This year marks 32 years since Tyler's Family started camping at Presqu'ile Provincial Park. The perfect halfway point between family members in Ottawa and family members in Brampton, they now call this beautiful provincial park "Home" for 2 weeks every summer.
I just started camping with them 4 years ago. Coincidentally enough, 4 years ago the Drake Devonshire hotel (restaurant pictured above) opened up in Wellington County. Directly along the rocky shores of Lake Ontario, this now Landmark began the floods of Toronto hipsters into Prince Edward County, opening one craft brewery after another.
As you know from previous posts, I am not one for camping, though I have found some really great shortcuts to surviving these camping trips (See my previous post on Glamping). Since my first year at Presqu'ile I have escaped camp-life by slowly making my way through PEC on mindless day trips through each little town. From adorable motels, to farmer's markets, trinket shops, wineries and cider houses, I continue to find more and more gems hidden inside PEC's 400+ square mile radius.
This year will be no different. I am about to embark on my first of two extra-long weekends (I got a new job so I will not be staying the full 10 days) and I usually try to avoid visiting the same place twice. But sometimes they're just too good to miss year-after-year, so this year I may have a few repeats on my list. But since I consider myself to be a little bit of a County Snob, here are some of my favourite spots to visit every Summer.
Where to Eat -
PICNIC PEC
An adorable food truck on the Rosehall Run property, this little "picnic" spot serves up the most delicious grub. My favourites are obviously the charcuterie and cheese boards, which pair well with all of the Rosehall Run wines. The focus of PICNIC is to deliver healthy food options in a hurry. That being said, I am never in a hurry. But I do love this stop for a little lunch break as we ride our bikes through the county. The best part: This year I can try their Vegan and Gluten-Free options, which I've never been enticed by before... so who says you can't try something twice?!
Norman Hardie Pizza Oven
It doesn't matter how many times I say I need to visit new places, I somehow always end up at Norman Hardie for their wood oven pizza. This is the first year I will pass on Norman Hardie. But for everyone else who CAN eat gluten, make sure this place is on your list. Besides their wines being amazing, the pizza is to die for and the winery is very picturesque. It's located in Hillier not far from Rosehall Run! Pictured above: The wine I enjoyed while I waited for my pizza to arrive.
The Public House at Jackson's Falls
A proud participant in Countylicious (PEC's Spring and Fall version of Winterlicious) this restaurant, complete with a patio and young, serves up native-inspired cuisine with a kick. They serve many local brews and almost always have live entertainment. It's such a fun place to spend an evening after a long day of tastings!
Best Vineyards -
Hinterland Wine Company
I am going to go ahead and say it, I think Hinterland makes the BEST sparkling wine in Canada. I actually feel so great every time I am there sampling all of the wine's I've tasted before. This year I am committing to just one vineyard and one brewery - to save Tyler the pain of trying a million different wines he doesn't enjoy - so Hinterland is definitely our go-to place for 2018. Plus, their lunch menu is amazing ... who doesn't enjoy sparkling wine and oysters?
(Note: They also have amazing gluten-free Ciders)
Rosehall Run
Directly across the street from Norman Hardie, this adorable winery is probably best known for the Pixie Sparkling Wine. Grab a glass of your favourite - or get a few samples - and settle in for some lunch at PICNIC. I love that my two favourite spots to visit are directly across the street from one another, it makes for an easy trip into town!
Sandbanks Estate Winery
You'd probably recognize their Sparkling Rose from my Instagram. It's definitely their shining star, and has ruined ALL other rose options for me. It's not that it's their only good bottle, it's just so good I never buy anything else. In fact, last year for my birthday I ordered myself a case, delivered straight to our door, (Happy Birthday to me?) and it was gone remarkably fast ... You can find the rest of the Sandbanks wines at the LCBO but the Sparkling Rose is quite hard to track down. Doesn't that tell you something? Trust me when I tell you to try it. You'll never look back.
Three Dog Winery
Maybe it's the adorable paw that adorns each bottle, but they had me at DOG. I wasnt going to go back here this year, because I am really trying to find NEW places to add to my list, but this year they opened a new yoga studio on site, making them the first co-located winery and yoga studio in Canada! I'll definitely be stopping by for a yoga class, and a glass... their Pinot Grigio is an easy bottle to polish!
