Fields dense with towering corn stalks whipped past the car window, each seemingly presided over by a postcard-perfect red farmhouse drenched in afternoon sun. As the country lane veered, a wide expanse of cobalt blue water scattered with sailboats came into view. We had arrived in Prince Edward County, a 1000-square-kilometre barnacle of land attached by a narrow isthmus to the northern (Canadian) edge of Lake Ontario.
Many have compared this quiet enclave on Lake Ontario’s northern shore to the Hamptons, the holiday hotspot beloved of New Yorkers. Much like its American counterpart, the region is blessed with sandy beaches, wineries, excellent restaurants – many set up by ex-Toronto chefs who gave up city life during the pandemic – and intimate boutique hotels. Though unlike the Hamptons, “the County” as it’s known to locals, is a well-kept secret outside of Canada.
If spending time in Toronto or Montreal, the Ontario countryside makes an excellent addendum and while summer might be the prime time to visit, autumn has its own appeal as the surrounding pine forests turn shades of fire engine red and gold and the crowds return to their city lives.