Summer is finally here, and quite possibly one of our favorite things about the summertime is visiting lakes and streams for a nice, relaxing swim. On the hottest days, the swimming holes near Toronto, Ontario are the best spot to cool off and take a break from our busy tree planting lives. There are lots of places to go for a swim around Toronto, but these are 6 of the best spots.
Bronte Creek
In Bronte Creek Provincial Park, the spots to swim are nearly endless. If you’re rugged and feeling up for it, you can pretty much hop into the creek just about anywhere leading into Lake Ontario, but if something a little safer and more secure is your speed, there’s a huge outdoor pool you and your family can swim in. There is a $3.25 admission fee, but that certainly won’t break the bank, right?
Ontario has some pretty amazing camping spots too if you’re looking to make a weekend of it. Here’s our 7 favorite Ontario camping sites!
St. Mary’s Swimming Quarry
St. Mary’s swimming quarry is a pretty well-known swimming hole near Toronto. It’s Canada’s largest outdoor swimming pool and has been operational since 1950. And if swimming isn’t what you’re in the mood for, there are also volleyball courts and you can even buy lunch from the Tiki Hut. They even have an inflatable water trampoline every July! Awesome. The park is open from June 30th to September 5th. Admission is $4.75
McCarston’s Lake
Near Caledon, the “greenest town in Ontario,” you’ll find Mono Cliff Provincial Park. If you follow McCarston’s trail, it’ll lead you directly to McCarston’s lake, an awesome and secluded place to take the family for a summertime swim. If you’d like to experience more of the park first, there are nearly endless hiking trails to enjoy. Daily vehicle permits are less than $20.
The falls at Hamilton
There are a lot of outdoor polls near Toronto and plenty of cool waterfalls in Hamilton, but this is one of our favorites. I’ll be the first to admit that this swimming spot isn’t the most family friendly. It’s completely unsupervised, so swim at your own risk. 45 minutes driving from Toronto, you’ll find Chedoke Radial Trail near Hamilton, Ontario. Along this hiking trail are numerous swimming spots, including some awesome waterfalls! They’re pretty much all accessible without restriction, but be very cautious swimming in some of these spots.
Lake Ontario at Darlington Provincial Park
Lake Ontario is an awesome spot to swim near Toronto, Ontario, and I can’t think of anyplace better to enjoy it than Darlington Provincial Park. There’s a huge camping area if you’d like to stay for a few days as well as tons of hiking. But it’s great too if you just need to cool off in the water too.
Elora Quarry
Elora quarry is a bit further from Toronto than the rest of this list. At about an hour out, you’ll find that it’s totally worth it. The quarry is a touch less crowded and the scenic cliffs are incredibly beautiful. It’s a well-maintained swimming hole that has an admission fee of $6 per person.
