Lately, the cold weather has been making me dream of next year’s summer season! I can enjoy the romance of autumn but winter just brings me down. Canadian summers go by so quickly that it’s hard to fit in all the trips I have in mind without proper planning.
I already know that I want to spend at least one week in Maine next year as I couldn’t make it happen this time. Plus, by booking months ahead, I’m sure prices will be just fine on top of the best locations not being sold out.
I did make it to a place that I love this summer and I thought I’d share a little bit about it to hopefully inspire you.
Welcome to Prince Edward County!
I discovered PEC about four years ago and have been going back almost every summer. I think I read about it in an enRoute article while flying on Air Canada. It takes about 4 hours of driving to get to this municipality located in the south of Ontario, just a little bit past Kingston.
What’s fun about Prince Edward County is that there are so many small towns to visit within the same area and driving from one place to another is just dreamy (because I totally got to drive this year 😎). Each township has its own breweries, restaurants and shops.
In between them, you’ll find plenty of wineries that can easily remind you of wine routes on the West Coast.
Finally, no summer getaway is complete without a beach day. The Sandbanks National Park happens to be part of Prince Edward County and it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. It’s hard to believe that it’s on a lake and not an ocean!
Did I give you enough reasons to make this trip happen? If so, here are a few places to not miss out on during your visit.
Where to stay
If you’re not on a budget, Drake Devonshire should be your number-one choice. The design is beautiful and there are plenty of activities to do on-site, on top of being located in Wellington — a township that’s pretty popular for fine dining!
Another great address is the June Motel. This motel got a fresh redesign and seems perfect for a family or friends getaway.
Otherwise, I would look at country houses or b&b on Airbnb.
Where to eat & drink
-
County Yum Club is a fun place to grab lunch. I love visiting them to pick up a bottle of their spicy maple syrup or honey!
-
Drake Devonshire makes this list as well. I book a table each time in advance for their weekend brunch just so that I can eat on their terrace. To be honest, the food isn’t amazing but the view on the lake is so dreamy. I have a feeling their diner menu might be more interesting, which I plan on trying next time!
-
For a lunch with a view, stop by County Cider. The wine estate has plenty of outdoor tables and a wood oven for pizza. You can also try their ciders and purchase a few bottles next door!
-
Close by, Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co. has great cheeses and outdoor tables if you’d like to stick by for a plate of charcuterie. I love their cheeses with truffles.
-
Cape Vineyards is my newest discovery and top winery. They have such great and special wines. I brought back four bottles including Petite Pearl which was 🙌.
-
For beer & burgers, Midtown Brewing Company is amazing and easily the best burger I’ve had in years!
-
For sweets, The Old Greenhouse Ice Cream Shop is the cutest for dessert. It’s a bit overwhelming to pick a treat as everything is pretty exciting (I went with pumpkin pie ice cream last time 🤤).
I think that’s enough to get you started with a first visit to Prince Edward County! If you do end up going, let me know how the visit went below and if you have some addresses to share with everyone.
Happy 2019 summer planning!