Canada's southernmost inhabited island: a 90-minute ferry from Essex County, two provincial nature reserves, a free alvar trail, a shallow municipal beach, and a seasonal winery pavilion.
15 things to do9 free1 ready-made trip
Photo: Aerial view of Pelee Island in Lake Erie, with Fish Point at the southern tip, A2Kafir, Public domain
Pelee Island sits in the western basin of Lake Erie, in the Township of Pelee. The official township tourism pages are the place to start. You reach the island on the Pelee Island ferries, run by the Owen Sound Transportation Company: a crossing of about 90 minutes from the mainland ports at Leamington or Kingsville, and, in season, from Sandusky, Ohio.
Two Ontario Parks nature reserves bookend the island: Fish Point, a sandspit and dune system on the southwest tip, and Lighthouse Point, on the northeast tip, with the remains of an 1834 lighthouse. Between them are a free alvar trail, a shallow municipal beach on the east shore, a west-shore museum, and a seasonal winery pavilion. Many businesses keep island hours; official township pages ask you to confirm before May or after October.
Show
Free No charge to enter · Cheap A small entry, permit or parking fee · Paid Tickets, tours or rentals
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Fish Point Provincial Park
A provincial nature reserve on the southwest spit of the island: a sandspit and dune system, rare Carolinian plants and animals, and an important stopover for migrating birds. Official Ontario Parks pages listed the reserve at about 110 hectares, established in 1985, with one small parking lot. Stay on official trails. The reserve is administered with Wheatley Provincial Park. Free.
Season A provincial nature reserve. Official pages did not list operating hours; check before you go.
A provincial nature reserve on the northeast spit, with the remains of an 1834 lighthouse at the tip. Official Ontario Parks pages described the reserve as perhaps the most southerly extension of Canada, at about 96 hectares, with no facilities. Stay on official trails. The reserve is administered with Wheatley Provincial Park. Free.
Season A provincial nature reserve with no facilities. Official pages did not list operating hours; check before you go.
A 43-hectare Ontario Nature reserve on the south side of the island, part of a larger alvar complex: oak savannah, woodland, and open limestone with rare plants. Official pages said there is no entrance fee and no operating hours, and asked visitors to walk on the gravel nature trail only, to protect the fragile habitat. Free.
Season Official pages said there is no entrance fee and no operating hours; walk on the gravel nature trail only (check before you go).
A shallow, sandy municipal beach on the east shore, at East Park, 1362 East Shore Road, with a public pavilion, playground and sports fields beside the campground. Official township pages said the beach is not supervised and no lifeguard is provided, and that parking is in the grassed area along East Shore Road. Free.
Season A municipal beach with no lifeguard. The campground store beside it follows a seasonal schedule (check before you go).
A flat perimeter road around the island, used for cycling and walking, past vineyards, fields, dykes and the lake. Official township and winery pages describe it as the way to see the island once you are off the ferry. Free to wander.
Season The perimeter road is open for cycling and walking; ferry access to the island is seasonal (check before you go).
Canada's southernmost campground, a municipal, non-serviced campground in a Carolinian setting at 1362 East Shore Road, steps from East Park Beach, with a store and washrooms in season. Official township pages listed it as seasonal; check the official page for the current season and to reserve. A camping fee applies.
Season Official township pages listed the campground as seasonal; check the official page for the current season before you go.
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
West Dock
The island ferry terminal on the west shore, where the Pelee Island ferries tie up, with the lake in front of you and West Shore Road behind. The Heritage Centre is a short way along the same road. Free to wander while you wait or after you arrive.
Season The island ferry terminal. Official 2026 sailings ran from 1 April to 7 December (check before you go).
The municipal marina in the North Bay, at 361 North Shore Road, listed by the township as a place to sit on the dock and watch the sun set over the lake. Official pages listed seasonal marina office hours; check before you go. Free to wander the public waterfront.
Season Official township pages listed seasonal marina office hours (check before you go).
A museum of the island's human and natural history, established in 1988, at 1073 West Shore Road, with exhibits on geology, early settlement, wine, shipwrecks and more, and a bookshop. Official township pages listed 2026 hours as 1 May to 11 October, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Check the official site for admission.
Season Official 2026 hours were 1 May to 11 October, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (check before you go).
A 90-minute crossing of the western basin of Lake Erie on the Pelee Island ferries (the Pelee Islander and Pelee Islander II), from Leamington or Kingsville, and, in season, from Sandusky, Ohio. Official 2026 sailings ran daily from 1 April to 7 December. Reserve ahead, especially with a vehicle, and arrive at least an hour before sailing. A ticket is required. Check the official schedule before you go.
Season Official 2026 sailings ran daily from 1 April to 7 December; the last sailing of the season departed the island at 7 a.m. on 7 December (check before you go).
The island winery pavilion at 20 East West Road, with grounds, a vineyard setting, and seasonal tours and tastings (officially described as a 'Vine to Wine' visit). The official page listed the pavilion as closed for the season when it was read on 12 November 2026, and asked visitors to check for the next reopening. A tour or tasting fee applies when it is open. Check before you go.
Season Official pages listed the island pavilion as closed for the season when they were read on 12 November 2026. It is a spring-to-fall operation; check for the current season before you go.
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Saturday farmers market
A Saturday morning farmers market at Stone & Sky, 65 East West Road, in the official 2026 season. Township pages listed the market from 13 June to 29 August 2026, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free to wander.
Season Official 2026 hours were Saturdays, 13 June to 29 August, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Stone & Sky (check before you go).
Small island studios, a campground store and other seasonal shops, many of them along the west shore. Official township pages list current attractions and retail, and ask visitors to confirm hours before May or after October.
Season Official township pages said some establishments are seasonal and asked visitors to confirm hours before May or after October (check before you go).
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.
Ferry
Pelee Island ferries
Vehicle and passenger reservations for the seasonal crossing from Leamington or Kingsville, and, in season, from Sandusky, Ohio. Official 2026 sailings ran from 1 April to 7 December.
Tourism: pelee.org/tourism is the official township visitor site. The municipal office is at 1045 West Shore Road.
Ferry: Official 2026 sailings were daily from 1 April to 7 December; the last sailing of the season departed Pelee Island at 7 a.m. on 7 December. The crossing takes about 90 minutes. Official township pages said the mainland port is Leamington from April until the end of July, Kingsville from August until early December, and Sandusky, Ohio, from May until the end of September. Reserve vehicles ahead, and plan to arrive at the terminal at least one hour before sailing. Check ontarioferries.com and the township getting-here page before you go. Reservations: 1-800-661-2220.
Seasonal hours: Official township pages said some establishments are seasonal, and asked visitors to contact places they hoped to visit before May or after October. The Heritage and Information Centre number listed on the official getting-here page was 519-724-2291.
From the United States: Official township pages said a passport is required for visitors arriving from the United States. The island airport is listed as a port of entry. American boaters must report to the Canada Border Services Agency.
Winter access: When the ferry is not running, official Ontario Ferries pages described a winter air service from the Great Lakes Flight Centre in Windsor, in partnership with Cameron Air Services, from early December until the start of the next sailing season. Check before you go.
Nature reserves: Fish Point has one small parking lot. Lighthouse Point has no facilities. At Stone Road Alvar, stay on the gravel nature trail. Check official pages before you go.
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: Aerial view of Pelee Island in Lake Erie, with Fish Point at the southern tip, A2Kafir, Public domain
Photo: The West Dock ferry terminal on Pelee Island, Hadal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Pelee Islander II ferry on Lake Erie, on the crossing to Pelee Island, Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0
