Home / Guides / Port Dover and Norfolk County
Lake Erie, Ontario
A Lake Erie beach town with a lighthouse pier and summer theatre, at the edge of Norfolk County's farms, Turkey Point and the Long Point sandspit.
Photo: The pier lighthouse at Port Dover, Muhammad Imran Saeed from City of London, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Port Dover's sandy beach and long pier, with its little lighthouse, have drawn day-trippers for generations. The town is also famous for its Friday the 13th motorcycle gatherings.
Around it, Norfolk County is Ontario's Garden, with farm stands, orchards and the Long Point sandspit, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and one of the best places in Canada to watch bird migration.
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
A sandy Lake Erie beach and a long pier out to the lighthouse. Open dawn to dusk; no lifeguard.
Season Official county pages said the beach is open daily from dawn until dusk, with no lifeguard (check before you go).
A rail trail through woods and wetlands, with old bridges, officially mapped from Simcoe to Waterford and north to the County of Brant. Daytime use only. Free.
Bird banding and migration watching at Long Point. Check visiting times.
A Ramsar wetland and buffer to the Long Point biosphere, west of Port Rowan, with a viewing platform and an information kiosk on Lakeshore Road. Official pages said public access is limited to the viewing area, and that waterfowl are especially visible in spring and fall migration. Free.
Season Official pages said public access is limited to the viewing area on Lakeshore Road (check before you go).
Beaches and dunes on the Long Point sandspit, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
An 80-acre reservoir north of Long Point, with swimming, fishing, and canoe rentals or your own non-motorized boat. Official pages listed the area as open from 1 May to 15 October. A day-use or season pass applies in the operating season. Check before you go.
Season Official pages listed the conservation area as open from 1 May to 15 October (check before you go).
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
The harbour-front museum at 44 Harbour Street, on the Lynn River, focused on Port Dover's commercial fishing heritage and the small port communities on Lake Erie. Official hours were Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free parking. Admission is by donation. Check before you go.
Season Official hours were Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is by donation (check before you go).
A pioneer village and the 1798 Backhouse Grist Mill at Backus Heritage Conservation Area, just north of Port Rowan, with trails in Backus Woods. Official pages listed the conservation area as open from 1 May to 15 October. A day-use or season pass applies in the operating season. Check before you go.
Season Official pages listed Backus Heritage Conservation Area as open from 1 May to 15 October (check before you go).
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Strawberries, asparagus, apples and more at roadside stands.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Huge motorcycle gatherings fill the town on every Friday the 13th. Free to watch; expect crowds and road closures.
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.
Canoe rentals at Deer Creek Conservation Area, listed on the official conservation-areas page, in the operating season.
Ziplining and outdoor activities near Turkey Point.
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Lake Erie, Ontario guides.
The falls and the river gorge.
Simcoeabout 15 min · Guide ↗Norfolk's county town, trails and the Carillon.
Photo: The pier lighthouse at Port Dover, Muhammad Imran Saeed from City of London, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Photo: The beach, pier and lighthouse at Port Dover, JasonParis from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: The beach at Long Point Provincial Park, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Backhouse Grist Mill at Backus Heritage Village, Yoho2001, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover, DalyRy, CC BY-SA 4.0
