Sarnia’s biggest outdoors attraction is Canatara Park, a large park along the shores of lake Huron leading up to the mouth of the St. Clair River.
We already wrote a little bit about the beach, but the beach is only a small part of this 184 acre park.
The Carolinian Forest
Part of the park consists of a beautiful Carolinian forest and known as Tarsanland.
We walked the leafy trails and tried
to identify the trees that are rare in the rest of Ontario.
Some of the trees are labeled, making it easier to get familiar with the tree species.
Depending on the time of year, you can observe fungi, rare flowers, and during the spring and fall, birds migrating through this route.
Throughout the rest of the park you can walk or bike on the paves trails or roads.
The Poet Tree
You may come across the Poet Tree and read the love saga that captured the hearts of some Sarnians, but you will have better luck looking for it on instagram here. We thought it was adorable.
Stay Active
If you keep on walking you will come across a BMX park
and an outdoors gym.
We tried out some of the gym equipment.
For the kids
In the heart of the park there’s a children’s farm,
and a train to take the kids around.
Chipican Lake
As you start heading north you will come across Chipican Lake
Folks say that this lake is either a bottomless pond or has a quicksand bottom, and there is a story about a team of horses was once lost through the ice. Yet,in the past,it held swimming competitions and an amusement park before it was turned into a nature conservation area.
The Beach
Keep on walking north and you will finally arrive at the beach.
Canatara Beach is one of the few beaches in Canada to have an official Blue Flag status for its commitment to water quality. It’s admirable considering Sarnia’s polluted past.
We can’t seem to be able to stay away from this beach. It doesn’t matter where we are in town, all roads lead us back to the beach, whether we end up going for a walk,
or just sit in the car or on the beach and watch the sun go down.
We find curious things on the beach. Some are beautiful rocks or beach glass,
or dead fish,
some are lost or forgotten treasures,
yet others are curious objects
that make you wonder how on earth they ended up here.
We even found a mermaid, but she scurried away when she saw us and all we could manage to capture was a photo of her tail.
The shoreline is different
each
and every time we come by.
And even in November there are paddleboarders out on the lake.
or sail boats gracing the horizon.
This sailboat is racing back to the marina with its spinnaker fully blown
during the last race of the season that the local yacht club has every week.
We continue west along the beach and reach one of our favourite spots. A rocky spit where we can watch the giant freighters
the cove,
and the Bluewater Bridge.
As we start heading back, the sun is setting
the sailboats are almost back at the harbour,
and the shoreline is changing, yet again.
Can you tell that this is one of our favourite place in Sarnia so far?
Something for everyone is a good thing. 🙂
I agree, and I just scratched the surface of course because every day has new discoveries. But you knew that 🙂
Nothing beats a good forest walk, except if there is a lake and a beach. Looks like Sarnia has a lot going on. The closest we came to Sarnia was crossing the Bluewater Bridge on out 2018 trip across Canada. Thanks for sharing. Allan
Yes, we crossed here several times nover giving this place another thought. I suspect a lot of people do…it truly is a hidden gem!
It’s a very beautiful place. Enjoy ☺️
Thanks you! We pinch ourselves every morning to make sure we are not dreaming 🙂
If we ever make it to Ontario, that looks like a perfect place for us! Thanks for sharing!
I’m sure you will love it, and there’s plenty more to explore!
Sarnia looks appropriately magical!
Haha, it kinda is!
What a lovely and highly varied park!
It is! Thanks for coming along!
Looks like you found the perfect retirement paradise. Hope you will always feel the need to pinch yourself. Such a beautiful spot.
I hope so too!!!
Beautiful! Thanks for taking us along your trip. 🙂
Thanks for coming with 🙂
Loved this – thank you so much for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming along!
What gorgeous photos and such beautiful writing. I so enjoyed reading this on my Saturday morning. I adored the story about the Poet Tree. This is another charming spot to add to my must-see travel list.
Thank you so much! I do hope you will get a chance to come and see it for yourself!
