Vacation rentals in Ossossane Beach

Ossossane Beach, one of several small beach communities along the Georgian Bay in Ontario’s Township of Tiny, is the perfect place to lounge on the sand. The town is also a great base for exploring the region. There are beaches up and down the bay, including Wasaga Beach, the world’s longest freshwater beach, a 25-minute drive to the south. In the towns of Midland and Penetanguishene, which are about 15 minutes’ drive northeast of Ossossane Beach, you can visit historic sites to learn about the area’s early settlement and go hiking or paddling in several local or provincial parks, including Awenda Provincial Park and the Wye Marsh Nature Centre. You’re also within day-tripping distance of Georgian Bay Islands National Park, which encompasses 63 of the thousands of islands across Georgian Bay. One historical note about Ossossane: in 1946, a team of archeologists unearthed what’s now known as the Ossossane Ossuary, an Indigenous burial site used by the Wendat (Huron) people in the 17th century. A sign marks the site on County Road 6 South.

Late June through early September is the most popular season for visiting Ossossane Beach and other communities along the Georgian Bay shore, when the summer weather is best for the beach. Another reason for a June visit? Nearby Midland hosts Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival, an annual celebration that can draw 60,000 visitors to sample these gooey Canadian mini-pies. Any holiday weekend, from Victoria Day in May through Canadian Thanksgiving in October, will be especially busy at the beach. The cooler fall days are pleasant for exploring, hiking, and sightseeing and tend to be less crowded than during the summertime. Many businesses and attractions in the Georgian Bay region close between mid-October and mid-May.

Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons

In Midland, Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons is located on the site where French Jesuit missionaries built Ontario’s first European settlement in the mid-17th century. You can explore the two dozen buildings of this reconstructed historical village to learn more about this early settlement and about the Indigenous Wendat people who lived on the land for thousands of years.

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre

Wander the trails through the wetlands and woodlands or paddle a canoe or kayak through the marsh at Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, a nature center in Midland. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot trumpeter swans, which nest in the marshy habitat.

Georgian Bay Islands National Park

Georgian Bay is the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, dotted with thousands of islands. Georgian Bay Islands National Park protects 63 of these isles, and you can day-trip to one of them — Beausoleil Island — to hike several trails or hang out at the beach. From late spring through fall, the park operates boats to Beausoleil Island that depart from Honey Harbour, a 45-minute drive northeast of Ossossane Beach.