During this May 2-4 weekend, I traveled to Grand Bend for a single, overnight trip. Despite the short time period for the visit, I still had an amazing time!

This is particularly because I love camping – staying at the Pinery Provincial Park was an incredible pleasure. We stayed in campsite area number four, and our camp site was a few short steps away from the Ausable River. Our fire pit roared throughout the night, while the stars sparkled overhead, and only a few distant rumbles of long holiday weekend fireworks. On the Pinery Park website (see it here), the park is very accurately described as:

“Whether you want to quietly explore the woodlands along a trail, dip a paddle in the Old Ausable Channel, ride along the bike trail, or slide across crisp snow on a ski trail, Pinery is a special place year round.”

I enjoyed renting the bicycles available from the park store for only $15 for two full hours, which allowed me to complete a 14 km bicycle ride passing by visitor centres, beach front spots, and hilly forest. We also spent time floating down the Ausable River in an inflatable raft.

Outside of the park, Grand Bend itself is a great place to watch people walking, talking, and doing all manner of beach-related activities. My favorite spot, by far, was Aunt Gussie’s restaurant. The food and hospitality of the servers was out of this world – truly, an incredible and delicious dining experience!

I would highly recommend traveling to Grand Bend, Aunt Gussie’s, and the Pinery Provincial Park during the summer months. An amazing, beautiful experience for all kinds of travelers!