Wow! I like everything about this spot. I get the impression (perhaps I’m wrong) that it’s not overcrowded. I’ve missed your posts. I’m wondering if you haven’t had as much time to travel lately because you’re working on your new home.
It’s surprisingly not crowded as far as we can see. It may be due to Covid, or because these photos are mostly in late fall, but even on very hot days we were surprised that there aren’t crowds swarming this place. Especially since the beach and parking are free. You are right, we are busy doing all sort of work on the house. Tony is like making me dizzy with the amount of stuff that he got done. Me? I am doing a very good job ordering new things on Amazon 🙂
At least you’re not having to pay an unreliable contractor who may or may not show up.
Haha, true!
That’s a great photo essay on the transitory nature of beaches!
Thank you so much! Glad you could come along!
Love your photos! I’ve not heard of Sarnia before, but it truly is a blessing to be close by to such a beautiful place on Earth! I can imagine you spend so many tranquil days by the water. 🙂
Thanks, Rebecca! We really are feeling blessed!
what a wonderful park; such a variety of items to explore, with all of it leading to the ultimate destination – the beach…
Haha, exactly! Thanks for coming along with us for a bit of a sample.
thanks for sharing!
I don’t really know anything about Sarnia. Nice to have so much nature close by. The beach looks gorgeous I can see why you keep going back. Maggie
We didn’t know much about Sarnia either, but once we visited, it was the beach and this beautiful park that sealed the deal for us.
Sarnia is our family home for several generations and was my birthplace. I actually didn’t live there all that long however my parents moved back to Camlachie in 1969 and Mum lived there until her passing in 2012.
Oh, cool! It is such a fascinating place. Were you able to visit much? I bet your Mom was happy to be back here and spend so many years in the area.
Was able to get there a few times. Dad died in 1993. I do have to admit though, as nice as Canatara Park is, one of our favourite places is the chip wagon under the Blue Water Bridge. 🙂
Haha, I know what you mean! I will write about those chip trucks at one point 🙂
I have been there a few times. It is a nice park.
That’s great! I hope you get to visit again.
Although I am vaccinated, I hear they require an electronic passport. I am not into that. I would like to go up and see elderly relatives, but I think until things get closer to normal I will not being going up. I know upon return from many places you still have to test and maybe quarantine until you get the results.
Brilliant name for your article, which I must admit drew me in with much curiosity. Do they have some form of magic wardrobe in their bedroom, I wondered 😉 Well, this is indeed a wonderful place full of natural delights. Thanks for bringing a new location to my attention.
Haha, thanks! To us, it feels very magical indeed and I hope you get to visit one day!
And here they come, your amazing findings from Sarnia, I am so happy we are still having nice and sunny days🙂
I know! Nice fall days are so preciou. Yesterday, there were people picnicing on the beach!
We’ve been spoiled these days with such amazing weather!!
What a gorgeous setting! Nature at its most spectacular, and thanks for taking us along on your “finding stuff” expedition!
Thanks for coming along with us on our expedition 🙂
Thank goodness some politicians decided to save this beautiful park. Guess they occasionally get something write. Just gorgeous. Loved your photos. Wish I had been there with you. Cheers, Muriel
Politicians certainly had something to do with it, but it was one tenacious woman (of course), who made it happen. Maude MacAdams Hanna donated the first sum of money to purchase the parcel of land from a gravel company. She later purchased and donated other parcels of land and made some stipulations to keep the place free of charge and non-commercial. So glad you could come with!
I love how all roads lead back to the beach for you. This looks like a beautiful spot, so I can easily see why you spend a lot of time here. Watching the sunset alone is a good enough reason to visit. It’s neat how the shoreline always looks a bit different. And you never know what you’ll find washed up on the shore.
The only downside to this is that we weren’t really hiking much…we always end up on the beach walking leisurely.
Setting in and playing in your backyard. You guys are living the life!
We’ll stay put until the wood runs out…
How much wood do you have left?
A lovely spot, I had to look it up to see where Sarnia is. Your beach finds brought a smile! Loved the lake photos the best.
It’s a bit of a hidden gem. So glad you enjoyed the post!