Today’s post comes from, Rebecca Vranas, Ambassador of Sandbanks Provincial Park.
Nothing says “Ontario summer” like a family camping trip! Evenings spent circled round a glowing fire, the cozy rustle of sleeping bags as the sun rises anew, the mist that hangs over the early morning waters—this is what memories are made of.
Whether you’re a seasoned camper, or you would consider yourself a novice when it comes to the outdoors, a family trip to Sandbanks Provincial Park is a bucket-list must! From incredible sandy beaches and unique ecosystems to diverse family programming, Sandbanks offers a little something for everyone.
Below is an itinerary for a fun-filled 72 hours at Sandbanks, ideal for families who want to play, explore—and relax—together!
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Day 1: Arrival and Setup
Arrive at Sandbanks: Breeze through check-in by having your booking confirmation ready when you arrive at the gate. Ask for a Park Map, Trail Map, and Discovery Activity Books for the kids! Find a parking spot along Outlet Beach, stretch your legs, and take a deep breath of Lake air before heading to your campsite.
Set-up camp: Time to survey your site! Make a simple plan for where your equipment should go using these Campsite Set Up tips on our Park Ambassador Program page. Don’t forget to get the kids involved! It may take a little longer (ok, it will take a LOT longer), but they’ll pick up valuable camping skills while making some great memories with you.
Explore the campground: Take a short walk around the campsite to familiarize yourself with the surroundings. Look for your nearest water tap, and comfort station (hands up if you think “roughing it” can still include flushable toilets and hot showers).
Walk the beach: As the evening approaches, the crowds along Outlet Beach begin to thin, leaving you lots of space to dip your toes, build a sandcastle, and enjoy the ocean-like view of Lake Ontario. Discuss what is everyone most looking forward to this camping trip? Canoeing? Finding frogs? Skipping stones? Ask your kids—Their answers might surprise you!
Ambassador Tip: Pick up a free garbage bag when you check-in and take your Littles on an impromptu litter pick-up! Enjoy the beauty of Lake Ontario while practicing stewardship for the Park.
Campfire dinner: Food always tastes better in the great outdoors, not to mentioned when cooked over a fire! Build your campfire with confidence and cook a glorious meal over the glowing embers. Your family will love this recipe for “pigs in a blanket” which combines two campfire favourites—hotdogs and Bannock!
Clean up: The firelight is waning. Time to cleanup before heading to bed (because no one wants wildlife to visit because someone forgot to bag the food scraps and stash the cooler in the trunk!) Fill up your wash basins at your nearest tap and return to camp for a quick post-dinner cleanup. Here’s more info on how to properly wash your dishes in a Provincial Park.
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Day 2: Hiking and Nature
Breakfast: Fuel-up for the day with pancakes! Make them fresh or simply reheat a prepared batch using a frying pan. Top your stack with fresh berries and maple syrup—yum! Pack a simple lunch (such as sandwiches and apples) in a cooler to bring along for later.
Playground: Experience the beauty of West Lake from Dune’s Beach; home to towering hills of sand, mighty cotton wood trees, and (conveniently) a play structure! Let the kids climb while you enjoy the sights and sounds from the park bench nearby. Forgot to fill your tumbler with coffee? Order one to-go from the canteen nearby… who says camping can’t be restful? —ahhh.
Guided hike: Hit the trails before noon to enjoy the cooler morning temperatures. Of the six beautiful trails to explore at Sandbanks, we recommend the Dune’s Trail which take’s hikers through the world’s largest freshwater bay mouth barrier dune system in the world! And where there are dunes, you’ll find pannes, unique wetland areas home to a variety of plant and animal life. Join a guided hike with one of our Rangers to get even more out of your trail trekking.
Ambassador Tip: Make kids responsible for their own backpacks (this will save you from carrying the lot and help everyone feel like bona fide scouts!) Be sure to pack, hats, sunscreen, water, and trail mix to nibble along the way.
Lunch: Grab your cooler from the car and take a break from the mid-day sun to settle down for lunch. Share a picnic shelter with other Park visitors, find a table at the canteen pavilion, or simply spread a blanket beneath the trees. Be sure to keep the Park clean by minding food wrappers that could get caught by the wind and making use of the large garbage bins for proper trash disposal.
Discovery Program: Keen to explore native blooms or get a closer look at your favorite bugs with help from a Park Ranger? You may not know that the Sandbanks Discovery team offers some incredible weekly programs which are free for the whole family to enjoy! From “Dashing Dragonflies” to “Aquatic Acrobats”, there is a program for everyone. And, beyond the regular calendar of events, you can schedule a one-on-one program with a Discovery staff member through our “Book a Naturalist” page! This personalized experience is sure to be a family favourite.
Ambassador Tip: Schedules are posted throughout the park, but you can also visit the Sandbanks event page to plan ahead!
