The great escape

By Catalina Margulis

Looking to get outta town? Just beyond the city, there's an oasis waiting to be explored. Here are three great weekend escapes out East.

Prince Edward County

Nestled between Toronto and Ottawa, PEC's 800 kilometres of sandy shoreline aren’t the only reason city slickers flock here. Farmers have long been attracted to PEC's lush green land and limestone soil, and now winemakers and high-end chefs are putting the County on the map of foodies everywhere. (Toronto celeb chef Jamie Kennedy is even rumoured to be opening up shop here in the future.)

The best way to explore the County is with the Taste Trail, a self-guided gourmet tour with stops like Waupoos Estates Winery – a vineyard tucked within apple orchards, directly on the shores of Prince Edward Bay. At another stop, Buddha Dog, fuel up on mini gourmet frankfurters, and be sure to top your dog with the handmade cherry ketchup.

harvest

Dine at Harvest for a sophisticated experience, where chef Michael Potters has worked personally with local farmers to create dishes (named after his partners) like Flintshire Farms Guinea Fowl Terrine and Dana Vader’s County Lamb.

Tuck in for the night at regal Claramount Inn – which boasts the area’s top spa – or the elegant Merrill Inn, with chef Michael Sullivan (formerly of The Fifth in Toronto) at the helm. On your way home, grab some artisanal homemade ice cream from Slickers, where flavours run the gamut from Pumpkin Pie to Concord Grape.

The Hamptons

While Sex and the City, P. Diddy parties and celebrity homeowners like Jerry Seinfeld have upped the Hamptons’ jet-setting quotient, the South Fork of New York’s Long Island is still known for its white-sand beaches and quaint, upper-crust towns.

Starting with old-money Southampton, take a break from the area’s chic shops and stop in at the Southampton Publick House microbrewery for a refreshing pint of Double White Ale, a Belgian beer spiced with coriander and orange peel. For a cultural pit stop, tour the Pollock-Krasner House, once the rural home and studio of Abstract Expressionist painters Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner.

Lunch at The American Hotel affords a view of Sag Harbor and includes high-end seafood like Oak-Smoked Scottish Salmon Garni and Hibachi Scallops. Or do as the locals do and hit up Amagansett's Lobster Roll to nosh on the eponymous sandwich.

For sleepovers, nothing beats East Hampton’s 1770 House, with six exclusive suites and a private carriage house, all fitted with plush Frette bed linens. Mill House Inn has cozy-luxe rooms and popular breakfasts that feature delicious twists on American classics like the crayfish and andouille étouffée and the chicken sausage and wild mushroom hash.

Eastern Townships

Bordering Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and less than an hour's drive from Montreal, Quebec's Eastern Townships have long attracted outdoor and culinary enthusiasts alike. Its Follow the Fields routes are comprised of dozens of foodie stops, including orchards, sugar shacks and vineyards. To work off the calories, cyclists can embark on some of the 500 kilometres of groomed trails in the area, while taking in rolling hills and lakes.

Book a table at the stately Victorian inn Auberge Georgeville for a sit-down meal, where chef Steven Beyrouty serves up regional cuisine like caribou mousse on crostini and grilled red deer loin with cranberry chutney.

manoir hovey

In North Hatley – chock full of antique shops and art galleries – the sprawling Manoir Hovey offers high-country rooms, a stellar dining room and a rock garden pool overlooking Lake Massawippi. (The resort made the Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List in 2007 for good reason.) Auberge Ripplecove is another great bet, featuring a bucolic lakeside setting in Ayer’s Cliff. Suites come with fireplaces, whirlpools and private balconies, and the grounds have two beaches, a tennis court, a pool and an outdoor hot tub.

(Catalina Margulis is the Toronto-based, globe-trotting deputy editor of 2: The Magazine for Couples.)

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