Day Trip to Sandbanks Provincial Park, Ontario

Sandbanks Provincial Park is one of those perfect examples for why exploring close to home is important. I lived an hour from Sandbanks my entire life and first visited a couple of years ago. It’s the largest freshwater sand dunes in the world, and it took me decades to visit.

When you live close to something, it can be easy to take for granted. That probably goes for more than just travel destinations too. It feels like something that can be put off because it will always be there to see. Luckily, I finally found my way to Sandbanks Provincial Park and it makes for the perfect day trip destination in southeastern Ontario.

Located in beautiful Prince Edward County (PEC), Sandbanks Provincial Park is just one of many things you can do there. While this day trip is only taking in the Sandbanks, if you have more time, Prince Edward County is the perfect place for a weekend road trip in Ontario.

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How to Visit Sandbanks Provincial Park

Sandbanks Provincial Park is a very popular park and because of that, you can purchase your vehicle permit in advance. You can purchase your permit here.

The permit is available to book up to 5 days in advance of when you expect to arrive. If you are a bit more spontaneous, it is worth checking before you leave as if they are sold out, you will be turned away at the gate. If you are a seasonal permit holder you still need to reserve your spot for the day you want to visit.

When to Visit Sandbanks

Sandbanks Provincial Park is open seasonally, you can visit from May-October. If you can, try to visit on a weekday as the weekends are very busy.

During the winter months, you can still book and use the roofed accommodation in the park.

How to Get to Sandbanks Provincial Park

If you are coming from Toronto, you can reach Sandbanks by car in just under 3 hours. From Ottawa to Sandbanks is also about 3 hours, while Kingston is about 1.5 hours.

If you are using Google Maps, putting Sandbanks Provincial Park in will take you to the main entrance of the park, which is closest to the gorgeous Outlet Beach area. If you want to see the sand dunes, the closest entrance is the West Lake Gatehouse. Search for Sandbanks Dune Beach on Google Maps as your destination instead for the dunes as this will save you a bit of backtracking.

Where to Eat at Sandbanks

Sandbanks Provincial Park does have two restaurants where you can grab some food. Outlet Beach has a restaurant that serves up pizza, salads, and grilled foods. Dunes Beach serves up grilled food and ice cream.

There are plenty of options outside of the park that you can stop at for a meal as well.

Sand and Pearl Oyster Bar– One of the closest restaurants to Sandbanks, this seafood restaurant serves up local Ontario and Canadian seafood dishes.

Vic Social– Located right in downtown Picton, this upscale diner is the place to go if you want to grab a quick burger and a milkshake.

Bloomfield Public House– This restaurant is known for it’s fried chicken barbecue weekend menus.

Where to Sleep at Sandbanks

I’ve set this up as a day trip but if you have a long drive, it’s worth staying overnight. Sandbanks Provincial Park does have a campsite so you can stay right at the park. It is a popular spot so make sure to book well in advance, especially for weekends. Outside of the park, there are B&B options as well as full cottage rentals available.

Owl’s Nest Suites– Located in Carrying Place, this is a convenient location for exploring Sandbanks and the wineries of PEC. Each room is unique and it looks like a beautiful place to stay.

English Rose B&B– Located right in Picton, it’s in walking distance to downtown. This would be my choice to stay at to be close to restaurants in the area.

What to See on a Day Trip to Sandbanks Provincial Park

Scenic Drive

If you are arriving to Sandbanks from the west, I have a great scenic drive that will only add on about 10 minutes to your drive time, plus any stops. This route will take you through cute towns and along the Apple Route with its fields of apple trees and views of Lake Ontario. I might be a bit biased here but it’s a seriously pretty and underrated part of the province. There are places you can stop for fresh fruit and veggies from spring to autumn, with autumn being the best time to do this drive.

I’ve marked this driving route and some points of interest although I have undoubtedly missed many so keep your eyes open for cute local stores and markets. Click the “view larger map” button in the top right corner of the map to see the detailed driving route and stop suggestions

Start your scenic drive by getting off the 401 at Highway 23 (Lyle St; Exit 487) in Grafton and heading south to meet the Highway 2. Head west towards Colborne and Brighton. This stretch of highway is perfect for picking up local produce. Kelly’s Strawberries is perfect during strawberry season for gorging on berries. Rutherford’s Market just outside of Colborne is one of my favourite markets that has a bit of everything. If they are selling locally made apple cider, absolutely buy it. It’s the best cider in the world. For an awesome apple orchard, stop at Pieter’s Appleyard which is run by the sweetest family and has some unique varieties of apple available.

In Brighton, head south to continue along Highway 64. This stretch of highway offers up really nice views of the lake as well as a bridge crossing over the Trent-Severn Waterway. Continuing on this road you will reach Fort Kente Road. There isn’t really a reason to drive Fort Kente Road but it is Ontario’s oldest road and there is a plaque here for it. The road has been in continuous use as a portage trail for hundreds of years and was even used by Samuel du Champlain. He’s important as the founder of Quebec City and a major explorer in the early 1600s that helped French expansion into the New World. Fort Kente was also the location of a treaty in 1787 that saw the purchase of land all the way from the Bay of Quinte to Etobicoke from the Mississauga people.

