Of Wine and Romantic Getaways

I’ve been a little quiet on my social media channels this week, but I have a really good excuse: my husband and I took a two-day mini vacation–our first time away together in four years. And it. Was. Bliss. 🙂

We went to Prince Edward County, a region of Ontario about 2 1/2 hours southwest of Ottawa. The County is actually an island in Lake Ontario (one of the Great Lakes), and though it’s separated from the mainland only by the narrowest strip of water, it retains a unique culture and feel–almost as if time itself moves at a different pace.

The coolest cab EVER. :)
The coolest cab EVER. 🙂

This was our second visit to the area. Our first was, coincidentally enough, four years ago (we really need to take vacations more often!)…and we found little had changed in that time. My favorite way to arrive in the County is by ferry at the easternmost entry point (there are four bridges as well). There’s just something about a boat, even if you’re only on it for about five minutes. 🙂

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Much of the island is still farmed, and the County produces its own cheeses, beef, Muscovy ducks, the usual wealth of seasonal produce, and some of the best wines I’ve ever had. As of 2012, there were 34 wineries in the region, making for great wine touring. 🙂

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Overlooking the vineyards…can’t you just imagine sitting out here with a chilled white in hand?
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The grounds at the Devil’s Wishbone Winery.
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Outdoor tasting area…and a gorgeous day for being there.

Because we got rather an early start on day 2 in the County, we headed for the famous Sandbanks Beach Provincial park for a couple of hours before hitting the wine trail (apparently 10 a.m. is too early for wine…pfft! 😉 ). 

Climbing the dunes to get to the beach.
Climbing the dunes to get to the beach.
The bluest skies & the whitest sands...you'd swear you were oceanside!
The bluest skies & the whitest sands…you’d swear you were oceanside!
First glimpse of Lake Ontario from the top of the dunes.
First glimpse of Lake Ontario from the top of the dunes.
The most incredible variations of blue!
The most incredible variations of blue!

Other highlights of the trip (we managed to cram quite a bit into two days!):

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Spotted this while window-shopping along Main Street in Picton — it made me think of my flock friends in the I Smell Sheep Facebook group! 😉
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Dinner on the patio of The Inn at the Lake on the Mountain…where the food & service were as wonderful as the setting!
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View of the mainland.
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Lunch beside a little marina in Wellington (population 1,700). It didn’t look like much from the outside, but the view was lovely and they served one of the best salads I’ve ever had (the County is famous for its food offerings as well as its wines)!

The County is in Loyalist country, with a rich and fascinating history that dates back to Canada’s earliest beginnings. 

Our bedroom at Brown's Manor, a B&B in a home that dates back to the 1890s.
Our bedroom at Brown’s Manor in Picton (largest town in the County with a population of 4,000), a B&B in a home that dates back to the 1890s. Highly recommended as a place to stay if you’re in the area!
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Old graveyards dot the countryside — the stones in this one dated back to the early 1800s.

There is so much to explore, and even with all that we did, we managed only a tiny fraction. We could both have stayed much, much longer — and you can bet it won’t be another four years til our next visit. We’re already talking about making it our 2015 anniversary destination…especially since we’ll have run out of wine by then! 😉


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Comments

10 responses to “Of Wine and Romantic Getaways”

  1. photojaq Avatar

    Wow, what an amazing mini-vacation! Thanks for the photos which are – like they say – worth 1,000 words in themselves.

    1. Linda Avatar
      Linda

      I’m so glad you like the photos! I love my iPhone… 😉

  2. sharonstogner Avatar

    Wow, what a beautiful place! I’ve got travel envy 🙂

    1. Linda Avatar
      Linda

      If you ever have the chance, Sharon, I highly recommend it. Truly gorgeous. 🙂

  3. daniharper1 Avatar
    daniharper1

    Wow, what a great vacation! I miss spots like this in Ontario (I was a kid there, my folks still live just off Lake Erie). It brought back a lot of memories to see the SAND DUNES, as well as the old cemeteries!!! Thanks for sharing this. 🙂

    1. Linda Avatar
      Linda

      You’re most welcome, Dani! I’m glad you enjoyed. 🙂

  4. Laura Byrne Paquet Avatar

    You hit a lot of my favourite places–including Lake on the Mountain and the ferry!

    1. Linda Avatar
      Linda

      So many, many favourites, Laura…I seriously can’t wait to go back! 🙂

  5. Brian McDaniels Avatar

    Beautiful, but you must do that more often, say at least twice a year.

    1. Linda Avatar
      Linda

      I totally agree, Brian! Now if only the budget would cooperate… 😉

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