Kenora sits on Lake of the Woods, which the City describes as one of the most sought-after lakes in Canada for recreation, with 14,542 islands. This guide uses the City of Kenora’s own pages for beaches, boating and attractions, and the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary for Zone 5. Fishing rules on Lake of the Woods vary by bay, so read the current summary before you fish.
Facts box
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| City Hall | 1 Main Street South, Kenora, ON P9N 3X2 |
| Phone | 807-467-2000; after hours 807-467-2080 |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, closed on holidays |
| City beaches | Open May 1 to September 1, 8:00 am to 11:00 pm unless posted |
| Fishing zone | Fisheries Management Zone 5 |
Quick answer
Kenora’s public beaches are open May 1 to September 1. Coney Island Beach is reached by boat only in summer, and a pontoon shuttle runs from the Kenora Harbourfront. Boaters can use City launches and docks, but several docks need a seasonal permit from City Hall.
City beaches
The City lists Anicinabe Beach (955 Golf Course Road, with a boat launch, picnic area, barbecue pits, playground and washrooms), Coney Island Beach (docks, concession, picnic area, play structure and washroom), Garrow Park Beach on Rabbit Lake (accessible water entry by Mobi Mat, docks, pickleball courts and a paved accessible trail), Keewatin Beach (a drop-off dock, picnic shelter, play structure and washrooms) and Norman Beach at 35 Minnesota Street (a gazebo, Hoopla Island play structure, the Railroaders Museum, Rotary Splash Park and washrooms).
The City’s beach rules say pets are not permitted on City beaches, alcohol is not permitted, smoking is banned on City beaches under By-law 084-2015, and there is no overnight camping, no fireworks and no off-road vehicles. For beach closure postings, the City points to the Northwestern Health Unit.
The Coney Island shuttle is run by Lake of the Woods Marina and Service Centre, with pontoon rides from the Harbourfront on the City page’s daily schedule of 10 to 11 am, 1 to 2 pm and 4 to 6 pm. The fares on the page are $10.00 return and $5.00 one way per person, including HST, for guests over 4, and children under 3 ride free. Call 807-546-5689 to confirm the current schedule.
Public docks and launches
The City says you can launch or dock at Anicinabe Park, the Keewatin Memorial Arena, Coney Island Beach, the Harbourfront, Keewatin Wharf, the Lake of the Woods Discovery Centre, Main Street South, Matheson Street South, the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre, Seventh Street South and Boatlift Road on the Winnipeg River. A permit is required before tying up for the season at the Anicinabe Park east and west docks (permits from Anicinabe Park) and at the Coney Island north docks, the Keewatin Memorial Arena docks, Keewatin Wharf docks, Water Street docks and the Harbourfront mooring buoys. Permits are available at City Hall or by calling 807-467-2000. Launching and docking are prohibited at the Anicinabe Park beach, Keewatin Beach, the Water Treatment Plant and the hospital dock, which is for emergency patient drop-off only. The City points to its Docks and Anchorage By-law 49-2016 and amending By-laws 112-2018 and 32-2026.
The City’s Boaters Code asks boaters to keep to 10 km/h within 30 metres of shore, never drink alcohol in a boat and keep noise down. Its boat rental page lists motor boat, houseboat and sailboat rental businesses on and near the lake.
What to see
The City lists the Lake of the Woods Discovery Centre with Science North exhibits, Husky the Muskie (a large muskie sculpture in McLeod Park), the James McMillan Tugboat, Loonie Bear at the Harbourfront and the Rotary Goodwill Geyser, which the City says erupts daily. Events include the Kenora Bass International and the Matiowski Farmers’ Market.
