Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
Narcity Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with Narcity Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.
For Pro members only Pro
Summary

This Sandy Ontario Beach Is The Only Tropical Vacation You Need This Summer

Feeling beachy!
Contributor

Put those passports away. You don’t need to travel to the Caribbean to feel like you went on a tropical vacation this summer. At Pancake Bay Provincial Park, you can enjoy good times and tan lines and it won’t cost you a fortune either. 

Its name makes it sound like the most Canadian place ever, but you won’t find flowing streams of maple syrup here.

Instead, you’ll find sandy white shores and clear blue waters that will have you feeling like you’re on the coast of California. 

The beach stretches 3.2 kilometres along the bay and it’s just one of many highlights to discover within the park. 

Visitors can explore charming boardwalks, wetlands, and various hiking trails, including the 14-kilometre Lookout Trail that leads you to breathtaking forest views. 

If you love canoeing, there are some truly mesmerizing sections of Lake Superior here for you to paddle through as well. 

But if you want to be transported to those tropical dream destinations, the beach is where it’s at.

So if you can’t wait to dig your toes into the hot sand this summer, then be sure to add this little gem to your adventure bucket list ASAP.

Pancake Bay is typically open from May until October.

At the time of writing, there are a number of restrictions and physical distancing requirements in place, so be sure to check the park’s website before you visit.

Day-use fees for the park start at $10.84, which is a lot cheaper than any flight you could find.

You can also wander through wildflowers and past and a huge billion-year-old conglomerate boulder.

Basically, the views start coming and they don’t stop coming. 

Sudden weather changes could make boating in this area dangerous.

But don’t worry, the park has a really unique way of predicting the weather.

Okay, brb packing a bag for the beach!

Pancake Bay Provincial Park

Price: $10.84

When: Daily May-October

Address: 12729 Hwy 17N, Batchawana Bay, ON

Why You Need To Go: You can pretend you're on a tropical vacation at this gorgeous Ontario beach this summer.

We strongly advise that before you go swimming or visit any location, you check the most recent updates on potential hazards, security, water quality, and closures. If you do plan to visit a location, respect the environment.

Explore this list   👀

    • Amber Van Wort was a writer at Narcity Canada. She studied journalism at Durham College in Oshawa and holds a special place in her heart for the Toronto Maple Leafs. She continues to be published in the Chicago Tribune, Best Reviews, and previously, The Belleville Intelligencer, totaling up to 9+ years of experience.

    This enchanting small town set on a BC island was named among North America's 'most peaceful'

    Sandy beaches, ancient forests and a cozy town — anyone?. 🌲

    This Ontario gem with waterfront towns and beaches is one of Canada's 'best' spots to live

    It has "large" homes "priced much lower" than major Canadian cities.