The Picton center is approximately 16 miles southeast of Downtown Belleville and 19 miles southeast of Trenton Canadian Forces Base.
Experience Picton states that "any time is the right time to experience Picton," and they're not wrong. The small town offers a series of events and parades that run throughout the year. Prince Edward County has designated a week in February as "Flashback February" and features workshops, films, talks, demonstrations, and stories about the county's rich culture and history.
The Picton Art Crawl runs from June through September and is held on the fourth Thursday of each month. Picton hosts eight separate art galleries, and the Art Crawl affords visitors with the chance to explore each at their own pace and meet up with various artists and curators.
While Picton, offers entertainment and activities year-round, the winter weather can be quite frigid. Scheduling a trip around Canada Day, celebrated on July 1, can be a great way to immerse oneself in Canadian culture. On this day, celebrates the anniversary of the passing of the Constitution Act of 1867. This historic act united three separate colonies, the province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into the single dominion of Canada, then a portion of the greater British Empire.
Picton's Canada Day celebration is a classic street fair where traffic is redirected from downtown and the streets are filled with vendors and stages for demonstrations and music. A number of bands play throughout the day, and past celebrations have featured a one-man circus and Thai Chi demonstrations. For the kids and kids at heart, Picton's Canada Day event features a full-size maze, party train, balloon animals, face painting, and more. Because summers in Picton can get warm, there are also shade tents and hydration stations.
A Firelight Lantern Festival sponsored by the Department of Illumination Artistic Company is held in early mid-November and in early December, the Picton Santa Claus Parade runs through downtown Picton between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m.
While events are held year-round in Picton, weather is something to take into consideration. Summers in Picton are mild, while winters can be cold, dry, and windy. For visitors interested in warm weather activities, the best months to visit Picton are between late June and early September.
Located about 17 miles from Picton, Ontario, the Country Inn & Suites by Raddison in Bellville, Ontario offers a stay three nights, get one free special. The Country Inn Suites by Raddison in Belleville, Ontario, also offers both a AAA and a senior citizen discount. This is a great option for vacationers on a budget. Also in Belleville, the Ramada by Wyndham Belleville Harbourview Conference Center offers both a AAA and a senior citizens discount.
The Queen's Inn in Picton offers up eight guest rooms. For a reasonable price, the Queen's Inn provides a central location for travelers that is only a short walk from wineries, restaurants, and art galleries. Built in 2006, in a style to match the historic architecture of the region, the Queen's Inn affords its guests modern comfort and convenience at a price that won't break the bank. They'll even take $15 off of your nightly stay (two night minimum) if you're willing to forgo daily housekeeping, and long-term rental rates can be negotiated.
The Waring House is a little more pricey, but, in addition to its convenient central location, offers some fineries including spacious rooms, very comfortable bedding, a good restaurant, and a pub that regularly features local live music.
SandBanks Provincial Park is a popular tourist destination near Picton. This impressive series of beaches is considered the largest bay mouth barrier dune formation. The shallow drop off and expansive beaches make SandBanks Park a perfect place to take your family for a day of sea and sunshine. For bird enthusiasts, SandBanks Park is a migrating bird stop off during the spring and fall. Walking trails wind throughout the park giving visitors personal access to the incredible wetland environment, and daily interpretive programing is available throughout the busier summer months.
Prince Edward County features a number of walking tours during certain times of the year. Visitors can participate in guided tours of historic Picton and see where a young John Macdonald practiced law and smuggled alcohol across the border to the United States during prohibition before he would go on to become Canada's first Prime Minister.
Those with a mind for military history can choose to take a walking tour of Loch Sloy, or Camp Picton, a former British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) school where aircraft pilots and crew were trained before being sent into action during World War II. Currently, the former barracks, mess halls, and hangars are being restored and converted into modern space for business.
For those with more gothic tastes, check out the Graveyard and Gallows Walking Tour - a one and a half hour guided walk through the graveyard at Macauly Heritage Park that eventually meanders to the County Gaol and Gallows. Not for the feint at heart, this was the site of an infamous 1884 double-hanging. These tours are held every Friday night during the summer months of July and August.
Below are reviews of the city of Picton, ON from an actual visitor's perspective.
Loved Picton, but my FAVOURITE part was Miller House, Lake on the Mountain AND the drive along Loyalist Parkway on the east side of the Glennora Ferry!!! Beautiful!