Awenda Provincial Park
Awenda Provincial Park
4.5
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
2 within 5 kms
Attractions
8 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
303 reviews
Excellent
174
Very good
82
Average
22
Poor
11
Terrible
14
Jason Waters
2 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
We tent camped at Awenda July 9-12, 2024, although there was torrential rain that came down two nights in a row. Fortunately, the soil at this park tends to be very sandy and so there was no pooling.
We absolutely love this park. The camping sites are very spacious and the tall trees provide excellent canopy.
We stayed in the Hawk campground. It was peaceful and relatively quiet. The camp staff are friendly and helpful and the wardens conduct routine patrols.
The bathrooms and showers are kept quite clean. The firewood available for purchase is of very good quality. Lots of hardwood that burns nice and slowly.
Lots of great hiking trails and some nice beach areas.
We will definitely be returning
-Jason
We absolutely love this park. The camping sites are very spacious and the tall trees provide excellent canopy.
We stayed in the Hawk campground. It was peaceful and relatively quiet. The camp staff are friendly and helpful and the wardens conduct routine patrols.
The bathrooms and showers are kept quite clean. The firewood available for purchase is of very good quality. Lots of hardwood that burns nice and slowly.
Lots of great hiking trails and some nice beach areas.
We will definitely be returning
-Jason
Written July 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ronnie P
5 contributions
Jul 2021
Please take negative reviews about Awenda with a grain of salt. The vast majority of the negative reviews are all first world problems - something that escaping to nature should be without.
Awenda is a beautiful little park with some of the easiest and most pleasant car camping you will find in this part of Ontario.
The sites are sized very well and, unlike some other parks, they are spaced apart wonderfully. Access to amenities such as vault toilets and comfort stations are easy walks from every site.
The hiking at Awenda is easy breezy and a joy for all levels and ages.
The beaches are beyond what you can expect at most inner provincial parks. The water is Caribbean clear and provides exceptional snorkeling for beginners that will be amazed by the amount of glacial till (boulders) that are under water. For beach lovers, Awenda is hard to beat.
Now, as nature dictates, water levels in the Great Lakes rises and falls and is sometimes higher or lower depending on the year, season, etc. That being said, it is possible that the pet beaches are mostly covered by water. Trust me, your dog won't mind. If its a concern to you, check the water levels of Georgian Bay or contact the park for updated info before you arrive. Most of the time the water levels are lower than normal and so its a moot point - but check in just in case.
If you are a beginner to novice car camper, then this park is absolutely perfect. Even from a predator level, bear sightings are rare here (unlike parks such as Arrowhead or Killbear).
Awenda is a beautiful little park with some of the easiest and most pleasant car camping you will find in this part of Ontario.
The sites are sized very well and, unlike some other parks, they are spaced apart wonderfully. Access to amenities such as vault toilets and comfort stations are easy walks from every site.
The hiking at Awenda is easy breezy and a joy for all levels and ages.
The beaches are beyond what you can expect at most inner provincial parks. The water is Caribbean clear and provides exceptional snorkeling for beginners that will be amazed by the amount of glacial till (boulders) that are under water. For beach lovers, Awenda is hard to beat.
Now, as nature dictates, water levels in the Great Lakes rises and falls and is sometimes higher or lower depending on the year, season, etc. That being said, it is possible that the pet beaches are mostly covered by water. Trust me, your dog won't mind. If its a concern to you, check the water levels of Georgian Bay or contact the park for updated info before you arrive. Most of the time the water levels are lower than normal and so its a moot point - but check in just in case.
If you are a beginner to novice car camper, then this park is absolutely perfect. Even from a predator level, bear sightings are rare here (unlike parks such as Arrowhead or Killbear).
Written August 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
XsTatiC_to
Toronto4 contributions
Jul 2020
Having been backpack camping for decades, this was my first experience car camping. Although I don't think car camping is for me, I went with a friend and his 2 year old son, so for that reason it was convenient.
Jul 8-10, 2020. Hardly any bugs. Didn't have to put repellent on the entire time.
I did a bit of hiking and the trails are very, very nice and well kept. The ones I did around Kettle lake and the Robitaille trail were really easy and nice.
The swimming was superb in Georgian bay. It's been an incredibly hot summer and the water in the bay was not the least bit cold. Very refreshing and the water was crystal clear. Good for all ages. I wanted to go to beach 4, but only was on #1.
