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Beyond basking on the beaches, there are small-town gems to explore, including Port Dover, right on the lake, and Simcoe, the county’s largest community. Plus, there’s easy access to natural beauty: bird watching in a UNESCO-recognized biosphere region, biking through a Carolinian forest, and strolling through one of Canada’s most acclaimed botanical gardens. On the whole, the region is less tourist-crowded than, say, Prince Edward County and Niagara, so you’ll feel like you’re uncovering some of Ontario’s blissful little hideaways.

Here are some of the best things to do in Norfolk County:

Kick back on a beach. The region boasts three main beaches, each offering a distinct vibe.  is favoured by families for its two-kilometre sandy beach and relatively shallow waters, while Port Dover has a stretch of sand dotted with palm trees (yes, real ones planted by the Beach House restaurant), just steps away from the town’s shops. For wildlife enthusiasts, is located in the provincial park of the same name. The park, a 40-kilometre sand spit that juts into the lake, is a UNESCO-recognized biosphere region renowned for its many species of songbirds and waterfowl and other wildlife, including the endangered American badger.

Explore one of the charming communities. Port Dover draws summer day-trippers for its beach, indie shops and restaurant patios. The compact core is easily walkable; before you start strolling, pick up a Golden Glow, the locally famous orange-flavoured drink at the Arbor, an institution since 1919. Browse or Grand Trunk Station for the shabby-chic cottage decor, then walk to the waterside for the . At the museum, which was partially built into an original fisherman’s net shanty, you can learn about this community’s fishing heritage and shipwreck lore. End your nautical-themed tour at the Port Dover Lighthouse, one of the oldest of this wooden style in Ontario.

Sample the emerging wine region. Blessed with sandy soil and a lake-moderated microclimate, Norfolk County is home to several distinctive wineries and cideries.  in St. Williams uses repurposed tobacco kilns for drying grapes, which concentrates the flavours in their passito-style wines, while produces apple ciders, as well as wines from grapes, blueberries and cranberries (the bold flavour profiles may surprise you). , located in Waterford on what was once tobacco farmland, is now a gorgeous vineyard and lavender farm; here, try True Blue, the award-winning hard cider featuring lavender and Ontario blueberries.

Get inspired by the greenery. With its rich soil and milder climate, Norfolk County is home to more than a thousand farms, vineyards and cideries, earning this region the nickname “Ontario’s Garden.� One of the lushest attractions is Wilsonville’s , a botanical garden considered one of Canada’s best (judging by its haul of national awards). It features more than 4,500 different plants, with thousands of blooms, including dramatic foxtail lilies and vibrant red hot pokers. The peaceful paths will make you feel as if you’re enjoying the grounds of your lavish country home. For take-home flowers, visit Delhi’s , where the four-acre u-cut dahlia field is the country’s largest. (You can cut your own bouquet seasonally, August to September.)

Savour regional ingredients. At at Burning Kiln Winery, the comfort foods all hit the spot, including the fried-to-perfection fish and chips made with Ontario pickerel. For more upscale dining, book in Port Dover, where chef Scott McRae’s rotating continental menu takes inspiration from seasonal ingredients. Standouts include the steaks (sourced from nearby Oxford County) and the pickerel duo; the fish comes from Lake Erie, which you can see right from the restaurant, and is served both pan-seared and corn flour-battered. 

Choose your own adventure. In Turkey Point, you’ll find , a resort offering glamping pods and a whole slate of outdoorsy activities (all can be booked separately). For the thrills, try their zip-line tour for treetop views of Norfolk’s Carolinian forest, or pedal through the forest on a mountain bike rental. For a more meditative pastime, join the nighttime observatory dome experience, when a storyteller will share ancient tales about the constellations while you stargaze through the 16-inch telescope.

If you stay: In Port Dover, a short walk from both Main Street and Lake Erie, the four-suite offers the feel of a contemporary boutique hotel inside a transformed, historic red-brick home. Expect Frette bed linens, a pour-over coffee bar, and a seasonally inspired continental breakfast in the main-floor dining space.

WHERE CHEFS EAT: Chef Scott McRae’s favourites in Norfolk County

Want more food and drink recommendations for Norfolk County? Scott McRae is the executive chef at , one of Port Dover’s best-known spots, serving up locally sourced ingredients in an elegant lakeside setting. He moved back to the county after a decade in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ (with stints at Opus, the Four Seasons Hotel ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, Thuet and the Rosewater Supper Club) and knows the bounty of Ontario’s South Coast well. Here are just a few places McRae recommends for your next trip here.

, Langton: “Matt Demarest and his wife, August, have a garden and farm out by Langton, and they do a really unique, farm-to-table dining experience with small groups. They do tasting menus and you’re surrounded by the garden and the farm animals.�

, Port Dover: “My friend Brad is a pastry chef and owns this café with his wife. They offer all kinds of great French pastries, cakes, pizzas and seafood sandwiches — they do a really nice job there. There’s a breakfast croissant I always get, and the pain au chocolate (is) kind of a staple for me.�

, Port Dover: “It’s a small, family-owned fruit market. We get most of our produce here when it’s in season. They grow pretty much everything, all kinds of vegetables and fruit. Peaches, cherries, really any kind of berry you can think of.�

, Port Dover: “This is a cool, little cheese boutique downtown. They have all kinds of local Ontario and Canadian cheeses, but also lots of really nice, imported cheeses as well. We get all our cheese for our cheeseboards from them.�

, Port Dover: “Aaron — he used to work here at David’s — and his girlfriend, Jess, just opened a little sandwich shop. He bakes the focaccia fresh every day and does all the in-house pickling. He does great sandwiches and prepared meals there.�

, Simcoe, and , Simcoe: “There are a lot of breweries. Charlotteville is a really nice one with small-batch beers. And New Limburg — they bought an old schoolhouse and turned it into a brewery. They do cool, Belgian-style beers, like tripels and dubbels.