Fishing on Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is listed among the Zone 5 waterbodies with their own rules. Zone 5 is part of the Northwest Bait Management Zone, and rainbow smelt may not be used or possessed as bait. For most of the main lake, the page sets a muskellunge limit of 1 (sport) and 0 (conservation) for fish greater than 137 centimetres, and bass may not be kept from January 1 to June 30. On Lake of the Woods, the Sabaskong Bay fish sanctuary is closed to fishing from April 1 to June 14. Echo Bay, Cul de Sac Lake, Clearwater Bay, Deception Bay, Woodchuck Bay and Kendall Inlet require a lake trout tag to keep lake trout, allow barbless hooks only and prohibit fish or fish parts as bait. Whitefish Bay and its named bays bar fish or fish parts as bait and require barbless hooks from January 1 to the Friday before the third Saturday in May. The full list of seasons and limits by bay is on the ontario.ca Zone 5 page.
FAQ
Can I drive to Coney Island Beach?
The City says it has boat access only in summer, with a shuttle from the Harbourfront. Checked November 4 2026.
Do I need a permit to dock in Kenora?
For the listed seasonal docks, yes; get it at City Hall. Checked November 4 2026.
Cottages on the water
Browse cottages in Northern Ontario.
Township Rules Check
Thinking of renting out a cottage here? Run the Township Rules Check. The City of Kenora and the townships around Lake of the Woods are not in our rules dataset yet, so we state no short-term rental rule here. Confirm with the municipality before you list.
Claims table
| # | Claim | Source URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City Hall 1 Main Street South P9N 3X2; 807-467-2000; after hours 807-467-2080; Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30, closed on holidays | https://www.kenora.ca/visit-and-play/beaches-trails-and-parks/ | 2026-11-04 |
| 2 | Lake of the Woods one of the most sought-after lakes in Canada for recreation, 14,542 islands; Boaters Code incl. 10 km/h within 30 m of shore, no alcohol in boat, noise | https://www.kenora.ca/visit-and-play/boating/ | 2026-11-04 |
| 3 | Beaches open May 1 to September 1, 8 am to 11 pm; Anicinabe (955 Golf Course Rd), Coney Island (boat access only in summer), Garrow Park (Mobi Mat, Rabbit Lake), Keewatin, Norman (35 Minnesota St) amenities incl. gazebo, Hoopla Island, Railroaders Museum, Rotary Splash Park; beach rules (no pets, no alcohol, no smoking By-law 084-2015, no camping, fireworks or off-road vehicles); Northwestern Health Unit for closures; shuttle by Lake of the Woods Marina and Service Centre, 807-546-5689, schedule 10-11, 1-2, 4-6, $10 return, $5 one way incl. HST, under 3 free | https://www.kenora.ca/visit-and-play/beaches-trails-and-parks/beaches/ | 2026-11-04 |
| 4 | Launch and dock locations; permit docks (Coney Island north, Keewatin Memorial Arena, Keewatin Wharf, Water Street, Harbourfront buoys), permits at City Hall or 807-467-2000; Anicinabe Park dock permits from the park; no docking or launching list; By-laws 49-2016, 112-2018, 32-2026 | https://www.kenora.ca/visit-and-play/boating/public-docking/ | 2026-11-04 |
| 5 | Boat rental page lists motor boat, houseboat and sailboat rentals | https://www.kenora.ca/visit-and-play/boating/boat-rentals/ | 2026-11-04 |
| 6 | Discovery Centre Science North exhibits; Husky the Muskie, James McMillan Tugboat, Loonie Bear, Rotary Goodwill Geyser erupts daily; Kenora Bass International; Matiowski Farmers’ Market | https://www.kenora.ca/visit-and-play/see-and-do/ | 2026-11-04 |
| 7 | Zone 5: Lake of the Woods listed with different regulations; Northwest BMZ; rainbow smelt not allowed as bait; main-lake muskellunge S-1 over 137 cm, C-0; bass S-0 C-0 January 1 to June 30; Sabaskong Bay sanctuary April 1 to June 14; Echo Bay group lake trout tag, barbless hooks, no fish as bait; Whitefish Bay bait and barbless rules January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-5 | 2026-11-04 |
Photo: The Penguin, on Unsplash (Unsplash License).