Stay Overnight

For those craving diversity of experience without sacrificing proximity to the liveliness of the boardwalk, consider the range of family-friendly activities available at amenity-rich motels and the area’s only resort hotel, Oakwood Resort (Grand Bend). Huron County's largest accommodation provider, Oakwood Resort offers a relaxation menu that includes a full service spa and recreation facility with heated pool, small gym and an 18-hole golf course. Beach access is just a 3-minute leisurely stroll down a short laneway.

Within a 10-minute walk to Grand Bend’s boardwalk, beach and shops are two long-time, family-run and family-friendly motel favourites.

Pine Dale Motor Inn (Grand Bend) with an indoor heated, saltwater pool, and Blue Water Motel (Grand Bend) with an outdoor heated pool. Combined, these accommodation providers have hosted visitors to The Bend for more than 100 years! Be sure to ask at their respective reception desks about things to do and see in the area. These engaged and welcoming owner/operators are knowledgeable and enthusiastic ambassadors for the area.

Relative newcomer, boutique-style Amber Hotel (Grand Bend) offers modern accommodations and even a two-bedroom apartment that’s great for families.

Dreamz Inn, located en route to Goderich, takes accessible stays to the next level. Accommodations fuse beautiful suite design with accessible layout and amenities in this contemporary designer hotel. Indoor pool and combined tennis and basketball courts can keep the kids busy while you relax in the huge backyard. Newly opened in 2020, Comfort Inn & Suites (Goderich) is also fully accessible with braille coded exists, braille elevator, and accessible roll-in showers.

If you are looking to trade in the hustle and bustle in favour of nestling in for the night, consider destinations along the restorative Highway 21 corridor. Unwind in a space where mature trees stand alongside budding vines and burgeoning vintages, as is the case at Hessenland Inn & Schatz Winery (St. Joseph). Why not plan your stay when Hessenland hosts their unique Long Table Vineyard Dining event!

The same is true of Bayfield’s The Ashwood Inn, which fuses an eclectically modern layout with the vibe of a mid-century relaxation destination – a forest backdrop, saltwater pool and locally-sourced cuisine.

HISTORICAL CHARM

Unique heritage accommodations blend character with comfort in some of the area’s finest overnight offerings. Built on the legacy of nineteenth century, stage-coaching days and flourishing tavern culture, The Little Inn, The Lake House and Albion Hotel are nestled within Bayfield’s quaint shopping district and offer three great options for nostalgic nap times and first-class dining experiences at onsite restaurants.  The Little Inn, a designated heritage building, offers 16 guest rooms.

The Lake House offers five guest rooms. The Albion Hotel, operated as a hotel for more than 145 years, offers four guest rooms featuring antique furniture and classic rural paintings. All three combine history and charm with modern amenities.

For those DIY-travellers seeking to bring their vacation homes along for the ride, consider the range of trailer parks and campgrounds the area has to offer. If you are looking to make your home away from home within the catchment of Grand Bend central, Green Haven Trailer Park is a short walk to Grand Bend's Main Street and beach, while family-friendly Klondyke Trailer Park, Rus-Ton Family Campground, Birch Bark Trailer Park and others are a short drive to town.

Area trailer parks and campgrounds offer a variety of amenities and children's programs, ensuring you get to rest on your vacation as well! Parkhill's Great Canadian Hideaway (Parkhill) even has a small animal petting corner and its own sandy beach on the Parkhill Reservoir Carolinian Family Campground (Ipperwash) has been hosting families on their 23-acres of land surrounded by Carolinian forest for decades. Located by Ipperwash Beach, they run summer-long kid-focused activities.

Rock Glen Family Resort located directly across from Rock Glen Conservation Area (location of the only waterfall in Lambton County), offers a wide range of amenities for its family camper members, including indoor and outdoor pools, multiple playground areas, shuffleboard, mini-golf and giant indoor adventure-land. Rus-Ton Family Campground and Rock Glen Family Resort also offer a number of cabins for rent for those without RVs.

This accommodation highlight could not possibly cover all of the local campgrounds or even all of the amenities of those we have included. Be sure to check with the Welcome Centre in Grand Bend (519-238-2001) and Camping in Ontario (campinginontario.ca) for full listings.

Travelling with the family pet can be a challenge, as a number of accommodation providers aim to be allergen-free, however we know welcoming families often means welcoming fido too.

Consider Bonnie Doone Manor-on-the-Beach, Oakwood Resort, Pine Dale Motor Inn, Pinewood Motel or Bayfield South Suites to name only a few.

If you're looking for a doggy daycare or overnight facility, Play 'N Stay K-9 Daycare and Boarding and Tails Wag Inn are located just 15 kilometres from Grand Bend. Tails Wag Inn also provides cat boarding.