My East Coast Summer Vacation Pt. 3 (Prince Edward Island)

Welcome back to My East Coast Summer Vacation Series, where I share the adventures from my trip through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Click the links below to read parts 1 and 2.

Pt. 1: Quebec-New Brunswick
Pt. 2: New Brunswick-PEI

Our first (and only) full day on Prince Edward Island was dedicated to all things L.M. Montgomery. I was like a kid in a candy shop the whole day. Wide eyed and just trying to take as much in as I possibly could.

The first stop of the day was at the birthplace of one of Canada's most beloved authors: Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Birthplace of L.M. Montgomery, New London PEI

Located in the Cavendish region of Prince Edward Island, this house has been turned into a small museum. It is open to visitors from mid-May until Thanksgiving.

Visitors are given the background on the house and her early days living there, then are free to wander around the rooms which are set up as it would have been during that time period.

This museum is a must see for fans of the author. They also sell many of her books there including her published journals.

Next on our tour was The Anne of Green Gables Museum, located at Park Corner PEI. This was the home of L.M. Montgomery's Uncle John and Aunt Annie Campbell.

 This museum features the house set in period style with a very large gift shop, a walking trail, barn, gardens and Matthew's carriage rides.

Inside visitors can see the very room in which Lucy Maud married "Ewan" Macdonald in 1911. The cabinet in the picture above was the inspiration for the part in Anne of Green Gables, where she talks to the little girl in the glass.

My favourite part of this stop was the beautiful grounds and the famous Lake of Shining Waters!
Unfortunately we weren't able to go on Matthew's carriage ride as we were pressed for time.

That's all for this post, as it is running very long. In my next installment I will wrap up our day touring Cavendish.


Sources:
http://www.lmmontgomerybirthplace.ca/
 http://www.annemuseum.com/index.php

My East Coast Summer Vacation Pt. 2 (New Brunswick to PEI)

Welcome to part 2 of my East Coast Summer Vacation segment following my travels through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. My first post of the series talked about our first day driving and our night in Edmundston New Brunswick.

Our second day of driving wasn't nearly as long as the first. We left our hotel in Edmundston and reached The Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island in the afternoon.

The Confederation Bridge from Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick to PEI

The Confederation Bridge is the longest in the world at 8 miles long. Driving up to it was kind of scary, seeing how high the arch goes up. However the crossing was really quite nice as it was a clear day with little wind.

Driving up to the bride. Look how high up it goes!

It took my breath away when I got my first glimpse of the red shores of Prince Edward Island. Pictures just don't do this island justice. Ever since I first saw the television show Road to Avonlea as a little girl, it has been my dream to someday go to PEI. So needless to say I was so excited about this trip. I may have even squealed a little, ha. 

Check out this video from the Tourism PEI, Youtube Channel:

Our hotel was in the capitol city of Charlottetown, so we had some more diving do to once we got off the bridge, but this was ok with us because there was so much to see. I was so in awe of all the beautiful gardens and farm fields. The people of this province certainly take pride in their homes and land.

Once again we stayed at The Best Western, this time in downtown Charlottetown. Unfortunately this location wasn't as nice as the hotel we stayed at in New Brunswick. However its location was only a 5 minute walk to the harbor front which was great.

Best Western Charlottetown

 The amenities at this hotel include: fitness center and indoor pool. I found the decor to be a bit outdated, but the beds were comfortable. It did feel a bit damp in our room though and our remote for the TV didn't work. On the bright side we did receive prompt service from the staff when we called the front desk. Still I think I will try to stay in a different hotel if I'm ever in that city again.

After checking in we walked down to the waterfront. We did some shopping and had a yummy feed of potato skins and mussels.

Harbor front, Charlottetown PEI

While down at the waterfront there were some young kids singing and playing some traditional music. This was a perfect accompaniment to our traditional PEI meals. We liked this spot so much we went back later that night for dessert, drinks and more live music.

Another traditional feed: PEI lobster

Walking around downtown Charlottetown felt so safe. It felt more like being in a small town, than a city. The people we met were all so nice, especially the locals who would wave and say hello as you walk by. I just love that east coast hospitality.

That concludes our first day on Prince Edward Island. Stay tuned for my next post where we take in the sights and all things L.M. Montgomery.

Source:
http://confederationbridge.com/
http://www.tourismpei.com/index.php3