Wrap up the year with something to remember by trying these great December daytripping ideas!
On the first day or Parksmas, my true love gave to me…
Tag: Wasaga Beach
Ploverpalooza at Wasaga Beach
The Piping Plover 10th anniversary event, lovingly entitled Ploverpalooza, is scheduled to take place over the course of the summer of 2017.
Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and the Friends of Nancy Island have spearheaded the Piping Plover Recovery Program since the species returned to Wasaga Beach in 2008.
Help us celebrate the 10th anniversary of the return of this beloved species at risk!
Where to snowshoe in Ontario Parks
Nature looks completely different under a glittering blanket of snow. Why not strap on some snowshoes and experience Ontario Parks in a whole new way this winter?
Check out our list of winter parks with top-notch snowshoeing opportunities:
Enjoy the Lakes in Ontario Parks!
Be BOATsmart!® This Summer!
Another open-water season has arrived (well, almost!) and we hope you’re as excited as we are to get back out on the water! The sun is shining, the ice is officially on its way out, and Ontario Parks are starting to open up for the 2015 visiting season!
March Break 2015 at Ontario Parks
Here’s what’s on during March Break and on March weekends at Ontario Parks in 2015.
Check the Ontario Parks Ski Report for the latest snow conditions. http://www.ontarioparks.com/skireport
For more information on March Break events check here: www.ontarioparks.com/events
At The Pinery, the Visitor Centre will be open and Natural Heritage Education programs offered daily during March Break and on March weekends. On March 21 from 10:30 – 12:00, a special workshop for parents and grandparents will give new strategies for exploring the natural world with children. Hands-on kids activities will also be available. More park event information including the return of the Tundra swans is on the Friends of Pinery website www.pinerypark.on.ca/
Plan an exotic winter adventure at Ontario Parks
Summer campers love Ontario Parks but many have never experienced their favourite park in winter. Ontario Parks aims to change that. Nineteen provincial parks are open this winter season with cross-country trails to ski. Thirteen have groomed or track-set trails. And eight of the nineteen have comfortable roofed accommodation for rent. Designated snowshoe trails are in many parks. Some have skating and tubing too. Three parks will host ski loppets. Another will host an annual snowshoe race and at least five plan to celebrate February’s Family Day weekend with special events. Below are tips to help visitors plan their own exotic park adventure this winter:
Continue reading Plan an exotic winter adventure at Ontario Parks
Famous shipwrecks in or near Ontario Parks
There is a fascinating book called, “Mysterious Islands: Forgotten Tales of the Great Lakes”. It mentions thousands of wrecks that lie at the bottom of the lakes which have been sailed since the 17th century. Many Ontario Parks are near these huge ship graveyards and in one park visitors can actually visit a wreck dating back to the War of 1812.
- Illustration of the HMS Speedy
Flocking to Wasaga Beach
Many people flock to Wasaga Beach Provincial Park for the sandy beach… but so do the birds!
Piping Plovers are small shorebirds seen scurrying along sandy shorelines or backs of beaches where water has pooled, searching for insects and small crustaceans. Although well camouflaged, Piping Plovers are identifiable by their short orange bills and bright orange legs. These shorebirds may be little, weighing about 2 ounces and 6 inches in length, but they are mighty. Twice a year they migrate approximately 2,000 miles to the Atlantic Coast of Mexico.
Pet-friendly Ontario Parks
While all Ontario Parks are pet-friendly, some offer more than others when it comes to camping with a canine traveling companion. Twelve Ontario Parks offer designated pet exercise areas and beaches. Seventeen more have one or the other. Below is a sample of pet-friendly parks in different parts of Ontario with designated pet-friendly beaches, exercise areas, or both. For a complete list of all parks with pet exercise areas and/ or beaches PLUS a dog owner’s list of do’s and don’ts, visit our Dogs and Pets in Ontario Parks post.
August 2014 at Ontario Parks
Here are some of the cool events happening this August at Ontario Parks.
For a complete listing, visit our Calendar of Events
Near Toronto
Wasaga Under Siege at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park
This is the year to visit! Many extra-special activities have been planned for this 200th Anniversary of the Sinking of the HMS Nancy. Enemy forces are planning to attack Wasaga Beach! Our Peaceful shores have not seen this many cannons, muskets and bayonets since the HMS Nancy sank in the Nottawasaga River in 1814. Join us on the battlefields, or at the encampment on the Nancy Island Historic Site where hundreds of re-enactors attack and avenge the demise of the HMS Nancy. A weekend full of events for the entire family. www.wasagaundersiege1812.com