Best Of The Beaches

  Now To conclude these series of blogs. I thought i would discuss what iv learned over the past couple months, as iv learned about all the different beaches in Ontario. There are many different things that make tourist appeal to beaches like location,attractions, water quality, and amenities  As a whole Ontario has a very large variety of beaches located from north to south. Now depending on what the specific person is requiring really depends on what beach suits there needs. Overall each beach iv discussed does a very good job catering to just about everyone.

Beaches Discussed;
1-Wasaga Beach
2-Sauble Beach
3-Crystal Beach
4-Port Dover
5-Grand Bend
6-Hanlans Point Beach
7-Sand Banks Beach
8-Burlington Beach

Burlington Pavilion

Now how could I write blogs on beaches and not include the beach that's approximately  5 minutes away from me. Of course i'm talking about Burlington Beach. Now unlike the past beaches iv been talking about, there is nothing out of the ordinary or any attraction that would make this beach ideal for tourists. The one thing that i find that is extraordinary about this beach is its location. Burlington beach is located just moments away from downtown Burlington and is easily accessible. Known to many as the beach way park pavilion it provides many bike and hiking trails for all types of people. Also just 2 kms from Spencer Smith restaurants, for those of you who don't know spencer smith restaurants is one of the most extravagant and well known dining experiences in all of Burlington  So after a day at the beach you can choose to eat there or some of the other bistros that Burlington has to offer.

The Sandy Beach

Located in the Prince Edward country, Picton sand banks has gotten a reputation by being one of the most unique beaches in Ontario  Also being a provincial park. What makes sand banks unique is that it is the largest fresh water sand dunes in the world.These two amazing stretches of sand dunes, including the west lake formation is considered by many the largest spanning from 12 to 25 meters high.Too much surprise these beaches are one of the finest in all of Canada, and looks out onto the finer part of lake Ontario  These amazing sand dunes were caused by glaciers receding from southern Ontario  more then 12,000 years ago. They left behind water formations that are still there to this day, making ideal conditions for the development of sandbars and dunes. Now because of these sandbanks , this attracts a wide variety of wildlife. As far as birds are concerned you can see marsh wren,swamp sparrow, woodpeckers, white throated sparrows , gulls and many more. Now effort to balance out the shifting sand dunes has caused a distinctive dune plants such as bluets, butterfly weed, sand spundge and many other exotic dessert plants. Now for one second don't think that sandbanks only has these dunes to offer, because of the unique environment it makes for amazing out door activities. They have an array of trails like the woodland trails which spans 5kms, or for the more extreme sport oriented people. There is cross country skiing exceeding over 10 kms, so stopping by the local cabins for some coco is a must. Sand banks really doesn't have very many hotels and motels as far as accommodations goes , there main focus is a more wilderness based theme .Don't think that means you have to sleep outside , there is a wide variety of rustic cabins, back country houses , and plenty of lodges. Sand Banks also has over 549 different campsites in five different camp grounds... plus 140 with electricity in case you need to make your self a morning coffee.

Clothing Optional

Hanlans Point Beach (Toronto Island)
Now since writing these blogs on beaches I had to shake things up a little and find some of Ontario's more "hidden beaches". Hanlans point beach is located near Toronto and boarders lake Ontario, it is only one km long but since 2002 has been officially a clothing optional beach. Prior to becoming an official clothing optional beach hanlans point was all ways known for being the traditional site for nude sunbathers. Hens why they later changed it to be official. It is reached primarily by by hanlans point ferry at the foot of bay street in Toronto,a ferry ride only cost 7 dollars for a there and back ticket.The peak season of this beach would start from late may and end in September, seeing as it is a clothing optional beach it is not exactly the hot spot during the winter months. Seeing as it is a nudist beach closure is a must, This beach is surrounded by a natural selection of different trees and bushes making it ideal. Despite being on lake Ontario , the water quality is exceptional and is maintained by the blue flag organization to help maintain the standard of clean and enjoyable water. On a low attendance day there are roughly 60 - 70 people on the clothing optional side, but on the busier days it can bring up to over 500 people.Now that's a lot of skin... That being said in recent years studies have showed that more families and crowds have been attending this beach. It is frequently visited by nudist organizations from all over Canada and even the United Stated. Now if your a male and your getting your hopes up and packing your bags already you should know that a large percentage of the people using these types of beaches are primarily males.Women usually only make up about a quarter of the total population on a given day.In 2008, Hanlans point beach started there "the beach ball" event which is an outdoor event, It involves a daytime dance party including local and international DJ s and even some performers. All the proceeds to this event helps the AIDS committee of Toronto. So if you'd like a low key and laid back environment while enjoying the fresh breeze , and Seeing as Canada only has two clothing optional beaches ,and the other being in Vancouver British Columbia hanlans point beach is a must see!

Grandest Of the Beaches

Rated third in readers digest of all Canadian beaches Grand bend has made it self a fast growing reputation in Canadian beaches.Being on lake Huron which is arguably one of the most beautiful bodies of water around, it makes this beach a must see in Canada  Filled with several smaller beaches such as; grand bend main beach, ipperwash beach , port Blake conservation area beach, and st. Josephs beach. It caters to just about any ones needs, whether you want to simply relax after a long week of work or be social and meets lots of different people in the greater London area. Grand bends got it all. As far as accommodations goes grand bend as a variety of bed in breakfast, cottages, campgrounds, motels , hotels , and even RV parks. So finding a place to stay should never be an issue at this destination spot. Now the main street in grand bend is Main street (no pun intended) . This street is filled with everything from restaurants to antique stores making it interesting and unique for all the different types of people coming to grand bend. Now my personal favourite attraction that this beach has to offer would be there lake side spa , who wouldn't enjoy a nice relaxing massage looking out into one of the nicest bodies of water in all of Canada. That just screams out "good time".

