Always skipped past the Bay of Quinte? This family weekend guide proves why you should stop! Discover local adventures, hidden gems, and delicious food in Frankford, Belleville & Trenton, Ontario.
Look, I’ve done Ontario. From north to south, east to west. The big hits like Niagara Falls, Ottawa, and Sandbanks Provincial Park are so packed with tourists during those few weekends that we parents get a moment to escape with the kids. I’ve done the other places too, like Thunder Bay, Manitoulin Island, and Point Pelee National Park, where things are a bit quieter and more relaxed. Heck, I even started a website dedicated to Ontario travel called Ultimate Ontario!
But with all of that local Ontario exploration under my belt, there’s one part of Ontario that I’ve always skipped past. Even on road trips from Toronto to Quebec City, I’ve avoided the off-ramps on this one stretch of Highway 401. Not really for any good reason, it’s just one of those places that I never really thought about. This region, known as the Bay of Quinte, just hadn’t sparked my imagination.
But on a recent road trip through Ontario, my kids and I decided that we needed to see something new. So we took exit 543A off the 401, and it changed how we look at Ontario.
About the Bay of Quinte
It’s easy to overlook the Bay of Quinte, but those who take the time to explore this Z-shaped bay on the northern shores of Lake Ontario, right at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, where it begins its journey to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, usually come back for more.
This area of Ontario has quietly been a mecca for watersports, hosting some of the province’s largest fishing tournaments and even hosting the sailing regatta for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. It’s also one of Canada’s most historic regions. Steeped in Indigenous culture and some of the province’s earliest settlements.
The Bay of Quinte offers a little bit of everything that Ontario is known for in a bite-sized, easy-to-digest plate served up with a side of food truck fries. It’s a destination that offers families a chance to escape into something new and experience gentle adventures in a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Read on for our itinerary and motivations for our family weekend in the Bay of Quinte.
Day 1: Small-Town Charm and Big Nature in Frankford and Plainford
Let me set the tone of where we were at. The boys and I, along with my wife Christina, had just returned from a jet-setting four-week adventure through eight countries in Africa. We were tired, jet-lagged, and hungry for a taste of local Ontario life. Rather than start our weekend in the Bay of Quinte in the bigger cities of Belleville and Trenton, we started small. The town of Frankford is a quintessential Ontario small town with quiet streets, century buildings, and riverfront walks. The kind of town that sets the tone for the slower, more deliberate kind of local travel experience that we were aiming for.
My friend Anna, a local from Belleville, had suggested a few stops for our trip. She knows our love for the outdoors well, so nature was at the forefront of our first day in the region. We drove north from the highway rather than south toward the water, opting for scenic views to start our weekend.
Sager Conservation Area
The Bay of Quinte’s small, quiet, and beautiful conservation areas offered exactly what our exhausted bodies needed. Big reward with little effort. Sager Conservation Area was our first stop. Featuring a 30-foot-tall fire tower situated across one of the highest drumlins (large hills formed by glaciers melting and depositing sediment along their retreat), it offered a perfect introduction to the small-town experience.
The scenic backroads led us to a small parking lot and a short, but steep hike. The fire tower offers amazing 360-degree panoramic views of the Trent River Valley and the farms and rural areas that make up most of Frankford. The sun was shining, the clouds were full like cotton, and our spirits were starting to soar.
Lunch at Old Bank Cafe in Frankford
The drive up the 401 and the hike at Sager Conservation Area built up quite an appetite, so we stopped in town to get some lunch. The top spot here is the Old Bank Cafe. Situated in, you guessed it, an old bank, this pretty cafe serves up some impressive sandwiches along with burgers, wraps, and hot dogs. It’s nice inside, but during the summer, the best seat in the house is on their creekside patio.
The boys and I dug into our food while seated amongst the copious flower pots, watching families of ducks nibble at the algae-coated rocks, just soaking in the sunshine and enjoying the peaceful relaxation of small town life. The sandwiches were fantastic, but I think my order, the chicken-avocado wrap, took the prize for the best order.
A Wildlife Safari of a Different Sort at H.R. Frink Conservation Area
With some time on our hands before we could check into our hotel, we drove east toward the town of Plainford. The town wasn’t our destination, though; it was a conservation area that we had read about, which we were told was filled with local wildlife, from birds and turtles to fish and snakes. H.R. Frink Conservation Area is a popular day trip from Belleville and Trenton. It’s a marsh boardwalk offering an easy, yet scenic nature walk for families.
There are actually two sides to the conservation area, both on opposite sides of Thrasher Rd. The north side offers quiet trails down to the Moira River. We stopped there first to do a little bit of fishing, but were chased away by the bugs (my own lack of foresight for not bringing bug spray). The west side of the park, though, was a different story altogether.
We strolled along the scenic boardwalk, the summer flowers in full bloom all around us, and the beautiful blue sky gleaming overhead. As for wildlife, we saw loads. Herons, frogs, turtles, fish, and even the hard-to-spot Northern Watersnake. The last one sat, conveniently posed, beneath a sign stating that the marsh is home to that same snake!
