Not many people think of a beach holiday when planning a trip to the Canadian province of Ontario. However, Wasaga Beach on the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron wins over even the most sceptical visitor. Its 14 kilometers of white sandy beach along the bay on southern Lake Huron entices many visitors to a longer stay than originally planned - and rightfully so. Not surprisingly Wasaga Beach is considered one of the most beautiful fresh water beaches of the world.
Wasaga Beach – a Reminder of the Last Ice Age
Thick glaciers that once covered all of Ontario created the prehistoric Lake Algonquin and left their traces along the longest sandy beach in the interior of Canada. Parts of this lake which has long since vanished today form the Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. While retreating the lake created a series of shore lines which played an important role in the formation of the landscape along Wasaga Beach.
Today's landscape forms around Wasaga Beach still offer evidence of the enormous forces of the glaciers, that deposited their moraines along this stretch of land. Nowadays these hills are covered by forests and endemic plants like ground juniper, New Jersey Tea and rare arctic flowers. Grass and bush landscapes are slowly replaced by pine and oak forests which are interspersed with marshy areas where different ferns, dogwood, ivy and ashes grow.
White tailed deer, snowshoe hares, procupines and racoons can be observed often. And 232 species of birds have been sighted so far, among them several kinds of gulls, plovers, sandpipers in the shore areas and warblers, sparrows, owls and woodpeckers in the forest areas along the beach.
Favourite Beach with Many Recreational Offers
Every year more than two million visitors come to Wasaga Beach to relax on the long stretches of sandy beach and to enjoy the many offers for recreation: there are trails for bikers, hikers, long distance skiers and snowmobiles. And the Nottawasaga River offers perfect fishing and beautiful routes for canoeists.
The beach itself is divided in six parts. The public beaches are numbered from east to west. In summer lake winds make sure that the air temperatures on Wasaga Beach are more comfortable than in Toronto which can be reached in a few hours.
Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is a favorite weekend destination for city dwellers and a favorite place for sunbathers and anybody who loves water sports. A boardwalk along beach areas 1 and 2 makes a stroll along the sandy lake shore very enjoyable. Beach 1 attracts the most visitors, but the farther west you go the lower the number of visitors usually is. West of the six main swimming beaches there is another long beach area along which many summer cottages are located.
Further information on the cultural and natural history of the area and the recreational options of Wasaga Beach Park can be found online.
Monika Fuchs - Born in Bavaria, Germany, Monika started to travel early in her life. Even as a small girl of five on the banks of the North Sea in ...
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