Sandbanks Vacations
Sandbanks Vacations
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About
With more than 40 wineries, Prince Edward County is Ontario's newest wine destination! Treat yourself to a day with friends or family on one of our wine tours or specialty tours. Let us help you discover some of Ontario's finest vineyards or spend a day exploring art galleries, craft studios, antique shops, cheese factories, farm stands, or other County treasure! We also manage over 50 vacation rental properties in Prince Edward County and can help you find the perfect spot for your stay.
Bloomfield, Ontario, Canada
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
747 reviews
Excellent
683
Very good
43
Average
12
Poor
6
Terrible
3
Mirella F
1 contribution
Aug 2020
We booked the half day wine tour somewhat reluctantly since we contemplated visiting the wineries on our own. So glad we did! First of all, we could not have asked for a better guide - Eduardo was just amazing! He was flexible based on what we were looking for, accommodating to our crazy requests, and was super knowledgeable about the whole area of PEC. He was also amazing at providing suggestions for wines to try in the various wineries and he was spot on with his suggestions. What a great time we had! Definitely do not hesitate - this is worth it and be sure to ask for Eduardo.
Written August 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amanda D
Simcoe, Canada11 contributions
Nov 2021
My best friend and I do an annual girls weekend getaway and this was our second time doing a tour with Sandbanks. I had a great experience with Jordanna who booked me in and created an itinerary that included stops we had never been to before. We booked the County Unveiled Tour which offers an excellent mix of local wine, beer, cider and even a distillery. Our guide Bob, was so lovely - he would take time along the way and just before each stop to point out local features and restaurants, and also tell us about each stop we were going to. We appreciated Bob's insight into the local area. I highly recommend booking a tour with Sandbanks for a fun and informative way of exploring all the local gems in Prince Edward County.
Written November 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
caseyonetwo
Pickering, Canada6 contributions
Sept 2020
We were picked up promptly at our loft and the driver was very friendly. We did a half day tour of Wineries, Cideries, Breweries and Distilleries. Our driver, Dave was amazing and a wealth of information not only on all the stops we made but also giving stories and information on the surrounding county. We had fun at every stop and it was amazing to be able to experience different mediums of alcohol besides wines. Just saying it was very nice to experience all the good wines and other beverages. We would recommend this type of tour. Enjoyed the day and company.
Written September 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia S
Ottawa, Ontario30 contributions
Aug 2021
My daughter and I decided to visit PEC - first time for her and I was there more than 30 years ago. We both love wine so we planned the trip around the Sandbanks Vacation Private Wine Tour which would take us to four wineries. John was our driver/guide for the afternoon from 12:30 p.m. pick-up at our Belleville hotel until he dropped us off there at 5:30 p.m.. He was a wealth of information about the county and its vineyards, very easy to talk to and made the tour exceptional. It was one of the August hot and humid days but the van was air conditioned and John had cold bottled water for us. Some of the tastings were inside but even when the tastings were outside we were sheltered from the sun or the breeze made it bearable. The wine helped too! And since my daughter and I were a bit on the speedy side when it came to our tastings John was able to fit in an additional winery that was not included in our itinerary. The wines were very good and we bought something at every stop. Tip: the peach vinegar at Black Prince Winery is phenomenal!
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Patricia:
Thank you very much for taking the time to submit your review about your wine tour with Sandbanks Vacations. I was so pleased to read that you and your daughter had a great day with John as your guide.
Please don't wait another 30 years before you visit again.
We hope to see you back in The County someday soon.
Cheers!
Richard
Written August 25, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Meghan T
6 contributions
Aug 2021
The Sandbanks Tours Team were great in helping organize our tour, they were very responsive and answered any questions I had, especially when I had a last minute change in the type of tour (changing from a wine tour to the unveiled county tour). Our tour guide Chris was very friendly and pointed out restaurant locations to try while driving from location to location, which was great to know for future trips to the county. Overall I would use them again in a heartbeat!
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma L
2 contributions
May 2024 • Family
I found this tour to be a bit disappointing for how much it cost for our group of 13. The planning process was somewhat tedious and I had to follow up quite a few times asking for information on costs / our itinerary. I also found it a bit challenging to get information from our driver (although he was lovely overall). We had the rough itinerary / timing of our arrival to each vineyard but as we were getting off the bus each time we had to ask what time to be back to the bus (having no idea how far away we were from the next stop). The times given were always vague and at the first vineyard he drove the bus away without telling us (we just assumed it would stay parked in the lot, as we had left water bottles / purses / etc. on it). Nothing major but just little things to note when considering a tour with Sandbanks.
