MY PERFECT WEEKEND IN PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY
FRIDAY
Most must-visit wineries are in the County’s west, the side closest to Toronto, so dive into tastings as soon as you arrive, hitting the spots listed in this article. In between, line your stomach with a doorstop-sized sandwich at Flossie’s Sandwiches (flossiesandwiches.com),a food kiosk in Hillier outside a cute garden shop, or vegan wraps and locally roasted coffee at Good Place (goodplace.ca) in Wellington. But save room for dinner later at Flame & Smith (flameandsmith.com) in Bloomfield, where a Japanese-influenced menu includes hot-smoked hamachi. Finally, drop your bags at glossy designforward pad Mirazule*, 20 minutes southeast, where hosts Ian and Miguel await with a warm welcome and bottomless glasses of local Casa-Dea fizz.
SATURDAY
Wake up to sweeping views of Lake Ontario (and Miguel’s home-baked banana loaf), then ready yourself for a day of old-school County charm. Start with nearby Vicki’s Veggies (vickisveggies.com), an honesty shop heaving with sauces and preserves, then stock up on dairybased delights at Black River Cheese (blackrivercheese.com), open since 1901. Further east, the scenic County Road 8 hugging the water carries you to cideries, more wineries and roadside shack Waupoos Tarts (2596 County Road) for gooey, sugary butter tarts – a classic Ontario treat. In the afternoon, explore Picton’s cute boutiques before dinner at downtown’s The Royal Hotel*. Visiting in summer? Catch a post-sunset film at The Mustang Drive-In (themustangpec.ca), a slice of retro rural Canadiana 10 minutes away.
SUNDAY
Start your last day with a morning stroll along the powdery tree-lined dunes at
Sandbanks Provincial Park by West Lake (check ontarioparks.com to book a permit in advance). You’ve probably picked up enough snacks for a picnic by now but, if not, grab a tasting platter of Canadian oysters at relaxed Sand & Pearl nearby (sandandpearloysterbar.com). Follow with an ice cream at Slickers (slickersicecream. com) and homewares shopping in pretty Bloomfield, eight minutes away back along route 12, then work your way through the cideries and breweries just outside town. Stop off at nearby Oeno Gallery at Huff Estates (oenogallery.com) for contemporary Canadian art, then as you meander back west towards Toronto, tick off any wineries you missed on Friday.
and Picton. Now you can feast on Mexican or Japanese fare as good as you’ll find in any major city, find a perfect frothy flat white made with locally roasted coffee beans or buy artisan goodies from a range of chic delis. But despite the trendy shift, the overall feel is authentic rather than overly fussy – you’ll still find homemade lemonade, traditional diners and dusty antique shops in the jumble.
And when you’re indulged to the brim? Prince Edward County has more to make you want to linger. Here’s where the region’s classic outdoor delights come in. You can spend an afternoon sunning yourself on powdery dunes at Sandbanks Provincial Park (see ‘My perfect weekend’, p107), lapped by cool Lake Ontario waters. You can hire a kayak or canoe and paddle past forested shores, keeping eyes peeled for deer or coyotes. You can spend a Saturday night nibbling popcorn at a retro drive-in movie (see ‘Saturday’, p107).
And when you’ve tired yourself out with all that exploring, there’s no need to hit the highway straight back to Toronto. In the last few years the County has seen an explosion in superb places to stay, which can easily transform your day trip into a brilliant gourmet long weekend. Whether you prefer a funky renovated motel such as The June (thejunemotel.com), a Victorian-era stay like Merrill House (merrill-house.com) or designer inn Mirazule (see right), you’ll find it all – and more – here.
‘Prince Edward County still feels edgy and pleasingly unpolished’