Every so often a family arrives at the winery on a Saturday looking a little deflated, and we know exactly why. They planned a beach day, the sky had other ideas, and now there's a car full of kids, a dog, and a question: what do you actually do in Prince Edward County when it rains?
Good news. Quite a lot, and a decent chunk of it is on our property. This is our honest rainy-day list, written from Hillier, for the days when Sandbanks is off the table.
First, don't leave
The instinct on a wet County morning is to cut the trip short. Resist it. Rain in the County tends to move through, the wineries are open regardless, and a rainy weekday afternoon is often the quietest, most relaxed version of a winery visit you'll ever get. The tasting room conversations are longer. Nobody's queuing for a table. And the vineyard in the rain, seen from under a roof with a glass in your hand, is honestly beautiful.
Our covered and indoor spaces
Not every winery has somewhere dry to sit. We have two, plus a couple of shaded options that hold up in a light drizzle.
- Cellar Tasting Room. Indoors, heated, air-conditioned, seats sixteen. It's built for focused tastings, which makes it the right place for a rainy afternoon when you actually want to talk about the wine. Dogs are welcome inside too, so the whole group, pup included, can stay dry while you taste.
- Covered Wall Garden. Our cedar and mint garden with an overhead cover, seats about twenty-four, open March through November. This is the rainy-day sweet spot: outside, dry, and dog-friendly. Leashed dogs are welcome and there are pet beds.
- Sail Garden and the Lavender Hammocks. Both under canopies or a pergola, and both fine in a light rain. Not the spot for a downpour.
All our spaces are wheelchair accessible and there's free parking close to the door, which matters more than usual when it's pouring.
Book something you can't do on a sunny day
Rain is the excuse to do the experiences you'd skip when the beach is calling.
- Cellarmasters Barrel Tasting ($49.95, about 45 to 55 minutes). A guided tasting straight from the barrels in the cellar with someone who can explain what wild fermentation and low intervention actually mean when you're standing next to the wine. It's the single best thing to do here on a wet day.
- Stemware Sensation ($39.95). The same wine in different glasses, and yes, it changes everything. Good for the person in your group who's skeptical.
- Paint Day with Sophie ($74.99). A painting session at the winery. Ask us about dates; it's exactly the kind of thing a rainy afternoon was made for.
All of these are bookable on the website. On a wet weekend, book before you drive; they fill up when the forecast turns.
Rainy day with kids
Kids and rain are a tougher combination than kids and sun, so here's the practical version. Through October the ice cream trailer is open, and after that we keep card and board games inside for the whole family. The juice slushies are still on. The kids' menu (hot dogs, fries, cheesecake tacos) is still on. The Covered Wall Garden gives them a dry space that isn't a car. In summer, our Family Movie Nights run Fridays, June through September, and a rainy Friday is the best possible night for one.
For the rest of the day, Wellington and Picton both have main streets with shops, cafés, and bakeries that welcome a damp family, and the drive between them is short. Build the day as winery, lunch, town, and by the time you're done the rain has usually moved on.
Rainy day with a dog
The Covered Wall Garden is your friend. Leashed, dry, pet bed provided, and open into November. Bring a towel for the car. If the rain stops, North Beach is five minutes away for a run on the sand, and it's mostly empty on a grey day.
Eat well while it rains
Our street-food menu runs regardless of weather: kimchi dogs, tacos, the kofta sandwich, red lentil dal, street corn nachos, and whipped feta. On a rainy day the red lentil dal does most of the heavy lifting. From October the fall drinks are on, and from November the mulled wines and Caribou take over, which are, let's be honest, better in the rain.
Where to check what else is on
For the region-wide list of indoor things, from galleries and studios to live music, Visit The County keeps the events calendar and is worth a look the night before. Base your day around one pocket of the County (Hillier and Wellington for us) rather than criss-crossing it in the wet.
The rainy-day plan
Arrive at 11 when we open. Take the Covered Wall Garden or the Cellar Tasting Room. Do a $10 flight or, better, the Barrel Tasting if you booked it. Eat. Drive into Wellington for a walk and a coffee. Check the sky. If it's cleared, North Beach. If it hasn't, one more winery with a roof, and dinner.
We're at 1774 Danforth Road, Hillier, open Friday and Saturday 11 to 6 and Sunday and Monday 11 to 5 through the fall, rain or shine. Call 1-877-403-4224 if you want to check which spaces are open on a given day, and we'll tell you straight.
Good to know before you visit
Where: Traynor Family Vineyard, 1774 Danforth Road, Hillier, Prince Edward County, Ontario K0K 2J0. Five minutes from North Beach, 10 from Wellington, 15 from Bloomfield, 25 from Sandbanks, 30 from Belleville, about 2.5 hours from Toronto. Free on-site parking.
Hours and booking: Late fall hours: Friday and Saturday 11 am to 6 pm, Sunday and Monday 11 am to 5 pm, closed Tuesday to Thursday. Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day, and closed in January and February. 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 (not in December), 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, well-behaved dogs are welcome inside and out, with pet beds provided.
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.
