Sandbanks Provincial Park … or … Quebec West

• Author: WantsToTravelMore
• Accommodation: Prince Edward County Accommodations

Sandbanks Provincial Park is one of those secret places you read about that actually isn’t really a secret but feels like one. The park is located 14.5 km from Picton Ontario, which is about 2 hours from Toronto.

I’ve always considered Sandbanks as a beach with a campground. The beach has wonderful sand and is itself a large sand dune that has a wonderfully gentle and slow drop off, making it a favourite for children. When the wind picks up, wonderful Lake Ontario waves crash on the shore and make for wonderful playing. I was trying to look up online how much beachfront there is. Let me know through the comments if you know the actual length.

I had been a visitor of the park for decades but this time around I was flummoxed by the number of Quebec license plates. Ironically, we were on our way to Quebec and Quebec friends happened to be at the Sandbanks. I took the opportunity to ask why the place was so filled with Quebeckers. Turns out the word got around that Sandbanks were the nicest, warmest beaches that were only 5 hours away as opposed to 10 in Florida. No sand in Quebec? Apparently there are lots of lakes, but also lots of rocks. And colder temperatures. Even signage around the park was becoming bilingual.

On the day we were visiting, it was overcast, but warm enough for the kids to play. Watch out for the UV on cloudy days. You still need your sunscreen. And on a sunny day with a breeze off the lake, you’ll never want to leave.