Quarries and swimming holes near Toronto offer the ultimate summer cool-down experience. While beaches tend to get all the glory during hot summer days, a dip in a man made pit surrounded by sweeping rock faces and nature can prove just as fun. 

Here are some quarries and swimming holes near Toronto you need to know about.

St. Mary's Quarry

This former limestone quarry is considered Canada's largest freshwater swimming pool. It's decked out with tons of activities for visitors, like a waterslide, floating docks and a water trampoline.

Elora Quarry

Only about an hour's drive outside of Toronto, Elora is a prime destination for a summertime getaway. With stunning scenery and a beach area carved out of the south side of the quarry, it's a beautiful spot for sunbathing or to take a dip.

The Elora Quarry includes a sandy beach and rock formations for jumping. Photo by Shutterstock.

Innerkip Quarry/Trout Lake

A great place to get your feet wet scuba diving, the former Innerkip Quarry has been stocked with a series of sunken wrecks to explore in its 30 foot deep waters. It's also a nice place to go for a swim on a sweltering day when you want to get out of the city.

Grotto at Bruce Peninsula

Surely the most gorgeous place to swim in Ontario (if not the country), this grotto at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula requires a short hike to access, but it's completely worth the effort. The water might tend toward the chilly side, but the vibrant blue water surrounded by rock faces more than make up for it.

The grotto at Bruce Peninsula is the closest things to the tropics you can find in Ontario. Photo by Shutterstock.

Kelso Conservation Area

Kelso Lake, a human-made reservoir is a local favourite for summer time swimming thanks to its warm water temperatures, sandy beach, picnic tables and calm waters, making it a perfect spot for Stand Up Paddleboarding.