Friday The 13th Beach

Ontario's Best kept secret, Just located an hour or so from Hamilton on the north shore of lake Erie  This beach has received acknowledgement from all over Canada as being one of the most unique beaches around. It has plenty of different attractions,bringing in different types of people on a regular basis. You cant come to port dover and not enjoy a round of 18 holes at Lynn meadows gold course, or enjoy a relaxing evening at the harbour museum located on 44 harbour street. There are plenty of different eatery's making every meal you have a different experience. Some of the most well known spots are along the strip, such as Angelo's of Dover  beach house restaurant , captain billy's, and plenty other pizza and hamburger shops. But seeing as it is such an expanding scenery there are new restaurants opening up every summer.Port Dover is one of the best beaches in all of Canada when it comes to attractions,events and parades. Unlike most beaches port dover doesn't allow the fall and winter months to slow down the festive atmosphere. There more common winter parades are the polar bear plunge followed by there new years eve parade. As far as summer goes there most popular like most beaches would be there Canada day festival. Now lets get to the real matter at hand and why port dover has really gotten so much attention all over Canada   Of course I'm of course referring to there Friday the 13th celebration. Now for those of you who dont know , Every Friday the 13th port dover has a tradition that bikers from all over Canada come together and show off there rides, and just hang out. Now as you may of realized Friday the 13th doesn't come along very often so when it does come along you better make sure to be there. This year port dover will be having three of these events they will be in January, April , and July. 

 

Amusement Park Beach

Crystal Beach named after its crystal water conditions is one of Canada's most popular beaches. It received most of its popularity in the early to mid 80s. This beach resides in the town of fort Erie  and the beach is located on lake Erie ,and brings in many American guests coming from the buffalo region. Now  before crystal beach had maintained there name and reputation as being one of the best beaches in Canada. It was an amusement park from 1888 until the park's closure in 1989. In the 1930s many amusement park employees were given permission to build cottages so they could commute easier and live by there jobs. This is when crystal beach first developed over 40 or so cottages. Many of those owned by second or third generation employees of the crystal beach amusement park. Now as far as accommodations goes crystal beach has motel, hotels, and lodges located up and down the strip and plenty just within walking distance. The Crystal Beach Motel is the only form of accommodations from the amusement park era but was formerly known as crystal pool motel. Too this day crystal beach has had the reputation of being a beach like no other

Welcome To Sauble Beach

Rated Canadas number one beach by the Marilyn Denis show. Sauble beach has made a reputation of being a must see in Ontario  This Beach is located in the south bruce peninsula, in southwestern Ontario  This is arguably the best beach located on our very own lake Huron  Spanning over seven miles or 11 kms it is the second longest fresh water beach in the world after Wasaga beach. Sauble beach has said to be sometimes unusually warm and this is due to the fact that there are sandbar deposits building along the lake Huron shores. As far as festivals and events goes sauble beach has a vast array of different and very popular festivals such as sand fest, guitar fest, and in the fall-winter months winter-fest  There is also a wide selection of different activities including windsurfing,Ski Dooing, and my personal favorite the sand castle contest held on a year. During the long weekends in the summer the population can sore up to as high as 100,000 people compared to the 2,000 people who reside there on a yearly basis. The most popular of these long weekends, especially with the younger crowd would be may 2-4 weekend . If you just care to  relax on the beach. Sauble also offers family movie night at the beach every 
 wednesday in July till august. 

So come an enjoy some lobster and laughs at sauble beach!

Fun In The Sun

 Now, the best way I feel I can start these series of blogs would be with one of Ontario’s most popular beaches.  It is the longest fresh water beach in the world and resides in the county of Simcoe on the southern shores of Georgian Bay. It spans about 14 kms long, and yes... for those of you who guessed it I am talking about Wasaga Beach. Now whether you are an 18-20 year old teen or a 34-45 year old adult, Wasaga beach has got it all. It has an array of bike trails and the scenic caves for those of you who enjoy the outdoors. After a long day of wilderness adventure, you can top it all off with one of Wasaga beach’s many campsites. Now for you not so outdoorsy people, no need to panic. Wasaga beach has a vast selection of different hotels, motels and cottages to choose from. So you may also be asking yourself, what else is there to do besides just the beach? My answer to that would be to go and enjoy the beach! I say this because Wasaga beach is one of 17 beaches in Canada that are blue flag approved. Blue flagged means that it has passed a very strict criteria for water quality, safety, environmental management, and services. So if your still not convinced after all that and your having a rough week at work and feel like letting off a little steam, there's always the paint ball arena located just east of the beach. Now gentlemen, if your outside in the sun all day because your girlfriend or wife has been making you carry her bags while she enjoys all the stores and shopping she can handle, make sure to take in some of the bars or pubs near the beach, like the Beacon Restaurant or Beechs at the Bay. Nothing screams out a good day at the beach quite like drinks on a patio! As far as nightlife goes, Wasaga beach has the popular rooftop bar, Bananas, as well as another favorite, Oasis Beach Club. Now if you'd like to end your evening off in a more romantic setting, you could always take a nice walk on the beach and enjoy the sunset. But please, don't take my word for it. Go out there and see what Wasaga beach has to offer for yourself!