Happy Wednesday, friends! I hope everyone’s enjoying the tail end of summer, and that my local readers are enjoying this beautiful weather we’ve been having. Summer’s still officially here for a few more days, and it looks like she isn’t in a hurry to leave anytime soon! A few more days (or possibly – hopefully – weeks?) of warmer temps means there’s still time to partake in your favourite summer traditions: picnics, ice cream dates, beach days…and if a beach day is on your end-of-summer to-do list, I’ve got a great one to recommend! Recently, Tania and I visited one of our favourite Ontario beach towns – Sauble Beach – and today, I’m excited to share all my best recommendations: where to go, what to do, where to eat and more! (For the TLDR version of this post, check out my Instagram reel here.)
Located in the South Bruce Peninsula on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, Sauble Beach is one of Ontario’s most beloved beach towns. I’ve been going there since I was a kid, and there’s just something so charming and nostalgic about its sandy shores, bustling main street and iconic welcome sign. By the way, if you’ve been to Sauble recently, you may have noticed a change in the sign! On July 1 of this year, it was changed to read “Welcome To Saugeen Beach”, reflecting a 2023 court ruling that restored ownership of a significant portion of the beach to the Saugeen First Nation. The town itself is still called Sauble Beach, but the main stretch of beach – where the Saugeen First Nations ancestors have lived for thousands of years – is now officially Saugeen Beach.
So, what’s the best way to spend a day in Sauble Beach a.k.a. Saugeen Beach? You’re in the right place, because I just so happen to have lots of great recommendations for you! And in an effort to enhance readability and user-friendliness, I’m excited to introduce a new Table Of Contents feature on my blog posts! Just click any of the links below, and they’ll take you to the associated section of this post.
A Perfect Day In Sauble Beach: The Full Itinerary
- Breakfast at The Wellness Refinery
- Shopping on Main Street
- Lunch at the Casero Taco Bus
- Mini golf at Bar Tiki
- Games at Grab Lab
- Saugeen Beach
- Happy hour at Heydays
- Golden hour at the beach
- Ice cream from Happy Donuts
- Sunset at the Sauble Inland Dune
One good thing to know about Sauble is that it’s super walkable. All the places listed below – with the exception of the Inland Dune, which is less than a 10-minute drive from Main Street – are located in downtown Sauble Beach, within a 5-10 minute walk of one another. Just visit my interactive map to see how close everything is. We parked once and were good for the day! (Pro tip: park at Unique Pieces, one of my favourite decor shops in town. They offer flat-rate parking for $10/day, a steal compared to other lots in the area. Just go inside the store and pay the owner, Leah, directly. It’s a small lot and fills up fast, so try to arrive early.)
And now that we’re parked… let’s get on with the day!
Start your day with breakfast at The Wellness Refinery. This cute café is all about food that tastes good AND is good for you! Their menu has everything from waffles to salads to sandwiches, but they’re famous for their smoothie bowls, which come in delightfully vibrant colours (my “Beach Bowl” was a gorgeous bright blue hue!) and are loaded with fresh fruits, nuts, house-made granola, coconut and other nutritious add-ons like bee pollen and cacao nibs. They also have great coffee! Enjoy your meal indoors in their Scandi-chic lounge – I love its wood-and-white palette, live-edge tables and rattan stools – or outdoors on their peaceful backyard patio. The best way to start the day!
Spend the morning shopping on Main Street. Sauble’s Main Street is lined with so many fabulous independent shops. Some of my favourites include:
Grit & Grace for breezy sundresses and jumpsuits – and all the photo ops (they have the most Instagrammable storefront in town!)
The Garage Clothing Co. for coastal-chic casualwear:
Sunflowers & Shorelines for handcrafted, Canadian-made swimwear:
Jack n Jill’s Surf Shop for cozy souvenir sweaters and tees. I’m obsessed with my new “Unsalted” sweater – it’s like wearing a blanket!
The Patch for fun beachy jewelry:
Unique Pieces for charming furniture and antiques:
It’s A Shore Thing for whimsical cottage decor (I love their seashell art):
Spare Parts for hand-painted signs and crafts – we got this adorable driftwood hanger for our entry table:
After shopping up an appetite, grab lunch at the Casero Taco Bus. If there’s anything better than tacos, it’s tacos on wheels… though I should note this isn’t a traveling taco bus (hey, a girl can dream!) Casero is permanently parked at 316 Main and is open seasonally: every day from 12-8 in July and August, and weekends from 12-7 in September. And if you think these are your typical street eats, think again – Casero’s tacos are about as gourmet as bus food can get. They also serve burritos, quesadillas, salad bowls… and margaritas!
