Ontario Camping, Hikes and Beaches


Sometimes I find myself needing to get away from the every-day grind, the busy streets, the rush hour and traffic and submerge into the quiet wilderness, the glorious hikes, the camp-fire, maybe with slow guitar tunes somewhere in the background, maybe with a glass of wine in my hand. No, definitely with a glass of wine in my hand. Trade your pumps for some hiking shoes, your elegant business casual attire for shorts and a tee and put your phone on silent or turn it off altogether and disappear off the grid. Jump into the sparkling water, or paddle onto the middle of the lake and just listen to the quiet (I bet you haven't heard that in a while) or reminisce at the top of a trail with a majestic view. If you need any of these things, go camping. You will not get better sleep than when you're camping (in a tent of course and with the right gear). There's something very satisfying about cozy-ing up in your hoodie beside a fire. I can personally stare at those flames for hours. There's nothing better than sharing a few laughs with your friends and to enjoy the Canadian outdoors. This was the perfect way to end a magnificent summer. If you haven't been, you gotta go!











 If you still haven't been convinced, check out more pictures on World Snapshot. See below for some of my favourite parks for camping in Ontario as well as beaches, if you can only get away for a day. The links below will have all the information you need and will lead you to the site where you can book the camp-site, order canoes/kayaks and explore more of what each park has to offer.

Camping 

  • Algonquin Provincial Park
    • Also check out this site for more information.
    • Algonquin has some of the most beautiful hikes - Track and Tower trail and Booth's Rock trail
    • Some of the camp-grounds I've been to are Kearny Lake, Lake of Two Rivers and Rock Lake
  • Restoule Provincial Park
    • This park has a great beach with a volleyball net
    • Do the Fire Tower Trail
  • Killarney Provincial Park
    • Definitely a place to rent a canoe/kayak and explore
    • This is an absolutely beautiful park where many of the trails will not disappoint
  • Grundy Lake Provincial Park
  • Awenda Provincial Park
    • The only camp-ground I've been in this park is Snake. One thing to note is that you will have to drive to the beach.
    • There are three beaches and all are worth seeing
  • Bon Echo Provincial Park
    • A perfect place to rent a kayak/canoe, go across to a hike called The Cliff Top Trail. It has several lookout areas. There is also a ferry service that takes you to the beginning of that hike.
    • The lake is gorgeous and beautiful for swimming.
    • This park is also less busy than Algonquin and you avoid the cottage traffic (although you do hit the 401 traffic).
    • There is a delicious ice cream place called The Maz Paddle Shop just a short drive away.
  • Bruce Peninsula National Park - for a more detailed itinerary on Bruce Peninsula, check out this post.

Day Hikes

Beaches

  • Wasaga Beach (Georgian Bay) - Check out this site as well. Some things to note is that beach 1 is always packed, is closer to the strip and has a younger crowd. Other beaches also get packed on a hot day but are slightly less crowded. Beaches 4/5 have trees for shade. For other beaches make sure to bring an umbrella as there is no other shade. Bring a volleyball net (there are designated spots for the nets closer to beach 1, or join in for a game.
  • Rock Point Provincial Park Beach (Lake Erie) - also has camp-sites, but this place is better for a day trip and not camping. There is shade in this park.
  • Grand Bend Beach - Check it out here as well. Pinery Provincial Park (Lake Huron)
  • Balm Beach - north of Wasaga
  • Wendake Beach and Wymbolwood Beach (Georgian Bay) - Concession Road 6 W, bring umbrellas
Tip 1: Make sure to pre-book the camp sites at Ontario Parks approximately three months in advance; however you can book last minute if there are cancellations. Book Bruce Peninsula in January since it is a national park not a provincial park. All spots go fairly quickly.

Tip 2: Unfortunately expect traffic both ways. Many people leave Friday evenings/Saturday mornings to drive up to either the same parks or cottages, especially during long weekends. Look for back-roads and avoid highways if there's traffic.