Checking In To The Hampton Inn
The Bay of Quinte is home to some great places to stay. There are loads of excellent hotels and bed and breakfasts in the region (you can check out a great list of family-friendly ones here). We opted for something central, close to the highway, and with easy access to Belleville, Trenton, and the rest of the Bay of Quinte.
That hotel was the Hampton Inn & Suites, Belleville. Located just off the 401 in Belleville, it meant we were less than 20 minutes from pretty much anywhere in the Bay of Quinte. The Hampton Inn has always been a solid choice for us. Clean, easy, with a pool (which we definitely took advantage of), and an included breakfast, which is always super helpful.
Dinner at a Local Institution: Chilangos
After four weeks of eating our way through Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, and Morocco, I was thrown off when the boys shouted in unison, “MEXICAN” when I asked them what they wanted for dinner. But hey, in my experience, Mexican is never a bad idea, and luckily, Belleville delivers some of the best.
Just 10 minutes from the hotel is a restaurant that has become a bit of an institution in the city. In 2011, Marlem and Abraham, two immigrants from Mexico City, or Chilango’s, were selling tacos from a tent on the Belleville Waterfront. Now their restaurant at 365 N Front St is a local favorite. With two locations in town. One here, and a smaller, more intimate one downtown.
We devoured tacos, Mexican corn, and quesadillas, all washed down with fresh lemonade and a couple of bottles of Jarritos.
Ice Cream In A Castle (kind of) at Reid’s Dairy
As we drove down Bell Blvd. Dylan leaned out the window and shouted, “What is THAT!?” He was pointing at a pair of towering castle-like spires jutting up over the plaza on the edge of the road. Those castle spires belonged to Reid’s Dairy, one of the largest dairy producers in Ontario and home to some of the best ice cream in Belleville.
It doesn’t take much convincing to get me to pull over for ice cream, so before Dylan could yell “lactose intolerant,” we were pulling into the Reid’s Dairy Plaza at the corner of Bell Blvd and Sidney St. Cohen and I dove into some of the collection of dozens of flavors that Reid’s had on offer. Dylan, with his sensitive stomach, opted for a grape slushy instead. We all left happy.
Day 2: History That Takes Flight in Trenton
The next morning, after a quick breakfast at the hotel, we made the easy drive to Trenton, one of the major hubs within the Bay of Quinte. This is one of Canada’s biggest military towns and home to the Canadian Air Force Base Trenton.
Taking To The Skies at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Air Force Base is also home to our first stop in Trenton, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. When you spend as much time flying around the world as we do, plane travel becomes a bit of a fascination. We’ve eaten in restaurants that were once airplanes, and we’ve even stayed at plane hotels before.
This was our first time at a plane museum, though, and it was pretty cool walking through lanes of historic airplanes, helicopters, and jets that were once a big part of the Canadian military. The boys were fascinated by the simulators where they could sit in authentic cockpits from planes like the Hercules to proper military jets (somehow, each time there was a disaster on board that required some quick thinking and aerial acrobatics on their part).
The museum took us through the history of the Canadian Air Force and even featured the earliest aircraft ever used by the Canadian military. But the museum’s claim to fame is the Handley Page Halifax A MK VII. It’s so integral to the museum that the museum was actually built around this plane. It’s the only intact model of this plane in existence, and the story of how it got there was pretty wild to hear.
The plane was shot down by German artillery over Norway and sank deep into a lake, where it sat for decades undisturbed. Conservation efforts were put forth to surface and reconstruct the plane, which was shot down by a single flak round that, shockingly, hit the fuel tank of the plane. All of the plane’s crew survived the crash landing, but five of the six, tragically, did not make the swim through the chilly waters to safety.
Donuts The Size Of Our Heads at Wannamaker’s Bakeshop
We had heard rumors of epic donuts at a bakery not far from the Trenton Air Force Museum, and we set out on a mission. Wannamaker’s Bakeshop was the destination, and as we strolled into the pink-trimmed building on Dundas St., our eyes lit up.
This small bakery was packed with some of the most epic baked treats that I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Massive cinnamon buns, the biggest Boston Creams, and row upon row of mouth-watering treats. We each picked a donut, Dylan opted for the cinnamon bun, Cohen went hog-wild on a maple-bacon delight, and I opted for the signature apple fritter.
Evolution In Action At the Quinte Museum of Natural History
The Quinte Museum of Natural History is tiny. From the outside, it’s hard to believe that this museum, located in a strip mall in an industrial plaza, has anything worth visiting. But looks can be deceiving. And we had just returned from an epic experience in Egypt that made this one of our top things to do in the Bay of Quinte.
You see, our first stop on our tour through Africa was Egypt. Specifically, the Western Desert is a dry and desolate region of the country that sits on the edge of the mighty Sahara Desert. It was here, back in 1902, that researchers first found the remains of whales, far from any known source of water. What’s more, is that these whales showed evidence of hind legs, proving that these massive sea creatures had evolved from land-dwelling mammals. And we journeyed there to see these fossils in person.
