8 Reasons to Visit Prince Edward County, Ontario

May 19, 2010

You’ll find Prince Edward County halfway between Ottawa and Toronto, and just south of Belleville. The county borders Lake Ontario’s north shore and the Bay of Quinte. If you’re driving on the Highway 401 and blink, you’ll miss the exit.

This is farm country with a difference.

Here are 8 good reasons to visit for a weekend.

  • As Beppi Crosariol of the Globe and Mail points out – the counry has come of age and by this he is referring to the quality of the wines. With over 20 wineries there is plenty to taste. Buyer beware – some wines are made from grapes grown in the Niagara area.
Prince Edward County May 2010 005 8 Reasons to Visit Prince Edward County, Ontario

Prince Edward County Vineyards

  • Take a cooking class at The Waring House. They offer classes on Sundays from 10:30am to 1:30 pm. Try Indian Cuisine, the Mexican Taco Stand or Sushi Basics. Check out their online schedule for lots more offerings.
  • Birding is excellent and although the spring migration is over you’re sure to find lots of birds, especially at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. You’ll see lots of waterfowl, raptors and song birds there.
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Bird houses in a park near Picton

  • Look for the signed Arts Trail which takes you to 27 artists around the county. You’ll find potters, painters, sculptors, glassblowers and jewelers, blacksmiths and photographers as well as many multi artist galleries. Be sure to visit La De Dah Sculpture Studio, the Mad Dog Gallery and the Oeno Gallery.
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Oeno Gallery

  • Head for Sandbanks Provincial Park with some towels and a picnic basket. Here you’ll find sand dunes, long sandy beaches and sparkling water. Try some windsurfing or sailing too.3919715989 e94fdabffb 8 Reasons to Visit Prince Edward County, Ontario
  • Rent a bike in Picton or Bloomfield and head off with one of their bike maps to explore quiet back roads. Also look for the Waterfront Trail which will keep you close to …the waterfront.
  • Check out the TasteTrail. Road signs guide you to 31 locations – from cheese makers to coffee shops and from the Buddha Dog to fine dining. Don’t miss The Carriage House Restaurant in Bloomfield. It’s recommended by Where to Eat in Canada. I picked up lunch goodies – think fine cheeses, fresh breads and fantastic desserts.
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Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company

If you live in Ontario what better time to go than this coming long weekend!!

Leigh McAdam

HikeBikeTravel

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Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Biking, Canada, Restaurants and Food, Wine Tours and Tips 

Comments

3 Responses to “8 Reasons to Visit Prince Edward County, Ontario”

  1. Bethany on May 20th, 2010 5:02 pm

    Cool post! I have to ask though – why is wine from Niagara bad?
    .-= Bethany´s last blog ..Somewhere In Time – Dublin, Ireland =-.
  2. Hike Bike Travel on May 21st, 2010 4:19 am

    Wine from Niagara can be delicious and amazing BUT if you have traveled to Prince Edward County to drink wine from grapes grown that express the terroir of that particular region then sometimes you will be disappointed because many of the wines are made from grapes grown in the Niagara area. There is nothing inherently wrong with that and it makes economic sense to offer a broader selection of wines. But if I have made a visit with the express purpose of sampling a wine from Prince Edward County, then I want to taste that. I’ll go to Niagara to tast Niagara wines.

    Most of the wine drinking public could probably care less but I like visiting wineries around the world and checking out (tasting) what the local grapes offer in the finished product.

    The number of acres that are planted with grapes is far less than in the Niagara area.
  3. Dave and Deb on May 21st, 2010 3:08 pm

    We have some good friends that just moved to Prince Edward County. we can’t wait to visit them this summer. It is a beautiful area of Ontario.

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