Presqu'ile Provincial Park

Photo Credit: John Vetterli

Presqu'ile Provincial Park is located near Brighton on the north shore of Lake Ontario.  It is a mecca for birdwatchers every spring and fall, this peninsula south of Brighton is a major flyway for migrating birds, home to waterfowl and shorebirds, and a staging point for Mexico-bound monarch butterflies. A long boardwalk crosses wetlands where marsh birds live and fish spawn. On islands to the west, colonies of gulls, cormorants, terns and herons nest. At the tip of the park are Ontario's second-oldest operating lighthouse and the original lighthouse keeper's cottage.

This park has become very popular tourist spot that attracts 200,000 visitors per year.  With almost two kilometres of groomed beach, interpretive programs and two visitor centres, the park appeals to visitors of all ages and interests.  At the Lighthouse Centre you will discover cultural history through the talking mannequin “Jack Atkins”, the giant satellite image of Southern Ontario, a scale model of Presqu’ile’s lighthouse and a dynamic audio-visual display dramatizing the sinking of the schooner Speedy. The Nature Centre gives visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with a wide range of native frogs, turtles, snakes and fish.

The park includes a number of campgrounds. Campers can choose from 394 sites (group sites and electrical sites are available) in the spring, summer and fall. The park's level terrain and excellent roads make it a good location for cycling.