If you want to feel like you've travelled to Spain, or somewhere in the Mediterranean, where the water is blue and the seafood is fresh, you don't need to hop on a plane. Simply plan a three-and-a-half-hour road trip to Belleville, Ontario, and grab a bite at Boathouse Seafood Restaurant & Waterfront Patio.

The restaurant is located on the Bay of Quinte, on the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The spacious terrasse overlooks Victoria Park Harbour, where many people dock their boats, including sailboats and yachts. The ambiance is very nautical chic — just like you'd expect to find in a trendy port city.

To top it all off, Boathouse serves amazing seafood. According to its website, it was voted "Best Seafood Restaurant in Ontario" by the Ontario Food Awards in 2019, and it's won the Belleville Readers' Choice Award for favourite seafood restaurant 16 years running.

The menu includes seafood chowder, battered halibut, a lobster and king crab combo, fish tacos — and basically anything delicious that a seafood lover could dream of.

Boathouse has daily food and drink specials and live music every Saturday night. It's open all year round, but if you go on your birthday, you'll get a free entree valued up to $15. Make sure you sign up in advance to take advantage of the free birthday program.