Free
Grand Bend Beach
A wide sandy beach at the end of Main Street, with a pier and lifeguards in summer.
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Lake Huron coast, Ontario
Grand Bend and Bayfield
Two Lake Huron towns half an hour apart: Grand Bend's busy beach and the dunes of Pinery Provincial Park, and Bayfield's tree-lined main street and harbour.
Photo: Grand Bend beach seen from the pier, MarcusObal, CC BY-SA 3.0
Grand Bend is Lake Huron's classic beach town, with a wide sandy beach at the end of Main Street. Just south, Pinery Provincial Park protects tall dunes, oak savanna and the Old Ausable Channel.
Bayfield, about 30 minutes north, is a quieter village of heritage buildings, boutiques and a busy marina where the Bayfield River meets the lake. Beach in the day, village at dusk.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Bayfield beaches
Small beaches below the bluffs, with sunsets over the lake.
Free
Bayfield River Valley trails
Woodland trails along the river, kept by a local trail association.
Free
Bayfield harbour
The marina where the river meets Lake Huron, busy with boats on summer evenings.
Cheap
Pinery Provincial Park
Ten kilometres of beach, tall dunes, oak savanna and paddling on the Old Ausable Channel.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Bayfield's Main Street
A heritage main street of boutiques, galleries and cafés under big trees.
Free
Grand Bend Main Street
The busy strip of shops, ice cream and patios leading to the beach.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Ausable Bayfield Conservation areas
Conservation lands and trails along the rivers inland.
Paid
The Little Inn of Bayfield
A historic inn and restaurant on Main Street, dating from the 1800s.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Pinery day-use permit
Reserve day-use parking in summer.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Lake Huron shore guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Lake Huron sunsets are the main event on every clear night.
- The Pinery's trails and beaches easily fill a day.
- The Huron Country Playhouse runs evening shows in summer.
Nearby and worth the drive
Goderichabout 25 min · Guide ↗
North of Bayfield: the octagon square and more sunsets.
Stratfordabout 60 min · Guide ↗Theatre and the Avon River.
Ready-made trips with Grand Bend and Bayfield
Good to know
- Tourism: grandbendtourism.com and Municipality of Bluewater (Bayfield).
- Pinery: Day-use parking fills on summer weekends; reserve through Ontario Parks.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Grand Bend beach seen from the pier, MarcusObal, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Poplars at the dune beach, Pinery Provincial Park, Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Lake Huron sunset at Bayfield, Magnolia677, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Bayfield River and bridge, JFVoll, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Summer evening in Bayfield's harbour, cate cuerden from Stratford, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Photo: The Little Inn of Bayfield, WabbitWanderer from London, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0