Want to enjoy nature with family and friends in southeast Ontario?
Our parks are the perfect places to reunite. We have accommodations and facilities that are great for low-key get-togethers with the people you love.
Group campsites
Looking for a place for your annual family gathering? Why not book a group campsite and spend time together outside enjoying the sun?
Many of our campgrounds have sites that can accommodate 20-50 people. Choosing a group site is a great way to camp with a large group and not be separated on different sites.
If members of your group have different ideas of how they want to enjoy the park, campers can split up during the day (so many possibilities!), and regroup back on the same site for dinner and an evening campfire.
Families with kids love group sites. Usually, group sites offer a lot of space away from cars for the kid-herd to run free. Also, on a group site, parents can stay together after the kids go to sleep to enjoy some peace and quiet, and catch up around the fire.
Southeastern provincial parks that have group camping include:
- Balsam Lake Provincial Park
- Bass Lake Provincial Park
- Charleston Lake Provincial Park
- Emily Provincial Park
- Fitzroy Provincial Park
- Murphys Point Provincial Park
- Presqu’ile Provincial Park
- Rideau River Provincial Park
- Sandbanks Provincial Park
- Sibbald Point Provincial Park
- Voyageur Provincial Park
Most groups sites do not have hydro and typically trailers are not permitted, although this varies park by park.
Also, all parks have a different limit to how many people are allowed on a group site, so to make sure a group site is right for you, check out ontarioparks.com and choose the park page you are interested in or call the park directly.
Picnic shelters
Picnic shelters are perfect if you’re bringing a large group of people to the park for the day. Capacity ranges from 50-100 people, and most shelters have picnic tables. Some even have electricity (for string lights!), and a barbecue available, so you can cook for the group (or make it a potluck!).
Renting a picnic shelter ensures your group has a spot in the shade (even in our busiest parks), with lots of room for prepping food, eating, chatting, lounging, and playing games.
Southeast provincial parks with rent-able picnic shelters include:
- Balsam Lake Provincial Park
- Bass Lake Provincial Park
- Bon Echo Provincial Park
- Darlington Provincial Park
- Emily Provincial Park
- Ferris Provincial Park
- Mara Provincial Park
- Presqu’ile Provincial Park
- Sandbanks Provincial Park
- Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
- Sibbald Point Provincial Park
- Silver Lake Provincial Park
You can reserve for the whole day from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Picnic shelters are now reserved through the Ontario Parks reservation website. You can search for available shelters under the Day Use tab.
All vehicles entering a park require a valid permit. For participating parks, advanced day use vehicle permits can be purchased up to 5 days before arrival to reserve space at the park.
