So Many Things To Do On A First Stay In Prince Edward County In Ontario
We found so many things to do on a first stay in Prince Edward County in Ontario. We booked only two nights and squeezed a lot in. But we know we will need many more visits to really take it all in.
We got our first look at Prince Edward County on a previous trip when we drove home from Kingston on the scenic route along the Loyalist Parkway. The drive took us along country roads, past dozens of winery signs and we loved the charm of the small towns. When we looked for our first summer road trip this year, we easily put Prince Edward County at the top of the list.
Our trip started with 3 days for a return visit to Kingston Ontario. From there we again headed along the Loyalist Parkway and enjoyed the ferry crossing at Glenora. There were many places marked on our offline maps to see in Prince Edward County. But we knew we would cherry pick a few for this visit.
Some of the things we found to do on a first stay in Prince Edward County in Ontario …
Head Up To The Lake On The Mountain
We did the ferry crossing at Glenora and then wound our way up to the Lake On The Mountain. This freshwater lake was about 60m above Lake Ontario and had no apparent source for the water. We parked and took a look at this unique lake.
We considered two options at the Lake On The Mountain for lunch. The Inn had a shaded outdoor patio with a view over the lake and a full menu. But we opted for the sunshine and Lake Ontario views at the Miller House. We got a table right at the edge and watched as the Glenora ferry moved back and forth. Our light lunch was perfect.
Rested and refreshed, we headed back down the mountain. We drove into the small town of Picton and checked it out for a possible future stay. A walk along the main street showed us many local shops and spots to eat. And a great choice for a coffee break.
Stay At A Winery
When we booked our accommodations in Prince Edward County, we had no idea which part of the large county to stay in. We knew we wanted to be relatively close to one of the small towns for easy access to food. But we had our car so we knew we would be driving around to the sights we wanted to see. We considered several AirBnbs and looked at small inns. But we remained unsure which area was best.
Since we planned to do some wine tasting in Prince Edward County, we then looked at wineries with hotel options. The Huff Inn at the Huff Estates Winery looked like a central location. When we arrived, we got a first glimpse of the art we found all over the county and in the Oeno Outdoor Sculpture Garden on the property.
Even booking last minute, we managed to book the larger room we wanted. Although we were quite disappointed when we checked in and got the room with the worst location. We were enticed by the thought of a nice covered patio with a view out over the vineyard. Our room on an inside corner had a patio that was always shaded and we had a view only to the breakfast room. This was not at all what we expected.
The hotel offered a simple continental breakfast. We had hoped for fresh country food and bakery items. But the reality was far less. But at least we didn’t need to chase down food first thing every day. And most days we were out exploring on our first stay in Prince Edward County.
Find Wine, Spirits and Beer In Prince Edward County
We found many options for wine, spirits and beer around Prince Edward County.
As we found on our first drive through Prince Edward County, there were numerous options for wineries to visit in Prince Edward County. The Wine Route map provided us with a meandering path and we saw several of the wineries on our visit. But we sadly ran out of time to do all the wine tastings we wanted.
But luckily our stay at the Huff Inn included a complimentary tasting at their Huff Estates Winery. We walked over to the winery and enjoyed our tasting. David found a sweeter wine that he liked. And I enjoyed the Cuvée Janine sparkling rosé. There was even a pizza oven for food on the patio to go with our wine. Although the local recommendation for pizza was not here.
There were a few distillery stops in Prince Edward County. We decided on this visit to try the Kinsip House of Fine Spirits. The tasting menu had a wide range of spirits and for a tasting, we got 3 selections. We chose 3 widely different tastes – Dark Waters Rum, Kinsip Maple Whisky and Juniper’s Wit Barrel Aged Gin. We finished up with a tasty Lemon Lavender Gin Fizz cocktail.
We even saw several breweries on our travels around the county. David found a great dark stout beer from Midtown Brewing that he took home with us.
We had a great day as we sat on patios and taste tested away. Tastings of wine, spirits and beer were great things to do on a first stay in Prince Edward County in Ontario.
Take In The Outdoor Art
We always found local art and artistry when we travelled. So we were excited when we read about the Arts Trail in Prince Edward County. There were about a dozen local studios and galleries with paintings, glass works, fine silk and so much more.
We were intrigued by the interesting and colourful patterns on the buildings in Prince Edwards County. These “Barn Quilts” were replicas of actual fabric quilts. The designs were painted on wooden boards and mounted on a variety of buildings.
But on this first visit, we explored the Oeno Outdoor Statue Garden at the Huff Estates. The sculptures were spread around the vast gardens. We found a wide variety of subject matter, materials and colours as we wandered through the sculpture garden. We even saw more pieces of art around the Huff Estates Winery.
Art was definitely something that people visited for. We got a small look at the variety of the art on our first stay in Prince Edward County. But on our next visit, we really want to explore some of the glass art that the county is known for.
