Toronto is in full FIFA frenzy right now. The patios are packed, the traffic is chaos, and every corner of the city seems to be pulsing with the energy of the World Cup. And while that’s fun in its own right, there’s also something to be said for doing the exact opposite.

Instead of spending another summer weekend navigating crowds, transit, and packed bars in the city, we traded the whistle for the waterfront and escaped to Prince Edward County (PEC) for a couple of nights at Drake Motor Inn and Drake Devonshire in Wellington, Ontario. The result was exactly what we wanted it to be: slower, intentional, design-forward… and close enough to Toronto that it still feels like an easy staycation rather than a major trip.

For anyone craving a summer getaway that still feels modern, social, and food-forward without the chaos of staying in the city, Drake Devonshire & Motor Inn continues to make a very strong case for itself.

A PEC getaway that feels worlds away from Toronto

If you’ve never stayed in Wellington before, it’s one of those County towns that immediately shifts your pace. Things feel quieter and slower here. Obligations drift away. You’re minutes from wineries, beaches, breweries, and farm-to-table dinners by the water… and there’s none of the urgency that comes with a busy city weekend.

This is exactly what makes Drake Devonshire and Drake Motor Inn such a good escape right now!

The Drake Devonshire itself is the property many Ontarians already know and love: a boutique lakeside inn in Wellington with one of the prettiest waterfront settings in PEC, plus a restaurant, beach access, outdoor amenities, and the artsy, personality-filled design touch the Drake brand does so well.

Then, just down the street is Drake Motor Inn, the newer sister property where we stayed during our visit, and it ended up being the ideal home base for a County weekend.

Staying at Drake Motor Inn was the best of both worlds

We checked into Drake Motor Inn and stayed in a double queen room (building 43, #6), and it was exactly the kind of stay that makes you exhale and take in the room a little the second you put your bags down.

The room was bright, spacious, and felt brand new in that very satisfying way where everything is clean, fresh, and thoughtfully laid out.

Drake Motor Inn leans more boutique retro-yet-new motel than traditional Inn, but in a way that feels elevated rather than stripped down. It has the ease of a roadside stay with the personality of a proper boutique hotel property.

Our room had two queen beds, a large bathroom with a glass shower, robes and slippers for two, a desk area, coffee setup, and a private balcony with loungers overlooking Wellington’s main street. Even though the property is in the heart of town, it still felt incredibly peaceful.

Wellington is quiet in a way Toronto simply isn’t in the summer, and at night the whole neighbourhood felt calm and restful.

One of my favourite touches in the room was the Polaroid camera and film, which is such a fun little Drake detail for a getaway like this. There’s also a fridge stocked with craft drinks, local wine, beer, seltzers, and snacks, plus little extras like face masks and eye masks that make the whole stay a bit more comfortable.

The design throughout the property really carries that Drake personality too. There’s art everywhere, from the walls in the common areas to the rooms themselves, and the whole place feels colourful, modern, and just self-aware enough without ever trying too hard.

Makes a great home base for County wandering

One of the things I liked most about Drake Motor Inn is that it works well whether you want your PEC weekend to be busy or intentionally lazy.

There’s a common lounge-style area with games, water and ice, and an elevated vending machine stocked with the kinds of snacks and necessities you actually might want on a weekend away.

It also sits right by Midtown Brewing, which makes the location feel even more useful if you want a brewery stop or casual pizza moment without having to go far.

At the same time, it’s also just a genuinely comfortable place to retreat back to after a day out in the County.

Prince Edward County is one of those destinations where you can build the exact kind of weekend you want. If you’re in the mood for wineries, there are plenty nearby. If you want to spend the afternoon beachside, Sandbanks Provincial Park is only about 20 minutes away. If you want to keep things low-key, you can simply wander Wellington, have a long lunch, grab a glass of wine somewhere in town (or at the hotel), and call it a day.

And, Drake Devonshire is one of the prettiest places to spend a PEC evening

After a day out in the County, we headed back to Drake Devonshire for dinner, and this is where the property really reminds you why it’s become such a sought-after Ontario staycation spot.

The setting alone does a lot of the heavy lifting, sitting right on the waterfront, and having that immediate feeling that you’ve properly left the city behind.

The restaurant is modern and artsy but still relaxed, with big lake views and a room that works just as well for a romantic dinner as it does for a family meal or a catch-up with mom.

We started with a couple of espresso martinis then we ordered a few things to share, beginning with the bread + butter, which came as a seeded pain au lait pull-apart with St. Brigid’s butter and Maldon salt. It was warm, soft, and exactly the kind of starter that disappears quickly the second it hits the table.

We also had a half dozen oysters, served with mignonette, horseradish, and lemon, plus the baby gem Caesar, which ame with shaved fennel, radish, bacon, miso croutons, parmesan, and a fermented Caesar dressing that gave it a little more depth than your standard Caesar.

For mains, we went with the cacio e pepe gnocchi and the seared scallops, plus a side of grilled local mushrooms.

The gnocchi was genuinely one of the standout dishes of the meal. It was exactly what you want gnocchi to be: soft, pillowy, rich without being too heavy, and coated in that salty, cheesy cacio e pepe combination of pecorino and parmesan that somehow always feels both comforting and a little luxurious.

The seared scallops came with buttermilk dashi, pressed potatoes, seaweed, and dill, and felt much lighter and more delicate beside the gnocchi. If the gnocchi was the comfort order, the scallops were the fresh, summery counterpoint. We also added the grilled local mushrooms on the side, which came with oyster and cinnamon cap mushrooms, thyme, and lemon.

Dinner at Drake Devonshire was like exactly what we wanted from a PEC evening: a beautiful setting, good cocktails, food that feels elevated but still approachable, and enough of a view to make you want to linger.

If Toronto feels like too much this summer, this is where I’d go

There’s a version of summer where you stay in the city, chase every patio reservation, and throw yourself into every event happening around you.

And then there’s the version where you leave the crowds behind for a couple of nights, drink coffee on a quiet balcony, spend the day at Sandbanks, and end it with oysters and lake views in Prince Edward County.

This stay leaned firmly into the second option, and I was very happy about it.

If you’re looking for a stylish Ontario getaway this summer that still feels close enough for a quick trip but far enough to reset your nervous system a little, Drake Motor Inn and Drake Devonshire make a very convincing case for trading Toronto’s chaos for a quieter kind of weekend.

Want the Drake experience in the city? You can rent their Rooftop Terrace Suite at The Drake Hotel in Toronto for your events, or staycations!