11 Best Things to Do in Essex, Ontario

Essex County is an emerging wine region in southern Ontario. The southern location of Essex County makes it a unique region for growing wine, because it’s much warmer than the rest of the province. 

Though not as well known as the Niagara region, Essex County has tons to offer when it comes to visiting wineries, and other activities too! You can visit a lavender farm, craft breweries, local towns, and Point Pelee National Park. 

While in Essex County you have beautiful views of Lake Erie, and access to many networks of trails and walking paths, there’s also several historic sites you can visit!

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point pelee national park boardwalk from above
Point Pelee National Park

Where is Essex County, Ontario?

Essex County is in Ontario’s most southern region, close to the US border. It’s about 4 hours driving from Toronto, and 1 hour from Windsor, Ontario. 

Essex County is mostly rural, but has seven municipalities. They are Amherstburg, Kingsville, Lakeshore, LaSalle, Leamington, Tecumseh and of course, Essex.

11 Best Things to do in Essex, Ontario

Ready to visit Essex County? Here’s the 11 best things to do in this region of Ontario. 

1. Wine tasting at Viewpointe Estate Winery

Essex County is known for its wineries, and so you’ll want to visit at least one. Most of Essex County’s wineries are family-owned and operated, and are open year round. 

You can visit the wineries to go on a tour of the vineyards and cellars, or just do a wine tasting. And of course, you can pick up a bottle or two to bring home. 

Viewpointe Estate Winery has a broad selection of wines, and there’s a few different activities they offer. You can go for wine tastings, custom events, and seasonal cuisine. 

This winery is right on the shores of Lake Erie. It’s a beautiful property to walk around, and be sure to check out their lakeside patio for beautiful views. 

viewpointe estate winery is one of the best things to do in essex, ontario
Viewpointe Estate Winery

2. Lunch or dinner at Paglione Estate Winery

Paglione Estate Winery makes small batch wines. The winery’s owner, Sam Paglione, is Italian born and has been making wines all his life. 

Paglione Estate Winery pays homage to his Italian heritage by serving a menu of antipasti platters, wood-fired pizza, and handmade gelato. This winery has a cozy vibe. It’s the perfect place to go for a patio wine tasting and some pizza. 

the front of the main building at paglione estate winery in essex ontario
Paglione Estate Winery

3. Go on a bicycle or segway tour of Essex Wine Country

If you love wine, then going on a wine tour is a must do! You can do it independently, driving yourself to each winery. Just be careful about how much wine you taste – stick to picking up bottles to enjoy later, at home.

If you’d like to do a more in-depth tour, without driving, you have a couple options. You can sign up for a guided wine cycling tour along Lake Erie’s North Shore. You’ll get to have tastings at 4 different wineries, as well as a meal. Book your tour here!

5. Book a guided tour of Essex County Wineries

If you want the full tour experience, you can book an inclusive package. Grapevine Tours offers three options. 

One takes you exclusively to wineries, another brings you to breweries, and a third option does a bit of both (beer and wine!). The Grapevine Tours include pick up and drop off from wherever you’re staying, tasting fees, and lunch. 

6. Visit Point Pelee National Park

Point Pelee National Park is a beautiful Ontario Park that stretches out into Lake Erie. Visitors to Point Pelee can say that they’ve been to the most southern mainland point in Canada!

Throughout summer, Point Pelee is a fantastic swimming spot, and you can enjoy paddling through its marshes. It’s a known region for birdwatching, as well as watching monarch butterfly migrations. 

Year round, you can enjoy hiking Point Pelee’s trails and boardwalks, or spend an evening star gazing. We often visit the park in the winter, which is a magical time. Lake Erie freezes, creating sheets of ice that build up on the shores of the peninsula. 

A personal favourite in Point Pelee is the Marsh Boardwalk. This 1 kilometer floating boardwalk trail brings you through marshy wetlands. 

At the start of the trail is an observation tower that provides a beautiful aerial view. As you walk on the boardwalk, you’ll have the chance to use free telescopes to spot wildlife. 

A woman running towards the camera at point at Point Pelee National Park
The point at Point Pelee National Park

7. Visit Serenity Lavender Farm 

Serenity Lavender Farm is home to over 30 varieties of lavender. Visit the farm to go for a stroll through the lavender gardens, enjoy the amazing lavender smells, and browse the farm’s shop, which offers the largest selection of lavender themed products in Canada. 

