Where We Be
Charlottetown
Northside B&B was our home out in
the country during our time on PEI
Lobster traps are neatly stacked at season's end
in the town of Rustico, close to where we stayed
Another favorite: “It has always seemed to me, ever since early childhood, amid all the commonplaces of life, I was very near
to a kingdom of ideal beauty. Between it and me hung only a thin veil. I could never draw it quite aside, but sometimes a wind fluttered
it and I caught a glimpse of the enchanting realms beyond – only a glimpse – but those glimpses have always made life worthwhile.”
We drove a long stretch of the Points East Coastal Drive and enjoyed its simple beauty. But be forewarned:
PEI may be an island, but it's big enough that driving even a portion of these scenic routes can take hours.
Typical scenery along the Points East Coastal Drive
We just happened to visit on the same day as the PEI Marathon, where
they announced each person's name as they crossed the finish line!
During dinner at the Old Triangle Pub, we listened to a professional
fiddler lead locals in an old-fashioned Ceilidh (kay-lee). What fun!
Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada
Let's start with Anne of Green Gables. Anne is a
fictional character but she is so tied to Prince
Edward Island that the house associated with
her is the number one attraction on PEI. The
author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, spent much of
her childhood at this very house, and it served
as the inspiration for her series of books about
a feisty young orphan girl named Anne sent to
live with her aging brother and sister on Green
Gables farm. You simply can't call yourself a PEI
tourist and not see it ($7 CAD per person).

The only other must-sees in our opinion are PEI
National Park (especially the floating boardwalk
at Greenwich Dunes) and Charlottetown, the
capital. Otherwise the island has a pastoral feel
with a get-away-from-it-all vibe: rolling hills, red
soil, grazing cows, homes set back on green
lawns, and miles of beaches and windswept
coastline. Its beauty doesn't wow you so much
as quietly seduces you into a state of bliss as
you drive from point to point around the island.
Of course this church would beg to differ! This is St. Dunstan's Basilica.
Cows Ice Cream is the real reason to visit Charlottetown!
Pretty buildings line the waterfront
You can see the spires of St. Dunstan's in the distance as we take a little stroll around the marina and waterfront
Charlottetown is the capital but it feels far from intimidating: more like a livable town than a big city
Across the street from the theater is Victoria Row, home to dozens of quaint shops
Anne's reach extends even into Charlottetown, where you can visit The Anne of Green Gables Store
and see "Anne & Gilbert: The Musical" (closed for the season by the time we visited in mid-October)
Charlottetown is PEI's biggest city but it's still pretty small in the big scheme of things.
It's fun to explore on foot, with plenty of good restaurants, pubs, and shops to keep you happy.
After touring the home, we walked along a pleasant path through the woods called Lovers Lane that actually
features in some of the stories of Anne of Green Gables. The author loved walking through these very woods.
If you ever find yourself yearning for simpler times, a visit to Green Gables in the town
of Cavendish will remind you of a time before cars and smartphones and computers
We felt we HAD to go to Green Gables as a sort of tourist duty,
but we ended up enjoying ourselves more than we expected
You can hike or bike the Confederation Trail between Morell and St. Peters (about 7 miles one way).
Or if you're really feeling ambitious, the trail extends tip to tip across the entire island.
Speaking of mussels, that's a mussel farm out on St. Peters Bay. The stretch of country
between the towns of Morell and St. Peters is some of the prettiest we saw on the island.
Typical island scenery: soothing, like a step back in time
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,” enthuses Anne, and we would have
to agree. Author Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote perceptively about the simple beauties of
nature. We enjoyed reading a few of her quotes posted on signs throughout the property.
Pastoral PEI
October is Porktoberfest in Charlottetown -- a celebration of all things pulled pork -- so we split a huge pulled pork sandwich
for lunch. Dinner focused on the famous PEI mussels in white wine and garlic sauce -- one of PEI's most celebrated exports.
One of Robin's ancestors, Thomas Davy, lived in Charlottetown and worked
as a ship's blacksmith here. She got to visit his home, built in 1846.
While you're on the waterfront, you'll have to stop in for
some Cows Ice Cream -- the "World's Best Ice Cream"