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11 Canadian Beaches Worth Digging Your Toes Into

There’s no shortage of glorious Canadian beaches.
11 Canadian Beaches Worth Digging Your Toes Into
Pack a towel and some refreshments, and get ready to snap some gorgeous landscape shots at these quintessential Canadian beaches across the country.

A pair of women tredge through low tides on the beach Photo, courtesy of Parks Canada
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Lower in foot traffic than Cavendish, Greenwich Beach offers the largest sand dunes in P.E.I. (900 acres!) as well as an expansive trail system and boardwalk.

Hikers looking out to water at the grotto Photo, courtesy of Parks Canada/Cobi Sharpe

The world-renowned Grotto is an incredible open cave created by thousands of years of erosion and filled with turquoise water. On the hike in, you’ll pass a smooth pebbled cove that’s perfect for swimming.

Beach and lakeside, in the distance: forestry and snowy mountain tops Photo, Paul & Coral Hamilton

Nestled in the Rockies, this small beach—a short drive from Jasper—boasts postcard-worthy panoramic views and crystal clear, blue-green glacial water.

Full body suited surfer, board in hand, walks through low-tide Photo, Getty Images

Situated on the traditional territory of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, Long Beach is a natural wonder. Crashing waves along the 16-kilometre shore make it a hot spot for surfers.

Landscape of dandelions, countryside, beaches and ocean Photo, Mathieu Dupuis / Le Québec Maritime
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This chain of islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is a paradise of red cliffs and white-sand beaches—including Havre- Aubert, home of the world’s biggest sandcastle contest. Hungry? Local seafood—like lobster and snow crab—abounds.

A pair of people walk on a rocky path along a large body of water Photo, @meandertheworld

This UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts snow-capped peaks, pebble and sand beaches, and lots of wildlife—including grizzly bears and kokanee salmon, a freshwater relative to sockeye.

Landscape shot of a curvy beach, with water in its middle Photo, courtesy of saulttourism.com

About 200 kilometres from Sault Ste. Marie, this vast sandy beach looks onto Lake Superior and standing cliffs, where—if you look carefully—a “face” resembling an elderly woman can be spotted in a rock formation.

Many hikers walking in a line atop a rocky path; in the distance, a beach Photo, courtesy of Province of Nova Scotia

Only 40 minutes from Halifax, this park is divided into three secluded crescent-shaped white-sand beaches—including a remote option that’s popular with skinny dippers.

Parlee Beach, Parlee Beach Provincial Park, Pointe-du-Chêne, New Brunswick (Photo: Explore New Brunswick)

Known for having the warmest salt water north of Virginia, up to half a million people flock to this beach every summer. Throw in a seaside campground, beach volleyball and sand-sculpture competitions, and you’ve got a beach ball.

The Hopewell, or Flowerpot Rocks in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. The area has two tides a day and one of the highest average tides in the world, averaging 16metres. (Photo: iStock)
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These age-old formations, sculpted by the Bay of Fundy tide, do double duty, luring in kayakers to meander around little flowerpot-shaped islands, and then transforming into a beach-combing spot when the tide is out. This area sees the highest tides in the world, up to 16 metres in extreme cases.

Kilometres of silica sand set among the rolling dunes of Lake Winnipeg, Canada’s sixth-largest lake, sees thousands of visitors each summer taking in the sun, surf, and self-guided trails. The area is great for boating, birdwatching, and strolling the boardwalk.

Originally published 2021; updated 2022.

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