Campsites are fine. The park is huge, so it would have been nice to have a little more space between sites, but I guess they want to maximize as many people as possible. Granted, I have nothing to compare it to with other car-camping sites. Our site was on Snake loop, which is both radio and pet free. Credit where credit is due, the fellow campers around us were quiet and respectful. I imagine the type of people wanting to be in a radio and pet free environment are all after the peace and quiet, so there definitely wasn't any late night noise. Seemed everybody was in bed by 11, and incredibly quiet after 9. Sites are nice and shady, lots of flat ground, 2 picnic tables, close to toilets and walking distance from potable water filling stations. Comfort stations were very clean. Well, the bathrooms in them were spotless. Because of Covid-19 the showers (as well as many other facilities in the park) were closed. I thought closing the showers was weird. People go in there and clean themselves, so seems less likely to hold a virus than faucets in the bathroom. Would have been fantastic if I could have showered.
Nice place. I imagine if you have kids, this park would be an excellent destination for a getaway.
Jul 8-10, 2020. Hardly any bugs. Didn't have to put repellent on the entire time.
I did a bit of hiking and the trails are very, very nice and well kept. The ones I did around Kettle lake and the Robitaille trail were really easy and nice.
The swimming was superb in Georgian bay. It's been an incredibly hot summer and the water in the bay was not the least bit cold. Very refreshing and the water was crystal clear. Good for all ages. I wanted to go to beach 4, but only was on #1.
Campsites are fine. The park is huge, so it would have been nice to have a little more space between sites, but I guess they want to maximize as many people as possible. Granted, I have nothing to compare it to with other car-camping sites. Our site was on Snake loop, which is both radio and pet free. Credit where credit is due, the fellow campers around us were quiet and respectful. I imagine the type of people wanting to be in a radio and pet free environment are all after the peace and quiet, so there definitely wasn't any late night noise. Seemed everybody was in bed by 11, and incredibly quiet after 9. Sites are nice and shady, lots of flat ground, 2 picnic tables, close to toilets and walking distance from potable water filling stations. Comfort stations were very clean. Well, the bathrooms in them were spotless. Because of Covid-19 the showers (as well as many other facilities in the park) were closed. I thought closing the showers was weird. People go in there and clean themselves, so seems less likely to hold a virus than faucets in the bathroom. Would have been fantastic if I could have showered.
Nice place. I imagine if you have kids, this park would be an excellent destination for a getaway.
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dante M
Toronto, Canada3 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
DO NOT even consider going to this park during the summer if you want to sleep or relax. The "Wardens" do nothing to confront excessive noise. There are families who do nothing to keep their kids quiet, screaming, yelling, whining all hours of the night and day. I stayed at their "Snake" area which prohibits dogs, radios and generators. They may as well allow it because the kids running around are louder than all three combined. For the sake of your mental health avoid at all costs.
Written August 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Duane H
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Awenda provincial park and camp sites are large. Unfortunately, the park has a lot of variations of poison ivy which was confirmed by park staff. I recently stayed on two Snake camp sites and do not recommend young children or pets stay there. There are 4 sandy/rocky beaches up to 2km walk from the beach parking lot. Walking to the beach from a campsite is far and not practical. Water for swimming is very clear, but cool.
Written August 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philly413
Newmarket, Canada1,265 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
Beautiful place for a fall hike. The trails are well marked and all start from a central parking lot because the camping areas are closed for the fall. The are maps, washrooms, picnic shelters and warm up buildings. The trails are beautiful and there were still lots of leaves on the trees for so late in the season. There is a nice long dog beach for those coming with their puppers. We went mid week and it was not crowded at all. We did see people riding their bikes, canoeing on kettles lake and just enjoying the day. We can’t wait to come back in the winter for snowshoeing or cross country skiing.
Written November 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
4givN
Peterborough, Canada365 contributions
Jul 2021
This was our first visit to Awenda. The walking trails were easy to get to from the parking areas, and there was not a single mosquito on them in July, which was surprising.
The scenery was beutiful, and we weren't disppointed with the birding. We saw Tanagers, Grosbeaks, White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Broadwinged Hawk, Pewees, etc..
The trails were very steep in spots, with tree roots and rocks to make things a bit more tricky. There was a discrepancy between the trail map and the signs for the walking distance. Even on the same map the Kettle Lake trail said 4 kms, AND 5 kms, in different spots.! Also, they really could use more signage through the park and around the trails. We couldn't get to the beach trails, because there was a Do Not Enter sign that suddenly popped up after we arrived, and according to the map it was the only way to get to those trails. We ended up leaving and decided it wasn't worth coming back.the next day.
