Pelee Island & Point Pelee National Park

I have already briefly mentioned Point Pelee and Pelee Island in the Kingsville & Leamington blog, but I would like to tell you more about these interesting places in this blog post.

Pelee Island is the most southerly part of Canada and is suitable for a day trip or a relaxing weekend. To get to the island, you have to take the ferry from Kingsville, which takes about 1.30 hours. It is best to book your place on the ferry well before the departure at this website: https://www.ontarioferries.com/pelee-island-ferries/. Once you are at the ferry terminal in Kingsville, there are several accommodation options and restaurants. On Pelee Island itself, you can either rent a bike or bring your own if you have one http://www.peleebikerental.com/rates.html. You can also use a car if you brought it over on the ferry to the island, but transporting a car is rather expensive and space on the ferry is limited so I recommend that you use a bike or walk to enjoy the island landscape. The island is perfect to spend a few days relaxing and enjoying the quiet and relaxing atmosphere.   

You should definitely visit the Pelee Island Heritage Centre. There you can learn about traditions, flora, fauna and the geology of the island. The Vin Villa Tour is also worth a recommendation. These ruins are more than 150 years old and were the first commercial winery in Canada. You can book a tour online to learn more about it. Because of Pelee Island's long history as a wine-making locale, you also should visit a local winery to sample the excellent vintages if you like wine.

A very clear recommendation and a must-see are Point Pelee National Park. It is the southernmost national park in Canada and also one of Canada’s ten oldest national parks. It is located on Lake Erie and is about an hour's drive from Windsor. You have to pay an entrance fee to drive into the Park. Point Pelee offers many different activities. You can hike, swim at the beach or ride your bike. You can also go bird watching and see the variety of nature that Point Pelee has to offer. Be sure to take enough food and drink with you if you plan to stay there for a day.

You definitely need to get to the southern tip (or “point”), which is the sand spit that leads into Lake Erie and is the southernmost point in Canada! You can walk there or use the shuttle service. The shuttle service departs from the Point Pelee National Park Visitor Centre and takes you to a spot near the tip, from where you walk a short distance to the southernmost point.

An important word of caution: do not go into the water near the tip as there are very strong currents around that area and people have drowned every year. Always be aware of your surroundings and follow the signs near any body of water.