Weekend in Bruce Peninsula National Park and Tobermory, Ontario, Canada

Bruce Peninsula National Park is one of the prettiest areas in Ontario. Located on Georgian Bay, it’s known for the cliffs that rise above the turquoise waters of Lake Huron. While it’s a bit too far from Toronto to visit as a day trip, it’s a great destination in Ontario for a weekend away. If you’re visiting Canada from abroad, the Bruce Peninsula is a great place to add to your Ontario itinerary to check out a piece of Canada’s natural scenery.

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Getting to the Bruce Peninsula

By Car You’re definitely going to want your own car or a rental car to do this trip. The Bruce Peninsula from Toronto is a 4-hour drive. It will take longer if you hit Toronto workday traffic or cottagers also escaping to the North. Make sure to pre-book your parking spot at the Bruce Peninsula if you are arriving by car and not camping at the park.

The drive itself is fairly unremarkable, it’s mostly just farmland that makes up this part of southern Ontario. There are some cute towns on the way and closer to the Bruce Peninsula you may want to stop in one of them to grab a meal or last-minute groceries.

By Bus If you are not a driver, there is the option to get the Park Bus. You can use the Park Bus to visit as a day trip to Bruce Peninsula National Park or take camping gear and stay for longer. The Park Bus is especially great if you only have time for a day trip because you don’t have to worry about parking or driving while tired.

By Tour If you want to see it all in a day, joining a bus tour is another option for visiting the Bruce Peninsula while also stopping at other locations. This tour looks like a great option.

Bruce Peninsula Camping

Bruce Peninsula National Park

Your best bet for camping is going to be Bruce Peninsula National Park. It’s a popular spot so definitely book as far in advance as you can to get the best camping spots. The Cyprus Lake campground there is within walking distance to the grotto, the most famous sight of the park. Bruce Peninsula has drive-in sites that typically have a fire pit and a picnic table. There are taps with clean drinking water available near the bathrooms. Be warned that there aren’t showers.

If you book well in advance though, you may be able to get one of the yurts that is available. A yurt is more expensive but if you don’t have camping gear it would be the more convenient option.

If you do not camp at the park, you will still need to book a parking spot to visit the grotto as it seriously gets so busy there is no more space for day visitors.

You can check out camping and parking reservations on the Bruce Peninsula website.

Accommodation in Tobermory

If you aren’t into camping, there are plenty of other options nearby to the park, just make sure to book your parking spot at the park so you don’t miss out on seeing it. Places in Tobermory and on the Bruce Peninsula really book up for the summer so you will have your best luck on weekdays.

If everywhere is booked up on the Bruce Peninsula there are a couple of other, less convenient, options for where to stay. Owen Sound on Georgian Bay is the closest city and is just over an hour’s drive to the Bruce Peninsula. Port Elgin is about the same distance just on the Lake Huron side. Both also have sights near them to explore like Sauble Beach.

Home of the Living Sunset– Not far from Bruce Peninsula National Park is this whole home for rent located right on the shores of Lake Huron. This is a great location for exploring the Bruce Peninsula.

Jacob’s Stone– This bed and breakfast is just a short drive to Tobermory and Bruce Peninsula National Park.

Grandview Motel– Located in Tobermory, this is a great budget pick for the area. There’s an onsite restaurant with views over Georgian Bay and all the rooms here have A/C.

Bruce Peninsula and Tobermory

How Long to Spend in the Bruce Peninsula

I recommend budgeting one full day to the Bruce Peninsula National Park and one day to Tobermory and Flower Pot Islands. You can do this trip if you leave early on Saturday morning, spend a single night in the park, and then drive back late Sunday.

I know people do this trip as a day trip to see the grotto but it would be 8 hours of driving for only a 4-hour visit as parking is time-limited.

When to Visit

I did this trip on a summer weekend. If you can, go during the week to avoid large crowds as the grotto at the Bruce Peninsula gets especially crowded. May-June and September are also nice times to camp without crowds but it still can get chilly at night. If you visit on a long weekend during the summer, be aware that the Bruce Peninsula National Park does not allow alcohol at campsites.

