• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Blog
Life In Pleasantville

Life In Pleasantville

Food, Travel, Life

  • Work With Me
  • LinkTree
  • Travel
  • Food & Drink
  • Living

5 Of The Best Beaches In Southwest Ontario To Take The Family

by Candace Sampson

You don’t need to hop on a plane for soft sand and warm water. The best beaches in Southwest Ontario are waiting for you. They are perfect for families, and they’re all within easy reach. Whether you’re looking for a Blue Flag beach, a pier to fish from, or a boardwalk to stroll, I’ve got you covered.

Grand Bend - one of the best Ontario beaches for kids

With so many great beaches in Southwest Ontario to take small kids right here at home, there’s no excuse! Find one near where you live and go enjoy sand between your toes!

Port Stanley - The beaches in Southwest Ontario are great family destinations, close enough for day trips and weekend stays. Find one near where you live and take the kids this summer! | Life In Pleasantville

FAQs About the Best Beaches in Southwest Ontario

What is a Blue Flag beach?

A Blue Flag beach meets strict international standards for water quality, environmental protection, safety, and accessibility. In Ontario, beaches like Port Stanley and Canatara Park proudly hold Blue Flag certification, making them ideal choices for safe and eco-friendly family outings.

Why are these beaches great for families?

Each beach listed offers calm, swimmable water with gradual entry, plenty of amenities like washrooms and snack bars, and fun extras like boardwalks, playgrounds, or nature trails. They’re all within driving distance for day trips and have options to keep both kids and adults entertained.

Are there any accessible beaches in Southwest Ontario?

Yes! Port Stanley, Canatara Park, and Grand Bend all have accessibility features like beach mats and accessible washrooms. These beaches also have Blue Flag status, which includes accessibility standards as part of the certification.

What’s the best beach near Brantford?

Port Dover is your best bet—it’s about a 45-minute drive from Brantford and offers a sandy beach, scenic pier, and walkable downtown full of shops and restaurants. It’s also stroller- and wheelchair-friendly.

Are dogs allowed at these beaches?

Some beaches, like Rock Point, have dog-friendly areas where your pup can splash around. Always check local rules before you go, as some beaches have designated dog zones or seasonal restrictions.

What’s the warmest beach in Southwest Ontario?

Beaches along Lake Erie, like Port Stanley and Port Dover, tend to have the warmest water in the summer thanks to the lake’s southern location and shallower depth.

The Best Beaches In Southwest Ontario

Why Port Stanley Is One of the Best Beaches for Kids in Ontario

Where is it? South of London, Lake Erie

Who will love it? Boutique shoppers, watersport enthusiasts, people with strollers, and those who worry about safety.

Port Stanley’s main beach not only boasts warm water and a kid-and-elder friendly sandy bottom with a gradual drop off, they’re one of only 26 beaches to have the Blue Flag status for water safety and quality. They also have mats to help make the beach more accessible to people with strollers and wheelchairs.

Surfer and sailor parents will find opportunities to enjoy their sports in Port Stanley. Those who love enjoying small-town life will find plenty of boutiques, restaurants and cafes to enjoy!

Canatara Park - The best beaches in Southwest Ontario are great family destinations, close enough for day trips and weekend stays. Find one near where you live and take the kids this summer!

Why Canatara Park Beach Is Great for Nature-Loving Families

Where is it? Lake Huron, Next to Sarnia

Who will love it? Nature lovers, bikers of both the dirt and motorcycle variety, picnickers, wake-boarders, and people who don’t love roughing it.

Canatara Park is located right next to Sarnia, meaning those who love the comforts of an urban life don’t have to go far. But nature lovers don’t have to worry: there’s 200 acres of trails, bike paths, and green space to explore. The beach itself is named from the Ojibwa word “blue water,” and the stunning dark turquoise colour will leave no doubt in your mind as to why.

Families will find plenty to do in with so many playgrounds, BMX bike tracks, picnic spaces, and even an animal farm to enjoy.

Like Port Stanley, Canatara Park has earned Blue Flag status for safety and water quality, and is also similarly accessible to those with strollers or wheelchairs.

Rock Point Beach is one of the best beaches in Southwest Ontario.
Toronto skyline with teens exploring the city
Heading to Toronto with teens in tow?

This no-boredom-allowed guide rounds up the best places to eat, explore, and experience in Toronto with your teens. From thrill rides to Sugar Beach to photo ops they’ll love.