Head to Bar Tiki for a few rounds of mini golf. Does anyone else remember the old Sauble Beach miniature golf course? Well, fear not – it’s still there, and now it’s better than ever. Bar Tiki has revitalized the course and added an adorable tiki bar and patio. Golfers can order various cocktails to enjoy before, after, or even during their round of golf. Tania and I may not be the world’s best mini golfers – okay, we’re actually pretty terrible – but it’s still a fun way to spend an afternoon! At the very least, we provided excellent entertainment for everyone else on the course.
Try your luck at Grab Lab. This crane arcade has over 50 claw machines, tons of prizes, and is equally fun for kids and kids at heart! And yes, I will be returning in an attempt to win that raccoon plushie…
Go to the beach, obviously! It would be a crime to visit a town with “beach” in its name and not visit the actual beach. Saugeen Beach is the second longest freshwater beach in the world, has smooth un-rocky sand, and is located on my favourite lake, Lake Huron (no hard feelings, Lake Ontario!) Whether or not it’s swimming weather, it’s still worth spending an hour or two to stroll along its beautiful shores, dip your toes in the water, snap a picture by the iconic sign, or just relax in your beach chair with a good book.
Celebrate happy hour at Heydays. If you live in Ontario and have either A) planned a bachelorette party or B) love wine, the colour pink, Instagrammable decor, and/or local tourism (and if you follow this blog, I assume at least one of the above applies) then you’re probably familiar with The June Motel. This pretty-in-pink boutique motel is a true Cinderella story: in 2016, two BFFs bought a shabby roadside motel in Prince Edward County, and renovated it into one of Ontario’s most Insta-worthy girls trip destinations. They were hugely successful and now own three motels, including one in Sauble Beach, whose own glow-up story was featured on the Netflix series Motel Makeover. The June’s Sauble outpost doesn’t just have adorable rooms and a fabulous pool – they also have their own onsite restaurant, Heydays, which is an absolute must-visit. Guests can dine indoors, or outdoors on their poolside patio. Heydays offers a daily “oyster hour” from 2-4, where you can get $2 oysters and half-price bottles of wine. We enjoyed a bottle of their house rosé (a steal at just $26) along with fresh lobster rolls, French fries, and a charred broccoli Caesar salad. I know I always say this, but seriously, do NOT skip dessert. Their key lime parfait is like sunshine in a cup – decadent and refreshing all at once – and perfect for sharing!
By the way, if you’re looking for accommodations to turn your day trip into an overnight, The June looks pretty darn cute… I haven’t stayed here yet, but it’s high on my list!
Head back to the beach for golden hour. Saugeen Beach is famous for its picture-perfect sunsets, but I find it especially beautiful just before sunset, during golden hour. It’s the perfect time to go for a stroll along the shore, walk off those lobster rolls, and enjoy the stunning natural beauty of Lake Huron.
Grab an ice cream at Happy Donuts Dessert Bar. I know what you’re thinking… didn’t we just eat dessert at Heydays? Well, yes… but if you’re a sweet tooth like me, you know that no summer day trip is complete without an ice cream cone. There are lots of places to grab a frozen treat in Sauble, but Happy Donuts – which opened just last year – might be my new favourite. They offer cones in delicious dip flavours, from orange to pistachio to birthday cake. I got the watermelon (yes, I ordered it because it’s pink) and it was so delicious and refreshing.
Watch the sunset at the Sauble Inland Dune. This giant sand dune is located less than a 10-minute drive from downtown Sauble Beach, and it’s the only destination on this list that requires driving, making it the perfect “last but not least” stop for the day. It’s a bit of a climb to the top, but the views are beyond worth it! To find it, just type in “Sauble Inland Dune” on your GPS – there’s a small parking area right out front and it’s a bit of a hidden gem, so it’s usually not busy.
And there you have it – my best recommendations for a perfect day trip to Sauble Beach! One thing to note as we head into fall: Sauble is very much a summer town, and while the majority of businesses remain open until Thanksgiving, many of them operate on reduced hours after Labour Day – typically weekends only. Before visiting, be sure to check the hours of any specific places you want to visit. And I must say, while I love Sauble in the summer, I honestly love it even more come September: the weather’s (usually) still beautiful, but it’s less crowded and there’s less traffic!
Thanks so much for joining me for this virtual day trip to Sauble Beach. If there’s any spots I missed, please let me know in the comments or send me an email – I’d love to hear your recommendations!
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