Relaxing At The Gorgeous Port Burwell Beach On Lake Erie
Do you enjoy peaceful and quiet beaches? I found one Port Burwell beach at Port Burwell Provincial Park to be a great destination for a summer weekday break.
There are many great beaches in and around Ontario. But some are more popular than others.
Port Burwell Beach is a popular location for families and those just seeking a quiet spot to relax on summer weekdays. So that’s why I’m sharing this lovely place with you, so you can seek some relaxation as well!
In this post, you’ll learn more about what you can expect and tips for a great visit to Port Burwell Beach.
Visiting Port Burwell Beach
Located along the north shore of Lake Erie, about two hours southwest of Toronto, Port Burwell Beach is a long stretch of sand with a fairly shallow shoreline.
First of all… look at this gorgeous entrance to the beach. A sandy walkway takes you over a little dune to the shoreline.
Light-coloured, fine sand contrasts with green grasses and bushes and makes for a visually pleasing picture against a blue sky.
BLISS!
To enjoy this beach in peace and quiet, the trick is to visit it on a weekday morning.
During a summer day trip exploring the nearby area, we decided to stop in at Port Burwell Beach to rest and have lunch.
We were surprised to find only a few cars in the parking lot at 11:00 a.m. on a summer Friday.
Before the long weekend.
Pretty unbelievable!
Very few people were on the huge, sandy beach! So many spots to choose from at Port Burwell Provincial Park beach!
Do A Bit Of Exploring Along The Beach At Port Burwell
The sand is very fine and where it’s been cleared of debris, it’s very clean as well. You have 2.5 km of beach to explore.
In sections further away from the beach entrance, you can go sifting through dried-out aquatic plants for interesting bones and coal that have been deposited by the water.
Canadian geese like to hang out in the less populated areas of the beach as well. They are mostly harmless unless you decide to come too close to them.
Watch out for goose poop!
A Section Of Beach For Dogs
Do you have a four-legged family member that needs to run a bit?
Port Burwell Beach has a section for dogs, where they can run around, enjoying the sand and water.
There’s a pet exercise area to keep them from getting bored.
Food Options At Port Burwell Provincial Park
Bring a packed lunch and snacks with you!
The beach is quiet with no food stands or stores within walking distance. It’s the complete opposite of the hustle and bustle at Wasaga Beach or Sauble Beach.
Port Burwell Provincial Park also has campgrounds, making it a great spot for lovers of both camping and quiet beach life. Wake up in the morning and head for a long walk or run in the sand.
Grab a yoga mat and watch the sunrise while you do stretches.!
Day-Trippers Welcome At Port Burwell Provincial Park
For day-trippers such as ourselves, the tree-shaded picnic benches by the parking lot offer a sand-free opportunity for a yummy lunch.
This is perfect for big family get-togethers.
Ours during our visit consisted of prosciutto, tomato, brie cheese and basil sandwich, hummus and flatbread, and carrots with ranch dip. Sorry but not sorry for making you hungry.
Port Burwell Beach is our new favourite pit stop if driving through the area. If walking on sand isn’t your thing, there are trails at the park for stretching your legs.
Overall, one of the better beaches to enjoy on a quiet weekday. Gorgeous light aquamarine-coloured water, few people and nice sand.
What are your favourite public beaches in Ontario?
Directions To Port Burwell From Toronto
Take the QEW to 403 West and then merge onto the 401 West. Exit at 216 for County Road 10/Culloden Road towards Ingersoll. Turn left at Culloden Road (Country Road 10) and continue along (it becomes Culloden Line/County Road 46).
Take a turn right onto Talbot Line (3 West). Turn left on Heritage Line (County Road 38). Next, turn right onto Richmond Road (County Road 43) and then left onto County Road 42 (Nova Scotia Line). Take Chatham Street south and you will reach Port Burwell Provincial Park on your left.
Check out more details about Port Burwell Provincial Park on the Ontario Parks website.
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QUESTION: Have you ever checked out the beach at Port Burwell Provincial Park?
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Great! This was very helpful, I know where I will be camping this summer :) Thanks! – Marisol
We’ve been there. Very nice beach. Just be aware that the west end of the beach is a nudist beach. No signs or anything, we just happened upon it, quite shocking if that’s not your thing.
Things have changed since we were there!
That’s true. We have been to the regular beach at the end a few times, beach 5 I guess, but you see couples and singles walking out west, you can see a lot of umbrellas set up in the distance. It’s beyond the park boundaries but it’s apparently well known and well established.
The sand flies can be a nuisance at times but the water is usually really nice. I had been to the (free) town beach as a kid and hadn’t returned here until this year, but the provincial park seems like the better bet. The lighthouse in town at the top of the hill and the submarine by the river are cool to see as well. The ice cream place is very popular too, try the Port Burwell Sunken Treasure. A single scoop on a waffle cone is $5.00 but it’s a huge one scoop.
We like to stick to the Provincial Park beach area. :) It’s a great destination for many. Not too far from Toronto!
I enjoyed looking at your pictures from 10 years ago. Unfortunately, the park has now put up a large ugly chain link fence to keep people from accessing the beach via the west pier. The beloved boardwalk has been recently torn up and the park has blocked up access to the east parking lot. The park no longer grooms the beach. Over the last 10 years, The park has lined dead logs to encourage dune development and Hundreds of popular trees now line the beach, reducing the area of Sandy beach. The park also has some serious drainage issues, causing flooding of the road, parking lots and boardwalks that access the beach during spring and large storm events. I suggest not to swim in the area between beach 3 and 4 where a tributary drains directly onto the beach attracting birds all year round. Algae blooms are often visible to the eye in this area. Nice bird habitat, but not good as a recreational beach. The beach has changed dramatically since the pictures you took 10 years ago. Still beautiful, but With rising Lake Erie water levels, there is limited recreational beach. The focus has changed from a recreational amenity to a natural habitat. I’m not claiming this is a bad thing. Just different.
That’s a real shame. We’ll have to drop by to visit again to see how it’s changed, and update this post! Thanks for the update!
It is truly unfortunate how the Park now operates.