Sandbanks provincial park is one of my personal favourite camping spots in Ontario! The location is so convenient for a group wanting to meet between Ottawa and Toronto. I grew up going to Sandbanks with family, and now have shown MANY friends the beauty of this campground. Sandbanks has 500 car campsites in five different campground areas, my personal favourite is Outlet River A. The campground is also very close to many other amazing activities in the Prince Edward County area. If you want some ideas of things to do while you are camping, check out the Top Things to do in Prince Edward County. Here are the top things to know before camping at Sandbanks Provincial Park (p.s. I have provided you with a guide of what to pack at the end of the post!).
1. How to book a campsite?
This is everyone’s first question when I tell them that I am going to Sandbanks. Yes, booking a campsite here is difficult, but I like the challenge. You can book a campsite starting at 7am 5 months prior to the first day of the reservation you want. For example, if you are hoping to go camping for 4 days starting on June 16th, then you need to be on your computer at 7am ready to book a campsite on January 16th. I know this is far in advance and sometimes it is tough to know summer plans that early, but I personally have never had any issues selling a campsite if after booking I realize I cannot use it anymore (to note, you are not allowed to sell for more than what you paid). At Sandbanks, campsites sell out within SECONDS, so you need to be ready to go at 7am and then just cross your fingers.
Some tips:
- Use the “System Time” at the top right of the Sandbanks website, this will give you the website’s actual time so that you know exactly when 7am hits.
- Pick less popular dates. Fridays and holidays are in more demand and you are less likely to get a campsite. May, June, and September are a lot easier than July and August.
- Make sure you are logged in, and have the campsite that you want ready to go, so that when 7am hits all you have to do is click “reserve”.
- Try every morning, you are bound to (hopefully) get lucky.
- Continue checking the system as sometimes people will cancel their campsite, and one will become available. I have been lucky in the past and gotten a campsite because someone has canceled theirs.
- Check Kijiji, Facebook marketplace, etc as people will often sell their campsite when it gets closer to summer and plans change!
Once you have a campsite – the real work begins! There is so much you need to know (and pack) when going camping. Of course it depends on whether you are tent or RV camping (both are allowed at Sandbanks). I have only tent camped, so that is what I will be talking about! Check out my what to pack camping if this is your first time and you need some guidance!
2. Rules
Sandbanks is quite strict when it comes to rules and regulations as it is a popular and busy campground. On most campsites you are only allowed to have 6 people. If you are looking to do group camping, Sandbanks has two group campsites that can accommodate from 30 to 50 people.
Most sites are only allowed one car at a time, besides when you are unpacking or packing up the cars. The other cars will have to pay a fee and park at the offsite parking lot (depending on where your campsite is, this parking lot isn’t too far).
On most sites, you are allowed a maximum of 3 pieces of equipment (this includes tents, eating tents, etc).
If you want to know more about specific Sandbanks rules, check them out here.
3. Check in/out
Check in | 2pm
Check out | 2pm
To note, you have to check in the day of your reservation or by the time the park office opens the next morning (i.e. if you arrive late and the office is closed, you will have to wake up early and go register your site when the office opens). If you do not arrive on the first day of your reservation your campsite may be taken by someone else.
4. Know your campsite
You will be able to see specific information about your campsite, including site size, pictures of the site, and other information that can be important for planning. See picture below for an example!
5. Toilets and showers
There are toilets, outhouses, and showers throughout the campground. I would suggest taking a look at the map here to see where the closest toilets are for your specific campsite. I have never had to walk more than 5 minutes to get to flushable toilets. To note, on the map “comfort stations” include flushable toilets, showers, outlet, whereas “toilets” refer to more outhouse structures.
6. Sand, sand, and even more sand
It isn’t named Sandbanks for no reason, the campground is quite sandy. And depending on your site, you may be spending all your time in sand. Get ready for sand to be on everything and everywhere (were talking car, sleeping bag, body, etc). Plan and pack accordingly!
7. Location
It’s a good idea to be aware of where your campsite is before you arrive, that will help you plan what you need. Does your site have shade? Sun? Is it near the beach? A more busy road? Many people will opt to bring bikes to get around the large campground.
It is also good to know that the campground is about a 15 minute drive to town, where you will find all the necessities, many restaurants, cafes, and (most importantly) LCBO.
8. Currah’s Park Store and Grill
Currah’s is a small shop and restaurant on the campground. The shop has everything you would need including some food, fishing supplies, beach gear, first aid supplies, etc. The shop is attached to a grill where you can purchase food and coffee (walking to Currah’s for coffee may become your morning ritual!). I have not tried the food before, so I can not attest to the taste or quality. For more details, you can check them out here.
9. Animals
Pets are allowed on the campsites, however they must be on a leash at all times. There are also two pet beaches, but they are prohibited in swimming in any other area.
As with most campgrounds, there are many racoons (and other animals) around. I don’t think I’ve gone camping without seeing at least one racoon, so they are around and looking for food. Make sure you clean up your campsite every night and put any food (and garbage) in the car. There is a garbage disposal location, you will often see people driving to the garbage disposal with their garbage on the front of their car.
10. Water
There are water taps throughout the campgrounds that you can use to fill up water bottles, clean dishes, etc. I would recommend bringing buckets to fill up water to wash dishes, and a water cooler. Take a look on the map here to find the water taps.
Speaking of water, I can’t write a post without talking about the beaches. Sandbanks has three beaches that can be enjoyed by not only those camping but day users as well. These beaches will fill up on nice summer days, so plan accordingly. If you are camping at Outlet A or B, I personally would recommend staying near the Outlet A beach as it is often less busy than the rest of the Outlet Beach where day users park. However, every day can be different, so check out the beach and find a spot perfect for you!
If you want to check out a map of Sandbanks, you can find one here. If you want to explore what there is to do at the campground you can find it here. Once all the planning and packing is done, it is time to enjoy everything that Sandbanks has to offer!! Have fun exploring the land, swimming in the beautiful water, making sand castles or playing spike ball in the soft sand, and soaking in the stunning sunsets (ahhh I already feel so relaxed). Here is a list to tent camping supplies to help you get packing!
xoxo
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