Mini Break in Prince Edward County
A mini break is a short adventure designed to do a quick reset and definitely inspire. Given the pandemic and the slow return to travel, my summer will be filled with mini breaks/staycations! The first of the series: Hello PEC. It was my third visit and just as charming as the first! The County keeps getting cuter with every year! Here’s a glimpse at the highlights.
The Welsh House
The Welsh House was the perfect answer for my family. Located in Picton, is had three lovely bedrooms and a whimsical look’n’feel that helped us immerse quickly in the county lifestyle. We truly enjoyed walking to restaurants, boutiques and cafes, and the short rides to Sandbanks and nearby towns of Wellington and Bloombury. That being said, I did miss the evening lakeside fires and wilderness of Cressy Bayside.
Farm to Table Goodness
The food scene in PEC is magnificent! We were fortunate to experience the wood-fired pizzas of 555 Brewing Co and delicious Robbie’s Fish and Asparagus soup at Hartleys Tavern. Our last supper consisted of fresh pasta & focaccia from Onesta picked up at the Picton Farmers Market on Sunday. This combined with basil microgreens from the Elmbrook Farm.
Beachy Vibes, Good Birds & Water Snakes
My last two trips were in the Fall and were filled with wineries, this time we chose to spend our afternoon at the beach. If you are with kids or seniors and prefer calm and cleaner waters + less crowd – head towards Outlet beach and continue all the way to the left until you hit the campground. Park at the very end where you see a flat entrance to the beach, the change rooms and washrooms are a few steps away. You will need to get there early for parking, there is also a mini parking for boats that can accommodate a few cars. I spent many hours walking through the clear refreshing shallow waters. It almost feels like the sea – but it’s lake Ontario, the smallest of the 5 Great Lakes.
If crowded areas are not your thing, we discovered two beaches which felt almost…secret! Both of these discoveries were on short birding excursions. The first was a spot on John Ruddy’s list of the Eastern Birding Ontario. Follow county road 24 to the very end where it meets Army Reserve Road – there will be a place to park your car and a narrow path. Follow the path for around 2 minutes and you will hit the most magical rocky beach. At this point you can continue walking, settle down and stare out at the endless lake or take you binoculars out in hopes of spotting a yellow legged cuckoo.
The next spot I am taking you is quite famous in the Spring and Fall with birders and migratory movements. Heads towards Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area’s Bird Observatory , right before your destination you will see access signs to a beach – it is tiny but quite inviting if you don’t mind water snakes (yes, we saw one). Note: Water Snakes will not harm you and likely slither away upon human detection. They prefer rocky beaches so if this terrifies you, stick to Sandbanks.
Tasting Time
If you visit PEC, do carve out some time to taste local wine and ciders! The experience itself is quite relaxing and unique and sure to be memorable. We stumbled on 3 dogs winery on the way in (just after the bridge) – I shared a flight of summer whites with my Mom and quite enjoyed the Riesling. On our return (via the ferry), we dropped by the Waupoos Estates Winery, ate our home made sandwiches with local fare along with fresh cut fries from the cutest food truck and I slowly sipped on a pint of Clafeld Cider House Honeycrisp. The view was stunning and it felt so relaxing to be amongst the endless fields.
A short 4-day escape – kind of wish it had been 7. Mini breaks are great to inspire and delight, but I felt like I was truly starting to unwind on day 4. One thing for sure is that PEC is full of adventures and surprises.