I think I'd recommend looking at one of their other packages as opposed to the County Trio Tour (perhaps more bang for your buck with another selection).
I think I'd recommend looking at one of their other packages as opposed to the County Trio Tour (perhaps more bang for your buck with another selection).
Written May 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K C
Quebec City, Canada5 contributions
Oct 2021
It did not start well. Our driver was 10 min late and did not apologize when he arrived. I had tried to contact the agency but no one got back to me.
Our driver never wore any mask, mentioned he ''hated them'' and even said it was fine for other people to not wear any on the bus. This made us uncomfortable.
No bottled water was provided even though it was clearly mentioned on the receipt. The driver said he did not have any when asked. We did not bring our own because of what was mentioned on that receipt. We ended up very dehydrated and this had a negative impact on the full experience. Some wineries, especially Karlo Estates had an uncomfortable and awkward setting : we were really close to each other, not wearing masks, which is, again, uncomfortable during these difficult times.
We were also a group of 10 instead of 8 as indicated on receipt.
Ending with the wine selection: pretty standard.
I find the full experience overpriced and would not recommend it to anybody.
Our driver never wore any mask, mentioned he ''hated them'' and even said it was fine for other people to not wear any on the bus. This made us uncomfortable.
No bottled water was provided even though it was clearly mentioned on the receipt. The driver said he did not have any when asked. We did not bring our own because of what was mentioned on that receipt. We ended up very dehydrated and this had a negative impact on the full experience. Some wineries, especially Karlo Estates had an uncomfortable and awkward setting : we were really close to each other, not wearing masks, which is, again, uncomfortable during these difficult times.
We were also a group of 10 instead of 8 as indicated on receipt.
Ending with the wine selection: pretty standard.
I find the full experience overpriced and would not recommend it to anybody.
Written October 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gail B
Ottawa, Canada5 contributions
Jul 2021
My friends and I had a wonderful afternoon on the wine tour with our excellent and knowledgeable tour guide John. He informed us of the history of Prince Edward County as well as the history of each and every winery we went to. There were three of us on this tour and we visited four wineries with three-four tastings in each one. Ou tour guide took us to places we might not have chosen on our own. Would definitely recommend to friends and we will absolutely do this tour again !
Written July 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia S
5 contributions
Oct 2021
We had a great day. Three female friends. 1/2 day wine tour in PEC.
We were picked up early.
Our tour operator Bob was very good. He was knowledgeable, saw to our needs without being intrusive and the choices of wineries was very good as well.
Covid precautions meet with professionalism.
We were picked up early.
Our tour operator Bob was very good. He was knowledgeable, saw to our needs without being intrusive and the choices of wineries was very good as well.
Covid precautions meet with professionalism.
Written October 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenn S
Ontario, Canada33 contributions
Nov 2020 • Couples
My wife and I just just did The County Unveiled Tour for a second time this year, this weekend Nov 1st with Larry and previously with Chris in the middle of August. August was our first time in PEC for the tours and we loved it, so we booked again and brought another couple along with us. We stayed at the Picton Harbor Inn which was a nice spot.
The stops chosen by Sandbanks Vacations were fantastic both times. While no stop was bad, in fact they were all rather good, Kipsip stood out as a favorite stop personally as I enjoy spirits more then other options. For beer stops barley days was a crowd favorite. The beer was great, but the service and knowledge was even better. Speak to Larry to learn more then you can handle. We also grabbed some fantastic smoked meat at the food truck outside.
For wine stops Sugarbush stood out for us for wine and Black Prince for the vinegar tasting and for experience. Crimson while not bad was our least favorite. Our group just isn't heavy into ciders, however the lavender cider was very nice, and we did buy a bottle. As with all the above, it all comes down to personal preference and taste. For our palates, the above is what stood out.
Last but not least out your guides. The first time was with Chris as previously mentioned. We had a fantastic time, as did the other two random couples we toured with. Chris was friendly, funny, and knowledgeable of the area. We put in a request for him as our guide the second time around. We didn't end up Chris but ended up being extremely happy with our guide Larry. Larry (who we met working at barley days on the first tour) was an absolute fantastic guide. We couldn't have asked for more. He went above and beyond in order to make our tour one to remember. The amount of knowledge and laughs shared inside and outside of the scheduled stops made our tour perfect.
We will absolutely be coming back to PEC and doing another sandbanks tour in the future. Highly recommended to those looking for a great, fun day, with more the just wine stops.
The stops chosen by Sandbanks Vacations were fantastic both times. While no stop was bad, in fact they were all rather good, Kipsip stood out as a favorite stop personally as I enjoy spirits more then other options. For beer stops barley days was a crowd favorite. The beer was great, but the service and knowledge was even better. Speak to Larry to learn more then you can handle. We also grabbed some fantastic smoked meat at the food truck outside.
For wine stops Sugarbush stood out for us for wine and Black Prince for the vinegar tasting and for experience. Crimson while not bad was our least favorite. Our group just isn't heavy into ciders, however the lavender cider was very nice, and we did buy a bottle. As with all the above, it all comes down to personal preference and taste. For our palates, the above is what stood out.
Last but not least out your guides. The first time was with Chris as previously mentioned. We had a fantastic time, as did the other two random couples we toured with. Chris was friendly, funny, and knowledgeable of the area. We put in a request for him as our guide the second time around. We didn't end up Chris but ended up being extremely happy with our guide Larry. Larry (who we met working at barley days on the first tour) was an absolute fantastic guide. We couldn't have asked for more. He went above and beyond in order to make our tour one to remember. The amount of knowledge and laughs shared inside and outside of the scheduled stops made our tour perfect.
We will absolutely be coming back to PEC and doing another sandbanks tour in the future. Highly recommended to those looking for a great, fun day, with more the just wine stops.
Written November 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where do you go for dinner with the wine and dine package?
Written March 13, 2018
We went to East & Main. We all enjoyed our lunches and the server was fun. The restaurant has a very upbeat atmosphere.
Written March 14, 2018
Hi, we are a 60ish couple from Montreal, planned to spend about 4-5 days in the County, mid August. We're interest into wines, golf, food, sightseeing. Wonder if you have any package to suggest? Thank you very much.
Written August 13, 2017
Hi eldiviMon,
We would recommend taking advantage of our stay & play package which includes a 2 nights stay at one of our rental properties with a half day wine tour. You are welcome to extend this stay and include a lunch or dinner option to your wine tour. Our staff is very knowledgeable about the area and would be happy to help you plan your trip. To see more details go to our Sandbanks Vacations & Tours website
Written August 16, 2017
We had 19 girls. $100 per person + tax and we tipped separately at each winery and tipped our driver separately as well. It was great because they took cash or CC so everyone could pay on their own! The driver took care of everything at the winery! They also charged our mom's-to-be a separate price as they weren't drinking. They were $50 each.
It was great
Written May 23, 2017
I was wondering if your company will be working in conjunction with the Cheese Festival in Picton? We have a girls Getaway booked at Sandbanks PP for the same weekend June 3&4 and we're looking for shuttle service to the event combined with a wine tour, anything like that available?
Written April 9, 2017
Hi,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding a wine tour on June 3 & 4th. We are unfortunately do not have availability for a tour on Saturday, June 3rd but do have some availability for a tour on Sunday, June 4th and would be able to pick you up at your camp site at the park and incorporate the cheese festival into your day if you choose. If you are interested send us an email.
Cheers,
Written April 10, 2017
WE will be coming to your area the week of September 14th and are planning a wine tour. Do you have any comments on your location compared to the wine tour area's, and if you can recommend transportation to the winery's?
Written September 22, 2015
We stayed at the Merrill Inn which is right in Picton. Walking dustsnce to downtown. We did a half day personal tour with Sandbanks tours which was great. Sometimes a full day can be too much. Bob our driver took us on a custom tour for the 4 of us at about the same cost as a large tour. We went to 5 wineries. Sandbanks are very easy to deal with. Bob knows the area, the vineyard staff and the wineries very well. He can customize the tour to what you want.
Written September 22, 2015
I think we paid $85 each. We were picked up at 1:00pm and our tour ended about 5:30. The limo bus picked up 11 people all together at several different inns. We went to 4 different wineries, and sampled at least 4 wines and up to 6 at each winery. The driver was friendly and knowledgeable.
We were each given a box at one of the wineries, and all our purchases went in the box and we could leave it in the imo while we were at each winery. It was well organized and enjoyable. I would recommend them.
Written July 28, 2015
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