If you were born and raised in Kingston, Prince Edward County may spark memories of beach days at Sandbanks. Now, Prince Edward County is the hub of incredible farm-to-table food, top-notch breweries and wineries and trendy bed and breakfasts for all to enjoy. In the summer it’s packed with people ready to be charmed by its quaint beauty. But just because the leaves have changed, that doesn’t mean we should abandon our plans to flee to PEC. Fall is also a great time to take a trip to the County. Room rates are lower in the down season and it’s less crowded!
That’s why when I was invited for an overnight stay, I didn’t hesitate to say yes to the opportunity. So, what’s so special about PEC in November when the trees are bare and coats and toques are basically mandatory? Countylicious. Eleven County restaurants participate in this special culinary experience that allows diners to eat a three course meal at a fixed price ($20/lunch and $40/dinner) to highlight the bounty of the local harvest.
My husband and I visited with our baby this weekend and it was nice to get out of town without having to travel too far! Let me take you through what we got up to.
Saturday afternoon we left after baby’s first nap and took the scenic route down Bath road to the Glenora Ferry. It runs every 30 minutes this time of year, but I always appreciate the view even if it eats up a bit of time! Bonus, Lake on the Mountain Brewing Company is right on the other side — perfect place to start our Prince Edward County adventure. They run a beautiful open fire in the back room, have fresh seasoned popcorn and games like dominos and jenga for patrons to play while sampling flights. A very chill vibe and delicious beer, too!
Thanks to a text from a friend who happened to spot us on our way out of Lake on the Mountain Brewing Company, our next stop is Parson’s Brewery to meet them for a pint. A very family-friendly spot (note, a family washroom with a change table), my husband happily sips their Crushable Pilsner and we snack on chips and guac while catching up.
We drive through Picton and head to Bloomfield to check into our hotel, Angeline’s Inn. The last time we stayed here was to celebrate our wedding anniversary a couple of years ago before the days of pack ‘n’ plays and diaper bags. This time we are set up in the Coach House Loft which is a stand alone unit, the first floor is equipped with a kitchenette, dining table, living room and bathroom while upstairs has a King size bed and sitting room. This well-decorated layout (so many fabulous rugs and blankets!) works great for us to set up our pack ‘n’ play downstairs and head upstairs without worrying we’d wake the baby. For guests with older kids or friends that want to split the cost, there is also a pull out couch on the main floor.
After check-in, we head to our Countylicious dinner at County Canteen – an Australian-inspired restaurant that offers proteins I didn’t even know were available in Canada.Trigger warning for my vegan readers, my husband leaned into the experience with a crocodile app and kangaroo main. He loved it. This is the best part of Countylicious, it allows restaurants to showcase what they are great at and guests to step outside of their comfort zone for an affordable price.
Sunday morning we catch up on our current Netflix binge upstairs in the loft while the baby slumbers in the living room. Once she’s up, we head out for a fresh squeezed juice and coffee from The Good Place in Wellington – just an eight minute drive away from Bloomfield. Afterward, we explore Bloomfield and pick up fresh produce from a veggie stand before heading to brunch at Agrarian Bistro. Agrarian is about Countylicious destination – just not on Sundays for lunch!
We are so lucky to live only an hour from away from a community that has so much to offer.
This blog post was sponsored by Prince Edward County tourism. All opinions stated are my own.
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