Port Stanley Beach Day

I mentioned last year when we took a day trip to Port Dover that I wanted to spend some time exploring more of the Great Lakes beaches. I grew up going to Southampton and swimming in Lake Huron. The beaches along Lake Erie are totally new to me. This past week I packed up the kids and we drove west for a Port Stanley Beach Day.

Port Stanley Beach Day

Port Stanley is a beach town about a half hour south of London Ontario in Southwestern Ontario along Lake Erie. We used the pay parking at the main beach. It is right beside GT’s on the Beach. If you are coming from out of town it is easy to put GT’s into Google maps and it will take you right where you need to go to get to the Port Stanley Beach.

We went directly to the beach after we paid for parking. We arrived around 10 am and there was loads of space. But the closer it got to noon the more the beach filled up with people. The kids and I went into the water and found it quite cold. Like wow my toes are numb cold. I think it must be because it was slower to warm up this year so the Great Lakes are all a bit colder than normal at this point in the season. The water was quite shallow for a while which is great when you are swimming with kids as you don’t have to worry about it getting deep right away.

After swimming and rock skipping we found a spot on the patio to have lunch at GT’s on the Beach. They have a massive patio and every table has an umbrella so you don’t have to worry too much about the sun. There is also a kid friendly menu but for me it was all about the Perch.

Much like when we had lunch on the beach in Port Dover, GT’s on the Beach had a number of perch options from tacos to fish and chips. I got the Perch and Chips and it was delicious. The batter was light and not too dense. The fish was perfectly cooked, light and flakey. The fries were even good. Kids had burgers – typical. If you are eating in the area I would suggest trying the perch as it is local and super fresh.

The patio was filling up by the time we left and it was only mid week! I can imagine this place is packed on a summer weekend.

After lunch we walked back over the bridge into the main part of town to grab some ice cream. Brodericks has a cute old timey feel and loads of flavors. They even have the chocolate dipped sprinkle cones.

Our walk allowed us to see what else was going on in Port Stanley. They have a theatre and a marina along with plenty of places to eat out. Obviously the big pull is the blue flag beach, however there are other things to do in town.

Port Stanley is a beautiful little town. The beach was wide and clean. The water was clear which is a must if I am going to feel comfortable getting in to the lake. It was easy to get to as well. We just took the 401 and highway 4 down to Port Stanley.

If you are visiting Toronto in the summer, make sure to take the time to do some day trips to see the Great Lakes beaches because they really are beautiful. Canada isn’t known for our beaches because everyone just associates Canada with cold weather. However, our summers are hot and the beach is a great way to cool off. Port Stanley is a beach town worth visiting for the beach and so much more.