If you want to swim, the water is still cold until August. It’s not going to be warm in August but that will be your best bet.

What to See and Do

The Grotto

A hike to see the grotto and scenic cave at Bruce Peninsula National Park is by far the number one thing to do here. This easy hike is only about 10-30 minutes depending on your camping or parking site.

The hike to the grotto also gives you scenic views of Georgian Bay and Indian Head Cove. On the way to the grotto there is a natural arch that a lot of people stop at thinking it is the grotto, it’s not, just an added bonus to the walk.

The grotto is a small cave that appears to be lit up by sunlight because it is open underwater on one side of it. If you want to descend into the grotto you can either go down the small chimney opening, which does require a bit of mobility. The other option is to go down the 12 m cliff face. Either way, prepare for your shoes to get wet. It is possible to swim in the grotto but expect cold water.

Bruce Trail and Overhanging Point

Once you’ve explored the grotto, continue on the Bruce Trail past it. The Bruce Trail is a 900km footpath that goes all the way from Niagara along the escarpment up to Tobermory. The entire shoreline here is part of the trail.

The trail here will take you to a boulder beach as well as a scenic overhanging point. The trail here is a bit rocky and goes on cliffs above the water. You do need decent footwear because of the beach portion being quite rocky. After going to see the overhanging point, you can return along the way.

Halfway Log Dump

Halfway Log Dump is a popular spot for bouldering as well as hiking along the water. It has its own parking lot and it’s worth driving over to it as it is quite far from the grotto camping and parking.

The white stone beach has some of the clearest water I have ever seen. If you are into rock climbing, walk along the beach here in the direction of the grotto and you will get to quite a few boulders and likely encounter other climbers. Make sure to check restrictions on bouldering before you go as you are only allowed to boulder on the shoreline boulders, not any of the ones in the forest.

If you keep walking, you will get to a scenic lookout known as Cave View. The walking here is a little bit more difficult as you have to go up and over some boulders and depending on water level, may get your feet wet.

In the opposite direction, the Bruce Trail will take you towards High Dump and away from Georgian Bay towards some interior lakes.

Singing Sands

The Singing Sands part of the Bruce Peninsula National Park is located on the opposite side of the peninsula, on Dorcas Bay. You will need to drive here as it is far from camping at the Grotto. If you are looking for a swimming area, this place is perfect. There is a sand beach and shallower water so the water is warmer.

Singing Sands also has a trail that will take you through the forest as well as along the sand dunes. It’s a pleasant hike and you only need a couple of hours here.

Bruce Peninsula Visitor Centre and Lookout Tower

Located in Tobermory, the Bruce Peninsula Visitor Centre is a great quick stop to learn about the history and wildlife of the area. It’s the visitor centre for both the Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park. There’s also a 65-foot tower here that gives scenic views over Georgian Bay.

Flowerpot Island

Flowerpot Island is part of the Fathom Five National Marine Park. The island is known for it’s flowerpot pillars made of limestone.

Getting to Flowerpot Island To get to Flowerpot Island, you will need to get a boat ride to the island. From May to October, there are two companies that operate out of Tobermory taking visitors to the islands. Both have glass-bottomed boats, which is fantastic for seeing some of the shipwrecks. Make sure you give yourself some time to find parking in Tobermory ahead of the scheduled boat as it can get very busy and you will likely have to walk to the departure port. Both Blue Anchor Cruises and Bruce Anchor offer trips to the Flowerpot Islands.

The Flowerpot Islands can be seen in just under 2 hours if you only want to see the cave and flowerpot pillars. If you want to hike around the island I would budget closer to 4 hours. It’s a nice place to hike and once you are away from the flowerpots, you will likely have the trail to yourself.

Weekend in the Bruce Peninsula

A visit to the Bruce Peninsula and Tobermory is perfect for a weekend getaway. There’s plenty of hiking and Georgian Bay is one of the most scenic landscapes in southern Ontario. Because of it’s popularity, it does require a bit of advance planning but you will be rewarded by the limestone cliffs and blue waters of the bay.

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