Tips for A Mum & Baby Road Trip: Prince Edward County
With so many Mums out there and so much great advice, I like to look to my friends and colleagues for additional baby travel stories and tips. Here is the esteemed, Elaine Atkins of ElaineLoves.com, with some anecdotal suggestions and stories for your Mum & Babe trip to glorious Prince Edward County…and it’s not all about the wine! Tips for A Mum & Baby Road Trip: Prince Edward County
Guest Post: Elaine Atkins
For someone who doesn’t drink (for real!) Prince Edward County was never on my radar. Like Niagara-On-The-Lake, I was under the assumption that it was all about the wine tours in PEC. There’s obviously nothing wrong with that, but being a mom of a toddler AND someone that doesn’t drink, I had all but written it off. However, my Instagram feed suddenly started coming alive with posts from PEC (I guess the promotion feature on Instagram DOES work!). Suddenly, I was curious to find out if I could visit the area without going to a vineyard. Tips for A Mum & Baby Road Trip: Prince Edward County
I’m here to tell you that the answer is YES! I spent 2 nights around the Prince Edward County area with my son and we had a blast! If you’re looking to visit the area with your young family, then you’ll want to read all about our road trip plus some of my best tips.
Pick Your Travel Companions Carefully
I decided to take this journey with my good friend and her son. Many of our friends thought we were crazy going with two toddlers. Normal math says it was an even 2 adults against 2 toddlers…but when it comes to parenthood toddlers easily out number adults by at least 3! Yes, it was challenging but it was also a great experience. Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
Just keep a few things in mind: Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
Tip #1: Travel with kids who are on a similar schedule.
This isn’t always possible especially when you have kids of different ages, but it makes planning your day around naps SO much easier!
Tip #2: Similar parenting styles can keep the peace
Kids are going to have meltdowns or want things they can’t have. This is inevitable. If all adults on the trip are on the same page, it makes getting through the tough times smoother.
Find Child Friendly Accommodations
There are plenty of options for staying overnight in Prince Edward County. If you’re going with a B&B or motel, usually they are equipped to accommodate families and young children; but call ahead before booking! Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
We chose to book through Airbnb. It was the less expensive option and we were able to get a larger space to fit both families. When looking for places to stay in PEC with young kids here are a few tips to make it a safe and fun stay:
Tip #1: Find a place near a park
Anyone with young kids knows that they have an unlimited resource of energy. I don’t know where it comes from, but most toddlers need to run, and run often! Finding a park or at least an open space for them to let loose can help make the evenings more peaceful for all of you!
Tip #2: Pick a place with a full kitchen or at the very least a fridge
As adults it’s easy to just grab a snack at a café when you’re hungry, but little kids need to be snacking all day long. With a full kitchen you can save some money and prepare meals and snacks ahead of time so you’re not eating out a lot or caught off guard when hunger strikes. A fridge is a must especially if your little one still drinks milk or formula.
Tip #3: Make sure the space has a living area away from the bedrooms
Some kids can stay up late and party along side the adults. Most of the kids I know are in bed quite early…sometimes as early as 6:30 or 7! You don’t want to be stuck in silence in the dark especially on your vacation. Having a separate living area or even deck to hang out on after the kids are in bed is the perfect way to have some grown up conversation.
Tip #4: Be mindful of safety hazards
Depending on what stage of development your toddlers are at, houses with stairs may not be a great idea. Same goes for that beautifully decorated modern condo that appeals to you…having fragile items in every room will have you constantly stressed out!
The Food
Besides wineries, Prince Edward County is known for their incredible food. This is thanks to all the farms in the area providing local restaurants with fresh, high quality ingredients. Traveling with kids DOES NOT mean you have to have all your meals at fast food places. Most places are accommodating of feeding budding foodies and can alter items on their menu accordingly. If you’re in doubt call ahead and ask to avoid disappointment. Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
I would HIGHLY recommend checking out The Drake Devonshire if you’re in the PEC area. The Drake has several properties in Toronto and I’ve NEVER had a bad meal there. I’m happy to report that The Drake Devonshire did not disappoint. They didn’t have a kid’s menu specifically on hand, but our server laid out many kid friendly options for us. My son is a GREAT eater, so I just ordered a dish off the regular menu and he legit ate half of it!
Some tips for eating out with kids: Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
Tip #1: Check the restaurant hours ahead of time
If your kid is like mine, he eats early and goes to sleep early; restaurants that only open for dinner are usually not the best choices for us.
Tip #2: Eat during non-peak hours if you can
Getting to a restaurant BEFORE peak hours is ideal with kids since you never know if you’re going to have the perfect dining companion or if you’ll have to take your food to go! Eating at an almost empty restaurant also means your server can accommodate you better and that your food will come out quicker too!
Tip #3: Check out the menu before you get there
Even the best eaters can have moments of pickiness. If you’re able to, checking out the menu before you arrive can help make for a more relaxing dining experience! There’s nothing worse than looking at the menu and seeing NOTHING that your toddler will touch!
If eating out isn’t your thing, when you have a full kitchen to work with, cooking at your accommodations is perfect! There are so many local farms in PEC that are open to the public. We literally spent the afternoon driving around the area (while the kids napped in the car – yay!) picking up fresh, local produce for dinner. The views were amazing during the drive and having more than one adult is ideal – one can stay with the kids in the car while other runs out to pick up dinner ingredients!
For our dinner we picked up fresh asparagus from Green Ridge Farms, artisan cheese from Fifth Town Dairy and beef from an unknown local farm. It’s safe to say that both adults and toddlers ate REALLY well that night! Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
Here are some tips for making the most of shopping local:
Tip #1: Be on the lookout for signs
There are so many local farms and places to buy from, but you need to keep your eyes peeled. Often you may not be able to see the place of business from the main road, so you could miss a gem of a place!
Tip #2: Bring a cooler with ice
You may be out all afternoon driving around and enjoying the sites. Having a cooler in the car to pack all the produce in will keep it from going bad before you get back to your accommodations.
Tip #3: Maximize your time and drive during naps
Adults will appreciate the vast fields and beautiful scenery, but it’s lost on most kids. Enjoy yourself by timing the drive during nap time. When you’re ready for some “kid fun” they will be refreshed and in a good mood. Tips for A Mum & Toddler Road Trip: Prince Edward County
The Beach
If you don’t have a lot of time during your visit to Prince Edward County, then I would suggest just heading to Sandbanks Beach! Sandbanks Provincial Park has some of the best sandy beaches in Ontario.
While it gets very busy during the peak summer season, you can have the beach all to yourself if you go in June or September/October. Of course, the weather may not necessarily be “beach weather” but strangely, young kids don’t seem to care!
I hope I’ve convinced you that taking a trip to Prince Edward County with young kids is possible! With a little thought and planning you’re sure to have a blast!