Road Trip Toronto to Wasaga Beach – World's Longest Freshwater Beach
Toronto
Wasaga Beach
140
km
1h48
drive
Summer
season
The Itinerary
Wasaga Beach is generally described as the longest freshwater beach in the world, with roughly 14 km of sand running along the southern shore of Nottawasaga Bay at the foot of Georgian Bay. The water is shallow a long way out and warms early, which is why the town has been a family summer destination for well over a century. The entire shoreline is protected within Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, an unusual arrangement in which a provincial park runs through the middle of a town.
The drive from Toronto is about 140 km, north on Highway 400 and then west on Highway 26 or County Road 92. The beach is divided into eight numbered areas. Beach Area 1 is the busy end, backed by the main strip of restaurants, patios and arcades. Beach Area 6 sits behind a belt of natural dunes and is quieter, with more space and fewer services. The Nottawasaga River enters the bay here, and the town's history includes the wreck of HMS Nancy, a schooner destroyed in 1814 and now the centrepiece of a small museum on an island in the river.
July and August weekends are extremely busy and parking is the main constraint; arriving early or visiting midweek makes a large difference. September still has warm water and almost no crowds. Collingwood and Blue Mountain are fifteen to twenty minutes west, which lets you pair the beach with escarpment hiking or, in winter, with skiing.
The drive from Toronto is about 140 km, north on Highway 400 and then west on Highway 26 or County Road 92. The beach is divided into eight numbered areas. Beach Area 1 is the busy end, backed by the main strip of restaurants, patios and arcades. Beach Area 6 sits behind a belt of natural dunes and is quieter, with more space and fewer services. The Nottawasaga River enters the bay here, and the town's history includes the wreck of HMS Nancy, a schooner destroyed in 1814 and now the centrepiece of a small museum on an island in the river.
July and August weekends are extremely busy and parking is the main constraint; arriving early or visiting midweek makes a large difference. September still has warm water and almost no crowds. Collingwood and Blue Mountain are fifteen to twenty minutes west, which lets you pair the beach with escarpment hiking or, in winter, with skiing.
Points of Interest
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Wasaga Beach Area 1The main beach, with restaurants, patios, games and boarding.
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Beach Area 6 (dunes)Natural dunes and a quieter stretch of sand.
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Blue Mountain VillageSki and resort village 15 minutes away, with Scenic Caves and mountain biking.
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Nottawasaga Lighthouse RuinRemains of an 1858 lighthouse, visible from Christian Island.
Protected areas along the route
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WASAGA BEACH PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
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Tiny Marsh
Provincial Wildlife Area
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Minesing Swamp (Minesing Conservation Wetlands)
General Use Area
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SPRINGWATER PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
NOTTAWASAGA LOOKOUT PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
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DEVIL'S GLEN PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
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PRETTY RIVER VALLEY PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
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Wye Marsh
Provincial Wildlife Area
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Copeland Forest
General Use Area
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CRAIGLEITH PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
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NOISY RIVER PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
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WAUBAUSHENE BEACHES PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
Take this route offline
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- Departure Toronto
- Destination Wasaga Beach
- Distance 140 km
- Duration 1h48
- Category Medium (100–250 km)
- Best season Summer
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