Ready to head down south? Southern Canada, that is. Point Pelee National Park is at the southernmost point of Canada’s mainland and it is truly extraordinary.
This park will allow you to “experience nature like never before,” says Parks Canada.
While it is the second smallest national park in Canada, it is also the most ecologically diverse.
It is home to a thriving population of diverse bird and animal species and is an important migration stopover point for Monarch butterflies and birds.
It’s located in a Carolinian zone and contains five main habitats — the Lake Erie and sand spit savannah, marsh, swamp forest, dry forest, and an incredible sandy beach.
As you make your way through the park, you’ll notice that these habitats seamlessly transition from one to the next.
“The beach habitat gradually changes to savannah, then woodland, before becoming a dry forest,” says Parks Canada.
“This gradual transition from beach to dry forest is called succession, because each habitat leaves a little of itself behind as it succeeds into the next.”
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Point Pelee National Park sits on a peninsula, and both the east and west sides are framed by 20 km of sandy beach.
According to Parks Canada, Northwest Beach is one of the most magical beaches to explore in the whole country, and you’ll find it right here at this park.
As we mentioned earlier, Point Pelee is also an essential destination for the annual Monarch butterfly migration.
From late August to mid-October, waves of the distinctive butterflies “begin one of nature’s greatest journeys” through Ontario and across Lake Erie, eventually ending up in Mexico.
The park keeps track of their movements and provides updates about where and when to see them.
So, whether you’re planning a beach day, a trek through nature, or simply want to see some butterflies, this incredible destination has it all.
Point Pelee National Park
Where: 1118 Point Pelee Drive, Leamington
