Great White North & Great White Sandy Beaches Too!
Canada has an abundance of world-class beaches, seaside parks, charming beach towns and resorts, festivals, getaways and yes, warm water the colour of turquoise and sapphire.
From Sea to Shining Sea
The country offers both freshwater and saltwater destinations. The Great Lakes are in fact freshwater inland seas and, with the exception of Lake Michigan, they all share a border with Canada — which means beach access from the Maritimes to British Columbia.
Blue, Blue Ontario
Ontario has many of the best beaches and seaside resorts in Canada, with water blue enough to stand comparison with the Caribbean.
Camping & RV Friendly
Many of these beaches sit inside provincial parks with camping facilities, offering convenient access to the beach and various amenities to ensure a comfortable stay.
Maritime Provinces
Parlee Beach, NB — near Shediac, with the warmest saltwater in Canada, reaching upwards of 29°C. Parlee Beach Provincial Park has RV sites with electrical and water hookups.
Cavendish Beach, PEI — red sandstone cliffs, huge sand dunes and scenic beauty inside Prince Edward Island National Park. Cavendish Campground has RV sites with electrical hookups.
Brackley Beach, PEI — in the national park, a 30-minute drive from Charlottetown, known for white sandy shores and clear water. Vacationland RV Park & Family Campground offers full hookups.
Bouctouche Dune Beach, St-Édouard-de-Kent, NB — warm saltwater and one of the longest sand dunes in North America, with its distinctive winding boardwalk.
Blue Sea Beach, Malagash Point, NS — on the Northumberland Shore, water to 22°C, long sand flats at low tide and excellent bird watching.
Ingonish Beach, NS — in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, with both saltwater and freshwater swimming, plus hiking, beachcombing and the Cabot Trail. Broad Cove Campground has RV sites with electrical hookups.
Gagnon Beach, Grand-Barachois, NB — another fabulous warm saltwater beach, claiming some of the warmest water north of Virginia Beach.
Rissers Beach, Petite Rivière, NS — long sandy shores and a scenic boardwalk through a salt marsh. Rissers Beach Provincial Park offers RV sites with electrical hookups.
Singing Sands, Basin Head Provincial Park, Kingsboro, PEI — often cited as Canada’s best beach, with summer water temperatures reaching 21°C. The name comes from the high level of silica in the sand, which causes it to “sing” when walked on.
Carters Beach, Port Mouton, NS — blue water like you would find on a Caribbean island, and white sand the texture of icing sugar.
Quebec
Magdalen Islands, QC — an archipelago that is essentially one giant beach. Dune du Sud has turquoise water, white sand and dunes that stretch as far as the eye can see.
British Columbia
Long Beach, Vancouver Island, BC — in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, over 16 kilometres of sandy shoreline with views of the Pacific. Green Point Campground has RV sites with electrical hookups.
Tribune Bay, Hornby Island, BC — lovingly nicknamed “little Hawaii”, with white sand and shallow water that heats to tropical levels in summer.
Sombrio Beach, Vancouver Island, BC — great waves for surfers, a bit chilly for swimming without a wetsuit, plus a waterfall and backcountry hiking nearby.
Freshwater Beach Destinations
Wasaga Beach, ON — stretching over 14 kilometres along the southern end of Georgian Bay, the world’s longest freshwater beach. Wasaga Pines Family Campground offers RV sites with full hookups.
Sauble Beach, ON — a three-hour drive from Toronto, over 11 kilometres along Lake Huron and considered Canada’s number one freshwater beach destination. Sauble Beach Resort Camp provides full hookups.
Grand Bend, ON — another Lake Huron beach famous for its bright turquoise water, and one of Canada’s top beach towns. Pinery Provincial Park has RV sites with electrical hookups.
Port Dover, ON — on Lake Erie, a proper beach resort town complete with palm trees, warm water, a scenic pier, boutiques and restaurants.
Freshwater Beach Destinations – Prairie Provinces
Grand Beach, MB — on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, famous for fine white sand and dunes. Grand Beach Provincial Park has RV sites with electrical and water hookups.
Good Spirit Lake Beach, SK — rated one of Canada’s top 10 beaches by Maclean’s Magazine, northwest of Yorkton, with excellent fishing.
Sylvan Lake, AB — mountain views and a full range of year-round activities.
Osoyoos Lake, Okanagan Valley, BC — freshwater that rises to 24°C, surrounded by vineyards, orchards and mountains.
Bennett Lake, YK — rated one of Canada’s top beaches by the Huffington Post in 2015.
Beach Daze above the 49th Parallel
Saltwater or freshwater, Canada has no shortage of places for sun-drenched, beachcombing, lazy summer days.
