Prince Edward County Getaway- Wineries, Cider, Nature and…Cars?
If you have ever contemplated buying a convertible car and wondering if it is worth it, here is an idea of how to enjoy the “top-down” experience.
Discover the best route from Ottawa for a fantastic 3-day itinerary to Prince Edward County. Prince Edward County boasts wineries, cideries, bird sanctuaries, and other things to do to enjoy the perfect weekend escape.
Have you ever been on a road trip through farm fields, river valleys, and forest stands? Now imagine that trip on narrow, winding, twisting backroads with limited traffic, the top-down, and the wind in your hair? That is the experience of driving a convertible car on a beautiful summer’s day.
Having the Right Car
After purchasing a Miata in 2018, we decided to join the local car club. We wanted to meet some people with similar interests in cars and the sports side of driving them. As a large car club in Ottawa, many opportunities were provided to do both. Day trips were organized in the local area, including weekly ice cream runs to favorite ice cream stands. More extended multi-day tours were also available (pre-COVID).
All trips provided a social atmosphere, lots of fun, and an excuse to drive in a convertible sports car. Having the right car made most trips more enjoyable outdoors and in the sunshine.
The multi-day tours were quite popular as they allowed us to spend more time with other club members and got to know them a little better. The most popular tour was the three-day/two-night tour to Prince Edward County. After all, who could not pass up visiting local wineries?
Where is Prince Edward County?
Prince Edward County is an island-like region in southern Ontario with the Bay of Quinte to the North and east and Lake Ontario on the west and southern coasts. It is about a three-hour drive (direct) from both Toronto to the west and Ottawa to the northeast, and Montreal is about 4 hours away to the east. Due to its proximity to water, the region has a more temperate climate, which makes it ideal for grape growing. There are approximately fifty vineyards and thirty wineries in the area, and many have wine tours and tasting options.
Day 1 Itinerary – Prince Edward County
The premise behind a weekend escape with a sports car is to have a nice drive through some twisty-turny roads, try some local foods, visit some wineries, tour through the countryside, and have some fun. The beautiful towns and villages from Ottawa to Prince Edward County are peaceful and intriguing.
The three-day tour started in the south end of Manotick, meeting at the Black Swan restaurant at the corner of Roger Stevens Drive (County Rd.#6) and River Road (County Rd. # 19). From there, we headed west over the Rideau River along Roger Stevens Rd. and made our way towards Smiths Falls.
Pro Tip – This tour is exceptional in the fall where the autumn colors shine through on these winding roads.
Smiths Falls – Home of Canopy Growth
Smiths Falls is the home of Canopy Growth, a prominent cannabis manufacturer. When I was a child, Hershey’s chocolate owned this manufacturing plant. When you completed a tour of the facilities, you received a free sample. Canopy Growth does not give out free samples if you were wondering.
2023 Update - this plant has now been re-purchased by Hershey and will be refurbished back to a food-based facility over the next few years. As I understand it, it will not be open to the public for tastings this time around though.
Through much of the day’s itinerary, the roads have been relatively flat, although there were some turns as the route follows the river in many places.
After Smiths falls, Highway 15 takes you south of the town, where you will find Rideau Ferry Road. Now the fun begins as this region of Ontario starts to twist and turn as it goes around several bodies of water and the hills and valleys between them. A true dream for any sports car enthusiast. The more turns and hills, the better! Put the pedal to the metal and give the clutch a workout.
Narrows Lock 35
The first official stop is at Rideau Canal Narrows Lock 35. This canal was created in the 1820s to access Upper and Lower Rideau Lake. It wasn’t easy to navigate with fluctuating water levels at certain times of the year. They had to create a dam to enlarge the lake to have enough water to operate a lock system for the plan to work. The dam created Upper Rideau Lake as it is known today.
