There is incredible natural beauty to uncover all across this great Ontario Beach. The Georgian Bay’s Wasaga Beach is the world’s longest freshwater beach.
Credit: Destination Ontario
It gives visitors access to over 10km of smooth and sandy beaches but a lot more natural beauty in addition to the shoreline. The park and town area also surround the Nottawasaga River as it winds from Lake Huron and through the Wasaga parkland areas.
With all this, the Wasaga Beach Park and surrounding areas provide seemingly endless opportunities for summer recreation.
Summer Events & Festivals
Planning a summer vacation is often made easier by planning around local events or festivals. And in Wasaga Beach, these live events or festivals happen all summer long.
- Kites & Castles is a two-day event festival over Father’s Day weekend each June. The beach festival features an incredible display of sandcastles.
- Also, in June each year, there is the Trail Tunes event. This festival features live music at the area’s most popular parks, including in Collingwood and Clearview.
- The Summer Sets is an outdoor concert series in Wasaga Beach that pops up each Friday and Saturday evening at the park’s first beach.
- The Canada Day celebrations get big in Wasaga Beach each year, with headliners entertaining the crowd, children’s activities, and fireworks, to name a few events.
- Celebrate Caribbean culture each August in Wasaga Beach with the annual Sand & Soca waterfront festival.
- Say goodbye to summer over the Labour Day weekend with Memories of Summer Fireworks.
Make the Most of the World’s Longest Freshwater Beach
And in total, that beach takes up 14km of shoreline! There are six beaches in total at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. The day-use areas and beaches each have their own features, and each offers different things. These beaches have space to swim, picnic, sunbathe in the sand, launch canoes or kayaks, or enjoy something like frisbee or volleyball. And beyond the beaches are many other ways to create a day of adventure in the water.
- Beaches 1 & 2 are the more popular areas of the park. These spots are extremely close to restaurants, bars, and cafes and offer a boat launch from Beach 1.
- Beach 3 is for the pups. This is the Provincial Park’s official dog beach.
- Beaches 4 & 5 are both close to dining and eateries as well, with many places just a few blocks away. These are the park’s quieter of the large beach areas, still with picnic and washroom amenities.
- Beach 6 is Wasaga’s smallest beach area. There are no picnic amenities or washrooms at this beach.
- After taking the opportunity to laze about the expansive Wasaga Beach, it could be time for more adventure. You can rent a variety of watercraft for self-guided adventures from Wasaga Watersports and Picture Perfect Marine Rentals.
- Shaka Wasaga Boat Cruise offers a much different experience on the water. Rather than adventures, take in a day of sightseeing and relaxation from the boat bar.
More Family-Friendly Attractions Near the Beach
Whether you’re after more history and sightseeing, more adventures, or more to do as a family, there is a ton of fun in Wasaga Beach off the sand and waters.
- The notable family attractions in the area include summer fun at Wasaga Adventure Park (airsoft and paintball), the Rounds Ranch (fun farm) or Wasaga 500 Go-Karts.
- The Nancy Island Historic Site is part of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and is easy to visit for anyone at the beach. The Site is open from spring to fall, with exhibits to tour and live re-enactments of scenes from the War of 1812. Plus, you’ll learn specifically about the significance of the HMS Nancy during the War. Plus, the walk to and the views of the Nancy Island Lighthouse area are beautiful on a sunny summer day.
- The Wasaga Beach Archives are open to visitors and the public. Plus, the organization will host events throughout the summer to help people dig deeper into the history and heritage.
Hiking in Wasaga Beach
While this area is well-known as a beach destination, it is also a wonderful place for simple to advanced hiking! The parkland and greenspace areas south of the Nottawasaga River are considered the Wasaga Dunes area.
In the winter, the extensive trail system is groomed for Nordic skiing. And in the summers, these trails take you through gorgeous and lush woodland areas.
The Wasaga Dunes contain about 30km worth of trails. These are all broken into small loops, making it easy to create your own adventure, ranging in length from 1km to 20 km or more.
Where to Eat in Wasaga Beach
Lucky for beachgoers in Wasaga Beach, there are places to eat all along this 14km stretch of sand. Toward the north end of the beaches and Provincial Park are restaurants, food trucks, and eateries set up right on or near the sand. As you get further southwest along the shore, the restaurants and eateries are a block or two away from the beaches.
- Find a collection of various types of foods near the Beach Area 6 with options like 98 Super Panda, St. Louis Bar & Grill, Beacon Restaurant, or the Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House.
- Near Beach Area 5 are even more options, most of which are scattered along Mosley Street. Enjoy local eats like Wasagas Curry & Cocktail, Nana Lea’s Eats & Treats, The Hive, Pizzaville, Thonburi Thai Food, British Cuisine Fish & Chips, or Pho Simcoe.
- Beach Areas 1 and 2 are divided by a collection of restaurants and fast food eateries. These places are only a 5-minute walk or so from your beach spot! Indulge in fresh pizzas, sit back on a rooftop patio, or show up later for the nightlife.
Where to Stay in Wasaga Beach
Mosley Street is the main drag in Wasaga Beach, which runs almost parallel to the shoreline. From Mosley Street is access to all six of the Provincial Park’s beach areas. Plus, it is home to many of the area’s hotels, motels, inns, or bed and breakfasts.
- This might be one of the best places along the Georgian Bay shores for a waterfront stay in the summer. Choose between hotels and resorts like the Bayfront Beach Resort, Beach Cottage Rentals, Saga Resort, or Villa Nova Motel Resort.
- The Provincial Park is day use only, but there are still great campgrounds all around the area, like Wasaga Pines, Jacque’s Landing Campground, or the Jell-e Bean Campground.