7 Actually Sandy Beaches Near Montreal You Can Visit This Summer

You can pretend you're in the tropics without buying a plane ticket!

Visitors enjoy the sun at Lac Simon beach in Quebec.

Visitors enjoy the sun at Lac Simon beach in Quebec.

Staff Writer

Now that Montreal has given us a few sunny days to enjoy, it's time to start thinking about where to travel to make the most of the weather. We don't live near the equator, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of sandy, surfy beaches close enough to make a day trip.

These seven beaches, most of which allow swimming, are opening soon — so add them to your summer bucket list, grab a picnic basket and a towel, and dive in (where permitted)!

Plage du parc national d'Oka

Price: $9.55/adult

Address: 2020, chemin d'Oka, Oka, QC

Distance from Montreal: One hour and 15 minutes

Opening date: May 22, 2023

The beach is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with supervision from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the warmer seasons.

Sépaq website

Plage de Saint-Zotique

Price: $15/adult

Address: 105, 81e avenue, Saint-Zotique, QC

Distance from Montreal: 45 minutes

Opening date: June 17, 2023

Saint-Zotique Beach is accessible for those with limited mobility and offers a splash park, watercraft rentals and hiking trails.

Plage St-Zotique website

Plage du Cap-Saint-Jacques

Price: $5.50/adult

Address: 21115, boul. Gouin O., Montreal, QC

Opening date: TBD for summer 2023

This spot offers two beaches, a larger and a smaller, where supervised (and clothed) bathing is permitted during the summer.

City of Montreal website

Plage Jean-Doré

Price: $9.25/adult

Address: 151, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, QC

Opening date: June 24, 2023

Open swim at this sprawling beach is allowed as of late June.

Parc Jean-Drapeau website

Saint-Timothée Beach

Price: $15/adult

Address: 240, rue Saint-Laurent, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC

Distance from Montreal: 45 minutes

Opening date: June 2023

The beautiful blue water at this nearby beach will open to the public sometime in June, so stay tuned for your next squad road trip!

Salaberry-de-Valleyfield website

Lac Simon Beach

Price: $12.18/adult

Address: 760, chemin du Tour du Lac, Chénéville, QC

Distance from Montreal: Two hours

Opening date: May 19, 2023

This spot features two kilometres of fine sandy beach, watersports and supervised swimming starting on June 22.

Sépaq website

Major Beach

Price: $12/adult; $8/adult after 3 p.m.

Address: Chemin du Tour-du-Lac, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC

Distance from Montreal: One hour and 15 minutes

Opening date: Mid-June 2023

This supervised swimming spot is open during the summer, with a canteen on-site if you don't want to pack your own picnic.

Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts website

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.

  • Willa Holt
  • Creator

    Willa Holt (they/she) was a Creator for MTL Blog. They have edited for Ricochet Media and The McGill Daily, with leadership experience at the Canadian University Press. They have an undergraduate degree in anthropology with a minor in French translation, and they are the proud owner of a trilingual cat named Ivy.

Quebec just launched a free tool that shows you where gas is cheapest near you

It pulls live gas prices from more than 2,500 service stations.

Canada Post is ending door-to-door mail delivery and here's what that means for Canadians

The days of getting your mail without leaving the house may be over.

Canada has a new $2 coin and it glows in the dark

It's only the second Canadian circulation coin to ever feature that technology.

Some Canadian parents are getting over $650 per child from the government this month

It's designed to help families cover everyday costs like groceries, daycare, and clothing.

5 passport mistakes Canadians make that could ruin your next trip

3% of Canadians have forgotten their passport on the way to the airport.