The park is considered one of the best sandy beaches in Ontario and contains the largest bay-mouth barrier dune formation in the world.

[5] This formation is created by longshore currents flowing from west to east along Lake Ontario's northern shore.

In the pannes, sedge and rushes are the most common, along with orchids, purple gerardia, Kalm's lobelia, silverweed and twayblades.

[3] Animals found within the park include a number of shorebird and amphibian species, along with largemouth and smallmouth bass, yellow pickerel, northern pike among other fish.

In 1881, the West Point Road was buried under 30 metres (98 ft) of sand and the town of Athol, Ontario was forced to relocate after facing a similar event.

To recreate the Carolinian forest that had pre-existed there, the reforestation project used poplar to prevent the sand dunes from burying roads and orchards.

Sandbanks stands in for Sable Island in the 2002 made-for-television film Touching Wild Horses, starring Jane Seymour.

[15] Sandbanks was filmed for Leg 7 pit stop for season 8 of The Amazing Race Canada.