A weekend getaway in Prince Edward County

A sunny little part of the world jutting out into Lake Ontario just south of Belleville, Ont., Prince Edward County produces award-winning wine, grows prizewinning vegetables and has one of the prettiest beaches in the country. But here's the real clincher: The people are as old-style friendly as you'll ever find.

The County folk are passionate about their Loyalist history, fifth-generation farms, cheese making, organic farming, charming boutiques and 200-year-old carriage houses turned pubs. They dote on their homemade cider, heirloom tomatoes and farm-fresh crops and are so laid-back that their roadside stands, laden with produce, rely on an honour system with a tin cup to drop your money into.

Also an artists' enclave, the area is home to countless painters, potters and poets, all thriving in a setting that fosters artistic expression with a sizable audience to make it worth their while. Farmers, merchants, winemakers, artists and tourists all play a part in this cultural stew, with the added bonus that most attractions are less than an hour's drive from one another.