Everything I Did On A Ridiculously Lovely Girls’ Weekend In Prince Edward County
A view over the Grange Winery. (Photo: James Hodgins / The Grange Winery)
Prince Edward County is, depending on how much of a stickler you are for geography, a peninsula separated from southeastern Ontario by only a 15-metre wide canal or an island. Either way, you can drive to it from Toronto in less than three hours, and, with some 500 kilometres of shoreline along Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte, it definitely feels like an island.
And, in the years since its first modern wineries opened in the early 2000s, it’s become a major draw for visitors (and for permanent residents ditching the city for country living). That’s because PEC, or the County, is filled with rolling farmland, picturesque small towns and lots of wineries, breweries and amazing places to eat. I spent a weekend there with a friend in late October. We’d both been before, but it was our first girls’ trip together—and we had an insanely good time.
Why Prince Edward County is a great girls’ trip destination
- Those early wineries have spurred the development of what is now one of Canada’s leading wine regions, and Ontario’s northernmost. Surrounded by the waters of Lake Ontario, its limestone-rich soil makes for a beautiful minerality (PEC is especially known for its cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay). With nearly 40 wineries, 10 craft breweries and a host of distillers and cider makers packed into an area that’s about an hour’s drive from widest point to widest point, it’s easy to explore. PEC Wines has a map of all its member wineries for planning your itinerary, and there are also a variety of wine and beer tours you can join.
- Want to get outside? There are plenty of beautiful natural areas to explore, from beloved provincial park Sandbanks, known for its sandy dunes, to the Millenium Trail, a flat multi-use path on a former rail line that runs 46 km across the County.
- If you’d rather relax, there are plenty of lower-key options, including several spas of both the classic and nordic variety, and lots of cute little boutiques to check out, as well as new cultural venues.
Where to stay
The Royal Hotel
A thoughtful, gorgeous restoration turned a formerly dilapidated 1879 hotel on Picton’s pretty main street into a luxurious destination. (You can check out before and afters in this Instagram post to get a sense of the depth of the work done.) The Royal is made up of two adjacent buildings—the original hotel and the Annex, a former stable (the only evidence of its past life is a series of historical photographs and a vintage horse quilt). Our room was in the main building, overlooking the historic movie theatre across the street and the hills beyond. There were chocolate cookies waiting for us in our room upon arrival (so good I begged for the recipe). We chilled out thanks to an in-room fireplace and giant bathtub; at bedtime, a turndown service prepped our room with our choice of Saje essential oil diffusers. In the morning, after an excellent sleep and a hearty breakfast, we used the small but well-stocked gym, which has Peloton bikes and a treadmill, and checked out the basement sauna and spa. There’s also a petite but lovely heated pool at the back that was still open in late October.
The June Motel
For our second night in PEC, we headed to this stylishly revamped former motel, which overlooks Highway 33 and Picton Bay. We arrived to a complimentary glass of local rosé from a welcoming concierge, and sipped it on lounge chairs by the outdoor fire pit. The motel’s press kit describes the decor as having “serious plant lady vibes,” which is totally accurate—everything is extremely Instagrammable, down to the “la vie en rosé” neon sign and rose wallpaper in our room. Our double room was upstairs, with a small balcony overlooking the sunset over the water. Both beds were extremely comfortable; in the morning we drank coffee out of pink mugs in the lobby and ate chocolate-chip scones. And, judging from the clientele, we were far from the only girls’ trip there that weekend.
How to get there
PEC is a three-hour drive from Ottawa and Toronto; an hour from Kingston or about four hours from Montreal.
When to go
Summer is peak season; spring and fall are a bit quieter but there’s still lots to do. Most wineries are open year-round, albeit with reduced hours during the winter, when snow can make it trickier to get around, and some accommodations—including the June Motel—close down for winter.
What to pack
Totes for all the excellent local food, wine, beer and merch you’ll inevitably want to bring home. Comfy shoes and a swimsuit if you want to check out any of the spas, and a book to read poolside.
Where to eat
The Royal
Even if you’re not staying here, the Royal is a County dining destination. We ate dinner in the back dining room—in warm weather, it opens up to the verdant terrace and pool—overlooking a bustle of activity in the open kitchen. Executive chef Albert Ponzo sources many of his ingredients directly from the organic Edwin County Farms and other local growers. We started with a glass of sparkling Hinterland wine and tasted our way through an Italian-inflected menu filled with fall flavours, including carabaccia (Tuscan onion soup, garnished with straciatella). We both went for squash for our mains—a decadent fresh pasta dish and equally decadent pizza topped with squash, walnuts, gorgonzola and honey from the chef’s family farm. It’s also well worth a visit for morning breakfast or brunch, served in a sun-drenched room at the front of the hotel. (I had an exquisite house-cured gravlax on sourdough rye and several oat milk lattes.)
Gather
The restaurant at Wander the Spa—more on that later—is an airy, light-filled space overlooking the lake that specializes in food inspired by the world but sourced as locally as possible. When we visited, it was the fall edition of Countylicious (there’s also a spring one), which sees participating local restaurants offering prix-fixe menus. (Here it was two courses for $40.) I took the chill off with a roasted miso squash bisque and hearty whipped ricotta ziti.
