Wasaga Beach isn't the only popular sandy beach in Ontario worth driving to — here are other spots to beat the summer heat

Hamilton Spectator

05-07-2025

'Summer is for the beach,' the Wasaga Beach's tourism website says.
If any community can make that statement it is certainly Wasaga, which made a strong post-pandemic bounce back in 2023 when the town welcomed nearly two million visitors.
And there's good reason why the community on the shore of Georgian Bay is a destination of choice for so many looking for relief from the summer heat by taking a dip in cool lake waters.
Wasaga has 14 kilometres of sandy beach — the longest freshwater beach in the world — plus the community hosts events through the summer, is home to businesses designed to entertain tourists for hours on end, and there are lots of food spots near the main beach.
If you want to avoid the crowds of the main beach, you can head on over to any of the community's beach areas, from Allenwood Beach to Beach Area 6, and you can bring your dog to a section of Beach Area 3.
Located a two-hour drive (when traffic is good) from Toronto, the community is within easy reach of millions of people.
Learn more at
explorewasagabeach.com
.
Ontario has plenty of other great beaches.
Balm Beach is one of several beaches in Tiny Township.
Wasaga Beach is easily the most well known beach on Georgian Bay, but it is not the only one.
Tiny Township is considered Simcoe County's best-kept secret as the community has 70 kilometres of shoreline and five public beaches, those being: Balm Beach, Bluewater Beach, Jackson Park, Lafontaine Beach and Woodland Beach, all within easy reach of Midland.
Balm Beach offers nearby amenities such as parking, restaurants, shopping, an arcade and more.
Learn more at
tiny.ca
.
If you're hoping to find something a bit more in-town, Midland has several beaches of its own, including Little Lake Park Beach, Gawley Park Beach and Pete Pettersen Park Beach.
Learn more at
midland.ca
.
Barrie's Centennial Beach is one of the more popular destinations on Lake Simcoe.
Lake Simcoe may not be a Great Lake, but it does offer some great summertime excursions. Below are some swimming spots to check out.
Innisfil has several beaches, with the premier spot being Innisfil Beach Park, which includes a sandy beach plus some fun amenities for families and children.
Learn more at
innisfil.ca
.
Barrie has three popular beaches, Centennial Beach, Johnson's Beach and Minet's Point Beach.
Centennial Beach tends to be the busiest. This supervised beach has a large children's playground, beach volleyball and basketball courts, restaurants and other fun attractions, including a Splash ON Water Park.
Learn more at
tourismbarrie.com
.
Orillia's 14.5-acre Couchiching Beach Park has year-round play potential near the community's downtown. In the summer, visitors hit the park's sandy beach.
Learn more at
www.orillia.ca
.
Over in Georgina, beach seekers have multiple options, with De La Salle Park being one of the more popular ones.
The park in Jackson's Point has numerous amenities, including sports facilities and picnic areas, a playground and more.
Learn more at
georgina.ca
.
Sauble Beach has been a popular summertime destination for generations.
If you're headed west, there are a few fun locations to check out along Lake Huron.
At the north end of the Bruce Peninsula, you'll find the community of Tobermory, which has several nearby beaches on either side of the peninsula.
Among the most popular is Singing Sands Beach, located on the west side of the peninsula on Lake Huron. It is part of Bruce Peninsula National Park, where you'll also find towering cliffs, a limestone cave called the Grotto and more.
Another popular beach in the area, on the Georgian Bay side of the peninsula, is Indian Head Cove, located near the Grotto.
Learn more at
explorethebruce.com
.
The iconic 'Welcome to Sauble Beach' has been changed to 'Welcome to Saugeen Beach' at the start of this summer as part of a land claim dispute with the Saugeen First Nation.
But, regardless of the politics surrounding the community's name, this Bruce Peninsula beach town remains a hot spot to go to and cool off, as it has been for generations, or as the community's tourism authority says, 'since your grandma was hot.'
Learn more at
visitsaublebeach.ca
.
Another popular destination along Lake Huron is Grand Bend in the municipality of Lambton Shores, which is about an hour's drive from London.
