Prince Edward County, ON
Picton We passed through Picton coming off the 401 into PEC. A quaint small town, it was nice to wander along Main Street, browse the shops and marvel at the old theatre. However, the highlight for Rita was Prince Edward County Dog Park in Delhi Park. Run by the local community, this vast space of undulating grassy terrain and leafy trees was ideal for Rita to let off some steam. She played chase with the other dogs and was soon tired out. There were containers of water there too so you don’t have to worry about running out!
Just outside Picton is Lake on the Mountain Provincial Park. It is exactly what it says on the tin, and you can get right up to the edge of the lake, or make use of the viewing boardwalk to admire the landscape. The other side of the car park overlooks Lake Ontario – two lakes for the price of one!
Drake Motor Inn I’d been wanting to stay here since I first set foot in Canada, and my budding expectations were met! Not simply dog-friendly, The Drake Motor Inn claims to be “dog-lovin’”. Rita got presented with a Woof bed, a box of treats from The Sniffery (see below) and bowls. She also received a lot of fuss from the staff. It was cool for us humans too: I made use of the Polaroid camera, took a morning yoga class, enjoyed the vegan gummy sweets from the minibar and took advantage of the gas campfire with complimentary s’mores kits.
I even joined a 9am yoga class on Saturday morning with resident yogi Halliday. She really focussed on our form and mind-body connection, whilst keeping the atmosphere light-hearted with a little banter. The sister hotel, the Devonshire Inn, is a 2 minute walk down the road, with a dog-friendly patio for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and really delicious, high quality food. At dinner, there was a live DJ, Cozmic Cat, with Lake Ontario forming the idyllic backdrop for our meal.
Sandbanks Provincial Park One not to be missed, Sandbanks offers both miles of shore line, and miles of forest trails. We parked in P4 and from here took the Woodlands Trail, then joined the Richardson’s Trail. The terrain is mostly flat dirt track, with some sections through fields and rest areas with benches and educational boards. Beaches are off-limits for dogs, except for two designated pet areas. They aren’t super clearly marked, so be sure to check out a copy of the map. It was a hot day for us, so Rita enjoyed the shady trees along the trail and a paddle in Lake Ontario!
Wellington Our motel was located in Wellington, which has a lot to offer given its small size. We visited Millefleurs Lavender Farm, who allow leashed dogs across the whole property. Our first stop was the boutique, where I purchased lavender soap, sugar scrub and tea as well as ginger honey, honey hazelnuts and a beeswax candle, direct from the bees at the farm. Then we had a mead tasting session, where we ordered 2 flights of 3 to share between the 3 of us. My favourite was a lavender infused concoction, while mum and dad preferred a berry one. Afterwards, we were able to wander around the lavender fields and take some photos. All in all, it was a delightful place for flower sniffing and mead tasting!
Our lunch stop was Good Place, a vegan/gluten-free/eco eatery and grocery store. It’s super handy if you have a dog, as they have a window to order from off the patio area at their front, which houses a couple of picnic tables. We rounded off our day in Wellington with a visit to The Old Greenhouse Ice Cream Shop, where I got Rita an “Abby Cup” of her own, complete with milk bone topper!
The Sniffery Marketed as a “canine enrichment experience”, The Sniffery, run by Carole, is an outdoor off-leash area with a difference. We booked online for 45 minutes’ use of the facilities. Carole hide treats around the area, inside balls and snuffle mats, and Rita ran around sniffing them out. It was more of a DIY experience than we expected, but Rita knew what to do! As it was a very hot day, she was tired out after 20 minutes and we had to hose her down. Then we played a bit of fetch, before heading on our way with Rita’s “barkchuterie” to-go box.
Three Dog Winery Our final stop in PEC was Three Dog Winery. The outdoor pergolas with live music and views of the vineyard made the perfect spot to relax with a glass of wine and pizza made right in front of us in the outdoor pizza oven. Dog are VERY welcome, and Rita enjoyed making friends with the owners’ dog Red-dog. The winery is named after the previous owner’s three golden retrievers. This is a must-visit with your dog, and we took the opportunity to have a walk around the 100 acres, right up until the thunderstorm rolled in!