The scenery was beutiful, and we weren't disppointed with the birding. We saw Tanagers, Grosbeaks, White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Broadwinged Hawk, Pewees, etc..
The trails were very steep in spots, with tree roots and rocks to make things a bit more tricky. There was a discrepancy between the trail map and the signs for the walking distance. Even on the same map the Kettle Lake trail said 4 kms, AND 5 kms, in different spots.! Also, they really could use more signage through the park and around the trails. We couldn't get to the beach trails, because there was a Do Not Enter sign that suddenly popped up after we arrived, and according to the map it was the only way to get to those trails. We ended up leaving and decided it wasn't worth coming back.the next day.
Written October 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Misterrude
Ontario, Canada269 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We love this park. Come here often in the winter to hike. It really is a special park. One challenge is the overzealous parking enforcement.
A virtually empty off season parking lot, mid week, and the enforcement of $30 parking tickets is ridiculous.
Parks Ontario need to figure this out and address it. Perhaps a more reasonable cost option for hourly parking is the answer.
Too bad as this is a major complain of those enjoying this park off season.
A virtually empty off season parking lot, mid week, and the enforcement of $30 parking tickets is ridiculous.
Parks Ontario need to figure this out and address it. Perhaps a more reasonable cost option for hourly parking is the answer.
Too bad as this is a major complain of those enjoying this park off season.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chaitanya
Cambridge, Canada1,454 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Awenda is a good spot for camping and works when for when you have larger groups. The beaches are pretty good and don't feel overcrowded. The campsites we had were good, the facilities were well maintained and kept clean, the staff was present and easily available. Overall a nice campsite.
Written August 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nubone
Flesherton, Canada1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Family
Deer campground. Unhappy campers and unhappy forest. So many cut logs laying around which people were helpfully trying to clear and got thrown off for it. A load of yahoos got let in at 10.00pm and partied til 1.00 in the am yet no park ranger in sight yet patrolling every hour otherwise. Sites uneven and full of boulders. Walk to the beach from the campground - athletes only- 155 steps. Beaches barely accessible for people with disabilities. Unloved toilets - not a broom in sight. Nope. Not for me. Beaches great though and interesting rocks. If the forest wasn't so badly managed, it would be nice walking too. Too many sites in one place to manage well. Sorry Awenda.
Written July 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How and where do I buy a day pass fir Awenda Provincial Park? No info found on your website.
Written October 20, 2024
Veronica C
Toronto, Canada
Hello,
I just want to visit the beaches at Awenda Park. Do I need a reservation for a Day visit in advance?!
Or I can go straight and pay the visit and the parking there?
Thanks,
Veronica
Written June 23, 2022
Hi, Awenda is not one of the parks where you can get a day permit in advance. My advice is that you show up early in the day if you are choosing a weekend day or a summer day with good beach weather. That way you will be most assured of getting in and getting a good spot. Sometimes as the day goes on, the park reaches day use capacity and they don't allow any more people in.
Written June 24, 2022
What campground was it? Bear, Deer and Snake campgrounds are radio free and pet free for quieter experiences.
Written April 1, 2021
Would a 36 foot Motorhome Diesel Pusher fit on site 202?
Written September 2, 2020
Hi,
I plan on camping with my grandson, who is four years old. Which campground would you recommend? We plan on coming in early July. How are the bugs then?
If there is anything else I should know, please feel free to advise me.
Thank you,
Ryan Friedman.
Written February 19, 2020
Hi,. all the campsites are nice, well spaced. You might want to call the park and ask which has the nicest playground for a little guy. Not sure about bugs in July. We've never had a problem though.
Written March 13, 2020
We have a small RV, are they allowed?
Written October 4, 2018
Yes - have a look at the Ontario Parks reservation web site which has maps of all the provincial parks. You can limit your search to a particular park and to the needs for the space (eg RV size, electric etc) - then it will show you all the RV spaces.
Written October 4, 2018
yes they have electrical sites but bring long extension cords
Written October 1, 2018
There is canoe rental with the park at Kettles Lake. We haven't rented for a couple years but from what I remember it was very reasonable and you can rent for an hour or longer. Kettles Lake is very calm(when the weather is good of course-compared to Georgian bay)and good to take kids out on. I don't believe you can take the canoes to the
beach - they are just for the small lake.
Written August 7, 2018
…
Showing results 1-10 of 34
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing