Where oh where to retire?

I just returned from a weekend in Prince Edward County, Ontario. I now understand why many retirees flock to this part of Ontario to live out their retirement years. It's only a couple of hours from Toronto and about three or so from Ottawa and Montreal. Even though the weekend was cold and wet, we had a great time. The countryside is bucolic, with lots of lovely, well maintained farms, super little towns with interesting shops and cafes, and all along the back roads there are art studios, antique shops, artisan cheese factories, and wineries. You would almost think you were in the south of France. And did I mention that you are never far from the water! For anyone who wants to live near or on the water, Prince Edward County provides plenty of coastline. Some of it runs along protected bays and some overlooks Lake Ontario.

One of the highlights of our weekend was the food. Several well known chefs are both visiting and relocating to the County. Whether we were eating in little cafes, like the Regent in Picton, or the Carriage House lunch room in Bloomfield, or at more formal restaurants like the one at the Merrill Inn in Picton, the food was first rate. What also made our meals, and our trip in general, so pleasant, was the friendliness of the service. From the lovely Scottish lady in the antique and gift shop in Bloomfield to Charles who works in the Oeno Gallery, the people we met were informative, helpful and downright nice.

For anyone who places a high value on quality of life, Prince Edward County could be the place to be.