Wasaga Beach Named Canada’s #1 Beach for Swimming by Lonely Planet

WASAGA BEACH - Wasaga Beach is celebrating being named one of Canada’s Top Ten Beaches by Lonely Planet, one of the world’s most influential travel authorities. Lonely Planet has also ranked Wasaga Beach the #1 beach for swimming in Canada.

This latest ranking highlights Wasaga Beach’s warm, shallow waters, expansive shoreline, and iconic summer experience along the shores of Georgian Bay, reaffirming its place as one of Canada’s most beloved beach destinations.

The recognition arrives as Wasaga Beach prepares for another busy summer season, with just 100 days until Victoria Day, Canada’s unofficial first long weekend of summer.

A Top Travel Destination — and a Community on the Rise

The Lonely Planet ranking also comes at a time of growth and transformation for Wasaga Beach, as the Town advances Destination Wasaga—its vision and long-term plan to transform the community from a summer beach town into an iconic, year-round recreation and nature-based destination.

Wasaga Beach’s transformation is supported by the Province of Ontario’s nearly $38 million investment to launch Destination Wasaga and revitalize the Nancy Island Historic Site.

In 2025, the Town began construction along Beach Drive to build a safer, more accessible, and climate-resilient waterfront corridor. This and other public infrastructure improvements near the beachfront are unlocking new investment at Beach Area 1 and in the Town’s busiest tourism areas, including a $65 million premium Marriott hotel and approximately $100 million commercial and residential development led by Stonebridge Building Group.

Even with construction underway, tourism in Wasaga Beach remains strong. Between January and August 2025, the Town welcomed 2,060,833 visitors — a 15 per cent increase over the same period in 2024. Strong attendance is driven in part by the Town’s growing lineup of festivals and events over the past three years.

In 2023, Wasaga Beach’s event season helped tourism rebound to pre-pandemic levels and set a new record when it drew more than 12,000 residents and visitors from across Ontario to the Town’s annual Memories of Summer concert on the beach, which was headlined by April Wine.

In 2024, the Town marked its 50th anniversary of incorporation with a week-long celebration and major concerts featuring Burton Cummings, Blue Rodeo, Tom Cochrane, The Strumbellas, The Carpet Frogs, and more.

In 2025, Wasaga Beach launched the Official Soundtrack of Summer and hosted more than 30 live musical performances and a family-friendly Fun Zone at Beach Area 1.

The Town is preparing to announce its 2026 festival and event lineup next month.

QUICK FACTS

·         Wasaga Beach is the longest freshwater beach in the world, stretching more than 14 kilometres across eight beach areas.

·         Wasaga Beach continues to be recognized by leading travel publications and organizations—including Lonely Planet, Narcity Canada, and Destination Canada—as one of Canada’s top beach destinations.

About Wasaga Beach
For over one hundred years, the Town of Wasaga Beach has been Ontario’s iconic summer playground — a place people come to have fun and create summer memories that will last a lifetime. Today, we’re on a mission to become an iconic, four-season recreation and nature-based destination. Building Destination Wasaga, investing in year-round festivals and destination events, and reimagining our downtown and main commercial area at Beach Area 1 supports Council’s priorities: to diversify the economy, grow tourism, create jobs, and build a complete community. Destination Wasaga is part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, innovation, and fun. We’re building a community with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive, and complete neighbourhoods—a place that celebrates our rich history, cultural diversity, and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay, and the longest freshwater beach in the world.

See Lonely Planet’s Top Ten Beaches List.

Learn more about Destination Wasaga.

Explore Wasaga Beach’s eight beach areas.

Plan your visit.

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Karla Findlay 
Special Projects Leader
Email Karla

Sandra Watts
Director of Communications, Destination Marketing and Intergovernmental Affairs
Email Sandra