Travelers between Toronto and Ottawa reach Belleville about halfway, a lakeside city of about 55,000 at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte. People call it the Friendly City, and it works as the regional hub for the surrounding towns, with a hospital, big stores, and an OHL hockey team, the Bulls.
Most visitors come for the water. There is walleye fishing on the bay, a waterfront trail with a park at Zwick's Island, and a farmers market. Prince Edward County, with its wineries and Sandbanks beaches, is a short drive south and is a big reason people live in Belleville, where prices run lower. Housing costs a good deal less than the Toronto area but has climbed sharply since 2020. Downtown has some visible drug use and street disorder near Front Street, and crime is around or a bit above average. Winters are snowy, and bay ice is never safe.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
July to August and long weekends
Quieter season
January to March
Nearest airport
Belleville Airport (YBB)
Highlights
Belleville Waterfront Trail and Zwick's Park
Glanmore National Historic Site
Bay of Quinte fishing (walleye) and boating
Belleville Farmers Market (Saturdays)
Quinte Conservation areas and the Moira River
Prince Edward County wineries, Sandbanks Provincial Park and Picton (about 35-60 km)
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.2/10Good
Connector Score8.4
30 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, and air; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety6.8
Crime Severity Index around 85; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability7.0
Cost of living index about 95, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation7.0
Reachable by: road, intercity train, and air. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness4.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability3.9
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do5.5
Known for 7 kinds of attraction, with 6 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining4.4
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.4
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors7.0
Known for beaches, national & state parks, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value8.0
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness5.4
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.1
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife4.2
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.5
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
30 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.0
Intercity train service, with 21 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
The Friendly City; Bay of Quinte's regional hub; Hastings County seat; gateway to Prince Edward County
Founded
1790s Loyalist and Mississauga settlement at the mouth of the Moira River; 1816 named Belleville; 1850 incorporated as a town; 1877 incorporated as a city
Languages
English (de facto working language; Canada's federal official languages are English and French); French available in federal services and small communities; immigrant languages are limited, with Mohawk spoken at nearby Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and some Punjabi, Arabic and Spanish
Airports
Belleville Airport (YBB) is small, general aviation with limited service; Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International (YOW), about 180 km northeast; Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), about 200 km west (about 2 hours by car); Kingston (YGK), about 90 km east; Trenton (CYTR, RCAF Trenton) adjacent and not public
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill; bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; Ontario HST 13% is added to listed prices)
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Belleville City Circle
For people considering Belleville, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 55,071 (city) and Belleville-Quinte West CMA 111,184 are 2021 Census figures recalled from memory; not confirmed online (StatCan robots-blocked). Area 247.2 sq km recalled, includes rural areas. Web search returned links only and StatCan pages are robots-blocked, so figures are recalled and not confirmed online. Land area, elevation, coordinates, event names and months, hotel ranges, cost of living, crime index, rent, home prices and distances are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified. All money in CAD. visitor_website is the Quinte West tourism page as a regional stand-in (no confirmed Belleville-specific tourism URL seen; Quinte's Isle and Bay of Quinte regional tourism sites also exist); event_calendar is the City of Belleville things-to-do page, recalled and not confirmed live.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
8 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Downtown Belleville
Front Street, waterfront
Old East Hill
Thurlow
North end
Bayside
Belleville North
Ameliasburgh area
Foxboro
Zwick's Island
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Downtown and waterfront Belleville for walkability and Bay of Quinte views
Highway 401 exits for chain hotels and motels
Prince Edward County (Picton, Wellington) for wineries and B&Bs
Trenton for Trent-Severn access. Tiers: motels and B&Bs
mid-range chains (Best Western Belleville, Comfort Inn, Quality Inn)
upscale inns in Prince Edward County
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Trenton (15 km; car or local bus); Quinte West (15 km; car); Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory (15 km; car); Stirling (25 km; car); Prince Edward County (15 km; car); Loyalist Township (40 km; car)
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Downtown and waterfront Belleville for walkability and Bay of Quinte views
Highway 401 exits for chain hotels and motels
Prince Edward County (Picton, Wellington) for wineries and B&Bs
Trenton for Trent-Severn access. Tiers: motels and B&Bs
mid-range chains (Best Western Belleville, Comfort Inn, Quality Inn)
upscale inns in Prince Edward County
Places to stay
1 listing in Belleville, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$98/day
Lodging about CA$118 a night
Mid-range
$141/day
Lodging about CA$180 a night
Luxury
$239/day
Lodging about CA$313 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
95 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$1,550a month
Research notes
Roughly at or slightly below the Canadian average and about 10-20% below the Toronto area (approximate); typical 1BR rent about $1,400-1,700 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 13% HST): budget $95-140; mid-range $140-220; luxury $250+ in Prince Edward County. Peak season is July to August and long weekends; January to March is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $80-140 CAD
Top sights
Belleville Waterfront Trail and Zwick's Park
Glanmore National Historic Site
Bay of Quinte fishing (walleye) and boating
Belleville Farmers Market (Saturdays)
Quinte Conservation areas and the Moira River
Prince Edward County wineries, Sandbanks Provincial Park and Picton (about 35-60 km)
Trent-Severn Waterway (Trenton, about 20 km)
Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory
Known for:BeachesNational & state parksLakes & riversHistoric sitesWineries & breweriesLive musicShopping
Things to do
1 listing in Belleville, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
6.8
Good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 85; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Statistics Canada and Belleville Police data show a Crime Severity Index around or somewhat above the national average (roughly 70-100, approximate); main visitor risks are property theft, vehicle break-ins and impaired driving. Health care: Ontario OHIP does not cover visitors from outside Ontario, so travel health insurance is advisable. Emergency 911. Hospital: Quinte Health Belleville General Hospital. Hazards: cold snowy winters (-5 to -15 C, freezing rain), lake-effect snow squalls, spring flooding of the Moira River, unsafe bay ice
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas widely flagged for visitors; use ordinary caution late at night in parts of downtown Belleville around Front Street and near the Moira River where drug use and street disorder are sometimes reported; be careful on Bay of Quinte ice in winter
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
Belleville (1 night)
3-day trip
Belleville (1 night) → Toronto (1 night)
About 117 mi, 2 h 19 min of travel
5-day trip
Belleville (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → London (1 night)
About 239 mi, 4 h 42 min of travel
7-day trip
Belleville (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → London (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night)
About 318 mi, 6 h 17 min of travel
10-day trip
Belleville (2 nights) → Toronto (2 nights) → London (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night) → Brampton (1 night)
