How To Spend The Best Two Days In Prince Edward County
Lake on the Mountain
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
Slake Brewing
Slake Brewing
*click on the above tabs to filter through the information!
Areas to Stay:
Deciding where you stay largely depends on what you want to do, as driving from one end to the other end of Prince Edward County is further than most think (it takes 58 minutes!).
If you’re most interested in:
- Beaches – stay near Sandbanks (Note that Sandbanks is approximately a 20 minute drive from the closest wineries and Wellington. Alternatively, staying on the west side of Prince Edward County will give you access to North Beach Provincial Park and wineries. The distance between North Beach and some of the closest wineries – like Hillier – is 10 minutes, cutting the drive between beach and wineries in half).
- Wineries – stay on the west side of PEC, between Consecon and Wellington, as most of the wineries are clustered here.
- Breweries – stay near or in Picton or Bloomfield (note: the breweries are more scattered than wineries, so if you are interested in a mix of wineries and breweries, then staying near Wellington or Bloomfield will put you in the heart of it all; if you are mostly interested in breweries, then staying in Picton gives you two breweries within walking distance, and a few more an easy drive away).
- Being walking distance to restaurants – stay in downtown Wellington (in my opinion, Wellington has more and trendier food options than Picton).
- Escaping to a waterfront oasis – most waterfront rentals will take you a bit further away from the action. If you want to still visit wineries, I suggest trying to keep the drive between the rental and wineries within 35 minutes. Even if you have a little bit of a ways to travel, the drives in Prince Edward County are beautiful.
Tip: Staying near Wellington gives you the best all-round access to wineries, Sandbanks, Bloomfield, and Picton, as they’re all within a reasonable drive.
Places to Stay:
Prince Edward County is filled with cute B&Bs, plenty of short-term rentals, and a handful of stunning boutique hotels. Below are some of the best of each:
- B&Bs: Our Space the Perfect B&B (near Sandbanks), The Edward House (near Lake on the Mountain, ~10 minutes past Picton)
- Short-Term Rentals: AirBnB has lots of options – you can search by room or entire place, depending on what you are looking for. You can also filter for pet friendly and specific amenities, like waterfront.
- Boutique Hotels: The Drake Devonshire (Wellington, waterfront) The Drake Motor Inn (Wellington, not waterfront), The June Motel (10 minutes past Picton), Lakeside Motel (Wellington, waterfront with a pool), The Manse Boutique Inn & Spa (Picton), The Wilfred (micro-hotel in a renovated farmhouse near the south end of PEC)
Tip: Rentals fill up quickly, so be sure to plan ahead of you want to lock down a great place! We booked last minute for our Thursday – Saturday October trip, and there were only a handful of AirBnBs remaining.
*click on the above tabs to filter through the information!
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, be sure to check the latest restaurant hours & whether they are dine-in or take-out only.
Breakfast:
- HelloBonjour (Wellington)
- GOOD Place (Wellington)
- The Drake Devonshire (Wellington)
- The Vic Drive-In (Picton)
- Beacon Bike & Brew (Picton)
- Crepe Escape (Picton)
En-Route Lunch: If you are keen on getting to as many wineries & breweries as possible, there are a few great options to eat on the go. Below are some recommendations:
- Flossie’s Sandwich Parlor (north of Wellington)
- Pizza at TerraCello, Huff Estates, Norman Hardie or Waupoos Winery
- Tip: during peak season, some wineries have other food options – like The Old Third serves pasta
- Several breweries have bites (Matron Fine Beer – Bloomfield, Midtown Brewing Company – Wellington, Parsons Brewing Company – near Picton, Slake Brewing – between Picton & Sandbanks – tip: get the focaccia if you go to Slake)
- Big Mike’s BBQ (near Bloomfield)
Sit Down Lunch or Dinner: If you’re looking for a place to eat outside of the winery & brewery scene, try one of these great dining options:
- Flame + Smith (Rustic wood fired dishes, in Bloomfield – about halfway between Picton & Wellington)
- Bloomfield Public House Market (Gastropub with seasonal ingredients, in Bloomfield. Tip: they also offer beautifully curated food products to take home & in the summer they offer Judy’s Barbecue fried chicken for pre-order!)
- La Condesa (Mexican, in Wellington)
- The Drake Devonshire (North American eats, in Wellington)
- Idle Wild PEC (Asian food, in Wellington)
- Koenji Whisky Bar (Japanese small plates, in Wellington)
- Blumen Garden Bistro (seasonally inspired bistro meals, in Picton *higher-end and a bit pricier)
- Stella’s Eatery (comfort food inspired by local ingredients, in Picton)
*click on the above tabs to filter through the information!
While wineries are certainly a main attraction, there is much more to The County than just winery-hopping. The list below provides some ideas of what PEC has to offer.
