Discovering Home: Prince Edward County

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I've been hearing a lot about Prince Edward County and the time and opportunity came when planning our getaway without kids.  It's been 2 years since we've had a true getaway or any date that felt like a date.



I have to admit - while researching for places to visit and things to do there, I kept on adding more and more to my list.  Everything sounded amazing.

And it was!

PEC is about 2 hrs drive from Toronto and is a charming place.  So close to the city and yet so laid back, quiet, easy-going.

Below is a list of our itinerary as it ended it being - we had a plan, but as we entered the county we changed things on the stop depending on traffic patterns, weather, and simply what we were seeing on the road.  My advice?  Go with a little bit of planning but plan on simply ENJOYING your time there and going with the flow.  You won't be able to help it but to relax!  Even in the midst of one of the busiest summer weekends for locals I felt so relaxed and happy!

Day 1



We dropped off our children at my parents and with my brother (Thank you!!!) and left the big city at around 10:30 A.M.  We knew traffic would be bad, and it was.

STOP #1:  Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard (http://www.normanhardie.com/)

By the time we entered the Loyalist Parkway, Hwy 33, the main road that will take you to most of the attractions in the area, we decided to switch our plans by a bit and stopped at Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard for lunch and wine tastings and hope traffic would ease a little.  We got there at about 12:45 PM and were seated right away (beware though, it gets busy.  By the time we left there was a 20 min wait)

Lunch:  Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard



The menu is very simple - you order pizza.  They make it from their stone oven outdoors.  The atmosphere is relaxing.  The only 'strange' situation was that for the price you pay (about $15-20 for a small pizza) you are not even asked, you are seated to share the same table with others.  We didn't mind it though it did take us by surprise.  The people who shared with us were amazing and we ended up seeing them again through the day at other wine tastings.  The bonus for my husband was that they had fresh raw oysters that day!

The staff could be more professional and friendlier.  Again, nothing bad happened but they confused our order and we only got a semi-apology.

Other than that, it was a great way to start the getaway. 

Wine Tasting


We have not done wine tastings ever before so this was all new for us.  After meandering through the indoor wine tasting area and wondering who was first etc, we discovered there were tastings outside too.  Once outside things were much better.  The staff was friendly and because we ended up buying 2 bottles we didn't pay for the tastings.

STOP #2:  Lavender Farm (https://www.peclavender.com/)



Nearby there is a lavender farm.  I love lavender and though I had read online that this year's crops were almost all lost due to 2 harsh winters, I wanted to just take a look.  There is usually an entrance fee but the farm owners have waived it this year due to the poor yieldings.

Indeed when we got there you can see that the lavenders did not do well.  Still, we managed a few pictures and the live music (guitar) was just so soothing and nice

STOP #3:  Shed Farms (http://www.shedchetwynfarms.com/)
Heading back to Picton I saw an "ALPACA FARM" sign and signalled to my husband to stop and take a look.  The owner has 11 alpacas and some are babies.  It is very cute and the store carries a few alpaca merchandise


STOP #4:  The Waring House (http://waringhouse.com/)
We decided on this trip very late in the game and being the August Civic Holiday my biggest fear was that there would be no vacancy left anywhere.  Indeed a lot of my options were all full but was glad to hear from The Waring House staff that they still had rooms when I booked a few weeks before.  

We checked in at around 2:00 PM.  The premises were a lot bigger than I had imagined.  A very quaint place.  The only "oddity" is that it is right beside a roundabout road.  If you can ignore that, it is actually a very nice little place.  Charming.



We booked a room in "the house next door" and the room was nice.  We didn't really use the deck we had but we knew we wouldn't before hand.  If you want to use your balcony I'd suggest you ask what you would be facing - our room faced the Main House/Restaurant Entrance with cars parked as the view.



The breakfast was included and was both delicious and very fulfilling.

STOP #5:  Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co (http://www.fifthtown.ca/)

After freshening up we headed to the East side of the county and the next few stops are all within minutes of each other.  We decided to head to the furthest one:  Fifth Town Artisan Cheese.



Before you taste the cheese, the location is remote but it is worth the extra 10 minutes.  The building is quite unique and they do have a patio section.  The retail store is very small though, so when we arrived it was very crowded and did not allow for a nice tasting experience.  Since we had not packed a cooler (Highly recommended!) we decided to return the next day.



STOP #6:  Rose House Museum
The History Buff in me can't help it so I had to squeeze in some history into the route!  After giving my husband a quick lesson on the United Empire Loyalists we stopped by the Rose House Museum.  I learned many interesting things and the Summer Staff there was very nice and helpful.  Admission is free but we left a donation.  Definitely recommended if you are in the area anyways.




