You can road trip to a beach near Montreal with Caribbean blue water and rolling sand dunes

Do you ever fantasize about exchanging traffic and construction for beautiful beaches? Nothing beats summer in Montreal, but with the heat soaring and new festivals popping up every weekend, it's understandable if you find yourself craving an escape from the city — whether to embark on a road trip or take a refreshing dip in the ocean.

Now that we mention it, jet-setting to a place with white sand and turquoise waters sounds like a pretty great idea, but it also sounds like an expensive one. So, if you can't afford to take a trip to the Caribbean, why not bring the Caribbean to you?

Okay, fine... the provincial park we're talking about — around four hours by car from Montreal — isn't actually in the Caribbean. But thanks to its three pristine beaches, vast sand dunes and warm, crystal-clear water, it's a pretty solid dupe. Especially when you consider that it's within driving distance, and you don't need to renew your passport to get there.

Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, about a two-and-a-half hour drive east of Toronto, Sandbanks Provincial Park is home to the world’s largest baymouth barrier dune formation, which was created by glaciers during the last ice age. Today, that translates into miles of sandy beaches and 12 kilometres of rolling sand dunes.

In fact, Sandbanks' Dunes Beach was named among the best beaches in Canada by Lonely Planet. However, the park's other beaches — Outlet and Lakeshore — are equally stunning and expansive, with Outlet Beach being the most popular for families on account of its shallow and gentle waters.

Both Lakeshore and Outlet have dog-friendly areas, too.

Aside from swimming and sunbathing, there are amazing birding opportunities and plenty of watersports, including boating and paddle boarding. Or, you can lace up your sneakers and take a walk through the park's many trails.

Sandbanks Dunes Trail is a 2.5-kilometre loop that takes you over giant sand dunes, while the Lakeview Trail (2.4 kilometres) leads you to breathtaking views of Lake Ontario via paths of shady trees and wildflowers.

Once you've had your fill of nature, there's loads to explore in Prince Edward County, a charming municipality known for its wineries, bicycle tours, antiques, the June Motel, which was featured on Netflix, and more.

You can opt to stay in town or at the actual park where you can reserve a campsite through Ontario Parks for around $45. There are 500 campsites available as well as a cottage to rent.

The park can get extremely busy so it's best to arrive early and book your daily vehicle permit in advance if you're planning on visiting. Note that there is a $21.00 day rate per vehicle to enter Sandbanks Provincial Park. All three beaches have parking.

All that being said, any slightly annoying logistics will be well worth it. With your favourite bathing suit on, sand between your toes and waves from Lake Ontario crashing into the shore, Sandbanks offers a taste of the tropics without requiring a costly plane ticket.

This article has been updated since it was originally published on June 5, 2024.