Along the top of this dam lies Narrow Locks Road. Along the edge of the road, there is an excellent shoulder, and there is room to pull over and view the lakes on either side. This shoulder provided the perfect opportunity for our sports cars to line up for a photo op. The men who started construction on the locks initially lived in the Blockhouse. Later it became the lockmaster’s home. Today, it houses public restrooms as many people use the surrounding grounds for summer picnics.
Newboro
The village of Newboro is a short drive away from the Narrows Lock and became our lunch stop today. With 12 cars and 24 people, the group made reservations at the Stirling Lodge. Initially built for fishers over 150 years ago, the Stirling Lodge provides accommodation, food, and other services for the vacationer.
Three dining areas are available for guests and the public:
A Post and Beam Dining room
An English Pub
A small verandah for private groups
We were afforded the verandah on this day. Menu items are typical pub fare and are priced accordingly.
Next door is Kilborn’s on the Rideau, a multi-level shopping extravaganza you must experience. This store is packed full of home/kitchen decor, jewelry, a large selection of women’s clothing, men’s clothing, western boots/clothing, a children’s toy section, and food items. Be sure to try their fantastic raspberry scones! Plan on spending at least an hour. Don’t worry, guys; there are plenty of chairs available while you wait for the ladies to shop.
Opinicon Road
After a good lunch and a little shop time, make your way to Caffey’s Lock Road, which turns into Opinicon Road. This road is the epitome of road tripping with a Miata! These small sports cars were meant to drive on this type of road. The road is narrow, winding, hilly, and, in many places, lies under a canopy of lush green trees. You never know what is beyond the next bend or what might jump out at you. The speed limit is 60 km/hr, but you will be hard-pressed to keep it there.
Wilton Cheese Factory
After several twists and turns through the backroads of eastern Ontario, we arrived in the village of Wilton for a quick stop at the Wilton Cheese factory. This cheese factory has been around since 1867 in its current location. Currently, it offers seven varieties of cheddar cheese and five specialty kinds of cheese, such as brick with hot pepper and Colby. Purchasing some light cheddar was a planned activity to be enjoyed with the wine later in the evening.
The Waring House Hotel – Prince Edward County
After a short break to pick up our cheese, we arrived at The Waring House Inn for our two-night stay. This hotel is listed as one of the best places to stay in Prince Edward County. Since there were 12 cars in our group, they provided a designated parking area for us cordoned off from the remainder of the parking lot. Once we were all checked into our rooms by pleasant and enthusiastic staff, we assembled into a semi-private lobby area in our building. We proceeded to enjoy our pre-dinner “happy hour.”
Caution – Be sure to book ahead as they are well-known for weddings in the summer months.
After a relaxing drink, many headed over to the Inn’s bar and lounge for live entertainment and casual dining. We had spent the better part of the day in the car on day 1 of our itinerary and needed a break to prepare for the next day’s adventures.
Day 2 – Itinerary – Prince Edward County
Amelia’s Garden is a bright and airy back room perfect for having your morning coffee and breakfast to start the day. Doors lead outside to a beautiful garden that boasts in-season flowers, which are used in the menu items. Following breakfast, we removed the roofs on our cars and proceeded to leave the single Inn file in a parade-like fashion.
Suppose you have never been a part of a car group. In that case, you might be interested to know that each car carries a CB radio to keep abreast of the whereabouts of the other drivers. A tour leader calls out the turns and stops, and a tour sweep follows, making sure all cars are still with the group. We try to stay close enough together so that “tin tops” (regular vehicles) do not come between the open-air convertibles.
Prince Edward County Bird observatory and Point Traverse Lighthouse
The day’s first stop was at the Bird Observatory and Point Traverse lighthouse at the easternmost tip of Prince Edward County. I know you are probably wondering where the wineries are. Well, at 9:30 am, drinking wine did not really seem appropriate, so we had to come up with another attraction to visit.
This lighthouse is in a protected National Wildlife area. It is a lovely walk-in for some early morning exercise. You never know what kind of birds or wildlife will be there. After an early lunch at the Waupoos Pub Market and Eatery and some shopping for Cressy Mustard, we were on our way to the scheduled tour of the Country Cider Company.
Waupoos Country Cider Company
This Cider company is technically known as an estate winery, but they have made hard ciders since 1995. The ciders are crafted from the best apples grown locally and 100% juice. Being on the shores of Prince Edward Bay, the farm has been producing award-winning apples since 1850 because of the temperate climate.
The tasting area is in an old stone building with a barn-like structure on the top characteristic of a world gone by. There can be lineups for tastings on a hot summer day, but there are some pleasant sitting areas while you wait. There are seven cider varieties available, with some being sold at the LCBO (liquor store) while others only sold on-site. My favorite was the pear cider.
Waupoos Estate Winery
Not far away and located on the waterfront is the Waupoos Estate Winery, which was the first winery in Prince Edward County. The vineyards were planted in 1993 and currently cover over 20 acres yielding 18 varieties. Waupoos added the wine cellar and retail store later. They provided a means to purchase award-winning wines and wine-related gifts—a beautiful restaurant built near the water where a Farm-to-Table menu is available for a casual dining experience.
Wine tastings are available in the citrus grove tasting area. I would highly recommend the flight of four samples for $10. If you have the munchies, charcuterie boards are available if you so desire.
Following our winery tour and tasting, we headed back to the Waring House for a pre-dinner Happy hour followed by a lovely, prepared dinner in their private meeting room upstairs at the restaurant.
Day 3 Itinerary – Prince Edward County
Following a lovely buffet breakfast, we said goodbye to The Waring House. We started our final day in Prince Edward County.
Hagerman Farms
Being a Sunday morning, we had to take a break from wine to visit a local farm for fresh produce and baked goods. It just so happened that Mary Hagerman is a member of our car group so that we could have an in-depth tour of the Hagerman Farms facilities. There were lots of carrots, zucchini, green and yellow string beans, and more for sale. Being in September, the pumpkin was the most popular item. Behind the produce stand is a small bakery. The farm is a must-see in Prince Edward County if you like fresh produce.
Sandbanks Winery
Situated along the shores of Lake Ontario, Sandbanks Winery was started in 2001. Sandbanks offer a tasting room and a boutique, and some beautiful picnic areas. Special events are offered at certain times of the year, including making your charcuterie board or festive wreath. Most events include a glass of wine. Be forewarned; this is some of the best wine in Prince Edward County. My favorites are the Baco Noir and Dunes red. (Yes, we bought several bottles!)
Huff Estates
The final stop in Prince Edward County was the Huff Estates Winery. Here we had some scheduled tastings as well as a lovely lunch in their quaint restaurant. As this is one of the larger wineries in the region, they also have a small hotel. The restaurant is in a covered patio area just off the tasting area but is seasonally operated.
Although the facilities at this winery look spectacular, I found the wines were not as good as either Sandbanks or Waupoos.
On the Way Home
So, after spending a lovely lunch at Huff Estates, our 3-day itinerary to Prince Edward County was ending. The trip back to Ottawa was upon us. Many in our group chose to take a quick way home, which involved Highway 401 and 416, but others like us decided to take the more scenic route.
We left Prince Edward County and drove east towards Napanee, then headed north on Highway 41 to Kaladar. Once on the provincial Highway 7, headed east to Perth and Smiths Falls. These are perfect roads for driving with the top-down and the wind in our hair. We could enjoy the early fall colors winding through the bending roads throughout this lake region with little traffic. Arriving in Ottawa later in the afternoon allowed us to make a quick stop in Merrickville for some ice cream.
Whether you decide to visit Prince Edward County on a 3-day itinerary from Ottawa or if you are on a day trip from Toronto or Montreal, the wineries, cideries, farms, and nature preserves will be waiting for you.
If you are looking for a winter getaway, try Niagara falls in the Winter.