5 Best Beaches for a Swim in Ottawa

It's tough to come up with fresh ways of keeping cool when we're feeling hot and bothered. If chlorine is not your thing, Ottawa is lucky to have an assortment of clean, attractive beaches nearby.

Lac Philippe, about 45 minutes away, is a perennial favourite, with two large, sandy beaches, a canteen, barbecues, and plenty of room to throw a Frisbee around.

Westboro Beach is a sweet little place (the smallest of the city beaches), with enough sand to fill our buckets but with limited shade and green space. Our favourite thing to do at Westboro Beach is enjoy a cheesy pizza and follow it up with a soft serve cone and a cooling dip before bedtime.

Mooney's Bay Beach is a good option for the sun lovers (and volleyball players) although we think the best time to go is the evenings to take in Hog's Back Falls which are located just to the North of the beach.

There is plenty to do at Petrie Island Beach even if you're not planning on doing any swimming, with easy trails to explore and plenty of native wildlife to be seen. This small complex of wetlands, forest, and shoreline supports a diverse variety of plant and animal life. No special hiking equipment required!

Britannia Beach that wins our savvy award for best city beach. Parking is free and plentiful, and there are washrooms, change rooms and a snack bar. You'll find something for everyone here: big stretches of grass and plenty of shade, play structures, picnic tables and BYOC barbeques (Bring Your Own Charcoal). The sand is clean and the swimming area is the kind that is “fenced in” by floating buoys. In our experience, the lifeguards are totally on the ball too.