Home to Ontario’s most well-known motorcycle event, Friday the 13th in Port Dover, Ontario’s Southwest has hundreds of miles of rural backroads. While the terrain might not be the twistiest in Ontario, these are perfect summer cruising roads. The gentle rolling farmlands make for some of the most cruise-worthy rides in the province. Check out Jess Kline's take on Friday the 13th in Port Dover here.

Ontario’s Southwest borders Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, making it a coastline cruising destination. Cruise the Coast has eight routes that focus on the Lake Erie shoreline, and there’s a good balance of short day trips and weekend rides. They even have a route specific to Friday the 13th. We found dozens of great beaches all along Lake Erie, but our favourite is Turkey Point. The trees off-setting the panoramic beach make for a picturesque picnic stop.

Of course, we can’t mention beaches without including the massively popular Grand Bend. If you’re looking for a town that caters to the road tripper, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one in Ontario. And the sunsets on Lake Huron need to be on every rider's bucket list. We’ve heard great things about Ipperwash Beach as well, but that’s an adventure that you’ll need to take for yourself.

For two lakeside routes, check out our map below.

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