natural beauty
WHERE TO PLAY
Millennium Trail
Sandbanks Provincial Park
Sandbanks Provincial Park is best known for its expansive sandy beaches, campgrounds and cottages. The world’s largest bay-mouth barrier dune formation, Sandbanks beaches change formation regularly. If you’re craving a Caribbean vibe, Sandbanks’s three beaches give you the same white sand and turquoise waters without hopping on a plane. Photo Credit: (left) Vaughan Group; (birdhouses) iStock/Igor Nietkov; (Redford images) Christine Reid. This provincial park gets quite busy in the summer, so book your vehicle permit for day use or campgrounds well in advance.
3004 County Rd. 12 RR #1, Picton, Ont.
ontarioparks.com/park/ sandbanks
WHERE TO SIP & NOSH
Parsons Brewery
Whether you’re a wine aficionado or craft beer enthusiast, The County features more than 35 winemakers and a plethora of farm-to-pint craft beers, like bitter IPAs, easy-drinking saisons and strong stouts. A favourite for craft beers is family-owned-and-operated Parsons Brewing Company in Picton. Situated on a wide stretch of farm-like property, Parsons includes a kitchen, large patio, various miniaactivity areas like a fire pit, table tennis, tetherball and horseshoes, and, of course, its renowned taproom. The Parsons kitchen features a culturally diverse, farm-totable menu of yumminess including dishes like butter chicken,mushroom empanadas, charred bok choy and smash burgers. At the same time, its bar pours a wide selection of IPAs, stouts and more brewed in-house, including its Crushable Pilsner and Sunkissed Grape Ale.
876 County Rd. 49, Picton, Ont. parsonsbrewing.com
Waupoos Winery
Waupoos Estates Winery was Prince Edward County’s very first winery. Today Waupoos is a stunning 100-acre waterfront estate that includes 20 acres of vineyard, a 10-acre apple orchard, five acres of hazelnuts, a gourmet chocture olate shop, a market store and even an operating farm where they raise beef, pork, goat, lamb and poultry. They also grow vegetables and herbs for their onsite farmto- table restaurant. While the stunning view of the vineyards and Lake Ontario is an excellent reason for visiting Waupoos, their delicious international award-winning wines has visitors coming back year over year.
3016 County Rd. 8, Picton, Ont.
waupooswinery.com
WHERE TO EXPLORE
Birdhouse City
Combine the sweet sound of birds singing with abit of heritage and a pinch of whimsy, and you have BirdhouseCity. This miniature community of handcrafted birdhouses is set in the Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area just outside of Picton. With roughly 100 birdhouses that depict some of Prince Edward County’s most historic buildings and recognizable structures such as Crystal Palace and the Salmon Point Lighthouse (there’s even a miniature McDonalds with its very own“fly-through” for birds), this adorable bird village attracts a wide variety of feathered friends from purple martins,wrens and bluebirds, to chickadees and tree swallows.
224 CountyRd. 8, Picton, Ont.instagram.com/birdhouse_citypec
WHERE TO STAY
Redford on the Bay
Surrounded by forests and manicured gardens, Redford on the Bay combines cottage charm with a hint of urban style. Sitting on 1.8 acres of lush land with a large dock, private hot tub and fire pit, what makes this AirBnB in Quinte West even more compelling is its stylish architecture: A-frame ceilings, craftily decorated sleeping quarters and floor-to-ceiling windows for an abundance of sunlight and a fantastic view of the clear waterfront.
Cooke Armstrong Road, Quinte West, Ont.
instagram.com/redford_on.the.bay
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