Canada has more shorelines and beaches than any other country in the world. It is bordered by the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.
It has thousands of kilometers of lake shores, especially the Great Lakes.
Canada’s beaches have warm waters, great sand, fun surf, with so many aquatic wonders, too numerous to mention.
It has ten provinces and 3 territories, and a land mass second only to Russia.
Yukon Territory … Kluane Lake
The Kluane Lake aka Trophy Lake or aka Big Fish Lake, is famous for its “trophy” size fish.
Lake Trout can grow as big as 40 pounds, or maybe 60 pounds on a good day. Big trouts demand the very best in fishing equipment, and fishing skills, to get hooked.
Legend has it, that this lake is home to a 100 pound monster fish. Rugged wilderness Kluane Lake is located in Kluane National Park and Reserve, in the Yukon’s south west corner.
Leave the capital city of Whitehorse on the Alaskan Highway toward Destruction Bay. You can’t get lost. The expert guides will be waiting for you, at the local lodges.
They will keep their eyes open for the giant grizzly bears in the park, so you can fish in peace.
Here is a video showing what the scenery looks like up around these parts. As you can see, even from the driver’s seat of a truck, the view is spectacular!
British Columbia … Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park
Long Beach is 16 km of beautiful accessible sand on Wickaninnish Bay, on the west side of Vancouver Island, about three hours west of the city of Victoria, on Vancouver Is. Canada.
This beach is a surfing hotspot, with surf guards on duty in the summer. It has some of the most consistent surf on the planet.
If you love kayaking, fishing, whale watching, zip lining, and of course, surfing, this is the place for you.
Alberta … Sylvan Lake
Alberta, Canada is famous for its tar sands and oil, not beaches. But Alberta does have Sylvan Lake, with a shoreline of 13 km, and only 20 km west of Red Deer on Highway 11.
Sylvan Lake offers swimming, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, scuba diving and fishing.
Oh, and if you need a break from the beach activities, there is golfing, volleyball, go-carting, and summer camps for kids. The accommodations range from tents to luxury condos.
Here is a video showing what it’s like at Sylvan Lake.
As you can probably see here, this lake is like a boon for tourism in this area, and, not only that, it looks like a whole lot of fun, doesn’t it? 🙂
Saskatchewan … Manitou Beach
Manitou Beach is Canada’s answer to the Dead Sea. It is a mineral deposit of magnesium, carbonate, potassium, mineral salts, sodium, calcium, iron, silica and sulphur all in one little lake.
This unique beach is for bathers who need some therapeutics at the beach.
The water is too dense for any swimming, because of the high salt content but, you can float, and it is impossible to sink. It is easy to find.
It is 100 km east of Saskatoon, and just 5 km north of the small town of Watrous on #365. Look for the signs that say, “Little Manitou Lake”. That’s the place.
To find out more about this unique lake, watch the following video which gives a detailed history of the lake.
You will certainly see that it is a special place, and definitely worth traveling to, if you are in the area, and you love to be in the water.
Manitoba … Grand Beach
Grand Beach is located inside Grand Beach Provincial Park on Lake Winnipeg, one hour north of the city of Winnipeg, on highway 59.
The beach is a 3 km stretch of beautiful sand just waiting for the sunbather, surfer, swimmer, board sailer, boater, birder, and fisher people.
By the way, the piping plover is an endangered species so bring your camera. The sky is big and bold, and so is the beach and lake.
Here is a video showing just how much stuff there is to do at Grand Beach in Manitoba, set to some bumpin’ dance music.
It’s the perfect getaway for families, or just about anyone who loves the beach.
Ontario … Wasaga Beach
This beach is the world’s longest fresh water beach, with 14 km of shoreline. Fresh water is not ocean water, so there is no salt, no sharks, and no jellyfish.
It is on Georgian Bay, which is part of one of the Great Lakes, in the middle of Canada.
If you can find Toronto, Canada, then you are almost there. Just drive directly north from Toronto, for about an hour, and look for the signs pointing to Wasaga Beach.
Over 2 million people visit this “blue flag” beach every year.
A not-for-profit organization called, “The Foundation for Environmental Education”, decides whether or not, beaches from around the world, should receive their blue flag stamp of excellence.