- Winery, Brewery, Cidery & Distillery hopping! *see maps & Itinerary below for suggestions
- If you’d like to go on our tour, check out The County Wine Tours, Unofficial Wine Tours, Sandbanks Vacations or Prince Edward County Wine Tours (note that they generally charge per person)
- Visit the beaches & provincial parks: head to the popular Sandbanks or the lesser-well known but still beautiful, North Beach Provincial Park
- Wander through the quaint towns of Picton, Wellington and Bloomfield
- Eat at the many amazing restaurants, where local ingredients shine. If you visit during November, chances are Countylicious will be on and restaurants will be offering special menus highlighting seasonal ingredients.
- Go for a drive – suggest driving past Picton, towards Lake on the Mountain, and then south through Waupoos for beautiful views and easy meandering roads.
- Rent a bike from Ideal Bikes (Wellington) or County Bike Rentals (Bloomfield) – bike a portion of the Millenium Trail, which extends from Carrying Place to Picton. You can even stop at wineries & breweries along the way!
- Head out on the water – sail with Stay and Sail, try your hand at catching fish with Fish Finder Charter or rent a kayak from Cabin Fever Kayak
- Attend a class
- Cooking Classes at any of the following: The Waring House, From the Farm, Enid Grace Culinary & Piccolina or Angelo Bean
- Sourdough, Pickling & Preserving, Charcuterie or Cheese Making Workshops at Littlejohn Farm
- Half-day Art Classes
- Shop markets & locally made goods – there are plenty of farmers markets and specialty shops and worth popping into. Some of the most popular are: Wellington Farmers Market (most well-known, featuring local produce & artisans), Lakeshore Farms Market (local produce, desserts (hint: donuts!) & more – Wellington), Van Grootheest Farm (fresh produce & flowers – Bloomfield), Hagerman Farms (seasonal produce and fresh baked goods – just outside Picton *note: it is 1 minute away frm Crimson Cider Company which is worth popping into if you enjoy cider), Campbell’s Orchard (local produce & apple-based products – east of Carrying Place), Vader’s Maple Syrup (locally made maple syrup – Cherry Valley), SHED Chetwyn Farms (for alpaca throws, blankets and wearables and to see the alpacas on the farm – Hillier), Prince Edward County Lavender (visit the boutique or tour the fields in the summer – – Hillier, close to SHED), The Local Store (for local artisan-made goods – on the way to Sandbanks), Field Made Goods (for beautiful homewares and beauty produces made by four local artisans – downtown Picton), Fifth Town (artisan cheese – east of Waupoos)
- *note: some of these are seasonal so be sure to check operating hours!
- Go antiquing – there are plenty of antique stores in Prince Edward County – here are a few to get you started: County Traders (Bloomfield), Retrospective (Bloomfield), Dead People’s Stuff Antiques (Bloomfield) and MacCool’s Re-Use (near Sandbanks)
- Attend a festival (check out the list here)
- Catch a film at the Mustang Drive-In
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)
The Drake Devonshire
I didn’t stay there, so I can’t comment on it’s capacity as a hotel; however, we did stop in for drinks and bites. The space is certainly cool, and the water views are stunning from both inside and outside. With the stunning crashing waves, it feels like you’re beside the ocean. Despite all of the beauty, I found it incredibly expensive. Our bill included: a glass of wine, a beer, 6 oysters, bread with ricotta spread and it was over $70 before tip! Ouch. Would I return? Yes, the water views are worth it – I might just pop in for a drink and hold off on food, opting to check out one of the smaller restaurants in town instead.
Pizza at TerraCello Winery
Was the pizza good? Certainly. Was it the best pizza I’ve ever had? Definitely not. It wouldn’t make my top five…or top ten, but granted, I’ve eaten a lot of pizza and my opinion seems to be an outlier, so by all mean go ahead and try it yourself! The photos online showed chewy bubbly crust, but unfortunately that isn’t what we got (it was more of a cracker crust). Not to mention, the wine here was our least favourite of all wineries we visited, and, while I understand COVID-19 has prompted different measures to be taken, we were served wine in plastic cups which crushed my soul a bit. Finally, the pizza was expensive, as was the wine ($10 for a small 5oz glass that barely filled 1/3 of the way up the tiny plastic cup).
Slickers Ice Cream
If you are getting ice cream in Prince Edward County, you must go to Slickers. There is a location in Bloomfield and Picton and they have fun, creative flavours. If they have the cinnamon apple flavour available, definitely get it! Each bite is like a spoonful of delicious apple pie.
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”.
Kinsip House of Fine Spirits
FieldBird Farm and Cider
Huff Estates Winery
TerraCello Winery
Matron Fine Beer
Just north west of Bloomfield, you will find this cluster of places to stop, and it includes more than just wineries! All of these are within an 8 minute drive of each other:
- TerraCello Winery (Italian vibes & also known for their pizza *see my “Candid Views” above)
- *Huff Estates Winery (state-of-the-art facility, pizza and adjacent gallery)
- *FieldBird Farm and Cider (craft cider made from their farm-grown apples & pears)
- *Kinsip House of Fine Spirits (The County’s only distillery! Spoiler: it sure is fantastic – I’ve long carried their products in my home bar cabinet!)
- *Matron Fine Beer (Bloomfield brewery featuring seasonal beers with locally grown ingredients)
* represents the spots I would select if I were designing my own tour!
