Prince Edward County (PEC) is a municipality in southern Ontario along the coast of Lake Ontario’s northeastern shore. Known for its Provincial Park, Sandbanks, and endless amounts of wineries and breweries, a Prince Edward County vacation is the perfect summer weekend getaway.
I’d never been to PEC before, however, being a wine and beer lover, I had been to Ontario’s more famously known wine country, Niagara-On-The-Lake, more times than I can count. My sister, Mom and I decided to plan a weekend away a few weekends ago to PEC for a girl’s weekend, and we had so much fun that I can’t wait to return.
Although there is a ton to do in the region, and it was impossible to do it all in just a weekend, here are my recommendations for your first visit there.
Where to stay on your Prince Edward County vacation
First off, where should you stay? PEC has some beautiful hotels like The June Motel, and The Drake Devonshire. Both are Instagram-worthy, and incredibly pricey (think $250+ CAD a night). However, there are a ton of great Airbnb options in the area. In fact, I love this option because you have your own little home, and PEC is known to have some beautiful historical and cute houses.
The Airbnb we rented was this Bloomfield Cottage. It was adorable and had so much beautiful property, and only cost around $195 CAD a night.
Note that there are a few areas to stay in PEC. The county includes several small communities which are all pretty close together so it doesn’t overly matter where you position yourself. However, if you have a preference of wineries, etc. that you’d like to visit, you may choose one spot over another to save on taxi costs (Uber doesn’t exist here).
Where to eat
Ahhh the County has so many great food options to visit during your Prince Edward County vacation. The one thing to note is that you’ll want to make reservations if you’re visiting during the busy season (the summer). Here are some of my top picks:
The Drake Devonshire
For a nicer, fancier dinner with a view.
Midtown Brewery
For a casual pub dinner. Try their burger!
Waring House
Enjoy dinner with a side of live music.
County Canteen
Again, another live music joint with food.
East & Main
Comfortable & casual made with locally sourced ingredients.
Pomodoro
Italian eats
Flame & Smith
For food prepared right on an open flame & a great patio.
Agrarian Bistro
Casual with great food. Try the stuffed chicken or burger!
What to do on a Prince Edward County vacation
PEC is absolutely beautiful. It’s so nice to walk through the small towns, and visit the little locally owned shops, however, the main activity here is definitely the winery and brewery hopping. There are so many that you can visit, that you seriously can return every weekend and not hit them all. Here are some of my recommendations…
Wine:
- Casa Dea
- Waupoos (also sells cider)
- Rosehall Run
- Karlo Estate
- Hinterland (great for bubbly)
- Hubb’s Creek
- By Chadsey’s Cairns (my fav spot!)
Beer & cider:
- Parson’s Brewery (their food looked amazing too)
- County Cider Company
- Midtown Brewery (fell in love with their strawberry kolsch)
- Lake On The Mountain
- Grillingham Brewery (brand new!)
An important thing to note is that the wineries and breweries are pretty spaced out so unless you have a designated driver, you’re going to want to hire a driver or plan a tour. Obviously booking your own private tour is best because you’ll have control over what wineries you visit.
You can look here for a listing of different tours in PEC. We worked with Gabi at Unofficial Wine Tours who knew all the great local places to visit. Note that she is the only driver in her company, so you’ll need to book well in advance during the high season.
Other activities:
Of course there are also other things to do in the County. Here are some of the top recommendations:
- SHED Alpaca Farm
- Prince Edward County Lavender
*Note the lavender field is in-bloom in July but you can still visit the shop filled with lavender goodies in the other months. - Sandbanks National Park
I am already planning to go back to Prince Edward County in the fall because there was still so many places I wanted to visit. This is seriously the perfect little escape from the city, or if you’re looking for a destination for a girls weekend.
Other Ontario content to read:
- How to Spend a Weekend in Collingwood
- An Ottawa Brewery Tour
- Where to Eat in Windsor, ON
- A Winter Getaway in Haliburton
Pin the below image to save this post for future Prince Edward County vacation inspo!
No Comments