After this, drive into the county on Highway 33, where you will pass multiple wineries that you can stop at. There are also several antique stores on the route.

The Beach

One of the best things to do at Sandbanks is to enjoy the sand beaches. While you can swim at the dunes part of the park, the sand quickly drops off here and there isn’t as much space for relaxing on the beach. There are two really good options for beachgoers here that I recommend to start your day at the park.

Keep in mind that on summer weekends, the beaches can become packed and they will turn away vehicles when they reach capacity. If the park is full, keep yourself busy at another activity in Prince Edward County, I have suggestions below and then try later in the afternoon.

Outlet Beach

This is the place to go if you want to spend some time on the beach in Sandbanks Provincial Park. This is a huge white sandbeach that is perfect for swimming. The sandbar here goes out quite gradually so there is no steep drop off in the water. It’s very popular among visitors so if you want to get a space here on the weekend, you should definitely arrive by 11 am. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon in the park.

North Beach Provincial Park

North Beach Provincial Park is a separate park in Prince Edward County but your entry to Sandbanks will cover your entry here. This park serves as overflow from Sandbanks but it’s also a great destination in its own right. I actually prefer North Beach over Outlet Beach so if you are looking to spend time on the beach you may want to start your day here.

North Beach has a huge 1km long white sandy beach that extends along Lake Ontario. On the other side, there is access to North Bay lake. It’s less popular than the nearby Sandbanks so on busy summer days you will still be able to get parking at this park.

Just like Outlet Beach, the sandbar here gradually drops off into the lake so it’s nice and warm for swimming.

Walk the Dunes Trail

This is the reason to visit Sandbanks Provincial Park. Dunes Trail has to be one of the best (and most unique) hikes in all of Ontario. While you are spoiled for hiking choices in Ontario, we do not have many that take in giant sand dunes.

To do this walk, park in the Dunes Beach parking lots. The trailhead for Dunes Trail is at the very far end of the parking lot where you will see a map for the trail. Along the way, there are signs with information to give you a better understanding of the ecosystem here and the history of the dunes.

The hikes is 2.5 km long and takes you up sand dunes and by pannes, which is a type of wetland habitat only found near dunes. This is one of those rare hikes where you can walk in flip flops or even bare feet. If you are wearing shoes, be prepared to get plenty of sand in them.

The trail has plenty of boardwalks and steps to help make it easier to walk in the sand here. There are plenty of milkweeds here that attract butterflies and moths. When I visited, the milkweed plants were absolutely covered in three different species of moth.

The hike ends by the sand dunes right next to the water. The dunes here are probably the most impressive and upon walking up to them, you can really appreciate how large they are.

I recommend doing this hike at the end of the day when the weather has cooled off. There is very little shade on the trail and no shade on the dunes. While the dunes are white sand, at sunset they do start to glow a deep shade of pink. Having visited during peak sun and at sunset, I have to say I vastly preferred the dunes at sunset.

With More Time in Prince Edward County

If you have more time than a single day, Prince Edward County is perfect for a weekend trip. In addition to the wonderful Sandbanks Provincial Park, there is plenty to keep visitors occupied. You could also sub in one of these activities if you don’t feel like spending an afternoon on the beach, but don’t skip on the dunes!

Go Antiquing and Look for Local Goodies

The County is known for its great antiquing options. There are over a dozen antique stores that you can explore here. Dead People’s Stuff is one that is in a convenient location to visit on a trip to Sandbanks but you can check out a whole list of antique stores in PEC here.

PEC is also known for its artists. The Local Store is a great place to pick up some local art or food products. They have a little bit of everything here, paintings, glassware, local preserves, hot sauces, syrups, and more.

Visit a Vineyard

Prince Edward County is home to more than 40 wineries. Driving into the county you are sure to pass by fields growing grapes and several wineries. There are wineries here that offer up tours, tastings, have full restaurants, and some are dog friendly. Hinterland Winery has nice patio seating and is known for its sparkling wines. Waupoos Estates Winery is right on Lake Ontario and has a restaurant that overlooks the estate. They also produce ciders and have some really unique ones like London Fog cider, on honey-infused cider.

You’re spoiled for choice for a vineyard in the county. If that isn’t your thing you can check out Kinsip, a spirits distillery that makes vodka, gin, and whiskey.

Lake on a Mountain Provincial Park

Okay it’s not quite a mountain. But there is a lake that sits 60 m above Lake Ontario and has great views of the Bay of Quinte. It’s a nice area to have a picnic or just to relax and take in the view.

Kayak Lake Ontario

Just a 10-minute drive from Sandbanks Provincial Park is West Lake Waterpark. You can rent kayaks as well as jet skis and fishing boats to explore the lake here.

Visiting Sandbanks Provincial Park in a Day

While it can be a long drive from some places, Sandbanks Provincial Park is a great day trip destination. It’s certainly a destination that I will be visiting again and again as I discover even more things about Prince Edward County to explore.

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