STOP #7:  County Cider Company (http://www.countycider.com/)
Taking a U-turn and returning south, we stopped by for some apple cider at County Cider Company  The place is very nice and the tasting bar is big enough.  At 50 cents each (max 4, or $2) it is a bargain! :D  I tasted all their 4 varieties and it was nice!




There is a restaurant/patio area here too but we didn't eat here so I can't comment on the food.

STOP #8:  Waupoos Winery (http://www.waupooswinery.com/)
This was absolutely my favourite place of the getaway - not so much for the wine tastings (had the same experience - no tasting fee because we bought a couple of bottles) but because of the view, food and environment.



The estate is next to the waterfront.  We took off our shoes and sat by the water and it was absolutely our highlight!  The premises are amazing and again there was live music to ease you into the life and rhythm of the county.  






There is a chocolate store in the premises too but that was not impressive at all.  After buying the wine I was given a complimentary wine or cider tasting to its sister store across the street so we went there and tried some of the cider too.



It was getting late so instead of going back to Picton or Bloomington for dinner we decided to stay in the premises and enjoyed a nice dinner.  The place is nice but we enjoyed the lay back feel it had.  Delicious food!




By the time we left the restaurant, it had began raining so we rushed back to the car and got back to the Inn.

DAY 2:  
We woke up and I was so sad we had to pack already.  We were already talking about planning another time to bring the kids (we saw lots of families) and go to Sandbanks Provincial Park too.

Breakfast was great and we were ready to hit the road

STOP #1:  Black River Cheese (http://www.blackrivercheese.com/)


This was the second cheese place we wanted to try but when we got there we were deeply disappointed.  We read on the website that on Mondays customers could see how cheese was made in the mornings through a window.  When we got there the store was very bare and cold and we were told today (I assume it was because it was Civic Holiday) there was no such thing - but no explanations were given.  There was very little attempt to explain to us what they had to offer and a lot of their products seem to be more commercial.  I got a few pieces but if you are looking for an experience and are tight with time, this would be one you can skip



With the disappointment we decided to head back to Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co 

We were there very early in County standards (around 10) and we were the only patrons.  The staff (owner plus a staff) were still putting out samples but we had a very enjoyable chat and they recommended different types of cheese for us.  If you are looking for goat cheese especially this is a much better choice!

We passed by a couple of places and stopped.  We saw a sign for a lookout and stopped to check it out - We didn't find this lookout special.



STOP #4:  Millenium Lookout
This lookout is at the top of a mountain so the lookout is a bit better but I've seen nicer lookouts.  What I did find interesting was the information in this location - it states the towns in the area and where the names came from.  Again, the history buff in me was content



STOP #5:  Birdhouse City (http://prince-edward-county.com/birdhouse-city/)
Another Quick stop on our way back to town.  I didn't stop long enough to see the details but apparently most of the houses are replicas of historical homes in the area.  It was just cute and a nice quick 5-10 minute stop!



STOP #5:  Bloomfield
Instead of heading back to Picton for lunch we decided to skip that and head to Bloomfield.  From first impressions Bloomfield seems to be more artsy than Picton. To find places to eat, go to Picton.  For Art, go to Bloomfield.  If you can't find parking on the street look for a big P sign on the south side of Main.  There is a lot of parking there.



We strolled around some stores but we passed the Ice Cream - Slickers is very famous and there was a line up at 11 AM.  Next time we'll go!

This was our last stop.  I wanted to see the art more than taste the wine.  I was afraid it would rain so we strolled around the outdoor grounds and enjoyed the sculptures.  There is a gallery indoors as well.



But since we were there we had to stop by the winery.  And because it was lunch time, we decided to just lunch there.  The staff is very friendly and the food nice and simple.  Perfect for lunch.






We headed home afterwards but we will definitely be back.

Some final tips, in no particular order:
- Plan a little before hand so that you recognize a few places you'd like to go (Art? Museums? Vineyards? Cheese?  Beach? Biking?  Trails?)
- Be open to just stop by the road if you see signs that interest you.  everyone in the county is super friendly
- Pack a small ice box if you might buy cheese
- A lot of Inns offer cheaper rates mid week and/or Sunday to Monday nights.  I used a Monday Holiday to make use of these discounts
- Keep in mind a lot of the good restaurants take either Monday or Tuesday off.  Check schedules before heading there.
- Sandbanks Provincial Park is very popular so it can be crowded.  If going, perhaps consider going really early or go after 3 or 4PM.
- North Beach Provincial Park still has dunes but less popular
- Other restaurants I might have tried but time or budget did not allow for it:  Angeline's Inn (http://angelines.ca/), Blumen Garden Bistro (http://www.blumengardenbistro.com/) and Merrill Inn

- Take it easy - wear comfortable clothes and shoes and prepare to just relax.  Walk slower, Breath slower, Smile more and Enjoy life!



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