17. Kelso Conservation Area

Distance From Toronto: 1 hour

If you head just outside the city you'll find a beautiful conservation area that's the perfect place to spend a sunny day outdoors. Kelso Lake is actually a human-made reservoir with a sandy beach that's perfect for a day of lounging and water sports.

16. Crystal Beach

Distance From Toronto:

1 hour, 50 minutes

This white sandy beach of Lake Erie is one of the most popular beaches just outside of Toronto. If you're looking for a quiet and peaceful day in the sun, you should probably avoid this spot because it's more of a lively, party beach!

15. Port Stanley 

Distance From Toronto:

2 hours, 27 minutes

This adorable harbour town on Lake Erie is an amazing spot to visit if you're looking for a sunny beach day. There's tons of activities you can take part in in the area, the water is the perfect temperature for swimming and the beach is huge so you won't feel crowded at all!

14. Sugar Beach

Distance From Toronto: None!

Living in Toronto you definitely know about the stunning Sugar Beach. With it's adorable pink umbrellas and view of Lake Ontario, you can't find a better beach to relax on inside the city limits.

13. Balsam Lake

Distance From Toronto: 1 hour, 52 minutes

This stunning beach is located in one of Ontario's most beautiful areas, The Kawarthas. Once you arrive you can lounge on the sandy beach in the peace and quiet and you can even camp in the park area!

12. Bluffer's Park

Distance From Toronto:

None!

If you haven't yet been to the Scarborough Bluffs you'll be surprised to know that there's actually multiple beaches there! The water is so turquoise blue you'll feel like you were somehow transported to the shores of the Caribbean!

11. Sauble Beach

Distance From Toronto:

3 hours

If you're up for a little bit longer drive out of the city you'll be rewarded with one of the best beaches in Ontario, Sauble Beach. Located on Lake Huron near Bruce Peninsula you can enjoy lounging on the massive beach area with tons of fun water activities as well.

10. Canatara Beach 

Distance From Toronto: 3 hours

Drive west past London, Ontario and you'll eventually reach Sarnia which actually has a gorgeous beach area to enjoy. This scenic park and beach area has some seriously stunning turquoise waters, a petting zoo, a mini train ride and so much more!

9. Ipperwash Beach

Distance From Toronto

: 3 hours

Located along the Lambton Shores is Ipperwash Beach which is actually one of the longest freshwater beaches in all of Ontario! There's shallow waters that are perfect for swimming, it's way less busy compared to other Ontario beaches and there's tons of restaurants nearby.

8. Grand Bend

Distance From Toronto:

2 hours, 50 minutes

If you're from Ontario you definitely know about the beach town of Grand Bend. It's definitely one of the more busy beaches near Toronto because of how popular the area is. But you'll be rewarded with cozy sands, refreshing water and tons of restaurants and snack shops nearby!

7. Wasaga Beach

Distance From Toronto:

1 hour, 50 minutes

This is another one of Ontario's most busy beaches because it's honestly so beautiful! This beach town is located on Georgian Bay and offers views of the rugged Niagara Escarpment. It's a stunning spot to enjoy a relaxing beach day this summer.

6. Port Burwell Beach

Distance From Toronto:

2 hours, 30 minutes

The town of Port Burwell is small but it boasts a stunning beach that's perfect for summertime. It has 2.5 kilometres of sandy beach area, volleyball nets to play a quick game, picnic benches for lunch and so much more!

5. Marie Curtis Park

Distance From Toronto: None!

This is definitely one of the most underrated beaches in the city. If you're looking to avoid the crowds at the popular Toronto beaches this summer, this is a great alternative. It's a pretty short stretch of sand but it's the perfect distance from the rest of the city so it's perfect for a quiet day!

4. Cobourg Beach

Distance From Toronto:

1 hour, 19 minutes

Cobourg is a great spot for a beach day because it's not too far a trip from the city! There's a stunning beach, a cool lighthouse to explore, tons of volleyball courts to enjoy and so much more. It's a huge beach area as well so you'll never feel crowded.

3. Singing Sands Beach

Distance From Toronto: 4 hours

Located on Lake Huron is this stunning stretch of beach that is perfect for a relaxing weekend getaway. It's actually located right near the Bruce Peninsula National Park by Tobermory. There's tons of hiking trails to explore, flowers to admire and so much more.

2. Long Point Beach

Distance From Toronto:

2 hours, 30 minutes

Drive 2.5 hours out of the city and you'll reach the gorgeous Long Point Provincial Park complete with it's own sandy beach. It sits on the shores of Lake Erie and is the beach is located on a point at the edge of the park.

1. Sandbanks Beach

Distance From Toronto:

2 hours, 20 minutes

Located in Sandbanks Provincial Park the Sandbanks Park is full of white sand, sand dunes and calm waters. There's a total of three expansive sandy beaches in this provincial park and is perfect for a peaceful beach day!