BEACH DAY, Fun Day!

Beach weather has finally arrived, at least for this weekend (the weather has recently been unpredictable in Toronto, as we have seen snow in May this year, yikes!). We took advantage of our Ontario Park Pass and hit the beach. Our favourite go to beach is Sibbald Point Provincial Park located in Georgina/Sutton West Ontario. It is a large sandy beach on lake Simcoe which has a dog friendly area and an area with no dogs. People can also choose to BBQ on the grass area, where there are picnic tables – first come first serve. There is a decent sized playground, right by the beach area and public washrooms as well, but be prepared to line up due to COVID restrictions.

2021 Cost: $21.00 for day use/vehicle or purchase an Ontario Park Pass
Link: https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/sibbaldpoint

My 2 Cents:

It was a very fun outing for my family, as we loaded our car with beach toys, life jackets for the girls and packed snacks and a picnic lunch. It was definitely a full day adventure in the water and then building sand castles. We would BBQ, but that would mean our spot in the park would be in the grass area, away from the sand and water and also visibility to the girls while they are playing.

Overall, the beach was nice with the exception of the following:

• When the beach hit capacity (and this is with COVID restrictions), there was little to no social distancing. People tried to squeeze in their beach tents and umbrella’s for optimal waterfront area.
• There were a few groups of people smoking pot on the beach and that was a big turn off for my family, as we are non smokers and should not be subjected to second hand smoke. I am not clear on the park rules, but clearly, if smoking is not allowed, there was no one there to enforce it.

Tips:

• To avoid disappointment get to the park early otherwise, you could be lining up over an hour to get in and then there is the parking situation. Everyone has to stop by the gate and pay the daily fee/show their park pass, so this takes time. On top of that, there are campers going in and the day visitors. Once the park reaches capacity, it is closed for the day and there is no entry.
• The beach is rocky, aqua shoes are not required but recommended.
• Entry in the water will be a shock to your body as the water is cold (even in hot and humid conditions), but you will slowly get use to it.
• Umbrella or a quick shelter tent? My recommendation is the tent as I have seen umbrellas blown away.
• During any outing, I tend to over pack. I highly recommend to pick up a wagon to help carry everything. I LOVE my wagon that I picked up from Costco. It has saved us multiple trips back to the car to get everything.
• Bring lots of sunscreen.