Summer in Canada is here one day and gone the next, so it's important to make the most of it.
If your summer plans involve blasting tunes, rolling the windows down and chasing the perfect beach day, you're in luck — there are plenty of beautiful beaches with sandy shores that are just a road trip from Montreal.
Grab your towel, pack a cooler and get ready to hit the road to these stunning spots in Quebec and Ontario offering pristine shores and clear water perfect for taking a swim.
Here are eight sandy beaches worth road tripping to from Montreal this summer.
Beauport Bay
Price: $2 per person
Address: 1, Chemin de la Baie-de-Beauport, Québec
Why You Need To Go: Located on the St. Lawrence River about 2 hours and 45 minutes from Montreal, Beauport Bay offers a sandy beach and family-friendly vibe that makes it great for all ages.
The beach, which is just five minutes from downtown Quebec City, offers swimming, water activities and more. There's also a beachside bistro, a frozen dessert bar, and a cocktail bar on site where you can get refreshments and food.
It's the perfect place to lie out under the sun or enjoy some canoeing or stand-up paddleboarding.
The beach also regularly hosts special events, including yoga and pilates sessions on the beach, country dancing and beach parties.
Mille Roches Beach
Price: $11.50+ per vehicle
Address: 15890 Long Sault Pky., Long Sault, ON
Why You Need To Go: Located along the scenic Long Sault Parkway, about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Montreal, Mille Roches Beach is the largest public beach on the St. Lawrence River.
The beach offers soft, sandy shores, shaded picnic areas, and clear waters that are perfect for swimming and enjoying a day by the water.
The area also has winding bike paths and pristine nature trails. For anglers, the area offers fishing opportunities including Hoople Creek Basin, one of the largest natural Pickerel fish hatcheries and fishing areas in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.
Saint Zotique Beach
Price: $15 per adult
Address: 105, 81st Ave., Saint-Zotique, QC
Why You Need To Go: Located on the shore of the Lac Saint-François just under an hour from Montreal, Saint Zotique Beach is a popular summer spot for spending a day by the water.
The beach offers fine sand and crystal-clear water that reaches tropical-like temperatures in the summer. If that's not enough, the palapa umbrellas on the beach are sure to make you feel like you've left Canada for the Caribbean.
The beach offers watercraft rentals, including stand-up paddle boards, kayaks and pedal boats, and is also home to an aquatic obstacle course located on the water.
On weekends, the beach has food trucks where you can grab a bite, as well as an ice cream shop where you can cool down with a frozen treat.
Petrie Island Beach
Price: Free admission
Address: 727 Tweddle Rd., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Located in the Ottawa suburb of Orléans, 2 hours from Montreal, Petrie Island can be found on the Ottawa River.
The island is home to three beaches: North Beach, which looks toward the Quebec shore; East Bay Beach, which looks downriver toward Cumberland, and a third small beach that's perfect for families with young children.
The beaches offer soft sandy shores as well as picnic tables, snack bars, and beach volleyball net rentals. Besides swimming, there's plenty to do on the island, including renting a canoe or kayak to paddle on the water, hiking and fishing.
Britannia Beach
Price: Free to visit
Address: 2805 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Located about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Montreal, Britannia Beach is Ottawa's most westerly beach.
Britannia is a pleasant beach overlooking a wide stretch of the Ottawa River with sandy shores and gentle waves, and the water is often dotted with sailboats from nearby sailing clubs.
The beach has a snack bar, picnic tables, barbecue pits, play structures, a beach volleyball net and standup paddleboard rentals available.
Nearby, you can visit the Beachconers Microcreamery for ice cream and frozen treats, or grab refreshments and light bites at the Britannia Coffeehouse.
Major Beach
Price: $16 per adult
Address: 1 Chemin du Lac des Sables, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC
Why You Need To Go: Located in the Laurentians region, just over an hour from Montreal, Major Beach is a pleasant sandy beach situated on a small lake in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts.
The beach is the perfect place for swimming, kayaking or pedal boating, with rentals available nearby.
There are also beach volleyball courts where you could strike up a game, as well as picnic tables if you want to enjoy some lunch.
Food trucks are also available on site, offering hot dogs, ice cream, refreshments and more.
The Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts Regional Park is also located nearby, where you'll find opportunities for hiking and camping.
Sandbanks Provincial Park
Price: $10.84+ per vehicle
Address: 3004 County Rd. 12, Picton, ON
Why You Need To Go: Located in Ontario's Prince Edward County, Sandbanks Provincial Park has everything you need for the perfect summer outing.
At 4 hours away, Sandbanks is definitely a bit of a trek from Montreal; however, it's worth it to see white sand beaches that many say are among the best in Canada.
Here, you can see the world's largest baymouth barrier dune formation and view huge sand dunes formed by glaciers thousands of years ago.
The park is home to three white-sand beaches where you can swim and see sand dunes, as well as a number of scenic hiking trails.
Lac Simon Tourist Centre
Price: $13.48 per adult for a day visit
Address: 1216 Rue Principale, Duhamel, QC
Why You Need To Go: Just over 2 hours from Montreal, the Lac‑Simon Tourist Centre is a family-friendly resort where you can soak up the sun this summer.
Located in the heart of the Outaouais region, the resort is home to a pleasant, sandy beach that's been described as having "crystal-clear waters and fine warm sand," and has been called "one of the most beautiful in Quebec."
Set on the serene Lac Simon, the beach offers gentle waves and a perfect mix of sun and shade thanks to the surrounding pine tree forest. Visitors say that the waters here are quite warm if you visit in July or August.
The resort also offers plenty of other activities, from hiking and biking to fishing.
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.
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