Let's get the big question out of the way first: yes, you can bring your dog to a winery in Prince Edward County. Not every winery, and not every part of every winery, but the County is one of the friendliest wine regions in Ontario for people who travel with a dog in the back seat. We should know. We built our place around the idea that a good afternoon includes the whole family, and the four-legged members count.
This is our honest guide to doing a winery day in the County with your dog: what to expect, what to pack, how to be the kind of guest every patio is happy to see again, and why Hillier is a very good place to start.
The short version
Leashed dogs are welcome on all five of our outdoor patios at Traynor Family Vineyard, and we keep pet beds on hand so your dog isn't lying on gravel while you work through a tasting flight. You don't need to book ahead for groups of five people or fewer. Come as you are, dog included, and someone will find you a spot with shade.
That's the short version. The long version is more useful, so keep reading.
What "dog-friendly" actually means at a winery
The phrase gets used loosely, so here is what it means when we say it. Your dog can be on the patio with you, on a leash, for as long as you're there. There are pet beds so they have somewhere comfortable to settle. Staff are used to dogs and won't flinch when yours says hello. And the space is set up so a dog can be part of the afternoon rather than tolerated at the edge of it.
What it doesn't mean, here or at most wineries: dogs inside the tasting room or anywhere food is being prepared, dogs off leash, or dogs left tied up outside while you go in. Ontario's food-service rules are the reason for the indoor part, and the leash part is just good manners on a patio where kids are running around and other dogs are visiting too.
Why Hillier is a good base for a dog day
Prince Edward County is bigger than most people expect, and the wineries are spread across several distinct pockets. Hillier, on the west side, is where the highest concentration of small wineries sits, which means short drives between stops and less time with a restless dog in the car. We're at 1774 Danforth Road, about five minutes from Wellington, fifteen from North Beach, and twenty-five from Sandbanks. Toronto is roughly two and a half hours away, which makes this a very doable day trip or an easy overnight.
If you're mapping out a route, the folks at Visit The County keep a good running list of pet-friendly spots across the region, and BringFido has visitor reviews for Prince Edward that are worth a skim before you commit to a stop.
Our five patios, ranked for dogs
We have five outdoor spaces, and they're not all the same from a dog's point of view.
- Sail Garden. Shaded by a sail canopy, seats about twenty, and it's our quietest outdoor spot. If your dog is the anxious type, or it's a hot day, start here.
- Lavender Garden Hammocks. Hammocks strung under a pergola in the lavender garden. Relaxed, low-traffic, and the lavender does something nice for everyone's mood. Best for a calm dog who's happy to nap while you swing.
- Covered Wall Garden. Cedar and mint garden with an overhead cover, seats about twenty-four, open March through November. Good on a drizzly day and one of the few outdoor spots that works well into the shoulder season.
- Vineyard Patio. Our biggest space with cabanas and a view straight down the rows. It's also where the DJ sets up on busy summer days, so it's the liveliest option. Great for a social dog, less ideal for a nervous one.
- Cellar Tasting Room. Indoors, heated and air-conditioned, seats sixteen. This is the one spot dogs can't join you, so if you want to do a focused tasting inside, plan for a human to stay out on the patio with the pup.
All five are wheelchair accessible, and there's free parking on site.
What to pack
A leash, obviously. A collapsible water bowl is smart even where bowls are provided, because on a busy Saturday there are a lot of thirsty dogs. Bring a towel if you've come from the beach, because a wet sandy dog on a pet bed is a bit much for the next guest. And bring poop bags, always. We're a working farm with a 5.5-acre vineyard, cover crops between the rows, and a lavender garden we're quite fond of. Please don't let your dog fertilize any of it.
A realistic timeline for a winery afternoon with a dog
Arrive late morning. We open at 11 every day, and the first hour is the calmest, which suits dogs. Pick a patio, order a $10 curated tasting flight (three pours, rotating selection) and something from the street-food menu. The hot dogs are the obvious choice for irony's sake, but the tacos and the street corn nachos hold their own. Give it an hour, hour and a half. Then either walk the dog around the grounds before moving to the next stop, or, if it's a hot day, pull up a hammock and let everyone nap.
If you're coming June through September, Sunday to Thursday, our Happy Hour Après Beach runs 4 to 6 pm, which is a good way to finish a Sandbanks day with a sandy dog and a cold wine slushy. Yes, we have slushies. Yes, they're made with our wine. No, the dog can't have one.
The rules that actually matter
We're going to keep this list short because most of it is common sense.
- Keep your dog leashed the whole time.
- Stay on the patios and the grounds; the vines and the gardens are off limits to dogs.
- Clean up after your dog. Bags are on you.
- If your dog is reactive or overwhelmed, ask staff about the Sail Garden. We'd rather move you than have anyone stressed.
- Never leave your dog in the car. It's a farm; there's always shade and a spot outside.
Beyond the patio
The County is more than wineries, and a dog day can include more than wine. Sandbanks Provincial Park has designated pet-friendly areas, and North Beach is a fifteen-minute drive from us. Wellington's main street is a pleasant walk with a dog on a leash. Build your day so the dog gets a proper run somewhere in the middle, and the winery stop becomes the reward rather than the whole event.
Come say hi
We're a family winery in Hillier that makes natural wine, serves street food, and keeps pet beds on the patio. We've been at this since 2008, we opened the doors to visitors in 2014, and we've met a lot of very good dogs since. Bring yours. We're open daily from 11, and if you're a group of six or more, reserve ahead so we can set up the right patio for you and your pup.
Questions before you come? Call us at 1-877-403-4224 or email retail@traynorvineyard.com. We answer both, and we'll happily tell you which patio has the most shade that day.
Good to know before you visit
Where: Traynor Family Vineyard, 1774 Danforth Road, Hillier, Prince Edward County, Ontario K0K 2J0. Five minutes from Wellington, 15 from North Beach, 25 from Sandbanks, about 2.5 hours from Toronto. Free on-site parking.
Hours and booking: Open daily from 11 am; Friday and Saturday the kitchen and bar run until 9 pm. Current hours are always shown at the top of traynorvineyard.com. Walk-ins welcome for groups of five or fewer; reservations recommended for six or more and required for ten or more. Call 1-877-403-4224 or email retail@traynorvineyard.com.
Food: Street food made fresh daily: gourmet all-beef hot dogs (kimchi dog, pocket dog), adobo pork and pulled chicken tacos, kofta sandwich, red lentil dal, roasted beet salad, street corn nachos, whipped feta, house-baked cookies, plus a kids’ plain hot dog. Four vegan and four vegetarian dishes on the fall menu, and every wine is vegan.
Drinks: $10 wine flights (three pours), $11 wine by the glass, $10 wine slushy, vermouth cocktails, $7 non-alcoholic peach slushy for kids and drivers. Bookable experiences include the Cellarmasters Barrel Tasting ($49.95) and Stemware Sensation ($39.95).
Family-friendly: Kids welcome. Designated play area visible from the Vineyard Patio, on-site ice cream trailer, juice slushies, kids’ menu, strollers welcome, all patios wheelchair accessible. Kids combo (slushy, popcorn, hot dog, cookie) at the counter. Free Friday Family Movie Nights run in spring and summer.
Dog-friendly: Leashed dogs welcome on all five outdoor patios, with pet beds provided. Dogs can’t come inside the Cellar Tasting Room.
What’s on by season: Summer: Friday Family Movie Nights, DJ sets on the Vineyard Patio, Happy Hour Après Beach Sunday to Thursday 4 to 6 pm. Fall: the WineLab Holiday Series (PSL pumpkin spice wine, Spiced Apple, Mulled Wine, Mulled White) launches; Family Movie Nights return in spring and summer 2027. Winter: mulled wines and Caribou, Cellar Tasting Room heated.
The wine: Small-batch natural wine, wild fermented and vegan, family owned since 2008. Estate vines in Hillier farmed without synthetic pesticides since 2018, plus fruit from partner growers in Prince Edward County and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Pet-nat, piquette, skin-contact whites, vermouth, and fortified wines. Ten wines are listed at the LCBO.
