Picture this.

Waves lapping at the shore.

Soft sand stretching as far as the eye can see.

Natural grasses stretching toward the sun.

The call of gulls as they ride the currents in the skies above.

Now picture yourself, lounging with a cool beverage, soaking up the rays while the kids build sandcastles nearby.

This is Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, home to the world’s longest freshwater beach. It is here at the southern tip of Georgian Bay where families flock for months of relaxed summer living. And it’s a stone’s throw from my family cottage.

The town of Wasaga Beach has grown up alongside this 14-kilometre stretch of sandy shoreline. And while chain stores and restaurants now cater to those who need an extra steak to throw on the barbeque for that unexpected guest, to those who need to make a mad dash for a forgotten bathing suit, or to those who might need an extra jolt of caffeine the morning after, two long time must-visit eateries not only remain, they continue to thrive.

The Beacon is your dimly lit, hole-in-the-wall burger joint started by the Puccini family almost 80 years ago. Long gone is the curving counter with stools that young bums loved to spin on, and the menu has expanded to offer more modern fare to accompany karaoke nights. But the intriguing atmosphere lingers, welcoming guests with cold brews and succulent burgers.

Head west a couple of kilometres down this essentially one-road town and visitors who cross the threshold into Lorna Dune are immediately transported to a time of poodle skirts, ducktails, and 45s in the jukebox. It’s not so much the establishment itself. There is actually no evidence of poodle skirts, ducktails or a jukebox. For me, it’s the smell of ice cream cones overpowering the greasy odours emanating from the grill that reminds me of decades long past.

It is here that overheated travellers can find authentic, creamy and oh-so-soft vanilla ice cream. Chocolate is on the menu as is a swirl, a dip, and hard ice cream, but nothing beats the velvety goodness of straight up vanilla soft serve. Walk outside, cone in hand, and red picnic tables with umbrellas beckon, as if they can somehow prevent the ice cream from slowly melting its way over the brim of the cone.

Whether it’s the beach, volleyball tournaments, vintage car rallies, or jazz and movie nights under the stars that draw you to Wasaga Beach, to coin a phrase often heard around town, the beach is just the beginning.