Jaguar F-Pace Road Trip: Hitting The County for eats, beaches and lakeside fun

We get our fill of sun, the sea and good eats over in Prince Edward County while behind the wheel of the 2021 Jaguar F-Pace

Sami Haj-Assaad

Aug 06, 2021 • August 6, 2021 • 7 minute read • Join the conversation

It’s the middle of summer, so if you’re like me, your feet are getting itchy, demanding to be plunged into some sand and cooled off in the sea. Unfortunately, international travel feels like a tangled mess of inconveniences and confusing information regarding quarantines and testing requirements. So, time to find a relaxing and entertaining vacation right here at home, and that calls for a road trip .

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Seeking more than just sand and sea, we’re after some of the most delicious and fresh flavours available. So we set our sights on Prince Edward Country and highlighted not just the sandy and swimmable Sandbanks Provincial Park, but many of the brilliant restaurants and experiences found off the beaten path.

A road trip this fancy needs an equally impressive ride. Along for the ride is the Jaguar F-Pace 250 S . One of the best-selling Jaguar vehicles, the F-Pace arrives with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 250 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. That may not sound too generous, but the vehicle is equipped with plenty of comfort and convenience features to help long trips more palatable. Not that there’s a need for the heated seats these days, but the vented seats would be a much-appreciated feature on some 30-degree days. Above, a large panoramic sunroof lets us bask in the cloudless glory of these summer days. There is also a wide selection of USB ports and a wireless phone charger.

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With the car and destination in mind, we set off, ready to enjoy our vacation. The stretches of Highway 401 passed with ease, except for the grumblings of some empty stomachs. Our bellies must have known what the future held in store for them. For a distraction (and to get away from some traffic), we took a few side roads through Whitby. A common saying goes “don’t go shopping on an empty stomach.” The same goes for checking out restaurants. It turns out in the past few years, Whitby has been a hit with epicureans, and there are some really enticing spots. We haven’t even made it halfway to our destination in Picton, and we’re thinking of spoiling our lunch in Whitby. Then again, what harm could a few little Tacos do? Besides, there’s a stop scheduled at the Big Apple for coffee and snacks, meaning something to eat right now won’t kill our appetite later.

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Satiated and back on the highway to avoid doing that again, my wife settled on a Spotify playlist while I got better acquainted with the suite of technology found in the Jaguar. Lane-keeping and blind spot information are handy, but somehow the vehicle lacks adaptive cruise control. Considering the $20,000 Nissan Kicks I drove around in Georgetown had these features, I was a bit disappointed. On the other hand, I was drooling over the digital gauge cluster. It took a bit of configuring, but I managed to set up the display to show the navigation instructions and trip information, leaving my wife to keep an eye on the media.

Unfortunately, I spent a little too much time figuring out how to use that digital gauge cluster and missed our exit for the Big Apple. My wife scolded me for giving attention to the giant screens rather than the giant fruit. It took about 10 minutes to get to the next exit and another 10 minutes to return to the Big Apple. To our dismay, all of our favourite treats (including the apple cinnamon doughnuts and apple crisps) were sold out! Oh well — we still made off with some apple turnovers and butter tarts, snacking on them in the parking lot.

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While we were stuffing ourselves in the Jaguar, we noticed the adorable little petting zoo. Since our local zoos were off-limits in the past few months, we took a stroll through this attraction and enjoyed the ducks, geese, goats, and llama. Next, we hopped back into the car, shunning the 401 for a new route that took us through Colborne, Salem and eventually down into Picton, where our Airbnb was.

Picton is an idyllic tourist trap, with one main street loaded with local shops and restaurants, as well as nearby trails and scenic attractions. We couldn’t help getting some cold treats at Slicker’s Ice Cream , craving them almost every day after our first taste.

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However, things in Picton are a bit slower than you’d expect in other cities. Many restaurants stop serving before the clock strikes nine, so don’t expect a long evening sipping drinks and snacking away. Furthermore, accommodating Ontario’s restrictions at that time meant that we could only eat on the patio, which offered limited space.

Throughout our week, we enjoyed the various restaurants in Picton for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our highlights included Bantam by the Marans , 555 Brewing Co and Hartley’s Tavern . Outside of Picton, we enjoyed our meals crafted by the folks at Flame+Smith in Bloomfield, as well as the amazing sandwiches over at Flossie’s Sandwich Parlor in Hillier. I’m still dreaming about those tender fried chicken sandwiches, drizzled with sweet and savoury Consecon honey house sauce. These are a must-have if you’re passing through and checking out the wineries nearby.

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We could have gone all-in with the wine tasting experiences, but I wouldn’t get to continue driving this Jaguar around. So we set our GPS to some of the other, less intoxicating experiences.

Then again, I found out that perhaps you can lose your sobriety to something like cheese. Fifth Town Cheese features a cheese tasting experience, where you try all their local and small-batch products in one go. Let me tell you, sampling about 15 kinds of cheese in one sitting (I lost track after the first six) is incredible, and each one has something distinct to savour. From the salty yet meaty buffalo parmesan to the light, fluffy and addictive bagel chevre, we were delighted in trying everything. We bought several of our favourites from the tasting, and added a container of goat cheese ice cream, because why not?

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Still hungry for more cheese? A short distance away is Black River Cheese . Established in 1901 as one of the county’s first original cheese houses, they offer suggestions based on food and wine pairings.

The drives out to wine and cheese country provide ample opportunities to feel how the Jaguar handles winding roads. Unlike other crossovers, which can feel as mundane as an appliance, the F-Pace was surprisingly willing to cope with the constant changes in direction. The vehicle boasted excellent handling capability on the sweeping turns thanks to the double-wishbone setup up front and multi-link rear suspension. Even while riding on typically-stiff 20-inch wheels, the F-Pace managed to stay composed on these far-from-perfect surfaces. The steering feel is well-weighted, providing a delicate balance of comfort and engagement. That’s handy to know, as it means even the model with the weak engine can feel enjoyable in the right circumstances.

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In addition to the food in the County, there is also sand and sea — though in this case, it’s the lake. We spent a long day at Sandbanks Provincial Park . It’s an incredible, sprawling spot with plenty of beaches to enjoy. If you’re not one to stay stationary, there are also massive sand dunes to trek through. While the Great Lakes look kind of simple on a map, seeing them and jumping into them provides a whole new appreciation. It feels as close to the sea as we can get over here.

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The bright summer sun is perhaps the best time to take in the design of the F-Pace, which stands out amid the sea of bulbous-looking luxury crossovers in the parking lot. Aggressive, even in the comparatively mundane S model, the design is enticing enough to warrant a look-back when walking away. The cabin is pretty attractive too, with a premium blend of materials that make the Jaguar feel up to par with its competition from German rivals BMW and Mercedes.

Naturally, Lake Ontario and Sandbanks Provincial Park aren’t the only sights to take in, and they can be pretty busy. We also visited the Lake On The Mountain Provincial Park . This turned out to be a lovely spot, whether for a picnic or to visit one of the few restaurants in the area. The park is unique because the body of water located up at this altitude doesn’t seem to be connected to any other water source. It’s roughly 62 metres above Lake Ontario, with views of the Bay of Quinte and the Glenora Ferry, providing a great photo opportunity.

With tons of food, water and sun, it’s clear that Prince Edward County was the ideal choice for those missing an epic vacation. Those on a budget, worried about international air travel restrictions or keen to check out more of the province should definitely make a beeline to the area, just east of Toronto.