Check Out the Guide

Rock Point: The Best Ontario Beach for Fossil Hunting and Family Hikes

Where is it? Near Dunnville, south of Hamilton 

Who will love it? Families with nature lovers, hikers, bird lovers, families with dogs, and kids who like fossils.

Lazing on a sandy beach isn’t for everybody, which is why rock point might be a great middle ground for your family. (especially if you have budding paleontologists!) Kids can explore the limestone shelf along the beach for exposed fossils, and there’s plenty of hiking trails and nature programming during the summer to keep the kids learning.

Rock Point has a bird banding station at the park, and 260 species of birds have been located there, for aspiring bird-watchers. There’s also a dog-friendly beach, so you don’t have to leave Fido at home.

A family enjoying Grand Bend Beach

Is Grand Bend Ontario’s Best Beach Town for Families? Pretty Much.

Where is it? Lake Huron, west of Kitchener

Who will love it? Boardwalk walkers, shoppers, parasailers and water-skiers, sunset-watchers, and those who love the whole “beach town” experience.

People who love a little bit of everything will find a lot to do at Grand Bend – the 20 acres of sandy beaches draw both the party-hard crew and families alike. To cater to such diversity, the downtown has had to rise to the occasion, meaning lots of activities, theatres, and restaurants to enjoy!

Grand bend is another one of the few accessible blue flag status beaches, and boasts some hefty watersports for thrill-seekers.

A child splashing in the water at Port Dover.
Tent setup at an Ontario provincial park campsite
Love the beach but want to stay overnight?

Check out some of Ontario’s best provincial parks for camping—perfect for families, solo trips, or girlfriend getaways. Waterfront sites, hiking trails, and hidden gems await.

Read the Camping Guide

What Makes Port Dover One of the Best Lake Erie Beaches for Families

Where is it? Lake Erie, south of Brantford

Who will love it? Motorcyclists, families who love fishing, couples who want romance, and people who love resorts.

Port Dover isn’t just home to the Friday the 13th motorcycle rally and Ride Norfolk route, it’s a waypoint not to be missed on the 6 hour long “Cruise the Coast” for anybody who might want to take a scenic drive with the wind in their hair. Incidentally, this drive includes many other great beaches in

The pier is a great attraction for romantic walks, little fisherfolk, and kids who love watching boats. The sandy beach is friendly to small kids and accessible to those in wheelchairs and strollers, and the downtown core of Port Dover is steps from the beach, providing plenty of convenient opportunities to shop and eat.

T

*photo credit: Ontario’s Southwest

Teenager sitting on a dock enjoying a screen-free vacation in Ontario
Ready to ditch the screens for a while?

Discover how I convinced my teen to unplug and reconnect during an analog getaway in Ontario’s Southwest. Spoiler: no one missed the Wi-Fi.

Read the Story

*photo credit: Ontario’s Southwest.
Updated June 23, 2025

Category: Canada, Ontario, TravelTag: beach days, beaches near Brantford, beaches near Kitchener, best beaches for families, blue flag beaches, Canatara Park, family-friendly beaches, grand bend beach, lake erie beaches, lake huron beaches, ontario beaches, port stanley beach, southwest ontario beaches, summer in ontario

About Life In Pleasantville

Previous Post:one day in Santa BarbaraOne Day In Santa Barbara – How to Make the Most of It
Next Post:Road Trip Season is Here! Are you Ready to Hit the Road?road trip season

Sidebar

Instagram

Save the Date - Girl Trips

Canadian getaways for women 45+
Click to learn more →

Categories

Here’s where else you can find me:

Girl Trips Logo What She Said Logo

Oh Canada

This Frozen Maple Coffee Is the Most Canadian Way to Stay Caffeinated

Your Perfect One-Week Celtic Colours Itinerary: Fall in Love with Cape Breton

Why Canadians Should Rethink Travel to the U.S. — For Now

Enjoying your time in Pleasantville?

From travel tips to personal stories, Life in Pleasantville is powered by caffeine and curiosity. If this post hit home, made you laugh, or helped plan your next trip, please consider buying me a coffee to keep it going.

Buy Me a Coffee

Connect With Me Online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Threads
  • TikTok

Inspiration

“Every day is another chance to get stronger, to eat better, to live healthier, and to be the best version of you.”

Recent Posts

Le Boat House Boat at Bevridges Lock

Copyright © 2025 · Life In Pleasantville · All Rights Reserved