Is the Grotto Worth the Hype?

We recently spent six days camping and hiking in Bruce Peninsula National Park. One of the main attractions at this park is the Grotto: a dramatic cave overlooking the Georgian Bay.

The Grotto is not exactly a well-kept secret. Hundreds of thousands of people visit this little cove every year. Accordingly, the Bruce Peninsula National Park has set up additional infrastructure around it, such as special parking and day passes, well-marked and well-maintained paths and signage, and even bathroom facilities nearby.

Given its popularity and accessibility, your visit to the Grotto could well look something like this:

Meanwhile, other gorgeous rocky beaches lie practically deserted just minutes down the coast.

Because we are not a fan of crowds, James and I basically ignored the Grotto on our first day at the Bruce, instead opting to spend our time exploring the neighboring beaches and cliffs. “These are just as good”, we said to ourselves.

Reader: they were not.
On our third day in the region, we decided to check out the Grotto up close before embarking on the rest of our hike. And it was… well, I’m loathe to admit it, but it was absolutely magical.

Signage warns against climbing down into the Grotto, as well as swimming in the water.

Given the popularity of the attraction, it makes sense why they have these signs. But, if you’re reasonably sure-footed and you’re visiting on a dry day, you should be fine to climb down into the cave, which many people do.

Completing this climb allows you to explore the inside of the Grotto, with its stunningly blue pool. James was even brave/foolhardy enough to jump in for a dip. (Be warned: the water in this cave is ice cold).

Perhaps because we got there early (around 10am) on a weekday (Thursday), and before school was out (June 21), we actually had the Grotto entirely to ourselves for about 30 minutes. And yeah. It was everything it promised to be and more.

In sum: I was wrong about the Grotto. It IS worth the hype. But, for the best experience, I suggest visiting early and ideally during the off-season.