Be A Beach Bum

The largest beach in the area, Grand Bend's Main Beach is family-friendly, and a short five minute walk to all the food kiosks, restaurants and stores on Main Street West.

This beach has had uninterrupted Blue Flag status since 2009. Blue Flag (BlueFlag.org) water quality means your family is assured of safe, consistent swimmable water for a weekend getaway or vacation. The addition of an accessible beach mat from the boardwalk to the shoreline provides wheelchair users access to the water and makes it easier to get to for those with strollers. Lifeguards are on duty mid-June to Labour Day, Monday to Thursday noon to 6pm and Friday through Sundays and Holiday Mondays 11am to 7pm.

A children's accessible splash pad (open) and interactive accessible playground is located beside The Beach House, which offers public washrooms, change rooms, outdoor showers and elevator access to the observation deck. Enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk to the gazebo and pier.

For safety reasons, barbequing, open fires and cooking, glass items, alcohol, smoking and vaping, tents, sun shelters and canopies of all sizes are n ot allowed on the beach. Please use single-pole sun umbrellas of an 8 foot (2.4m) maximum diameter, positioned to not block the lifeguards' view.

Sports are not allowed on the Main Beach in July and August. This includes (but is not limited to): frisbee, football, volleyball, soccer, and spikeball. Single person and two person inflatables are allowed. All other inflatables are not allowed.

There’s also no camping or driving on the beach and dogs are restricted to parking lot and concreted areas only. Sorry, no dogs on the beach May 1 to September 30. Leashed dogs can be on the north beach (north of the blue and white condo building) 6am to 8am and 8pm to 11pm.

Download this handy beach safety at a glance sheet (pdf).

All Grand Bend Beach Lifeguards are certified through the Lifesaving Society and tested annually on waterfront rescues. Beach Patrol provides public education, patrols the beach by foot and in towers, inspects the beach for hazards, administers first aid, searches for missing people and performs water rescues.

Water quality is monitored Monday to Friday using "predictive models". To get water quality reports, text the word "Beach" to 226-909-3003 or call the Beach InfoLine at 1-800-667-1839 extension 3816 or check the reports online.

Did You Know?
Paid parking helps off-set the cost of maintaining Blue Flag status and many of the Grand Bend Beach amenities that it the most popular in the area, including the cost of lifeguards,  daily beach cleaning, washrooms, water quality testing and Beach Patrol Staff.