Ontario's best provincial park is a summer paradise with sand dunes and 10 km of silky beaches
Ontario has so many beautiful provincial parks to explore. From rugged wilderness areas to coastal gems, you can enjoy some of the province's most stunning scenery at these destinations.
If you're looking for a summer road trip, you'll want to keep this park in mind. It's home to sparkling blue waters and kilometres of soft sand, and readers on Facebook say it's the best provincial park in Ontario.
Located about three hours from Toronto, it's a beautiful spot to enjoy the warm weather, with places to swim, paddle, hike, and more.
Pinery Provincial Park is a stunning nature oasis nestled along the shores of Lake Huron.
According to Ontario's Blue Coast, it boasts "scenic white sand," allowing you to experience a beachy paradise without leaving the province.
You can enjoy 10 kilometres of velvety shores, complete with rolling freshwater dunes, sparkling waters, and sun-soaked sand.
Once you've taken a dip and enjoyed the sand, you can explore the park's beautiful trails, which wind through its rare and fragile oak savanna and coastal dune ecosystems.
The park is home to a network of trails that showcase some of its most unique landscapes. The Nipissing Trail takes visitors to the top of the park's "oldest and largest dune ridge," while the Cedar Trail meanders through "one of the rarest North American habitats of the Oak Savanna," according to the park's website.
Along the way, you'll come across several boardwalks that offer easy access to the scenery, including one on the Riverside Trail and another that stretches over the dunes toward the beach.
For a more active adventure, you can head out onto the Old Ausable Channel by canoe or kayak and enjoy a peaceful paddle through the park's picturesque waterways.
With its sparkling waves and silky-sand shores, it's no surprise that readers say Pinery Provincial Park is the best in Ontario.
Pinery Provincial Park
Price: $12.25 + for daily vehicle permit
Address: 9526 Lakeshore Rd., Grand Bend, ON
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.
