Prince Edward County

A pastoral peninsula on the shore of Lake Ontario, dotted with wineries and farm-to-table restaurants; the dune-backed beaches of Sandbanks Provincial Park are among the most popular in Ontario.

Prince Edward County (known locally as simply "the County") is a peninsula on the northeastern shore of Lake Ontario, ringed by bays and surrounded by water on almost every side. It lies about 220 km east of Toronto and about 70 km west of Kingston. The county is mostly farmland, orchards and vineyards, scattered with Victorian-style towns such as Picton, Bloomfield and Wellington, and over the past two decades it has become one of eastern Canada's most popular wine and food getaways. The lake moderates the climate: summers are warm (around 25°C) and good for swimming, with peak season running Jun–Sep; Sep–Oct is grape harvest and festival season, when fall colours and apple orchards are just as appealing; winters are cold, and many wineries and restaurants cut back their hours. The main draws: first, wine tasting, with more than 40 wineries clustered along Highway 33 between Hillier and Wellington; second, the beaches, including Sandbanks Provincial Park on the south shore with its large lakeside dunes, rare in Ontario (covered in this guide under the Kingston and Thousand Islands entry), plus North Beach Provincial Park and the free public beach in Wellington; third, small towns and countryside, from Picton's Main Street and Bloomfield's craft shops to the 46 km Millennium Trail built along a former railway line, ideal for cycling; and fourth, Lake on the Mountain and the Glenora Ferry in the east, and the Little Bluff cliffs and birding spots in the south. Getting there: public transport is very limited, so you'll essentially need a car. It's about 2.5 hours from Toronto via Highway 401 and about 1 hour from Kingston (optionally via the free Glenora Ferry); the nearest VIA Rail station is in Belleville, where you'll need to rent a car. Plan on 2–3 days; book accommodation and popular restaurants ahead for summer and fall weekends, and for wine tasting arrange a designated driver or join a winery tour. Summer day passes for Sandbanks and other provincial parks must be reserved online in advance.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries