Ontario's Bruce Peninsula is well known for its highly Instagrammable locations, including the Grotto (Cyprus Lake), the Indian Head Cove, and Halfway Logdump.
It had been on my radar for a while, so when the opportunity presented itself last summer, my friends and I decided to drive to Tobermory from Toronto for a weekend and make a day trip to the Bruce Peninsula.
Given it was the first summer where the pandemic didn't present a daily threat, we were organized enough to rent an Airbnb months in advance.
However, what we didn't know was that parking at the Bruce Peninsula, which is a national park, tends to fill up pretty quickly from spring to fall.
This dawned on us on the week of departure (don't judge me, it was my first summer after moving to Canada) and all of the conveniently timed parking slots were booked out.
My dream of experiencing the shiny blue-green waters of the Grotto seemed to be fading away — but a blessed cancellation saved the day, and we were able to squeeze in.
Still, mistakes were made and lessons were learned in the process – so if you're planning to enjoy the Grotto and don't want to rely on last-minute cancellations, here's everything you need to keep in mind:
Where is the Bruce Peninsula & the Grotto?
First things first: where exactly is this Grotto?
It's located in Bruce Peninsula within Ontario's Niagara Escarpment, where Lake Huron meets Georgian Bay, and the easiest way to get there is to drive.
It made the most sense for me to base myself in Tobermory, which is roughly 300 km northwest of Toronto and takes anywhere between four to six hours from the city depending on the traffic.
The Grotto is about 20 km east of Tobermory and takes another 45 minutes or so by car.
The Bruce Peninsula National Park also encompasses several smaller lakes — Lake Cyprus being the home to the famous Grotto.
How long is the hike to the Grotto? Once you park at Bruce Peninsula National Park's main visitor centre, head towards the Indian Head Cove's rocky bay for about a kilometer to get to the Grotto. It's a little bit of a trek — initially upwards, but eventually downwards and pretty steeply so.
Half of my party chose not to take that final leap of faith, but the others did. Does every group have these two types of people?
How do I reserve my parking at the Grotto?
The Grotto is roughly 1 km away from the main parking area.
Alshaar Khan | Narcity
Visitor parking for the Grotto is available on a first-come, first-served basis — but we already know how that pans out if you don't plan well during the spring/summer period.
"When parking lots are full, there is no other access to the park," according to the Parks Ontario website. “We do not recommend travelling to the park without a confirmed reservation.”
And the big one: "Driving in and dropping off visitors is not allowed. All vehicles require a valid permit to enter each area."
So basically, just plan ahead and save yourself the stress. Here's how:
To book tickets online, you will have to zero in on your date and desired booking slot via the Parks Canada Reservation system. Each 'Day Use' slot is four hours for the Grotto and six hours for the Halfway Log Dump Trail.
Grotto time slots:
- 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Noon – 4:00 pm
- 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Halfway Log Dump time slots::
- 7:00 am – 1:00 pm
- 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
You will then be asked to create an account which you'll be able to access through your selected GCKey. Once you receive an email confirmation from Parks Canada, you will be able to make a booking, including parking and admission fees, and also change any other details on your profile. Skip this step if you already have a Parks Canada account.
My group had more than one car, so we had to make multiple parking reservations. Keep your driving license and car registration numbers handy in order to fill out the details required for the booking.
How much does it cost to park at the Grotto?
Parking costs are $15 per vehicle with $11.50 in reservation fees for each booking.
You'll also have to pay extra admission fees for each adult in your car — we were eight adults, which totaled up to around $70. There's also an annual option for regular visitors.
In case you haven't paid for it online, there's also an option of doing so at the entrance, but I would recommend getting all the bookings and payments out of the way before getting there. Here's the breakdown of entry fees:
Daily
- Adult $8.50
- Senior $7.25
- Youth free
- Family/Group $16.75
- Commercial Group, per person $7.25
Annual
- Adult $41.75
- Senior $36.75
- Youth free
- Family/Group $83.75
When is the best time to visit Bruce Peninsula National Park?
"The Grotto & Cyprus Lake area is one of the most popular attractions on the Bruce Peninsula. During the summer, thousands of visitors make the hike to the Grotto each day," as per Parks Canada. They recommend visiting in early spring or late fall for a "quieter" experience.
We went in July — it seemed like peak visitor season. In fact, we only got the Saturday evening slot, which seemed like a popular choice for most large groups. We didn't mind the noise around us, but you could aim for a quieter morning slot for smaller groups.
Other nearby attractions at the Bruce Peninsula National Park, like Halfway Log Dump, are better spread out and offer more opportunities to enjoy your own space — but early spring and late fall are the recommended periods to visit these sots as well.
Can you camp at Bruce Peninsula?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes, but you'll have to ensure availability and bookings at the right time. Follow similar steps like above for booking admission and parking on the Parks Canada reservation system.
We were Airbnbing in Tobermory, which didn't require us to make a campsite booking at Bruce Peninsula and appears to be a popular option given the lack of accommodation available in Tobermory months in advance.
In terms of whether it's safe to swim at Bruce Peninsula, the Grotto water was cold but clean.
I loved jumping into the blue-green water at the Grotto and the beach nearby. It gets slightly deep as you enter the Grotto, so be safe and only go further if you trust your swimming skills (I don't).
At the beach, the waves are swimmable, but the "undertows and currents present drowning hazards," as per Parks Canada.
"If you choose to swim, please watch children carefully and swim within your ability. There are no lifeguards on duty in any area. Visitors choosing to swim do so at their own risk," their website warns.
Can I eat at the Grotto or the shoreline?
The author posing as a grillmaster in Tobermory.
Alshaar Khan | Narcity
We packed a little bit of a picnic supper and of course a bunch of water for the group because none of that is available there. "There are no garbage facilities along the shoreline so visitors must pack out what they bring in," the Parks Canada website highlights and adds, “Open alcohol is not permitted.”
"There are facilities for barbecues at the Head of Trails, close to the parking lot. If using a charcoal barbecue, dispose of used coals in the coal receptacle provided at the Head of Trails near the picnic tables."