Good morning, good afternoon, good evening or good night! No matter when you're reading this blog post, I'm sure that you love a nice beach. It's one of the Earth's greatest offerings (besides shawarma or a nice cappuccino of course haha). I, for one, absolutely love the idea of feeling sand between my toes and hearing waves peacefully pull up to the shore. Surely I can't be the only one with these thoughts. Unfortunately, these happy feelings become unbearable in environments that are loud and full of clutter, which brings me to my point... Here are 5 beaches in Ontario, Canada that are really really reallyyy worth visiting.
Trust me when I say that the pictures linked below are all unfiltered and yet they still do not do these beaches justice! If you are bored and want to spend some quality time outside of your homes, I highly suggest giving these unnoticed beauties a chance :) You won't regret it, I promise.
1. Rouge Park Beach
📍Scarborough, ON
Address: 195 Rouge Hills Dr
Parking: Free
Personal rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- I would visit every hour of every day if I could :)
Although I was a bit irked (to say the least) when I first saw what I thought was the beach, it is now my all time favourite place to visit. It really did grow on me... Don't be alarmed when your GPS notifies you that you have arrived, but all you see is a cozy neighbourhood and a small empty parking lot. Once you enter that parking lot and drive to see another parking lot (crazy, am I right?!), you find your jackpot. I have visited this place a dozen times and never has it been loud nor crowded. Yes, there are a couple of beach hoggers here and there if you visit during the afternoon, but it is nothing compared to a 'standard beach'. In all, you really do feel like Alice in Wonderland whilst trying to find the beach, but once you do, all frustration disappears (just like Alice when she fell down the rabbit hole). Seriously, words cannot describe the beauty of this place, and if I were to choose a single beach to visit for the rest of my life, Rouge Park Beach would have to be it :)
2. Kew Balmy Beach
📍Toronto, ON
Address: 2 Silver Birch Ave - M4E 3K9
Parking: Free (I personally parked on the street)
Personal rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kew Balmy Beach is perfect for dog lovers + owners! They have a section for unleashed dogs and let me tell you, it's like a dog spa out there... Some dogs are sunbathing in the sand, while the rest are swimming in the lake. I was alarmed the first time I visited since I hadn't read the sign that clearly printed "off-leash dog zone". Other than that, parking is very limited and I had to personally park on the street. The water is beautiful, but the beach is a bit more crowded than Rouge Park Beach. For that reason, I would suggest visiting in time for a sunrise... the colours are truly amazing!
3. Bluffer's Park
📍Scarborough, ON
Address: 7 Brimley Rd S - M1M 3W3
Parking: Paid ($2/hour)
Personal rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okay, I hate to break it to you, but Bluffer's Park's Beach is definitely on the crowded side. That shouldn't stop you from visiting as it is a huge park, and my personal favourite spots are actually the uncrowded spots. The only reason why I have included this location is because of the wide range of sightseeing opportunities this park has to offer. For starters my favourite spot is the Bluffer's Park Marina. If you choose to visit, be sure to park at the Marina and walk to the cliffs -- it's a great picnic spot! The whole park has a lot to offer and if you ever visit, definitely check out the Marina!
4. Franklin Beach Park
📍Georgina, ON
Address: 753 Lake Dr E - L0E 1L0
Parking: Paid ($4/hour, $20 daily)
Personal rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh how I love this place! I found this beach on the way home after visiting Sibbald Point Provincial Park. I was surprised to find that the scenery was outstanding, despite being in a neighbourhood (oh the places you'll see when you walk into a random neighbourhood!). Most of the beaches in the neighbourhood are private, and it is tougher to find parking, but it is absolutely worth it for the view. I wouldn't change a thing about this place! I am constantly astonished every time I visit this place, since I can never find anyone on the beach. Peaceful yet powerful, I'll take it :)
5. Willow Beach Park
📍Georgina, ON
Address: 1506 Metro Road N - L0E 1S0
Parking: Paid ($4/hour, $20 daily)
Personal rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Willow Beach Park is in the exact same community as Franklin Beach Park, yet they are very different. Being 3.2km away from each other, you'd expect the same view.. right? I would say that Willow Beach Park reminds me of Istanbul, while Franklin Beach Park reminds me once again that I live in Canada. None of which is a bad thing... For the sake of serendipity, sit on the rocks, close your eyes, and listen to the sound of the waves crashing into the shore...
Thank you for reading :)
I'm leaving you off with this alluring quote...
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-- Mark Twain
stay tuned,
