Fort Malden to Wine Country: A Day Trip Through Amherstburg and Kingsville

Some day trips try to cram in too much. This one doesn't have to, Amherstburg and Kingsville sit close enough together that you can genuinely do both without feeling like you're racing the clock.

Morning: Fort Malden

Start in Amherstburg, where the Detroit River meets Lake Erie. Fort Malden has stood here since 1796, built by the British to guard against American invasion, and it played a real role in the War of 1812. Walk the grounds, take in the museum, and if you're lucky enough to visit during a re-enactment weekend, you'll see the whole thing come alive with cannon fire and period costume.

While you're in town, the Amherstburg Freedom Museum is worth the stop too. It tells the story of the Underground Railroad and the African-American refugees who built a life here, a genuinely important piece of local history that doesn't get talked about enough.

Lunch downtown

Amherstburg's downtown still carries a lot of its French-influenced architecture, and it makes for a nice slow walk before you get back in the car.

Afternoon: Kingsville and the wine trail

A short drive gets you to Kingsville, home to the mainland location of Pelee Island Winery, Canada's southernmost winery, with over 150 years of winemaking history. Their Wine Patio downtown is a nice place to sit for a tasting, and if you've got extra time, the ferry to Pelee Island itself runs seasonally from Kingsville and Leamington.

Kingsville is part of the Essex Pelee Island Coast wine trail, so if you want to make an afternoon of it, there are a handful of other stops worth adding on.

Why it matters if you're house hunting

Both towns are part of Windsor-Essex, a region that's been getting more attention from buyers looking for lake access and small-town character without giving up proximity to a bigger city. If a day trip like this leaves you thinking "I could live here," you're not the first person to feel that way.