Let's go to the beach! Before you know it, the long-awaited summer will fly by. The first sign of this is the Canadian geese, who are already gathering in parks and on lawns, gaining fat before the long journey. And while there are still two weeks left before the start of the school year, it's time to go to the near and far lakes, sunbathe on the wonderful Ontario beaches. Especially since gasoline at gas stations, although little by little, is still getting cheaper, it is not known for how long. So - on the road!
Lake Erie
In this part of the coast of Lake Erie, real palm trees grow on the sandy beach, and you can even imagine that you are somewhere in the tropics.
But in fact, this is the resort town of Port Dover, where everything is adapted for a full-fledged vacation. You can swim, sunbathe on the soft, clean sand, fish from the pier, sail on boats and canoes, admire the panorama of the lake and the old lighthouse. And if you want city pleasures, then literally a few minutes from the beach is downtown with its shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. The exposition of the local museum tells the history of the city, which since time immemorial has been the center of the fishing industry. There are several wineries around Port Dover, a visit to which is included in special tours, with tasting of local wines.
In the vicinity of the city, traditional motorcycle cruises are also held, bikers from all over Canada gather to participate in them.
Information:
www.ontariossouthwest.com/on-the-water/beaches/port-dover
Address: 1Walker Street, Port Dover.
Time: daily, 7:00 am - 11:00 pm.
Bay Beach
During the summer, numerous sunbathers and swimmers flock to Bay Beach, also known as Crystal Beach, a famous beach located in Fort Erie, in the Niagara region. Some come for a day, while others - for at least the entire weekend, or even longer.
Bay Beach occupies a large stretch of lake shore with clean, clear water. On the eve of the summer season, significant renovation work was carried out here so that local and visiting vacationers could spend time in comfort. A state-of-the-art toilet, lockers for personal belongings and changing rooms, a station for filling bottles of drinking water appeared.
The local Ridgeway Lions Club made a wonderful gift - a children's playground.
A pavilion appeared on the beach, an area for holding festivals and community events, a ramp for convenient descent to the beach and an observation deck allowing you to admire the beautiful panorama of the lake.
The best time to visit is during the week, as it can be tough to find a spot on the beach on weekends.
Information: www.visitniagaracanada.com/do/crystal-beach and call 905-871-1600.
Address: 4155 Erie Rd, Crystal Beach.
Time: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
Sauble Beach
Ontarians are confident that the 11-kilometre Sauble Beach is the longest beach in Canada and the second longest beach in the world on the shores of freshwater Lake Huron. And it doesn’t matter how accurate this data is, because in any case, relaxing here is a great pleasure.
The beach got its name from the river of the same name, which flows into the lake in the Sable Falls area.
The French, the discoverers of these places, did not come up with a separate name for it, but simply marked it on the map as La Riviere Au Sable, in English Sauble River. Accordingly, the beach began to be called sandy. Having started with several houses, a store and a hotel, the village quickly grew, and at the beginning of the 20th century it turned into a popular vacation spot for the middle class, which was greatly facilitated by the automobile revolution. And in 1999, three small towns and one village were united into the Town of Bruce Peninsula, part of which is the area where the famous beach is located. Guests of the city are offered hotels, shops, restaurants and a local amusement park where you can have fun with children.
Dogs, barbecues and camping are not allowed on the beach. Serious fines are levied for breaking the rules.
Parking is allowed along the entire beach
Information: https://saublebeach.com
Address: Sauble Beach, Town of Bruce Peninsula.
Time: Daily, 24 hours.
Port Elgin Main Beach
If you prefer swimming and sunbathing in a quiet place, then just 25 minutes' drive from Sauble Beach, in the town, you will find a smaller beach, Port Elgin Main Beach. Although it is proudly called "the main beach", there are usually not so many vacationers here, because in the vicinity there are five more magnificent beaches, such as Coles Grove and Shipley Beach. So each visitor can choose the one that suits his taste, and that is why it is so good to come here with the whole family. Port Elgin beaches have been attracting a large number of vacationers since the 1800s. In these places you can watch stunning sunsets, slowly disappearing into the calm waters of Lake Huron.
The Main Beach has a playground, a path for strollers and wheelchair scooters, toilets. There are many hiking trails and bike trails in the area.
Information: https://visitportelgi
n.ca/profile/port-elgin-main-beach/800
or by phone 1-800-387-3456.
Address: 132 Green Street, Port Elgin.
Time: daily, 24 hours.
Grand Bend Beach
The popular town of Grand Bend Beach, on Lake Huron, has a well-deserved reputation as one of Canada's best beach towns and attracts thousands of visitors each year, offering them a wide variety of restaurants, shops, and opportunities to have a great time. For more than ten years, the local beach has been regularly awarded the prestigious "Blue Flag". To maintain this high level, the city authorities put in a lot of effort and require visitors to strictly adhere to a number of rules. Thus, tents and sun shelters of any size are prohibited on the beach, with the exception of beach umbrellas no more than 2.4 m in diameter, which are also prohibited from being left folded on the sand. Smoking, including vipers, is strictly prohibited. Drinking alcoholic beverages and having barbecues are not allowed. Dogs are not allowed on the central beach, but they are allowed on the north and south beaches, but only on leashes, and at certain times, from 6:00 am to 8:00 am and from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. However, there are many free services available to visitors, from beach showers and toilets to life jackets and floating chairs for the disabled.
"Please respect each other, the beach staff and those keeping order," the city authorities appeal to visitors.
Information: www.lambtonshores.ca/en/explore-and-play/grand- bend-beach.aspx#Location
and by phone. 519-2431400 Press 3.
Address: 90 Main Street West, Grand Bend.
Times: 6:00 am - 11:00 pm.