One of the benefits of living in Southwestern Ontario is the proximity to Lake Erie, a shallow and warm waterway that is perfect for taking a dip, strolling boardwalks and building sandcastles! When summer finally arrives, the beach beckons and having more than one fabulous beaches to choose from, all minutes from your front door, is a great way to spend time with family and friends!
Turkey Point Provincial Park one of the best on Lake Erie. Quiet and rarely overcrowded, this beach is beloved by generations of families who have been coming here for years. There is a section of the provincial park for camping, but also a day-use beach that is shallow and the water becomes warmer and warmer as summer goes on.
For about two kilometres along the sandy beach, there is a row of large trees that provide shade for perfect picnics. You’ll see many bring their own food and spend the day, while others take a break from the sun and grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant just steps away.
Tucked in the forest, just northeast of the day-use beach area, there are 235 camping sites with a mix of electric and non-electric access, for summer overnights and extra fun for the entire family and just a 20-minute drive from the charming town of Simcoe.
Just down the road from Turkey Point Provincial Park beach is the 1.5-kilometre Long Point Provincial Park beach. One of the most beautiful beaches on the lake, it is quiet, with shallow water and small sand dunes.
Ideal for families with small children the sand provides hours of play, the shallow water is warm and there are adventure parks and shady forested trails to explore.
The park and beach are part of the World Biosphere Reserve, which acknowledges unique ecosystems, sustainable balance, species protection, cultural sites, and eco-education. Ontario has four UNESCO sites, with over 700 globally.
Long Point, the fourth oldest provincial park, features diverse landscapes including beaches, bluffs, marshes, and woodlands. It extends into Lake Erie, hosting a significant bird migration area with over 300 species. Conveniently, it's only a 40-minute drive from Simcoe, Ontario.
You may have heard of the popular Port Dover Pier, with its distinctive lighthouse and the perfect place to watch tugs return with the day’s catch or cast your own line into the lake below. But did you know that there’s a lovely beach lined with palm trees to stroll with soft sand underfoot that leads to warm water?
A quiet resort town with friendly people and welcoming downtown shops and tons of restaurants and patios to try. You don’t have to go far to find the must-have ice cream shops, fast food joints and beach gear boutiques.
Port Dover is great for people-watching all summer long. The small beach town transforms and bustles with beach-goers who are family-centric and low-key, all just a 15-minute drive from Simcoe.
It’s easy to spend summer days at the beach when the beach is just minutes from your house! Pack up the car, bring a picnic and enjoy the day in the sun with Ontario’s warmest lake as refreshing respite. Here’s to a summer full of sandy beach days!