The Grange
I already knew and loved the Grange’s wines—it makes one of my all-time favourite rosés, and stocks the bar at Toronto’s Massey Hall—so it was lovely to visit and try side-by-side comparisons of the wines. One of the coolest tasting experiences was trying the same grape varietal, cabernet franc, in two different wines: the 2023 Estate Series Cabernet Franc and the hand-picked 2023 Aurelia Cabernet Franc. Both were good, but the Estate had much more of cab franc’s greener, peppery notes and the hand-picked one was smoother with deeper berry flavours. The Grange also has an updated food menu; we stopped for a warming Sunday Countylicious prix-fixe lunch in the renovated barn where many of the wines are made and cellared.
Drink
Trail Estate
I’m happy to support organic wineries, and this low-intervention one relies on wild yeast and regenerative farming practices. Orange wines can be divisive, but when they’re done well—as they are at Trail, one of the pioneers of the style in Canada—they’re excellent. We took home a pet-nat, the appropriately named “OG” orange wine and the very, very crushable Jus Rouge, a blend of cab franc and sauvignon; riesling; and muscat.
Matron
I love this Bloomfield brewery for its low-ABV, but full-flavoured beers and emphasis on local ingredients. Housed in a rustic-modern building with lots of tables and board games, it’s complete with an elegant grey cat surveying customers from a perch on the counter. The Pony—a 1.5% ABV pilsner—was a nice way to get in on the beer tasting without falling asleep.
Slake
“I love Slake,” our EIC said when I told her about our itinerary. And my friend had been before and insisted on a visit, which was fine with me since I’d already tried and liked their beers. Perched in a modern glass building with a panoramic view over the farmland below, Slake brews ales, lagers and mixed-fermentation oak-aged beers—something for everyone. My friend tells me that late afternoon/evening is the best time to go so you can linger until after the stunner sunset.
Explore
Wander the Spa
Seriously, what girls’ trip would be complete without a trip to a nordic spa? This one is on a lakefront, to boot. We donned fluffy white robes and headed to the sauna, followed by a cool plunge under a waterfall (a pool with cooler water, as opposed to freezing cold) which I liked more than the cold plunge, which I also did, but by myself, then scurried to the huge hot tub.
Base31
A decommissioned Air Force base turned cultural hub, the sprawling Base31 has everything from food trucks to a bar to an escape room. But we hit it up for the concert venue, in a former drill hall, called, appropriately, Drill Hall (the floor still had gymnasium-like markings from its former life). I didn’t expect the sound in the cavernous space to be as crisp and clear as it was, but the show we took in as part of the Art of Song Festival—Canadian singer-songwriters Allison Russell and Julian Taylor—was beautiful. Beforehand, we noshed on jicama fries and hot cider dosed with rye outside by a warming lamp.
Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory
PEPtBO operates a bird banding station during spring and fall migration, and visitors are welcome. Volunteers catch and band birds, who are then released (unharmed!), allowing researchers to track and monitor the health of wild bird populations. Birds with the observatory's bands have been recaptured as far south as North Carolina. To my great chagrin, a special night owl banding program—Starry Nights With Saw Whets—was sold out. But we visited at the tail end of fall migration early on a Sunday morning and got to see cedar waxwings (an incredibly elegant bird with red-tipped wax on its wings, thus the name) being banded, and check out the station and its view of the lake.
Shopping
County Arts Lab in The Armory
Right across from The Royal, we found a pop-up event, Get Cozy, located in the County Arts Lab in the Armory, a 1913 building that's been recently updated. It featured local textile artists who knit, crochet and repurpose beautiful objects like it’s nobody’s business. The space regularly hosts events, classes and exhibitions showcasing the creativity and talent that exists in the County.
Kokito
This treasure trove of a boutique is located on Bloomfield’s main thoroughfare and focusses on local and Canadian makers. For me, the real draw was the big selection of made-in-Canada wool blankets from the Prince Edward Island mill MacAuslands. I bought a queen-sized blanket for my bed and it is toasty and amazing.
Savon du Bois
Trained perfumer and aromatherapist Anne du Bois sells an array of beautifully scented, natural body products and perfumes, all handmade in the back of her storefront. Each of her line of scents tells a story, from the vanilla, patchouli and spice Midnight Rendezvous to the basil and white grapefruit Summer Daydream to the early-morning juniper and bergamot of Into the Woods (my favourite). She’s even created a bespoke line of products for Mirazule, PEC’s newest luxury hotel. I loved the body lotions and rich body butters, as well as the 3-in-1 shampoo, face and body bar, which is not only a luxurious bar to keep in your shower but great for sending with my kids to camp (one soap container/product! Phew!)
Cylinder Studio
Just down the street from Savon du Bois, this shop similarly features one artist’s creations—this time in clay. My friend couldn’t resist the soap dish; I just barely resisted the tea bowls (but they are going on my Christmas list).
Books & Company
I had trouble tearing my friend Janina, a serious bookstore connoisseur, from this one on Picton’s main drag. “I love a big airy bookstore bustling with people and helpful staff,” she says. “I need at least another hour with the Works in Translation shelves.”
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Born in London, Ont., Gillian was Chatelaine’s former deputy editor, digital. She has also worked at Toronto Life and the National Post. Gillian cares deeply about fighting climate change and loves birds, sad lady singers, bikes, baking and wide-legged denim. She lives in Toronto's east end with her partner, two children and Rosie, her very exuberant Bouvier des Flandres.