Enjoy The Sights Driving Around Prince Edward County
We enjoyed our two days just driving around the county. This was our opportunity to check out what there was to offer for many more visits to come. It was still early in the summer, but we looked for the first signs of lavender. We found some small lavender plants in the gardens at the Oeno Outdoor Sculpture Garden. And we stopped at one lavender farm. But we planned another visit to really check out lavender in bloom.
We pulled in when we saw the Mustang Drive In Theatre with the two screens. There was a resurgence in interest in outdoor theatres and this one was getting ready to open. We talked with a staff member and learned they would also host music, food trucks and some lawn sales over the summer. Many fun outdoor options!
As we drove around our first stay in Prince Edward County, we saw charming small towns, colourful houses, farms and lots of small spots to stop. We understood why it was a popular spot for day trips, staycations and longer vacation visits.
Eat Around The County
During our stay in Prince Edward County, we had several great patio dining experiences. We enjoyed our meals with a view. And even visited with family that lived in the area.
When we searched for things to do in Prince Edward County, we found lots of suggestions to try the local ice cream. A suggestion we definitely followed!
When we wanted to graze on a healthy snack, we found local markets for fresh produce. There was nothing like fresh sweet strawberries! And in Prince Edward County, we found a plethora of maple syrup to keep David in sugar heaven for awhile. David’s cousin brought us fresh maple syrup from their farm. And we could not resist adding maple syrup aged with both rum and whiskey!
Even though the options for food were limited at our hotel, we had no trouble finding great food on our first stay in Prince Edward Country.
Relax At The Beach
On our first drive through Prince Edward County, we saw the reason that many people visited this area. The Sandbanks Provincial Park covered a vast area and offered both camping and day use. We got a quick glimpse of the long beaches and the sand cliffs the park was named for. But on this first stay in Prince Edward Country we did not get back to Sandbanks.
As we drove around the county, we found many other beach areas. Poking our nose into the small roads in Wellington, we found the Wellington Rotary Beach. On another day, we saw the signs for the beaches at North Beach Provincial Park.
As the summer heat rolled in, we knew that beaches were a great attraction that brought people in.
Some Great Things To Do On A First Stay In Prince Edward County In Ontario
There were so many things to do on a first stay in Prince Edward County in Ontario. Every day we took in the local sights as we wandered the small roads and criss-crossed the county.
We knew we wanted to do wine and spirits tasting on this visit and we enjoyed our first taste test. There were many different options to enjoy the art in Prince Edward County. We knew we would be back to find more.
Prince Edward County was a lovely discovery for us. We were glad we finally visited this gem!
Did you find lots of things to do on a first stay in Prince Edward County in Ontario? What is on your plans for your return visit?
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Prince Edward county is such a beautiful place with garden sculptures, wineries and barn quilts. Drive in theatres are so fun to watch movies outdoors.I would love to try once. Thank you so much for sharing!
We could not believe how long it took us to get there for our first visit. So glad we did!
I have never seen lavender in full bloom and I do hope I can see that someday. Also, staying in a winery sounds so delicious and beautiful. Honestly, that would be a dream holiday for me. And the lake also looks pretty. I am definitely adding Prince Edward County to my list.
We were glad we found so much to see and do on our visit to Prince Edward County. Hope you get to visit one day.
Wow, everything is there: mountain lake, barn wilts, wineries and breweries, fine food! What else do we need???
It was fun to discover all there was to see and do in Prince Edward County.
What a fun article! Prince Edward in Ontario looks amazing. We love your blog name too! Ya’ll have fun now 🙂
Happy to introduce you to Prince Edward County. Loved having a spot like this so close to home.
This looks like another fantastic trip– you two know how to have a good time! You found the perfect accommodations too: a winery and sculpture garden both right out your door. I wish I could have brought my mom to see the barn quilts– we always stopped at quilting stores on our trips together, she loved them and she would have really enjoyed seeing the barns. Great photos too!
It was a fun first trip to Prince Edward County. The barn quilts really drew our eye and we imagined how nice the matching fabric quilts would be. So glad this is close to home so we can go back and keep exploring.
Enjoyed reading your blog! Lake On The Mountain looks simply awesome. It’s a pity you got only continental breakfast (I don’t like it much). I would love to visit that statue garden. I had not heard of Prince Edward county before, so thanks and I am adding it to my bucket list.:-)
Prince Edward County was a nice surprise for us and so close to home. So much to see and do.
Staying at a winery sounds so nice! I’m sure it’s incredible during fall too!
Sadly we are not at home this year to head back to Prince Edward County for the fall. But I am sure it was delightful. Maybe we will try for winter!
So many things to do on a first stay in Prince Edward County in Ontario! I would especially love the beach scene and the patio dining.
We found so many great outdoor spots to enjoy in Prince Edward County. Great spot to escape this year.
Prince Edward County looks like such a beautiful place! I bet it is magical to see the lavender in bloom! The beach looks so pretty too and I’d love to explore the statue garden. Thanks for the great guide!
Prince Edward County was a great discovery for us. A great getaway from Toronto if you visit.