Dinner: Another campfire-cooked meal to end the day. What’ll it be tonight? Fire-roasted vegetables? Spider dogs? Why not both?! And be sure to bring provisions for everyone’s favourite—S’mores! Really, what is camping without this ooey-gooey treat?!
Campfire Songs & Games: Do you play the guitar? If so, you are a campfire VIP and have no choice but to serenade your family (and neighbouring campers) into blissful slumber. Not a musician? Not to worry, here are a few campfire games to keep the family fun rolling before bed.
- Pass the Story: Each person tells a section of a story that they make up as they go along. Who knows what tale you’ll create together!
- The Telephone Game: One person whispers a message into the next person’s ear. The message travels around the circle, ear to ear, until it reaches the last person who tries to recite what they heard.
- Numbers: Count as a group, from one to 100 without any two people saying the same number at the same time. The tricky part is anyone around the circle can call the next number! If two people say the same number at the same time, everyone starts from zero.
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Day 3: Water Activities
Breakfast: Finally, it’s beach day! Fuel-up with double potato hashbrowns topped with fried eggs for a breakfast worthy of (aquatic) champions.
Outlet Beach: The Park’s most popular attraction, Outlet Beach is known for its soft white sand and clear shallow waters. It’s a great spot for swimming, sunbathing, and building sandcastles! Find a beach spot near a comfort station for easy bathroom trips with the kids! The Park map is a great resource for locating important amenities during your visit. We recommend bringing a collapsible wagon to transport your gear, from towels and toys to beach chairs and a cooler.
Ambassador Tip: Bring a tent or umbrellas for shade. Although there are trees amidst the vegetation on the dunes, beachgoers are asked to respect the post and rope barriers protecting these sensitive habitats!
Lunch: Enjoy a picnic on the beach or (if you’d prefer a sand-free meal), head back to your campsite for a camping classic, grilled cheese sandwiches and sliced veggie sticks. After cleaning up the dishes, visit Currah’s Park Store and Grill for ice cream cones on the terrace!
Rent a canoe: Ready to enjoy Sandbanks from a different vantage point? Meandering through the Park is the Outlet River, a short waterway perfect for a paddle! Visit the Woodyard to rent a watercraft that suites your family; you’ll find canoes, kayaks, and standup paddleboards available. Encourage your kids to look out for basking turtles along its peaceful banks—the river is a hotspot for wildlife!
Ambassador Tip: Ask staff about borrowing PFDs (floatation devices) free of charge from Ontario Parks PARKsmart PFD Lending Program!
Dinner: Wrap-up the day with a final campfire meal. Whether you like chicken burgers, beef burgers, or black bean veggie burgers, everyone will be ready to chow down after your active day outside. Don’t forget to toast the buns!
Evening Program: Make the most of your last night in the Park by joining a special evening program. Bring a cozy blanket or wear your pyjamas as you join your fellow campers in a guided evening of fun! There are trivia challenges to test your nature knowledge, and story hours to get the “wiggles” out of your Littles before bed. Visit the Sandbanks events page to see what’s on the schedule.
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Day 4: Departure
Breakfast: Enjoy a final breakfast at the campsite. We recommend making it a cook-free meal to reduce the clean-up. Try yogurt sprinkled with granola, or a peanut butter banana taco; Simply place a peeled banana on a slice of bread covered in peanut butter, then fold the bread into a taco shape!
Tear-down: Pack-up your gear early, before the day gets hot. This gives your family time to hunt for misplaced items on your site, roll up their sleeping bags, and shake the sand out of their clothes (…who are we kidding. You’re going home with sand whether you like it or not!). The good news is, you can occupy your campsite until 2:00Pm on the day of your departure—so get out there and explore a little more.
Fossil Hunting: Got a budding Paleontologist in your family? They’re in luck! The limestone shelves along the shores of West Point are a prime spot to search for 460-million-year-old fossils! “Book a Naturalist” for a one-on-one experience with a staff member. Brachiopods? Trilobites? Sandbanks has got em’.
Lunch: Let someone else do the cooking and visit Currah’s Park Store and Grill for their BLT (simply the best! *Chef’s kiss). Oh, and why not have more ice cream, it IS a vacation after all.
Discovery Centre: Pack up your gear and drive to the West Gate Discovery Centre as a last stop. Learn about the areas native history and visit a genuine Indigenous artifact that would have been used on Lake Ontario shorelines! Shop from our Friends of Sandbanks collection of merch, including stuffed animals, hoodies, Park stickers and more.
Ambassador Tip: Say “hi” to Mutu, the Park’s resident Musk turtle before you go. This species has earned the nickname “stinkpot”—be sure to ask why!
Depart: All good things must come to an end, and so too must your trip to Sandbanks—*sigh. We hope however, that you will be leaving with heaps of memories (and more than a few photos) of your amazing family experiences! For even more tips on planning a future trip to Sandbanks Provincial Park, visit our blog post “How to Plan a Trip to Sandbanks”.
