Prince Edward County is a short 2-2.5 hour drive from Toronto, and is certainly worth visiting. I recently spend a weekend in The County and am looking forward to visiting again soon. I already have a to-do list ready!

Read on below for an overview on where to stay, where to eat and what to do, as well as my candid views on some popular County spots. Keep scrolling and you’ll find a summary of wineries, breweries and more (which will help you select the spots to visit!) and of course, a sample 2-day itinerary.

overview

Candid Views

There are a few places & activities that are very popular in PEC. Below, you can find my candid views. Each spot is ranked using the following scale:

• Would visit again (I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and would be keen to visit again)
• Worth going to once (Been there, done that)
• Not worth it (If I had a do-over, I wouldn’t have done this)

Wineries & More

There are plenty of wonderful wineries to choose from in Prince Edward County. You can find anything from small-family owned to large operations. Many of the wineries are clustered together, making it easy to pop by a few for some sampling. If you are looking for more than just wine, there are options for that too! Below, you’ll find some of the best pockets to explore, but it by no means captures all of the options available. It’s worth specifically calling out that the lists below do not include Slake Brewing (which was my favourite visit by far), Parsons Brewing (which was also one of my top visits) or Waupoos Estates Winery and The County Cider Company (which are both worth carving out time to stop by if you drive through Waupoos). Read the itinerary below to see how to fit these spots, plus more, into a two day visit!

Note that some wineries are currently requiring tastings to be booked in advance, so be sure to plan your visit accordingly.

This is also a great resource, as you can filter for specific types of wine or amenities like “dog friendly” or “pizza oven”.

Another cluster of great spots to visit sits between the two areas just listed. In this region, there are plenty of pockets to choose from.

The following wineries all sit along the same road (Closson) and are a mere 3 minute drive apart:

• *The Old Third Vineyard (serves wine & cider in a beautiful old barn, also offers pasta in the on-season)
• *Broken Stone Winery (situated in a beautiful country setting & specializes in Pinot Noir)
• Gravel Hill Vineyards (small, family operated winery)
• Closson Chase Vineyards (striking purple barn & popular Chardonnay)
• Lacey Estates Winery (focuses on small-batch premium wines)

If you continue west and then south down Benway Rd to find two more:

• Hinterland Wine Company (located in a former dairy barn with a focus on sparkling wines)
• *Trail Estate Winery (unique wines – including orange wine, Pét Nat Sparkling & more – served in a modern farmhouse)

Alternatively, if you want some variety, drive 3 minutes south from Closson Chase Vineyards to get to the following, all within 4 minutes of each other:

• *Strange Brew Beer Studio (highly reviewed for their beers & friendly owners, who also happen to be brothers)
• *Loch Mór Cider Company (another highly reviewed gem housed in a modern farmhouse)
• *Karlo Estates (beautifully restored 1805 barn & casual outdoor space; first vegan certified winery in the world)
• *Hubbs Creek Vineyard (popular Pinot Noir and Rosé – some say it’s the best rosé in PEC)

Finally, another spot with some diversity is along County Road 2. These stops are all within a 3 minute walk from each other:

• *Gillingham Brewing Company (highly reviewed beer overlooking beautiful planted fields)
• Sugarbush Vineyards & Winery (family owned with views across their vineyard)
• Domaine Darius (small craft winery that often sells out from popularity)
• Bonus: stop by neighbouring Flossie’s Sandwich Parlor for delicious sandwiches to keep you fueled between stops.

* represents the spots I would select if I were designing my own tour!

The Perfect 2-Day Fall Itinerary

Note, the below itinerary works well for any season – you just may want to opt for more time at Sandbanks and add in a seasonal farmer’s market! Be sure to check each businesses’ operating hours, especially if travelling during the off-season.

Afternoon: Lunch & Winery Hop

We found the tours to be pricey so we drove ourselves, paired down our visits and limited our consumption at each stop. You’ll find many clusters of wineries, making hopping between spots an easy endeavour! You can also choose to visit by bike, depending on where you are staying, or opt for an organized wine tour. [See the “What To Do” section above for wine tours and bike rentals]. 

Not sure which wineries to pick? Read the “Wineries and More” section above for suggested regions to visit. Expect to spend at least 30 minutes at each winery to truly enjoy it. Don’t be worried about selecting “the best ones” – just pick a few, enjoy the wine and relax. You can always return later to visit more!

As for lunch, if you are keen on visiting as many spots as possible, I recommend eating on the go – either at a winery (suggest pizza at TerraCello, Huff Estates or Norman Hardie Wineries), brewery (suggest Matron’s Fine Beer in Bloomfield) or picking up a sandwich from Flossie’s Sandwich Parlor. If you prefer to sit down, scroll up to the “Where to Eat” section for a list of restaurants.

Depending on where your wine tour takes you, break up your afternoon by wandering through downtown Wellington or Bloomfield, or popping by one of the farms or speciality shops listed in the “What To Do” section above.

Then, head back to wherever you’re staying to freshen up before dinner.

Dinner: Wellington or Bloomfield

Prince Edward County is home to some really great eateries. Below are my top dinner recommendations (see the “Where To Eat” section above for more!):

• La Condesa in Wellington for Mexican food
• Flame+Smith in nearby Bloomfield for rustic wood fired dishes

Late Afternoon: Food To Go

Depending on your timing and if you are anticipating being hungry on your drive home, be sure to pick up something for the ride home. Possible options include: Flossie’s Sandwich Parlor (open until 4PM Friday – Sunday – north of Wellington), Big Mike’s BBQ (open until 5PM on Saturday & Sunday – near Bloomfield), The Bean Counter Café (sandwiches, open until 8PM Saturdays & 4PM Sundays – Picton), La Condesa (Mexican, pickup until 6PM – Wellington), or Idle Wild (Asian food, generally open until 7PM – Wellington).

Be sure to confirm opening hours directly with the businesses, as hours may change.

I’d love to hear about your favourite spots in PEC – feel free to follow @mdlofsomewhere and comment on this post to share your favourites!