What to do on Pelee Island

When I think of Canada, I don't typically think of its islands. But, a few Fridays ago, I found myself on the last ferry of the night headed towards Pelee Island. Months earlier, friends of ours invited us on a trip to the island. When we were initially invited, I honestly didn't even know this island existed. In fact, I thought we were headed to Point Pelee National Park, which is on Ontario's mainland. It was only in the weeks leading up to the trip that my fiance and I realized that we were actually heading to an island. So, once we figured that out, we started trying to learn what exactly Pelee Island was, and, of course, what to do on Pelee Island.

So, what exactly is Pelee Island? It's an island off the coast of Lake Erie, just south of Kingsville, Ontario (which is relatively close to Windsor, Ontario). The island is situated just north of the American border, and it's considered to be the southernmost part of Canada. Ok, so there's technically one more very small island that is slightly more south / closer to the American border, but you'd need to convince someone on Pelee Island to take you there in their boat.

To get to Pelee Island, you first need to drive to Kingsville, which is about a three-and-a-half hour drive from the Toronto area, and then hop on a 90 minute ferry to the island. The ferry's run three times a day, and you can even bring your car and / or bikes on as well. If you're coming from the Toronto area, the trip may seem like a bit of a journey for a one weekend, but it's totally doable, and will give you a unique story for the water-cooler chats on Monday.

At this point, we started to get intrigued about this place, but we also started to wonder, what is there to do on Pelee Island? Well, as it turns out, there's more to do than we thought. And the cool thing about it is that, much like most islands around the world, you can get on island time, relax, and also have some new experiences along the way. So, what is there to do on Pelee Island? Here's a few suggestions that we really enjoyed on our trip that you can integrate into your journey to the island:

Fish Point Nature Reserve

Considering that Pelee Island is dubbed the southernmost point of Canada, you'd hope that the actual southernmost point of the island itself would be somewhat epic. Well, it is. In fact, the land quite literally comes to a point.

Fish Point Nature Reserve's sandy beach juts out from the bottom of the island, winds across Lake Erie into an S shape, and points out to the American border beyond it's waters. Hundreds of seagulls, Canadian Geese and, as we were told, pelicans hangout on the beach. Waves crash from opposing directions onto each side of the slim strip of sand.

To reach the point itself, you'll either need to drive, bike or, if you're up for it, walk to the Fish Point Nature Reserve trailhead, and then hike to it from there. There's a sign that marks the trailhead, and there's also a small parking lot across from it.

The first part of the hike takes you through a forest for about a kilometre. There's a small boardwalk along the way that leads out into a swamp-like area that's good for bird watching (if that's your thing), or where you can take a quick break on your way to the point.

The second part of the hike takes you along the beach for about half a kilometre. After a while, you'll reach a small section of bushes that almost make it seem like you can't go through any further; once you navigate your way through them, the point reveals itself, along with all of the seabirds that call it home. You will also have found yourself at the very bottom of Canada.

You can walk to the very end of the point if you don't mind navigating through all of the seabirds (they apparently move out of the way for people passing through), or you can chill for a few minutes, take in the views, and then head back to your bed & breakfast for some much deserved wine.

Pelee Island Winery Pavilion

If you're looking for something a bit more chill to do after your hike to the point, Pelee Island Winery Pavilion offers wine tours for a reasonable fee, tons of Muskoka chairs and picnic tables for you to relax in while you enjoy a glass (or three) of wine, and a BBQ pavilion serving up solid lunch options, including pizza, burgers and sausages. You can also catch a glimpse of Lake Erie through the rows and rows of grape vines. And, if you needed anything else to help you relax on your trip, you can spot countless monarch butterflies fluttering around the pavilion's flowers.

The main winery where they produce the wine is actually down the road; the pavilion is more of a place to unwind, socialize and taste Pelee Island's wines. The Pavilion is open from 11-4. On certain nights, however, they do host events, so, if you want to spend an evening surround by the grapevines, check out their website before you go to see what's on.

Westview Tavern

There are only a few restaurants on Pelee Island, but Westview Tavern seemed to stand out from the rest. Situated in a small, unassuming house directly across from the ferry port, Westview Tavern offers solid pub food, a lively bar atmosphere for watching sports, a cottage-chic, pool table, and views over the lake.

We ended up at Westview twice during our weekend on the island. The service was very friendly, and both nights they stayed open well past their posted 9:00 PM closing time, allowing local patrons and tourists alike to enjoy the tavern well into the night.

Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve

On the northern, completely opposite side of the island from Fish Point Nature Reserve stands another Nature Reserve, but this one's focus is solely on its lighthouse. The Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve offers a gentle boardwalk hike through swampy land, a brief walk along the eastern coast of the island, and a fairly rustic looking lighthouse at the end of it.

Sure, the lighthouse isn't as dramatic as the winding beach at the southern point of the island, but it's still a pretty nice sight. Plus, if you're there in the evening, you'll get a pretty epic view of the sunset.

The one thing to note, however, is that you can't park right in front of the trailhead, which is right at the end of a dead-end street. In fact, there's no parking signs right at the trailhead. I'm not sure what the towing situation is like on Pelee Island, but we didn't want to risk it. If you need to park a car, there's a small public lot about 500 feet back up the road facing the beach.

So, if you live in the Greater Toronto, London, or Windsor areas and you're looking for something unique and different to do one weekend, check out Pelee Island. The ferry ride alone will make you feel like you've really travelled somewhere different. And once you're there, you'll be able to sit back, relax, sip some wine, and take in the never ending views of Lake Erie. If you're ready to book your trip, you can reserve your spot on the ferry here.

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