The beach has flown the Blue Flag — signifying excellence in water quality, safety and environmental education — for more than a decade.
The community welcomes thousands of visitors each year, plus there are restaurants, shops and nightlife along the town's main strip.
Learn more at
lambtonshores.ca
.
Another gem on Lake Huron is the beach in Sarnia's Canatara Park, which stretches for nearly a kilometre and flies the Blue Flag.
There are kid-friendly activities and the beach is located within an urban setting.
Learn more at
ontariossouthwest.com
.
Point Pelee, the southernmost point of the Canadian mainland, has sandy beaches on either side of the point.
If you're looking to go as far south as you can, then Lake Erie may be the place for you.
Port Stanley is another community where its Main Beach, which is known for its long sandy stretch of waterfront, flies the Blue Flag.
And, if you want to avoid the big crowds, there's also Port Stanley's Little Beach nearby. This 185-metre-long beach has shallow waters and trees for shade.
Port Stanley is located just south of London.
Learn more at
ontariossouthwest.com
.
Another popular Lake Erie destination is Long Point, a 40-kilometre-long sandspit, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
You can do more than just swim here — birding is another draw here — but if it's just the beach you're interested in, then you've got access to more than two kilometres of soft sand to play with.
Learn more at
ontariossouthwest.com
.
Point Pelee, the southernmost point of Canada's mainland, is on Lake Erie. The beach here is the longest continuous natural beach in Essex County.
You are not allowed to swim right at the tip of the peninsula (the risk of death is too great), but you can snap some fabulous selfies at the tip, and the west and east sides of the peninsula are smooth sand all the way.
You can also ferry over to Pelee Island, the southernmost populated area in the country, which has its own sandy beaches.
Learn more about Point Pelee at
parks.canada.ca
.
Learn more about Pelee Island at
ontariossouthwest.com
.
Moving eastward along the northern shore of Lake Erie, we come to Crystal Beach, also called Bay Beach, in Fort Erie.
You get a sandy beach with nearby restaurants, shops and boutiques.
Just be aware, the public beach is gated with a fee to get in and a strict capacity limit is enforced.
Learn more at
forterie.ca
.
Victoria Beach in Cobourg is a popular spot to enjoy some sunshine along the north shore of Lake Ontario.
Below are some destinations along Lake Ontario.
It's easy to forget sometimes, but Toronto has numerous public beaches along its coast, from Marie Curtis Park East Beach in Etobicoke to Bluffer's Beach in Scarborough and many others in between.
Woodbine Beach, located in the city's east-end Beach community, tends to be the most popular, and for those looking for something more liberating, there's the clothing-optional Hanlan's Point Beach.
Learn more at
toronto.ca
.
If you drive east of Toronto, you can find Cobourg Beach, which is actually two beaches. There's the more popular Victoria Park Beach and the quieter West Beach.
Like so many beaches on this list, you'll find the Blue Flag, clean sand and amenities to make your visit more enjoyable.
Learn more at
cobourg.ca
.
The world's largest baymouth barrier dune formation is said to be at Sandbanks Provincial Park, which is home to three main beaches, Outlet Beach, Lakeshore Beach and Dunes Beach.
Outlet and Lakeshore beaches have gradual drop-offs, so they may be more kid-friendly swimming spots, while Dunes Beach has a steep drop-off so swimmers should take extra caution here.
Learn more at
ontarioparks.ca
.
The nation's capital has four sandy public beaches on the Ottawa and Rideau rivers.
The city's tourism authority said Ottawa's most westerly public beach has been drawing families for more than a century.
To this day it remains a popular destination where there are play structures, a beach volleyball court, standup paddleboard rentals, washrooms, lifeguards and more.
Petrie Island in the city's east end has three beaches, where you can rent canoes and kayaks, hike trails, walk through a wildflower garden, fish and more. And you can swim at any of the three beaches.
The city's only public beach on the Rideau River is Mooney's Bay, a large, sandy beach surrounded by a large park.
Westboro Beach recently reopened with new amenities, including a year-round restaurant, renovated pavilions, playground, outdoor showers and more.
Learn more about Ottawa's beaches at
ottawatourism.ca
.