Wasaga has that prestigious blue stamp, because of its great water, perfect sand, and endless sunshine. “People watching” will make your head spin.
Not only does this beach host an international lifeguard championship, and a soap-box derby, but don’t miss the annual “Beach Cruise” held there on August 19 to 21, when all the Corvette Stingray car enthusiasts parade down the beach.
It is important to note that the water is warm, clean, clear, and beautiful to play in, and it seems to go out forever.
Kids and seniors and everyone will just love it. Did you pick up on the fact that it is over 14 km long!
If you want to see what Wasaga Beach looked like in the early ’90s, check out the video below.
This is a beach destination in every sense, and especially for people who call Ontario home.
If you are from around these parts, you will remember the way the beach used to look two decades ago, with the popular waterslides, arcades, and other attractions, before part of the beach front burned down.
Today, Wasaga has made a full recovery, and it is still just as popular as ever!
Quebec … Iles de La Madeleine (Magdalene Islands)
Quebec is Canada’s French province.
The Magdalene Islands are a chain of big beautiful beaches, right in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, that stretch together for over 300 km of sand.
The Atlantic Ocean is on the right side, and the fresh waters of the St. Lawrence River, are to the left of the islands.
French Canadians claim that this place is the Nation’s #1 spot for kitesurfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, and just “being cool”.
French cuisine is available, and so is fresh lobster, scallops, and crab. You will think you are vacationing in the Caribbean.
You will be able to tell your friends that Canada is not just snow, ice and igloos.
From Montreal, take a short Jazz Air flight to these beaches that never end. If you like the wind and the beach combination, this is the place for you.
When people think of places that they suddenly fall in love with, and want to spend the rest of their days there, a prime example would be a place like this…
New Brunswick … Parlee Beach
Parlee Beach is in Parlee Beach Provincial Park in a little French town called Pointe-du-Chene.
This beach has the warmest waters north of Virginia, with water temperatures reaching 25 degrees celcius.
Over 1/2 a million people flock to this beach every summer for the beach festivals, volleyball tournaments, sand sculpture competitions and more.
A typical sunny summer afternoon might have 15000 semi naked sun worshippers on the beach. Make sure you wear the tiniest bikini you can find.
Look for the world’s largest lobster in Rotary Park. Find the town of Shediac on route 133 and you are almost there.
*Bonus Beach 😉
You might want to check out the Hopewell Rocks, not far from the beach on route 114 from Moncton. These rocks are world famous.
Watch out for the highest tides in the world, rising to 14 meters. Kayakers meander around the rocks, and watch the magic first hand.
If you are a bird watcher, you might enjoy the 2 million shorebirds stopping briefly for a rest, before they migrate 4000 km south for the winter.
Prince Edward Island … Singing Sands Beach
Basin Head Provincial Park is the home of the Singing Sands Beach. The town of Souris is nearby. This place is serene and peaceful, and the sands really do sing!
Come at the right time, and you will feel like you are the only humans left on the Earth. The water is very warm, and the sand squeaks when you walk on it.
Take your clothes off, and become one with the beach.
Head northeast from Charlottetown on Highway 2. You can’t get lost. You’re on an island that has more than 800 km of beach.
Watch the video below and hear how the sands sing!
Nova Scotia … Lawrencetown Beach
This beach is in a provincial park with the same name. It is our smallest, but best beach. The 1.5 km of beach has world famous surfing breaks.
Families, hikers, nature lovers, mountain bikers, bodyboarders all come to Lawrencetown. The waves peak at 4 meters.
The currents and riptides are strong, and there is an occasional hurricane. Go east of Dartmouth on route 207, 25 minutes from Halifax.
Check out this video which shows surfing at Lawrencetown…in the winter! 😮
Newfoundland … Lumsden North Beach
CBC Radio is Canada’s #1 radio station. One of its broadcasters, Ryan Snowdon, asked his listeners to name Newfoundland’s best beach. It was a tough choice, but Lumsden North Beach came out on top.
This beach is the tip of a sandy peninsula. We will let you try and find it. Take your fishing pole, or you can simply cruise around like these guys, and take in the scenery.
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed this tour of some of Canada’s most special and beautiful beaches!
