Ontario beach has a giant military submarine that you can go inside

An Ontario locale known for its clean, scenic beach that makes for the perfect summer road trip from Toronto also has some spectacularly cool history that visitors can learn about and explore — namely, in the form of a ginormous military submarine that's permanently parked there.

Port Burwell is a quaint community along Lake Erie that boasts a 2.5 km-long stretch of sand abutting warm, shallow waters that are ideal for swimming, and are regularly recognized with Blue Flag status for their exceptional quality. 

Nestled off the beaten path away from major cities, the area in and around the 239-hectare Port Burwell Provincial Park is popular for all sorts of other outdoor activities, too, like hiking, boating, bird-watching, fishing, biking, or camping in one of more than 230 campsites with access to great amenities. Part of the beach is even off-leash dog-friendly!

But beyond being a spot to immerse yourself in some stunning Ontario wilderness, Port Burwell's most unique and imposing feature is the HMCS Ojibwa, a 90-metre-long, 2000-ton submarine that was once a key asset of the Canadian military.

Built for the British Royal Navy, the Oberon-class sub ended up in Canadian hands, serving for more than 30 years with the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Forces Maritime Command.

It was later utilized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Solicitor General of Canada before being decommissioned in 1998, and eventually converted into a museum.

As part of a visit to Port Burwell's Elgin Military Museum and Museum of Naval History, visitors can board the immense dark ship to learn about all of its inner workings, as well as Canada's role in the Cold War.

As the site for the HMCS Ojibwa reads, "Ojibwa was a spy; reputed to be the best in her class; the allied submarine most detested by the U.S. Navy, who were never able to find her in war games unless she purposely made a noise... Marvel at the true stories of Canadian Cold War Submariners. Learn of the hardships they experienced, the battles they won, and see firsthand the environment they called home."

Basic submariner's tours run from $17.50 to children to $27.50 for adults, with an extended three-hour "greater depths" tour (which includes a meal in the sub's mess hall, a souvenir and a special certificate) also available.

The site notes that demand for these tours is high, so pre-booking online is advised.

While the watercraft is impossible to miss once you're there, it seems that many who have visited it — and who all seem to have rave reviews of the site — only happened to stumble upon it, shocked that it was not better publicized as a key attraction.

To that end, here's hoping that more adventurers, both history buffs and nature lovers alike, get out to Port Burwell (we've heard there's great ice cream there, too).

The HMCS Ojibwa is located in a green space at 3 Pitt Street, just seconds from the public beach in Port Burwell, and is about a two-hour drive from downtown Toronto.