Beaches, biking, boating, camping, fishing - all you need to know to explore Oakville's Great Outdoors!

Please refer to our COVID-19 information page for the latest updates on local policies, openings and closures. 

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There's Snow Place Like Home winter adventures

The Town of Oakville is expanding outdoor play options throughout town. Please note: Trails and courts will be cleared subject to weather and after snowfall stops. Please do not use them during icy conditions.

Pre-booked outdoor skating at Trafalgar Park

The refrigerated outdoor ice rink at Trafalgar Park will be open for free pre-booked skating, weather permitting. No drop-ins allowed. All participants, including supervising parents/guardians, must be registered. Staff will be checking registrants in and monitoring the ice. In addition, Glen Abbey and River Oaks Community Centres are offering extra skating opportunities during the holidays. Check availability and book your spots using Active Oakville, the online drop-in program finder. Schedules, admission requirements, etc. can be found on the Public Skating page.

Book Walks

Oakville Public Library (OPL) is excited to provide fun, self-guided walks based on a selected story. Leisurely stroll a trail and enjoy a tale that unfolds along the way in a safe and socially distanced environment. Scan the QR codes also posted for reading recommendations available at the library. Kick off your self-guided book walk at Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park located at 2340 Ontario Street. Residents are encouraged to wear a face mask when engaging in outdoor activities.

At Home in Bronte: Winter Edition

Enjoy the artwork of six diverse local artists during a walking tour of Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park and surrounding businesses. Organized by the Bronte BIA, 50 professionally-painted Muskoka chairs have been installed throughout the district. Safely spaced out, free and available any time until March.

Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing

The following trails will be groomed for cross country skiing or snowshoeing:
  • Bronte Creek Trail
  • Joshua Creek Trail
  • East Joshua Creek Trail
Find a trail using our Trails and Cycleways map.

Winter Cycling

Parks and Open Space teams will also be clearing select trails for cyclists to enjoy safe biking during the winter months at the following locations:
  • Crosstown Trail
  • Tannery Park
  • Bronte Waterfront Heritage Park
Find a trail using our Trails and Cycleways map.

Winter Pickleball and Tennis

For the enjoyment of our enthusiastic players, the following tennis/pickleball courts will be cleared:
  • Shell Park*
  • Old Abbey Lane Park
  • Jonathon Park
  • Maplegrove Park
  • Bloomfield Park
  • River Oaks*
  • Glenashton Park
  • Fowley Park*
Visit our Outdoor Courts page for more information on courts, including a map. *Lit until 8 p.m.   Paddling The Wai Nui O Kanaka Outrigger Canoe Club is giving back to frontline workers by offering FREE Stand Up Paddleboarding lessons and equipment from Friday, July 3, 2020 onward! Register here for select 90-minute sessions Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. or Fridays at 2 p.m. Rent canoes, kayaks, stand up paddleboards and more at Europe Bound/Hikers Haven.   Beaches Beach-goers will enjoy two beaches at Coronation Park Beaches and Bronte Beach Park, all conveniently located with additional amenities close by. Coronation Park has a splash-pad, volleyball and a playground to keep you busy. Located: 1426 Lakeshore Road West, between Third and Fourth Line. Bronte Beach Park is central to the shops and restaurants of beautiful Bronte Village. Located: 35 West River Street, west of Bronte Road. Bronte Creek Provincial Park features a large playground, play-barn and farm animals, has a beach area by its lake-like pool and is a great place for a picnic. Water quality at all three beaches is tested regularly throughout the summer by Halton Region, with results posted here.   Biking In addition to being the most environmentally-friendly way of getting around, biking is also a great way to see Oakville. The Town’s network of cycling routes consists of on-road bike lanes, paved-shoulder bikeways, signed bike routes and multi-purpose trails, which can be found in the map in this Guide. Bicycles can be rented in town at Gears.   Boating Oakville’s beautiful shoreline includes two natural harbours: Bronte Harbour on Bronte Creek and Oakville Harbour on Sixteen Mile Creek, both within walking distance from shops and restaurants. Each accommodates several hundred sail and powerboats. Mooring docks and slips are available for rent on a seasonal basis and launching ramps are provided in both harbours for transient boaters. Find out more here. For up to the minute weather conditions, visit TOWARF. Experience Oakville from the lake. Enjoy trophy sport fishing charters and pleasure cruises with Hearn Fishing Charter or Osprey Charter Fishing. CharterAbility is a registered charity dedicated to providing accessible, recreational, boating at no cost to people of all ages who are deprived of the opportunity by virtue of their physical limitations or personal circumstances. Their dock, on 16-Mile Creek adjoining Busby Park, is fully accessible as are the on-site washrooms and the pontoon boat that transports guests on an hour-long voyage of discovery into a wildlife sanctuary right in the heart of downtown Oakville. All trips are provided free of charge thanks to the donations received and the dedication of the volunteers who crew the boat.   Camping Bronte Creek Provincial Park is a perfect destination for family-fun. Hike, bike or rollerblade the extensive trails, experience history at the Spruce Lane Farm House, cool down in the huge outdoor pool, play in the playbarn or picnic with friends. Bronte Creek has 144 electric hookup campsites and can accommodate trailers and RVs. Yurts (semi-permanent, canvas-covered structures) are also available. Reservations: 1-888-668-7275 or click here. (Updated September 2020: The park is open for day-use activities such as walking, hiking, cycling and picnicking.)   Fishing Oakville offers a variety of angling opportunities, including piers at both Bronte Creek and Sixteen Mile Creek. Boat launches at both harbours offer exciting trout and salmon action during the spring and fall months Visit www.conservationhalton.on.ca for more information. You can also fish right in Bronte Creek Provincial Park. You can obtain a fishing license by visiting here. The Great Ontario Salmon Derby runs from July 4 - August 22, 2020 and includes weekly prizes and grand prizes for the heaviest salmon caught. Bronte is central to the superb Salmon and Trout fishery where many Chinooks or Kings are boated every year.   Birding Oakville is a great spot for novice and experienced birders alike to view a great variety of woodland birds and waterfowl. Bring your binoculars or camera and explore our trails, parks and harbours for feathered finds. Bronte Creek Provincial Park: Known to be home to over 190 bird species - including the pileated woodpecker, turkey vulture, Baltimore oriole, red-tailed hawk, killdeer and eastern bluebird - the park also sees seasonal visitors like the bobolink, snow bunting and several types of owl. Oakville and Bronte Harbours: Oakville’s two harbours are both great locations to spot waterfowl like the Canada goose, ring-billed gull, Bonaparte’s gull, common tern, mute swan, red-necked grebe and double-crested cormorant. There have even been sightings of ospreys, sandpipers, snowy owls and blue jays! Oakville Parks: The town’s many parks are home to a variety of woodland birds. Shell Park is a popular spot for songbirds during the spring and fall migration seasons, while Village Wood Park has been known to feature owls and woodpeckers. For a full list of Oakville parks, please visit oakville.ca.