With the world’s longest freshwater beach, running along the southern shore of Ontario’s Georgian Bay, Wasaga Beach draws visitors looking for sun and sand in the summer. In the winter, downhill and Nordic skiing opportunities bring in cold-weather-sports enthusiasts. Located inside the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, the town’s famously long stretch of sandy beach area faces west, positioning it for incredible sunset watching and offering panoramic views of the Niagara Escarpment.

Visitors looking for good skiing opportunities pay the price in the freezing cold, windy winters of Wasaga Beach. But summer brings comfortable weather, with some clouds and extremely moderate temperatures, making it an ideal time to stay in one of the area’s cottage rentals. The average summer high peaks at around 75 degrees Fahrenheit in July, falling by mid-September. Summer nights stay mild, with the average low staying around 60 degrees in July. The area sees typical winter weather, sinking to the low teens. Combine that with the wind gusts that can come in off the bay, and it adds up to the need to bring many warm layers for a winter vacation to Wasaga Beach.

Nordic Skiing and Snowshoeing

While downhill enthusiasts head to big peaks a half hour away from Wasaga Beach, Nordic skiers have easy access to more than 18 miles of groomed trails (and snowshoers can trek through 6 miles of trails) in the forests of the provincial park, where wildlife sightings of white-tailed deer and winter birds are common. Wasaga Nordic & Trail Centre center offers rentals, light refreshments, and a warming center.

Beaches

The main beach section, known as Beach Areas One and Two, attract the biggest crowds, but one of Wasaga’s best features is the near-infinite room to spread out along the nine-mile stretch of soft sand. Areas Three to Six offer picnic tables and playgrounds, making them more family-friendly, too. All sections boast warm, clean, and shallow water that earned Wasaga Beach a Blue Flag certification for its safety and eco-friendliness.

Nancy Island Historic Site

The preserved wreck of the War of 1812-era British schooner HMS Nancy and other artifacts ― including a 24-pound American cannonball ― sit on display near the Wasaga Beach Welcome Centre. The ship’s sunken hull helped encourage the formation of the island on which its museum now sits by impeding the flow of sand and silt from the Nottawasaga River.