From elongated stretches of sand along the shores of beautiful lakes and ocean beaches with wonderful surfing opportunities to peaceful inland lakes with warm water and beach towns chock full of crowds, Canada is home to incredible beaches. This article has a comprehensive list of some of the best beaches in Canada – find the perfect place for yourself to spread your towel when in the country.
One of the most beautiful countries in the world, Canada draws one’s attention with its marvelous nature, vibrant cities, gastronomy, art, culture and outdoor adventures. Though beaches are not the first thing that will strike your mind while thinking of the best vacation spots in Canada, the country has some excellent sandy spots. Canada is known for being home to more shorelines than any other country in the world. There are countless beaches scattered across the cities of Canada with picturesque waterfront scenes, scintillating golden sand, thrilling water activities and stunning sea life.
Here are some of the best beaches in Canada you can discover while on a holiday in the country:
Long Beach, British Columbia
Loved for its sun, sand and surfing, Long Beach is located in the resort town of Tofino on British Columbia’s renowned Vancouver Island. It is counted among the best beaches in Canada. The beach lies in the Pacific Rim National Park and is the most popular and accessible section of the park. Stretching for 16ms, this place draws tourists as well locals throughout the year to delight in a pristine backdrop of rain forest and mountains.
Long Beach is an ideal destination for sun lovers, kayakers as well as surfers because of the shallow areas and sandy bottoms. Not just that, it is also a perfect spot for whale watching during the months of spring and summer when more than 20,000 grey whales are found roaming the seaside.
Wasaga Beach, Ontario
The world’s longest freshwater beach with 8.7 miles of shoreline and white sands, Wasaga Beach – One of the best beach in Ontario is a major draw in Canada. It lies in the Georgian Bay region of Ontario and is loved for its bustling, beachside atmosphere. It is often compared to Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale of Florida. Wasaga is where you can discover an array of clothing and trinket shops as well as various spots to simply relax and soak up the sun. In addition, there are so many rental cottages along the beach. Wasaga Beach Fest and Wasaga Beach Blues Fest are popular events that take place here in the months and June and September simultaneously.
While visitors can have an exciting day picnicking, relaxing, swimming and enjoying the sunset and shallow waters of the beach.
Brady’s Beach, British Columbia
A short hike from West Bamfield, Brady’s Beach is a calm, secluded place over the Pacific Ocean. 130kms to the south of Tofino and 174km to the west of Nanaimo, this place is only accessible through the floatplane or ferry. In case, none of these options is functional, one needs to stride through the potholed logging roads. Though the beach is comprised of fresh water and a rough coastline ideal for scuba diving, it is layered by Canada’s most intimate community. There are several spots on the beach where you can stop your kayak and pitch a tent for a relaxing time.
In addition, you will get to discover popular aquatic animals such as bald eagles, sea lions, river otters and bears. Brady’s Beach is counted among the topmost beaches of Canada because of its incredible scuba diving opportunities.
Sauble Beach, Ontario
Counted among the most historical and the best beaches in Ontario and the best vacation spots in Canada, Sauble Beach is a beautiful destination to visit with family and friends. The beach lies on the shores of Lake Huron and is where people used to drive out for family outings back in the 1960s and 70s. Spread across 10kms of shoreline, it is calmer now and is visited by an array of tourists to simply sit back and relax. Sauble Beach town comes to life during summers with several ice-cream stands, surf shops and burger joints around.
Other than this, the beach is popular among locals as well as tourists for being an ideal destination for jet skiing, swimming and paddleboarding. And as soon as the west winds evoke, there are chances for witnessing kiteboarders indulging in these extreme sports across the waves.
Ingonish Beach, Victoria
Located over an island called Cape Breton in Canada, Ingonish Beach is a marvellous beach destination in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Drawing tourists from far and wide, this beach offers the thrill of scenic rides over the cruise that is certainly a lifetime experience for one and all. If you like discovering sea life, Ingonish Beach is the place to be since you can indulge in amazing whale watching tours here.
There is a natural barrier on the beach diving from the salt water and fresh water stream from the Atlantic Ocean. This makes it an ideal spot for a fishing expedition. While the spaciousness and warm waters make Ingonish Beach popular among beach enthusiasts across the country, there are an array of options for swimmers in the freshwater stream and saltwater.
Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario
A provincial park in Ontario, Pinery Provincial Park is one of the best vacation spots in Canada with 10 km of sand beach. The sunsets on the beach are some of the most beautiful and ranked among the top ten best in the world by National Geographic. The park is home to oak savannah and beach dune ecosystems with more than 300 bird species and 800 vascular plants. Huge crowds of tourists and locals are spotted here camping in the yurt camping area – there are several camping sites in the park. One can revel in incredible outdoor recreation amidst rare forests and rolling dunes comprising walking trails, bike trails and groomed ski trails.
This park offers some of the most wonderful cross-country skiing opportunities in Ontario for beginners as well as advanced skiers. Visitors can also rent a hydro bike, canoe, a single or double kayak or a paddle boat to explore the beauty of the beach.
So this is about our collection of the best beaches in Canada where you can explore the country’s long stretches of sand and wonderful water sports. However, the list doesn’t end here! Canada is home to several more magnificent beaches that ensure the best of sun, sand and surf. Find the one that suits you best and gear up for a holiday filled with endless lifetime experiences.
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Frequently Asked Questions
You will find some of the best vacation beach spots in Vancouver, Toronto, Tofino and Victoria. As discussed above, Long Beach, Sauble Beach, Wasaga Beach and Brady’s Beach are some of the best beaches in the country.
Talking about the nicest beaches in Canada, there are many. You can discover Sauble Beach and Wasaga Beach in Ontario and Long Beach in British Columbia to delight in the incredible beach beauty in Canada.
Ontario is home to some of the cleanest beaches in Canada. You can visit Bayfield Main Beach and Bluewater Marina to discover the cleanest beach beauty in the country.
Though you might not have considered Rural Ontario while imagining the source of the purest spring water in the world, it has been found by experts that the natural wells of Elmvale have water among the purest discovered in the country. It is a township located around a 1.5-hour drive from Toronto.
Groundwater is the main source of drinking water in Canada. It could be surface water from lakes, rivers or reservoirs treated before meeting the household needs.
