Take the wine route for a leisurely tour through Canada’s fastest growing wine region. This lakeside tour will take you on a scenic tour through beautiful Prince Edward County and the Bay of Quinte. Adjust your route to explore some of the more than 35 wineries for the full Prince Edward County experience. Visit princeedwardcountywine.ca to learn more about the county’s wineries. This 238 km (147 mile) route takes about four hours.
From the Visitor Information Centre (209 Ontario Street), drive west on Ontario Street. Turn left onto King Street and continue west on King Street.
Points of interest: Kingston
Murney Tower
Murney Tower was built in 1846 on the shores of Lake Ontario as part of a series of fortifications for Kingston. It is one of four distinctive Martello towers in the city, now part of the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now a museum, the tower welcomes summer visitors to explore Kingston’s military history.
Canada’s Penitentiary Museum
This award-winning museum is dedicated solely to the preservation and interpretation of the history of the country’s federal penitentiaries. The museum is in “Cederhedge,” an Italianate-style house built in 1873 as the residence of the warden of Kingston Penitentiary.
Kingston Penitentiary
Officially opened on June 1, 1835, as the “Provincial Penitentiary of the Province of Upper Canada,” it was one of the oldest prisons in continuous use in the world at the time of its closure in 2013. Today, “the Pen” is open for tours (May through November) and is a popular site for film productions.
Turn right onto Portsmouth Avenue.
Turn left onto Bath Road/Highway 33. Continue west through the villages of Bath, Conway, and Adolphustown.
Points of interest
Bath: Fairfield-Gutzeit House
The Fairfield-Gutzeit House in the village of Bath was built in 1796 by two sons of William Fairfield. The beautiful Georgian-style house is filled with the period furniture and art of its original owners. The house is open for tours during the summer.
Adolphustown: United Empire Loyalist Heritage Centre and Park
On June 16, 1784, the first ship of United Empire Loyalists landed here, having left New York State following the American Revolution. They established a permanent settlement that became Adolphustown. The site now has a museum and research centre, a park, and overnight camping facilities.
Take the Glenora ferry to Prince Edward County. The ferry is free and runs every 30 minutes (every 15 minutes during peak hours in the summer).
From Glenora, continue on Highway 33 and turn left onto County Road 7.
Continue on County Road 7 past Lake on the Mountain, Bongard, and Cressy. Past Cressy, County Road 7 becomes County Road 8.
Continue on County Road 8 through Waupoos and past the Macauley Mountain Conservation Area. Continue on County Road 8/Union Street into Picton.
Turn left onto Bridge Street. Turn left onto Main Street/Highway 33.
Turn left onto County Road 10.
Turn right onto County Road 11.
Follow County Road 12 to go to Sandbanks Provincial Park.
or
Turn right onto County Road 18. Turn right onto County Road 12 past West Lake and through Bloomfield.
Take Highway 62 past Huff’s Corners, Crofton, Mountain View, and Rossmore, to Belleville.
Take Highway 2 through Napanee and Odessa back to Kingston.
Points of interest: Prince Edward County
Lake on the Mountain
Lake on the Mountain, located nearly 60 metres above Lake Ontario, is a natural curiosity with a constant flow of clean, fresh water. Geologists believe the freshwater lake is the result of a collapsed doline or sinkhole, a phenomenon common in areas where limestone is prevalent. This is a perfect place to stop for a picnic and admire the views of the Bay of Quinte and beyond.
Sandbanks Provincial Park
This park offers the world’s largest baymouth barrier dune formation. Its three beautiful sandy beaches – Sandbanks Dune Beach, Lakeshore Beach, and Outlet Beach – are popular for swimming, canoeing, and windsurfing. Outlet Beach is perfect for families: it has shallow waters and a gentle drop-off. This park is a key spot for birdwatching in the spring and fall. Car camping and cottage rentals are also available.
Macauley Mountain Conservation Area
This area contains more than seven km. of trails and is a popular destination for hiking, picnicking, wildlife photography, and birding. It is home to Birdhouse City, a miniature community of handcrafted birdhouses depicting the character, culture, and history of the county.
Bloomfield
Settled by farmers in the 1700s, the village of Bloomfield is home to a thriving arts community and many farm-to-table dining options.
Glanmore House
Glanmore House in Belleville, now a National Historic Site of Canada, was built in 1882–1883. This historic home, an excellent example of Second Empire architecture, has a beautifully restored interior, preserving its original hand-painted ceilings and ornate woodwork. Exhibitions on local history complement the permanent collections, which include furniture and art from the home’s original owners.