Harwood Estate Vineyards
Hillier Creek Estates Winery
Stanners Vineyard
Traynor Family Vineyard
Cold Creek Vineyards
Morandin Wines
Rosehill Run Vineyards
Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard
Sandbanks Estate Winery
Near Hillier (which is about a 10 minute drive north east of Wellington), you’ll find the following cluster of wineries all within a 5 minute drive of each other:
- Harwood Estate Vineyards (fully solar powered winery)
- Hillier Creek Estates Winery (enjoy tastings in a 160+ year old restored barn)
- Stanners Vineyard (smaller family run winery)
- *Traynor Family Vineyard (family winery with a highly touted vermouth)
- Cold Creek Vineyards (offers both wine and cider from their farm-grown fruits)
- *Morandin Wines (family run, offering unique & popular wines)
- *Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard (established in PEC almost two decades ago; also serves pizza!)
- Rosehall Run Vineyards (one of the earliest wineries established in Hillier Ward)
- Sandbanks Winery (popular winery with accessible price points)
* represents the spots I would select if I were designing my own tour!
The Old Third Vineyard
Broken Stone Winery
Gravel Hill Vineyards
Closson Chase Vineyards
Lacey Estates Winery
Hinterland Wine Company
Trail Estate Winery
Strange Brew Beer Studio
Loch Mór Cider Company
Domaine Darius
Sugarbush Vineyards & Winery
Gillingham Brewing Company
Hubbs Creek Vineyard
Karlo Estates
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 County Cider Company
karlo estates winery
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.
Day 1
Morning: Sandbanks Provincial Park, The Local Store & Slake Brewery
- A note on breakfast: if you are staying near Sandbanks, I suggest being prepared to eat at your rental (there are no great breakfast spots or coffee shops near Sandbanks). Alternatively, if you are staying in Wellington, I recommend stopping in for a sit down breakfast at The Drake Devonshire, or picking something up to go from GOOD Place, Piccolina & Enid Grace or HelloBonjour. If you are close to Picton, grab a coffee and croissant from Beacon Bike & Brew (trust me – the croissants are delicious!).
- Sandbanks: There is a reason why people flock to Sandbanks Provincial Park in the summer – the beach is wide, the sand is golden, and the crashing blue waves resemble the ocean. Sandbanks is arguably even more stunning in the fall with colourful trees hugging the shore. You’ll need to pay a park entrance fee at the gate, but you’ll likely be spoiled with the beach largely to yourself (note that many AirBnBs have seasonal passes that you can use during your visit).
- If you’re traveling in the off-season – check the operating dates here.
- The Local Store & Slake Brewing: Slake Brewing is a short 12 minute drive from Sandbanks Provincial Park and worth a visit to take in it’s architectural beauty, rare County views and tasty beer. Take a slight detour to stop into The Local Store on the way, and shop products made by local artisans. Slake Brewing opens at 11AM on weekends, so you can stop by for a late morning beer. If you’re feeling peckish, try their delicious focaccia! The building is unlike any you’ll find in PEC and is situated on a cute farm that the co-owner purchased 10 years ago. Even the beer cans live up to the cool-factor that is Slake Brewing – they’re designed by Toronto-based Justin Broadbent.
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
Sandbanks in the fall
sandbanks in the fall
Huff Estates Winery
Karlo Winery
Day 2
Morning: Picton
Begin your morning by heading into Picton for breakfast. Pick up a croissant and coffee from Beacon Bike & Brew, or sit down at the colourful Vic Drive-In.
After breakfast, wander down Main Street and pop into some of the local shops including: Luna Boutique (women’s clothing), Coriander Girl PEC (local flowers, succulents and handmade vases), Field Made Goods (four artisans opened this shop in the summer of 2020 to sell their beautifully & locally crafted goods), and Love of Lavender (all things lavender, grown in the County). Be sure to stop into Slickers County Ice Cream before you head out of Picton – if they have a caramel apple flavour and if you love apple pie, I urge you to get it!
Afternoon: Parsons Brewing Co. & Country Drive
Drive 4 minutes past Picton, around the left side of the lake, to Parsons Brewing Company. The brewery is comprised of three restored barns from the 1800s and has plenty of indoor and outdoor space, perfect for sipping on a cold one. Parsons has fire pits and an ice rink in the winter – providing even more of a reason to head to PEC in the off-season. Their carefully curated food menu is available Friday – Sunday.
When you’re ready to hit the road again, take a drive back through Picton and around the other side of the lake to Lake on the Mountain. Pull into the parking lot and go for a short walk, for spectacular views of Lake Ontario and Lake on the Mountain. From there, continue driving around Waupoos to Fifth Town for artisanal cheese. Then, loop back to The County Cider Company and/or Waupoos Estates Winery & Restaurant. If you didn’t eat at Parsons, the latter is a great spot to stop for lunch as it has a broader menu and stunning lake views.
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!
field made goods, picton
Coriander Girl, Picton
parsons brewing company
lake on the mountain
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