Let’s talk about gay-friendly wineries in Prince Edward County – specifically near one of my favourite summer spots in Ontario: The Picton Sandbanks. Gays love wine! And there’s nothing better than going wine-tasting with your besties. I’ve been going to the Picton Sandbanks ever since I was a kid (for family camping, not drinking obvi), and ever since I acquired a love for wine, the Sandbanks area has been a go-to every spring/summer/fall for wine-tasting!🍷
Whether I’m with my family, my boys or my girlfriends, there are so many wineries to choose from in the Picton Sandbanks area!👬 I’m not the only gay who flocks to the Picton area for wine tasting, relaxation, camping, swimming and more – even Elton John has a beach house there. Picton is a very gay-friendly area if you’re thinking of your next #gaycation💃
Lez be honest for a second. Almost all wineries are welcomed to anyone. However, I like to support establishments that pride their business as LGBTQ+ friendly or in this case “gay-friendly” since that is what I always search for when looking for my next destination to go, eat, and experience. I’m always searching for “gay-friendly” places for myself, but also for my readers.
In terms of “gay-friendly”, there’s actually only one winery I could find near the Picton sandbanks that pride their establishment as “gay-friendly” with a rainbow sticker on the front door of their establishment 🏳️🌈
As of now, the only winery that prides their winery as gay-friendly is the Sandbanks Estate Winery located in Wellington, Ontario. I’ve been to 15 wineries in the area so far and this is not only a beautiful gay-friendly winery but also you get the best bang for your buck for wine tastings ($3 for a flight of 5 wines)! My favourite white wines at Sandbanks Estate Winery in order: Summer, Riesling-Gewurztraminer, Dunes, Sauvignon, and their Riesling. Wine Tip: Ask to taste “Summer Love” which is a mix of their Summer white wine (my personal fav) and their Love wine!💖🍷
Now, most people can argue that businesses don’t need to have a rainbow sticker or massive rainbow pride flags plastered all over the place to be a gay-friendly place and I agree… to an extent💁
Having a small rainbow sticker at the front entrance of your establishment illustrates me to the idea that this is an establishment that is aware of LGBTQ+ individuals and welcomes them. My friends who don’t identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum almost never notice the rainbow flag when I’m with them, but I do. I notice, and it matters. If I’m about to walk into a place and there’s a small rainbow flag sticker somewhere, it makes me happy and makes me feel that I’m walking into a safe space to be myself! 🏳️🌈
There are many reasons why establishments should pride themselves on being inclusive because I know for a fact that I would most definitely give my money to an establishment that showcases that they are gay-friendly over a business that doesn’t, and will most likely become a returning customer!💖
Also, check out my friend Ayngelina’s post with top recommendations for restaurants in Prince Edward County.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to the Picton Sandbanks area or plan to go for your next gaycation 🙂
Ryan Thomas Woods is the voice behind Out With Ryan. He’s an LGBTQ+ Activist & Travel writer for this website and many other publications. He was recently voted 2018’s Travel Influencer of Year in Canada and dedicated the award to all LGBTQ+ travelers making the world a better & safer space for our community, as he strives to do on his website & social platforms.
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What is your favorite gay-friendly winery? Let me know in the comments
This post was amazing Ryan! Had the best time with you wine tasting!
Thanks Shawn! Had a blast wine-tasting with you too! I’ll have to come visit ya out in Alberta! Maybe there’s some great wineries out there 😛