If you visit in the winter there are of course no lavender fields, but you can still pop by the shop! The farm also has a restaurant where you can grab a glass of local wine or a bite to eat. 

The farm runs two types of tours: The Introduction to Lavender Tour, and the Become a Beekeeper Tour. To book one of these, give the farm a call in advance. 

lavender products for sale at Serenity Lavender Farm in Essex Ontario
Products for sale at Serenity Lavender Farm.

8. Go for a walk in Holiday Beach Conservation Area 

Holiday Beach Conservation Area is right on the shores of Lake Erie. You can head there for a beach day on their long sandy beach, go for a picnic, or just go for a walk around.

Holiday Beach Conservation Area has serviced seasonal campsites, a rental cottage, new showers and bathrooms, large shady picnic areas, a playground, nature trails, a boardwalk, and a three storey observation tower. 

In September, you can visit this conservation area for the world renowned Festival of Hawks. During this festival you can witness the migration of thousands of hawks, vultures, eagles, falcons and other birds of prey as they head across the Detroit River towards warmer regions for the winter. 

Holiday Beach Conservation Area is open daily from mid-April to mid-October. There is an entry fee that is charged per vehicle. 

9. Tour the Amherstburg Freedom Museum 

The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is a community-based, non-profit museum that tells the story of African Canadians’ history and contributions. 

At this museum you’ll learn the stories of Amherstburg’s role in the Underground Railroad, and about the compassion and solidarity it took to make this network possible. You can see their collections of artifacts, and learn how the museum helps to protect, interpret, research, and educate. 

The museum is in the cute little town of Amherstburg. It’s location in this town is significant, because during the slave trade in the US, Amherstburg meant freedom. This town was the Canadian destination for many Freedom Seekers escaping slavery in the United States. 

The Amherstburg Freedom Museum was founded by Betty and Melvin “Mac” Simpson in the 1970s. It was their vision to promote the heritage of African Canadians, many of whose ancestors had come as refugees from enslavement in the United States.

The Amherstburg Museum charges a very reasonable entry fee that you can pay on arrival. Just be sure to check their hours on their website ahead of time, because they’re typically open for just a few hours every day. 

an exhibition at the amherstburg freedom museum in essex, ontario
An exhibition at the Amherstburg Freedom Museum

10. Visit the historic Essex Railway Station

The Essex Railway Station is a restored historic site that dates back to 1887. It was originally built to be the transportation hub of Essex county. 

In 1907, a rail car filled with nitro-glycerin exploded, causing a lot of damage to the Essex Railway Station. But, the building was restored, and it continued to serve the community for years. 

Eventually, passenger service to this station was discontinued and the building stood empty.  Efforts to preserve the building began in 1975 and continued until the completion of the restoration in 1994.

The Essex Railway Station is operated by Heritage Essex, which is a non-profit body that is dedicated to the preservation of heritage sites, articles, and artifacts throughout the town of Essex.

When you visit the Essex Railway Station today, you can see a variety of railway memorabilia and artifacts of historical interest. Group tours can be arranged in advance, or, you can use one of their booklets to self-guide a tour. 

There’s also a small gift shop on site, where you can see and buy handicrafts made by local artists and craftsmen.  

a bottle of beer from the beerded dog brewery
A bottle of beer from Beerded Dog Brewing Co.

11. Taste craft beer at Beerded Dog Brewing Co.

Beerded Dog Brewing Co. is in the Essex County town of Harrow. This is a family-friendly pub where you can settle in for a tasty meal, and to try some of this brewery’s craft beer. The owners of this brewery say the namesake of it is their love of dogs. They have two rescue dogs!

This brewery buys and supports local, and they put tons of effort into making visitors feel happy and welcome. Beers are rotated often and pair well with their delicious pub-style cuisine.I always pair the Beerded Dog Burger with whichever on-rotation beer is recommended. 

Final Thoughts: Is Essex County Worth Visiting?

Essex County is absolutely worth visiting! Head to this region in southern Ontario to try craft beer at The Beerded Dog, to learn about lavender at Serenity Lavender Farm, and to enjoy one of the area’s parks like Holiday Beach Conservation Area. 

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