12 Best Road Trip Destinations for Hiking, Paddling, Camping, and Beaching in Southern Ontario

Algonquin Park

2.5hr drive from Toronto, in Muskoka near Huntsville.

Great place to hike, kayak, portage.

There is an abundance of flora and fauna.

Many trail options from short to long and easy to difficult.

Many areas are peaceful and quiet.

Awesome for several days of camping.

Link to Algonquin Park

Bon Echo

3hr drive northeast from Toronto in Cloyne

Great place to hike, kayak, SUP, swim, or lie on the beach.

Beach is surrounded by pine trees. Clean water and warm.

Has not been overly crowded on any my trips.

Kayak to Mazinaw rock formation/cliff for a 1.5km hike route with picturesque views.

Link to Bon Echo

Niagara Escarpment

1.5hrs west of Toronto

Moderate to challenging hike (if you stray from marked trails)

Rock-climbing/bouldering

Great views of rapids on the bottom. You can sit on flat rocks and watch speed boats do their stunts (or go on a speed boat tour yourself)

Beautiful rock formations.

Butterfly conservatory.

Golfing and a nice restaurant right by the hiking trails.

A “Ninja Warrior-like” obstacle course a walk away.

Can get pretty busy. Not great if you are a fan of people.

30m away from Niagara Falls where there are too many activities to even list.

Link to Niagara Escarpment

Mono Cliffs

Quick road trip from Toronto (45min). In Mono near Caledon and Orangeville.

Several hiking trails of moderate difficulty with decent climbs.

Pet-friendly. You can bring your dog along for a couple of the routes.

Nice view at the top of farmland and you can see the CN Tower on a clear day.

Beautiful canyon/rock formation with stairs walking through it.

Not overly busy.

Link to Mono Cliffs

Elora Gorge

1hr drive from Toronto, near Guelph.

Easy to moderate hiking.

Tubing or kayaking down river.

Fairly busy.

Link to Elora Gorge

Tobermory and Flower Pot Island

3hr drive north of Toronto, up Bruce Penninsula.

Take a ferry from Tobermory to Flower Pot Island

Great place to scuba dive/snorkel. There are many ship wrecks.

Easy hiking around the island.

Beautiful rock formations on the water.

Island can get fairly busy.

“The Grotto” (cave with water pool) is nearby along the way.

Link to Tobermory and Flower Pot Island

Killbear

3hr drive from Toronto. A lot of nice scenery of the Canadian Shield along the way.

Great picturesque beach with flat rock formations to sun bathe on. Water is clean and warm.

Didn’t notice many hiking trails but there are awesome camping spots right by the water.

Cliff jumping into deep/safe water.

Link to Killbear Provincial Park

Webster’s and Tew's Falls

Webster's Falls

Tew's Falls

45min drive west from Toronto, in Dundas.

Short and easy hiking trails to both falls. Two of the nicest falls in southern Ontario (Niagara Falls, Devil’s Punchbowl and Albion Falls are the other two that surpass their beauty and size)

You can fairly safely climb a fence and scale down some rocks to get right to the bottom of Webster’s Falls.

Link to Webster’s and Tew’s Falls

Collingwood Caves

2hr drive north from Toronto

Many caves, caverns, and crevaces.

There is one dark, deep underground cave that is awesome. It is a very cool break from the summer heat. However, if you are claustrophobic this cave should probably be avoided (stick to the other several caves).

Easy to moderate hiking. Fairly hilly.

There is a 420 foot high suspension bridge with great views.

There is zip-lining available.

Skiing and snowshoeing is available in winter.

Link to Collingwood Caves

Point Pelee and Long Point

2.5hr drive west to Lake Erie, just past port Dover.

Point Pelee is a nature lover’s paradise for bird-watching and butterflies.

A short distance away is a beach lover’s paradise. Nice soft sand beach and clean water.

This is Canada’s most southern point. It is a long peninsula that stretches out into Lake Erie.

A great place to cycle, paddle, and hike.

Link to Point Pelee https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/on/pelee

Sauble Beach and Sauble Falls

2.5hr drive from Toronto

Sauble Beach has some of the cleanest water I have seen in Ontario.

Narrow strip beach with soft sand.

Famous for spectacular sunsets.

Usually calm waters.

Beach is usually a popular busy destination.

Music events, car shows, and sand castle contests on the beach.

Nice little community with many restaurants and shops a stone throw away from the beach.

Sauble Falls is a short drive from the beach. Nice rapids surrounded by tree. There is tubing down the falls.

Link to Sauble Beach

Sandbanks

2.5hr drive east from Toronto, in Prince Edward County near Belleville.

Soft sand beach and clean water. Can walk out into water fairly far as there as sandbars.

This beach is almost always busy. Have to get there super-early.

Did not notice any restaurants on beach. At least near the front entrance. Bring own food.

Nearby places to paddle and can paddle right on lake (when it is calm).

“Lake on a mountain” (a neat feature that is 100 feet or so above sea level) is a short drive away.

Link to Sandbanks

Cobourg Beach

1.5hr drive east of Toronto, Beach is along Lake Ontario.

A long and wide beach but tends to get busy.

Concert events and bar by the beach.

The best pizza I have ever had Shawarma House & Pizza is at 144 King Street West.

Cobourg is a nice, quaint town with friendly people. A lot of mom and pops shops in downtown area.

Link to Cobourg

Scarborough Bluffs

Within Greater Toronto Area.

Picturesque bluffs/cliffs overlooking Lake Ontario.

Long stretch of white sand beach.

There are 11 parks along the 15km stretch of Scarborough Bluffs.

Places to BBQ.

Water is clean enough to swim in.

Link to Scarborough Bluffs

Below are my next Ontario (mostly Southern) road trips. Stay tuned for pictures + reviews!

Lake Superior Provincial Park, Sleeping Giant, Agawa, Harmony Beach, Pancake Bay, Old Woman Bay

Long, 15hr drive north from Toronto. Unlike the other destinations on my list, this one requires a few days stay.

Many scenic stops along Lake Superior.

Sleeping Giant is the most difficult and lengthy of all the places on this list to hike. You need to bring proper shoes and gear.

Pinery National Park and Grand Bend

3hr drive west to Lake Huron, near Grand Bend.

Bruce Peninsula Park, Lion’s Head and “The Grotto”

3hr drive north, near Orillia.

Rattlesnake Point

45min drive northwest. Milton/Caledon/Orangeville area.

Great place for hiking and biking. Rolling hills.

Crystal Beach, Port Burwell, Sand Hill Park, Turkey Point,

2hr drive west of Toronto, on Lake Erie. All locations are within 30min of eachother.

Rouge Valley

Within Greater Toronto Area.

1000 Islands

La Cloche Mountains, Killarney

Bonnchere Caves

Awenda Provincial Park

Albion Falls and Felker’s Falls

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