Pelee Island Is For Lovers: Local Experts Blog

Pelee Island Is For Lovers

Millar Hill | July 2022

When I look back on this summer, there’s a few things that really stick out – like life starting to finally get back to normal, going out, and seeing all the people who mean a great deal to us. My fiance and I also got engaged and we wanted to celebrate that by doing something that was special but local, and something we could both experience together for the first time. We both grew up in Windsor-Essex and I am here to tell you after twenty-something years of living in the region, neither of us have been to Pelee Island. Crazy, right? For those of you who have never been, I’m here to tell you that its well worth your time – It’s also perfect place for a romantic get-a-way with your significant other, even if its just for a day. Pelee Island is a beautiful place and I feel we’re very lucky to be able to call it ours.

The Ferry

Our day started with a ferry ride to Pelee Island which was an experience in itself. The ferry to Pelee Island is roomy and a pleasant ride with ample space from the top-deck and down. We arrived shortly before the ferry to Pelee Island was scheduled to depart and getting on and off was truly a breeze. The ferry to Pelee Island typically operates at the start of March to the middle of December. You’ll want to take a peak at the Pelee Island ferry schedule before your trip, but the ferry to the island leaves from Leamington at 10 a.m., then every four hours after that. There’s a total of three services on Monday and Thursday-Sunday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, there are only two services at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The prices are going to vary based on whether you’re a passenger, if you have a car and so on. You can take a look here.

Taking The Island By Bike

Once we arrived to the island the first thing we did was head over to Comfortech Bicycle Rental – which has an incredible of selection of cute bikes, with baskets, to choose from. The shop is just left of where you’ll arrive at the ferry port, so it’s an easy walk over if you’re looking for a bike rental on Pelee Island. I can tell you from personal experience after riding one all day around the island, they’ve got excellent cruising bikes. We had the best time cruising around the Island on the bikes. I truly got to live my Island Girl (ode to Sir Elton John) fantasy that day. If you’re going over to the island, I do recommend stopping by the shop to rent yourself a bike.

Pelee Island Winery

Did you really go to Pelee Island if you didn’t go to Pelee Island Winery? This was a must-do on our list for the day, like I said, I was living my Island Girl fantasy. While at the winery, we tried a few of their wines including the LOLA Blush Sparking Rose, the LOLA Pinot Grigio, and the Thaddeus Smith VQA South Islands wine. For lunch we tried one of their delicious pizzas along with tasty balsamic vinaigrette salad. If you’re uncertain of what you’d like to do with your time on the island, I’d recommend heading over to Pelee Island Winery to sip on some wine – everything is a little better after some wine.

Vin Villa

After a few glasses of some wine, we jumped back on our bikes and cruised from one side of the island to the other. The bike ride was lovely, with views of the water on one side and beautiful scenery on the other. The cool breeze from Lake Eire was just what we needed biking on a hot summer day. Believe it or not, Vin Villa, was Canada’s first commercial estate winery and known for creating award winning wines that changed the way the world perceived Canadian and North American wine. The winery was established in 1866 and the property and its history is a source of pride for those on the island. Sadly, it was knocked down by a fire which caused Vin Villa to fall of the map but leaving behind beautiful ruins that are still in existence today. The place has since been cleaned up for tours of the property and one of the oldest wine cellars in North America which makes for a picturesque atmosphere. Having the chance to see such an incredible piece of history – only a short ferry ride away from home – was truly one of the best parts of our day on the island.

Saying Goodbye To The Island

My fiance and I have been to our fair share of places and have done an extensive list of things but spending the day on Pelee Island just the two of us, taking in all that it had to offer, was sincerely one of the best experiences I have ever had, and I think he would agree too. I’m chuffed that I got to experience the island for the first time with the love of my life, I couldn’t imagine spending the day on Pelee Island with anyone else. There’s a lot I could say about this place, but the truth is, I want you to go experience it for yourself, to understand how incredible Pelee Island truly is.

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