Summer weather is just around the corner, so it's time to start planning your road trip or next adventure. You don't have to travel far to enjoy beaches, adventure, and views like the Amazon.
A 2.5-hour drive from the city takes you to Norfolk County, home to two state parks with warm waters, sandy beaches, and plenty to explore.
where to explore
If you love beaches, water, and adventure, this area of ​​southwestern Ontario has a lot to explore.
Long Point State Park is a World Heritage Biosphere due to its 25 miles of sandbars. The park, his fourth oldest in Ontario, is considered one of North America's premier migratory sites for more than 300 species of birds.
The park has a 1.5 km sandy beach, 5 km of paved road bike trails, and more than 250 campsites. The best way to explore is to rent a water supply or bring a canoe or paddleboard to navigate the protected wetlands.
Nearby Turkey Point has a small state park. The park includes 1 to 4 km of hiking trails, a 2 km sandy beach with a swimming sandbar, and the remains of an old golf course.
My favorite place in this area is Big Creek. Big Creek National Wildlife Refuge and its surrounding rivers will make you feel like you're in the Amazon. There are large trees and vines on both sides of the river, and you might expect to see monkeys flying around.
There are lots of birds here and you can spend hours exploring the river. The water is deep enough to follow the current, but shallow enough to see the occasional snake or fish swimming by.
If you bring your own equipment, there are several launch sites near Port Rowan. If you don't know where to start or don't have your own kayak or paddleboard, check out Long Point Eco Adventures. We offer multi-hour tours and rentals if needed.
Long Point Eco Adventures also offers a wide range of adventure packages, including paddling, ziplining, ax throwing, observatory tours, and foraging workshops. Book a one-day adventure or incorporate it into a multi-day foodie and adventure package.
Lake Erie shore.
where to eat
There are several great restaurants in the area and plenty of small breweries and wineries worth checking out. Sandbar on the Beach has a beautiful beachside patio and serves chicken wings, appetizers, burgers and a variety of drinks.
A short drive down the road is Jetty Bar and Grill. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the weekends, we serve tacos, wings, pizza, and more on the edge of Lake Erie.
If you want to sample the region's beers and wines, there are plenty of options to take a tour. Located in the local Carolina forests, Charlottesville Brewing Company takes pride in its sustainable farming and craft practices.
As well as a wide selection of beers and flights, there's also live music on weekends and other events during the week. His winery in nearby Blueberry Hill sells unique small-batch blueberry-infused ciders and wines made from some of his 13 varieties of blueberries grown on the property.
Burning Kiln Winery offers flights and tasting tours to explore the grounds. If you can't decide where to go, why not book a Norfolk Brewery Tour with Ride the Vines, Toast the Coast, or The LOCOL to explore all the area has to offer?
Big Creek River – Ontario Amazon
where to stay
There are various options for staying overnight here. At Long Point Eco Adventures, you can do glamping in a pod or one of the larger cabins for between $100 and $350 per night for a two-person room. We also operate the Harborview Inn, which has simple king and mixed bedrooms.
If you're interested in camping, Long Point and Turkey Point have hundreds of tree-lined campgrounds that you can reserve on the Ontario Parks website. If you can encourage a group of friends to go on an adventure, places like Union Hotel and websites like His Airbnb have accommodations for six or more of his friends.