I love this area of Ontario. I was just there myself earlier this year as my boyfriend’s family live nearby. Wineries and beautiful scenery, not sure what much else you can ask for
There was indeed so much to offer in Prince Edward County. Glad you got to visit this year.
Anyplace that has good wine, beer, and food, I’m in!
You definitely would not be disappointed with the wine, beer and food in Prince Edward County.
Prince Edward County looks beautiful. I love the many wine estates. How relaxing! Interesting to still see two drive-in movie theaters. Glad they still use them.
There were some great things to see and do on our visit to Prince Edward County. We meant to go back and see a movie in the drive in theatre and never made it. Brings back childhood memories for me.
Prince Edward County has a lot to offer. I would focus on wine tasting, and I would like to stay in one of the wineries. It’s such a great idea to find wineries with hotel options. Also, Arts Trail with local studios and galleries with paintings and other crafts seems exciting. I’m also impressed by the Oeno Outdoor Statue Garden. They are unique pieces of modern art.
Art and wineries were definitely a specialty in Prince Edward County so you would find lots to keep you happy on a visit.
It looks as though they still have a drive-in theatre. That is so cool. I wish they were still popular. I have great memories of visiting the drive-in with my family as a little girl. We use to pass by one as we drove home from shopping and I remember turning around in the car to get a brief glimpse of whatever movie was playing.
I too have great memories of drive in movies as a kid. We were sorry we did not get to see a movie on our stay.
I visited PEC a few years ago and we did a winery and a lavender field visit. It is such a nice area. We saw the lake on the mountain which was really nice. Need to go back and see the Sandbanks next summer!! Looks like you guys had such a good time!!
We did love this first visit to Prince Edward County. Hope to do many more trips since it is so close to us in Toronto.
What a great trip – next time, take me with you! My favorite pictures is your husband with the three glasses – he sure had a good time 😀 Besides, I love the sculptures – would sooo enjoy to see them in person. Also, I really appreciate it that you’ve written down the titles and the artists’ names. I hate it when bloggers don’t bother to research these information – as a culture vulture, I’m always curious about those details; so thanx!
I am glad you enjoyed reading about our travels around Prince Edward County. Can’t go wrong with so many tasty options and great art too.
This looks like a beautiful part of Ontario to explore for a few days. It’s a shame about your room at the winery, but it still looked like a lovely place to stay. There are definitely some nice things to do around here!
We loved our visit even if our accommodations were not all we hoped they would be. It was a good base to explore from.
I like your choices of things to do on your first visit in Prince Edward County. Visiting places like Oeno Outdoor Statue Garden and looking for barn quilt are always fun to do while exploring a new place for the first time.
We were surprised at how much interesting art we found on our first visit to Prince Edward County. Would be fun to go back and find more.
The lake on the mountain and stay at winery attract me the most. Amazing place prince edward for sure. I would love to visit the place some day.
We were glad we saw so many different parts of Prince Edward County on our first visit.
This looks great! I have still never been to a vineyard despite being in Western Australia for two weeks as they were all closed so this is still on my bucket list!
We do love to do wine tasting when we travel. We were sorry we missed doing that when we visited Australia too.
I’m planning to visit Prince Edward County next summer for the first time. I;’m definitely stayed at a winery now!
You will love a visit to Prince Edward County. We had a small taste test but are happy we live in Toronto and can visit again.
Prince Edward county sounds like fun. Am all game for a wine stay and those art pieces look really nice. Very contemporary. I am quite curious on why it is called Prince Edward county. And yes, a lot of macro photography with those flowers.
I am really not sure how Prince Edward County got its name. Will have to look that up! So may things to keep us engaged on our first visit.
I think my first stop would be the winery hah! It looks very nice and I have always been a huge fan of finding wineries while on vacation in order to try different flavors. The hike also looks nice from your pictures!
There are so many great wineries in Prince Edward County I am sure you would find something you liked.
Indeed, there seem to be quite a few things to do in Prince Edward County, Ontario. I never stayed at a winery before, but I think it’s a good idea considering that you won’t have to drive after you do the wine testing, lol! It’s wonderful that you stopped at a lavender farm too. I always wanted to visit one.
It was nice to have wine tasting and a great outdoor art gallery right at the winery we stayed at. M
Prince Edward County looks so green and fantastic to spend a long weekend in. Such a mix of things to do as well!
It was a great first visit to Prince Edward County. We know we will find lots to see and do for many return trips.
First time I hear of Barn Quilts, but pretty cool idea. They should have them everywhere. Beer & wine tasting is always fun, of course, and how lovely they’ve got so many art galleries.
We loved the variety we found in Prince Edward County. And only scratched the surface on our first visit. So many good reasons to go back.
This is very timely since we’re going to Ontario next month. Love the idea of staying at a winery as we also plan to do some wine tasting. Thank you for sharing your experience at The Huff Inn. We will try to see other options.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Ontario. There is just so much to see. I will be interested to see where your itinerary takes you. Hopefully you will get a mix of city and country experiences.