Prince Edward County has a reputation for boutique hotels and upscale dining, but it can also be enjoyed on a modest budget. The county has a lot of free or low-cost things to do, and a few smart choices about when to go, where to stay and how to taste can keep costs down. This guide shows how.
Lean on the free sights
Several of the county's best experiences cost nothing. The Millennium Trail, a flat former rail line that runs from Carrying Place through Wellington and Bloomfield to Picton, is free to walk or ride, and you can join it at several points. The Glenora Ferry is a free, roughly fifteen-minute crossing of the Bay of Quinte that carries cars as well as foot passengers, and it is a scenic outing in its own right. The villages of Picton, Wellington and Bloomfield are free to wander, with galleries, harbour views, a boardwalk and a lakeside beach at Wellington's Rotary Beach. Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area offers walking and birdwatching, and its facilities are provided for day use, so check the current details before you go.
Pick one paid beach, not three
The provincial parks charge a day-use fee and require an advance permit, so choose one. Sandbanks is the one with the big dunes and the shallow family beach, while North Beach is the quieter alternative. If you want to avoid the permit entirely, Wellington's Rotary Beach and the shoreline at the wildlife area are free options. Check Ontario Parks for current permit costs, and reserve ahead so you are not turned away at the gate.
Taste smart
Tastings are the big discretionary spend. Many wineries charge by the sample or by the flight, and a few visits can add up. Pick two or three stops and make them count. Norman Hardie's walk-in tasting bar pours a flight of four wines for a modest fee, and Hinterland charges by the sample, which makes it easy to taste a few sparkling wines without committing to a long, formal tasting. Share a flight, skip the seated tour unless you want it and buy one good bottle to take home rather than several. Cider tastings at The County Cider Company are another affordable option, and its take-home four-packs are a cheap way to bring the county home.
Eat casually
Wood-fired pizza at Norman Hardie in the warm months, a cafe breakfast in a village and a picnic from a bakery or market cost much less than a restaurant dinner. Fill a cooler with bread, cheese and fruit, and picnic at the beach, the lookout at Lake on the Mountain or beside the trail. Save one sit-down dinner for a special night, ideally on a weeknight when it is easier to get a table. Hotels with a kitchen or kettle, or fridge and microwave, let you handle breakfast and snacks yourself.
Stay cheaply
The June Motel on Loyalist Parkway is the simple, low-cost option in this guide, with free parking, free bicycles and bay-view rooms, although you will drive for dinner and for most sights. The Lakeside Motel in Wellington is a good-value lakeside stay, particularly for groups and families who can share a bungalow or a family room. For a bit more comfort, The Waring House near Picton includes breakfast in the room rate, which saves a meal a day and can make it the better deal overall. Whatever you pick, book early for summer weekends, since budget rooms are scarce when the county is full.
Time your trip
The easiest way to save is to avoid the peak. Midweek rates are lower than weekend rates, and the shoulder seasons of May, September and October offer lower prices with much of the county still open. Winter can be cheaper still, though the beaches and the lookout are closed and some patios shut. A winter trip built around tasting rooms, the trail and village cafes can be good value. Whatever the season, check each venue's hours before you set out, since small businesses change their schedules.
A sample free day
Start with a walk or ride on the Millennium Trail in Wellington or Bloomfield, picnic lunch on the boardwalk, an afternoon at Rotary Beach or in the Bloomfield galleries, and finish with a free Glenora Ferry crossing at sunset. Add one modest tasting on the way home, and you will have had a full day for the price of fuel and a few samples.