And the Quinte Museum of Natural History, along with an amazing collection of dinosaur skeletons, had a fascinating exhibit on the evolution of whales that included several skeletons along that evolutionary process. It was fascinating!
You can find their current exhibits here.
Picnic Lunch Fueled by Trenton Deli
For lunch, we wandered over to Trenton Deli, a small, local delicatessen serving local food along with excellent house-made sandwiches. We loaded up with some of their house sandwiches and a creative selection of drinks.
Unfortunately, they don’t have any in-house dining, so we packed everything up and made our way down to the Trenton Marina to enjoy our sandwiches by the water.
Paddling on the Trent River
After lunch, we made a quick drive across the Trent River to the Trenton Paddling and Rowing Club. Their riverside boathouse offers all-day rentals of canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards for just $20. Dylan opted for a paddleboard, while Cohen and I took out a canoe for a paddle up the Trent River to take in some of the local views from the water.
We paddled up, watching the birds flitter along the shoreline and fish jumping near our paddles. The views were fantastic, and it may have been our favorite experience in the Bay of Quinte. There’s something about being on the water that’s always appealed to us. Whether we are paddling through Bon Echo Provincial Park or sailing in Thunder Bay, being on the water always brings us peace.
Sunset Dinner On Myers Pier
As we drove back to the hotel for a swim in the pool, I got a call from my good friend Kathryn Dickson, someone who I know has a lot of insider knowledge about the Bay of Quinte. She was born in Belleville and grew up in the area before moving to Toronto and starting her travel website Kathryn Anywhere.
My boys and her kids bonded over an adventure in St. John, New Brunswick, a few years before, and she just happened to be in town visiting family while we were there (cheers to connections made through Instagram!). We met up with them at The Pier Patio and Bar on Myers Pier, one of the local hotspots for fishing and sunset views. They also just happen to have some of the best hamburgers in Belleville.
While Kathryn, her boyfriend Chris, and I swapped stories on the pier, the kids took off to find some bass, walleye, and pike.
Day 3: Belleville – Urban Adventures with a Historical Twist
Fresh waffles are fantastic, but you can only eat a hotel breakfast so many times before you need something a little more … creative.
Local Breakfast at Gourmet Diem
We made our way into downtown Belleville for what we were told was one of the best breakfast sandwich spots in the city. Gourmet Diem was quiet, but after we ordered our classic breakfast sandwiches, we could see a steady stream of locals wandering in and out, grabbing their sandwiches to go.
We enjoyed the warm and relaxing atmosphere almost as much as the sandwiches. It was a marked change from the busy breakfast area at the Hampton Inn.
Scavenger Hunt at Glanmore Historical Site
During our conversations with locals about the best things to do in the Bay of Quinte, almost everyone brought up Glanmore Historical Site, so, on our last day in the region, we made our way down to Belleville’s historical area, where loads of United Empire Loyalists made their homes after the War of 1812. It’s here that one of Ontario’s most beautiful historic homes is located.
Glanmore National Historic Site is a deep dive into early Ontario elite life. It’s a beautifully preserved Second Empire-style mansion built in 1883 for a prominent local banker. It’s hard-working attendants have restored it to its original splendor with a mix of original and acquired furniture. The boys picked up scavenger hunt sheets and spent a solid hour exploring the house from top to bottom, trying to find all of the hidden treasures. Once we were finished (earning a sticker for their success), we got a sneak peek at the Glanmore Historic Site’s new interactive servant’s kitchen, where kids can get hands-on in a reconstruction of a 19th-century servant’s responsibilities.
Pop Up Life On The Waterfront
One of the things that we absolutely loved about the Bay of Quinte is the wealth of pop-ups that were dotted along the waterfront from Brighton to Belleville. We zipped down to West Zwick’s Island in Belleville to experience one for ourselves.
The pop-up village here was amazing, a dozen small shipping containers transformed into craft stores, restaurants, and beverage shacks selling everything from hot wings to boba. There was even a music stand where bands were treating crowds to live, local music. A truly festive atmosphere that was a perfect send-off for our weekend in the Bay of Quinte.
We dug into everything we could find. Perogies, brisket mac & cheese, boba slushies, and dirty sodas, and left, full, happy, and content with everything that we had experienced over the past three days.
The Off-Ramp To The Bay of Quinte
As we drove toward Kingston, away from the Bay of Quinte, leaving the bustling pop-up village behind us, I found myself thinking about that moment we took exit 543A. For years, I had treated this stretch of Ontario as just a path to somewhere else, but our weekend here proved that some of the best adventures aren’t at the end of a long drive—they’re just off the highway, waiting to be discovered.
The Bay of Quinte isn’t a single “must-see” attraction; it’s a collection of gentle adventures, friendly faces, and unexpected stories. From the panoramic views at Sager Conservation Area to the history that comes to life at Glanmore, this region offers everything a family needs for a perfect escape. So, next time you’re zipping along the 401, I challenge you to do what we did. Take the off-ramp, explore a small town, and find your own adventure. You might just discover your new favorite part of Ontario.
Disclosure: Our travels through the Bay of Quinte were done in partnership with Bay of Quinte Tourism. All opinions remain my own.
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