Best Breweries and Cider Houses -
Barley Days
The first brewery to open in Prince Edward County! And probably still one of the best. I haven't tried it yet, and probably never will now, but their Hibiscus Ale is supposedly heavenly. Named after the 1800s crop-of-choice, Barley, it's fitting that they'd open a craft brewery in The County. Located in Picton, the brewery also has a rentable Farm House on the property, a pretty awesome location for a Bachelor Party if I might suggest!
Clafeld Cider House
The sister company to Waupoos Winery, the Clafield Cider House creates some of the most exquisite ciders using the fruit they grow on their orchard. With several different varieties, and a few wine ciders, this is one of my favourite places to stop in and have a flight. The Rose Hip cider wine is amazing, and so is the dry apple cider. Definitely stop in here for a taste!
Parsons Brewing Co.
I think it was their beautiful website that first lured me into visiting
Parsons Brewing Co. They definitely have an eye for design. They also brew some of the most amazing beer, and their restaurant onsite is AMAZING. I'm adding this to our must-visit list for this summer since Tyler hasn't been yet and will enjoy the beer, while I sip on their amazing cider.
Where to Stay -
Camp at Presqu'ile!
This is half a joke, and half an honest suggestion. If there was one campground I had to spend 10 days at every year, it would be this one. It's absolutely stunning and surrounded by beautiful rocky beaches. Somehow every year the water in July is just the right temperature for my wussy self to swim in, and I almost always go home with an amazing tan. Every year I look forward to the evening bike rides along the 8km road path to get Kawartha Dairy Ice-cream (which also hurts my stomach EVERY YEAR! But hey - it's tradition), hiking the Marsh Boardwalk (pictured above) and then skipping rocks as we watch the sun set. To say I hate camping would be incorrect because I absolutely LOVE Presqu'ile -- I just maybe hate sleeping in a tent, outhouses and mosquitos at dawn. There is also a Nature Centre (cool for the kids!), a lighthouse and museum/gift shop where you can learn about the extensive history of Presqu'ile. Book a site
here.
Rent an AirBNB
As a former AirBNB Host, I regularly scour AirBNB for new places to stay. More and more AirBNBs seem to be popping up in the PEC area, and every single one of them is ADORABLE. It would be a hard to run an AirBNB that wasn't picture-perfect because there is so much competition in the area. Most of them are hidden gems inside victorian homes or old farm houses. Run a search on AirBNB and see how cute they are for yourself... keep your dates open since the nicest ones book up QUICK every summer! My personal favourite spot to stay is
The Ferg. I also think
THIS tiny home is so so adorable.
The June Motel
I've never stayed here, but it's on my PEC Bucket List. It's the cutest converted motel, complete with Instagram-worthy wallpaper and decor. The owner's visit California annually for inspiration for their hotel. And the hotel has bikes guests can borrow for self-guided winery tours. It's a super adorable spot for a Bachelorette party... Sign me up! Book a room here.
Drake Devonshire
Before The Drake, PEC was a place you went for relaxation. I wouldn't be surprised if the hipsters have forced ALL of the retiree's out by now, but it's for good reason. The Drake Devonshire serves up overpriced accommodation and mediocre food, plus they don't allow pets to even step foot on their parking lot pad (so you definitely won't me there) but I had to list it or this list wouldn't feel complete. Try to book a room here.
What to Do -
The Millennium Trail
An almost 50km long trail which has been rebuilt over the past few years sits along old farm roads and railroads. To date only 11km are suitable by bike, but the rest can be walked or ran on. It's also accessible through various county points which makes this an awesome "to-do" no matter where you're staying. Check out the full path at www.pectrails.ca
Visit the Lavender fields
This year's annual Lavender Festival is being held on July 7th and 8th in PEC. If you can't make it then, check out
Prince Edward County Lavender, in Hillier for the most picturesque fields of lavender all summer long.
Wellington Farmer's Market
One of the cutest farmer's markets I have been to, likely because of the portable stone oven pizza I get there every year (but sadly not this year!). We also stock up on amazing hot sauces and preserves. There are so many sweet vendors at this market, you have to check it out for yourself. It's in Wellington, a few steps from the Drake Devonshire and happens every Saturday 8am-1pm and Sunday 12pm-4pm.
There are also SO many little towns -- Trenton, Wellington, Picton -- with historic main streets and adorable shops and restaurants. So be sure to do your research and plan your trip before you go! But the one thing I've learned about PEC is that no matter how much I plan, it's always more fun to stray and wander, you never know what you're going to find! Enjoy your trip! <3 p="">
