Ontario's Southampton Beach has a path of sand dunes and breezy water swings
If you're looking for a place to spend the day by the water and sand, then check out Ontario's Southampton Beach which features a unique network of sand dunes and swings right by the water.
The beach is located in Southampton, a community hugging one of the Great Lakes in Bruce County, less than a three-hour drive northwest of Toronto.
This white-sand beach situated on Lake Huron stretches for four kilometers, and you can see multiple shipwrecks off the coast of the clear blue waters.
Southampton Beach is home to sand dunes covered in a rare grass dune ecosystem that lines the shoreline. These unique and fragile dunes are one of the few left intact in urban spaces in Ontario that protect the shoreline from destructive storm waves.
As pretty as these dunes may look, visitors are asked to stay within the path and trails when travelling to and from the beach area in order to protect these rare formations.
Most notably, the beach is home to a hidden gem for those who want to head to a quieter spot along the shore.
Take a break from swimming and have a seat on the swing set right on the beach for picturesque views of the crystal clear waters. Invite your inner child out and swing away til sunset. Swing sets can be found all along Southampton Beach.
Facilities like washrooms and change rooms are open and can be found along the beach too.
If you're looking for another beach to visit that has sand dunes that you can climb on, you can check out Sauble Beach, home to 3000-year-old sand dunes.
The best part is that these beaches are about a 20-minute drive from each other and can both be visited on the same day.
Remember to pick up your trash and leave the area as beautiful as you found it.
