Between Detroit And Barrie Is A Scenic Lake Huron Gem With Craft Brews, Shops, And An Award-Winning Beach

A sandy beach packed with bright umbrellas, people bathing in soft blue water while a boat pulling a paraglider buzzes in the distance, and a lively Main Street dotted with restaurants and beach bars featuring "Gator" and "Baja" in their names: The summertime scenes in Grand Bend feel closer to Florida than Ontario, Canada. But this stretch of Lake Huron shoreline has miles of sandy waterfront so pristine that Grand Bend has garnered a reputation as one of Canada's best beach towns. Despite the crowds and popularity, Grand Bend Beach is one of only a few Canadian beaches to earn a prestigious Blue Flag designation for meeting, among other things, top-notch cleanliness benchmarks.

Located an hour northeast of the Michigan border, Grand Bend is two hours from Detroit and around three hours southwest of Barrie, Ontario. Its name comes from the dramatic turn in the Ausable River nearby, which empties into Lake Huron and splits Grand Bend Beach into northern and southern halves. These days, it's a busy but nostalgic town, with a boardwalk running the length of the beach, ice cream parlors just offshore, tons of family activities, a drive-in theatre, and dreamy summer sunsets best watched from under the lighthouse on the pier.

It's a tourist town, so there are accommodations for any budget. If you're looking to avoid the crowds, you'll find additional low-key beaches nearby and a provincial park with camping and miles of lakefront. You could also venture out after Labor Day, in autumn, for a more laid-back experience. Though the waters will be too cold for a dip, you'll enjoy fewer crowds as you pop into the local brewery for a pint, walk the boardwalk, and explore the grounding shores of Lake Huron.

Main Street in Grand Bend starts at the roundabout behind the beach and runs perpendicular to the shoreline. It's a thriving commercial strip, filled with coffee shops, a seasonal mini golf course, and little storefronts with racks overflowing with beach gear. Lots of restaurants and bars also line the street, like Willie's Beach Bar, a relatively new addition to Grand Bend. Willie's opened in 2018 and puts a clean, modern spin on its "beach bar" designation. It's a big space with lots of indoor and outdoor seating, interior design elements accented with flamingo pink, and an elevated menu of burgers and fries alongside hummus and a B.B.T. (basil, bacon, tomato) sandwich. It's earning high marks on Google, with a 4.4-star rating and over 650 reviews.

Ontario Street is the other main artery in Grand Bend, running parallel to the shore a half mile inland. That's where you'll find Torched Brewing, the only craft brewery in town. To keep the focus on locally made IPAs, lagers, and stouts, Torched has a small menu of appetizers, sandwiches, and wood-fired pizzas, with cozy tables inside and an outdoor patio. Back on Main Street, Culture Shock Kombucha has its own brewery of sorts. This local business was started by holistic nutritionists, and the storefront in Grand Bend sells small-batch organic kombucha on draft. Consider adding it to your itinerary — it has a perfect 5-star rating on Google.

Grand Bend offers a variety of shopping experiences. As a touristy beach town, there are numerous gift shops like Sea Jewels Trading Co., with jewelry and nautical decor. A truly unique experience is minutes down the road at the Pinery Market. With open-air flea-market vibes, Pinery has been held on Sundays since the 1960s and is an ever-changing mix of vendors, from local farmers and artisanal craftsmen to antique pickers selling their finds.

Grand Bend Beach is one of only 13 beaches in Canada to receive Blue Flag status, which is an international award for achieving "high environmental, safety, and cleanliness standards." The beach has earned that designation 18 years in a row, and combined with the amenities in town, it's no surprise that Grand Bend Beach is a top-rated regional beach on TripAdvisor and has a 4.5-star Google rating with over 6,600 reviews. "Grand Bend Beach is absolutely the best beach in Ontario!" wrote a visitor. "The water is so clean, the sand is soft and perfect for a long walk, and the sunset views are unreal."

Many local retailers offer opportunities for on-the-water fun. Paradise Beach Adventures is a shop on Main Street with kayak and paddleboard rentals for laid-back visitors, while Xtreme Watersports has jet skis, speed boats, and pontoons. For an adrenaline-fueled cruise with a bird's-eye view, take a ride with the experienced crew at Grand Bend Parasail. At that height with the clear water, you may be able to see how Lake Huron, despite being the second-largest, is one of the shallower of America's five stunning Great Lakes.

Have some extra time and looking to fill your schedule? About 6 miles from Grand Bend is Pinery Provincial Park, which has campsites, cabins, and the largest protected forest in the region. It's home to several miles of beachfront, hiking trails, and boardwalks through the dunes leading to breathtaking views of crystalline waters, similar to these Canadian getaways where the waters are Caribbean blue. Sauble Beach is one of those gems. Just north of Grand Bend, it's a perfect stretch of Lake Huron's shore that's full of fun.