While the hustling and bustling is underway in Toronto for the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, many residents are escaping for quieter summer vacation retreats.
Grand Bend recently made it on a notable.ca list of top six Toronto road trip destinations to escape to during the Pan Am Games.
The article says road closures and increases in traffic are pushing residents to hit the road towards calmer destinations.
Grand Bend & Area Chamber of Commerce Manager Susan Mills says as a former Toronto resident, she can understand the need to escape.
"I would say that probably the traffic would be the number one issue," says Mills. "Coming out to the lake, it has all the things that Canadians really are looking for; fresh air, blue sky, clean, lake water, beautiful beaches and things to do."
Mills says their bed and breakfasts, hotels, cottages, and campgrounds off the Lake Huron shoreline are hot spots for tourists to stay at.
As well, vacationers flock to Pinery Provincial Park and the main Grand Bend beach location.
"You can have a beach vacation and you can combine that with galleries, musical events, and live theatre," says Mills on the number of events Grand Bend offers to vacationers.
"Whether you're kayaking, canoeing, cycling, swimming, just beaching, or doing some shopping, it really gives you a variety for the time that you're here."
Trips can be planned ahead of time at grandbendtourism.com.
