[1] The communities located on Nottawasaga Bay are Meaford, The Blue Mountains, Collingwood, Wasaga Beach and Tiny.

The Nottawasaga River flows into Georgian Bay near the southern end of the bay, and onward to the east the shore is predominantly sand dunes and marshes created by the strong predominant northwest winds.

Nearer to Thornbury and the Beaver River Valley there are some vineyards; many apple orchards also dot the area.

[3] (from west to east) In the early and mid-17th century, Nottawasaga Bay was adjacent to two indigenous First Nations territories: Huronia to the east, which was the territory of the Huron or Wendat people, and the "Petun Country" to the south, which was the land of the Petun, who were their close allies and relatives.

[4] In March 1649, during the Beaver Wars, Huron refugees fled across the bay, which was frozen over with ice, to take refuge among the Petun.