exactly have to rough it out here.

Some of the other features of the park include 5 km of trails to cycle on, a boat launch, hiking trails, sheltered marshes to canoe along and an off-leash dog beach for your restless pooch.

For the nature enthusiasts, there are over 300 different species of birds that migrate through Long Point every spring and fall, making it one of the top bird watching destinations in North America.

There are also ideal fishing spots inside the Park (bass is the most common here) and fishing licenses can be purchased in the village of Long Point.

Other things to do nearby in the town of Port Rowan are a handful of conservation areas and parks, a picturesque winery and tons of great antique shopping. You might want to make this an annual summer getaway.

Lead photo by

alessandrastanisci.With files from Katherine Palumbo and Mira Miller. 


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