This beautiful Ontario park has 20 km of silky shores and a floating boardwalk trail

Ontario has no shortage of beautiful parks to explore, and if you're looking for somewhere truly special to check out, you'll want to add this spot to your plans.

With silky shorelines, shimmering waters, stunning trails, and floating boardwalks, it's a magical place to enjoy the outdoors.

The area is beautiful during the fall, when its forests burst with colour and crisp leaves coat the ground.

Point Pelee National Park is a scenic gem located along Lake Erie's shoreline in Essex County, about 3 and a half hours from Toronto.

According to Visit Windsor Essex, it's "a tiny sanctuary" with a "jungle-like forest" and smooth-sand beaches.

The park sits at the southernmost tip of mainland Canada, and you can reach the point on foot by following the Tip Trail. The easy one-kilometre loop takes around 30 minutes to complete.

You don't want to miss out on the Tip Tower, a 24-metre observation tower on the shores of Lake Erie. The lookout has 144 steps to the top and offers 360-degree views of Lake Erie and vibrant fall foliage.

You can also take in the autumn scenery from the Marsh Boardwalk, a floating wooden pathway complete with a smaller observation tower and telescope.

The Woodland Nature Trail is another spot to explore during the fall. It leads through the oldest forest habitat in the park and takes about an hour to complete.

Other scenic autumn hikes include the Tilden Woods Trail and DeLaurier Homestead & Trail.

Keep an eye out for birds during your visit. Point Pelee National Park is a birdwatching hotspot, especially during migration season. Sitting along Lake Erie at the crossroads of major migratory routes, the park attracts a large variety of birds passing through the region.

More than 390 bird species have been recorded in the Point Pelee Birding Area, making it an ideal destination for spotting everything from seasonal visitors to rare feathered friends.

October brings opportunities to spot Peregrine Falcons, while Golden Eagles begin passing through later in the month. By November, the skies fill with migrating waterfowl, including large flocks of geese.

Some birds may stick around into the colder months if temperatures and conditions stay mild enough.

Winter turns the park into a snowy escape, with opportunities to snowshoe, trek winter trails, or go cross-country skiing.

Keep in mind that trails aren't maintained during the winter, so be sure to review the park's winter safety guidelines before setting out.

If you're looking for a beautiful spot to explore this fall, Point Pelee boasts scenic shorelines, boardwalk trails, vibrant trees, and more.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.