Back in high school, my parents and I spent ten days exploring Quebec and New Brunswick. We ended up staying one night in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI). I knew then I wanted come here again. A similar decision occurred when traveling to Portschache, Austria, which I revisited a few years back.
Tears came to my eyes when I stepped onto the island at the Borden-Carleton Visitor Center. I was here and I was headed to Cavendish, the land of Anne of Green Gables!
Prince Edward Island
PEI is definitely off the beaten track. Canada’s smallest province lies north of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Air Canada and a few small airlines fly into Charlottetown, the capital city of 38,000. But just because PEI is an island, doesn’t mean it’s small. From end to end, the island stretches about 180 miles, so you’ll need a car to get around.
To reach the island by car, visitors must take a toll bridge or ferry. We arrived on the Confederation Bridge. Completed in 1997, the bridge spans eight miles from New Brunswick to PEI, making it Canada’s longest bridge. Toll fees of $50 CAD are collected only on the return trip from the island. The other option is to take a 75-minute ferry ride from Nova Scotia to the southeastern corner of PEI at Wood Islands.
Victoria by-the-Sea
At the visitor center, the staff member recommended a scenic route to Charlottetown with a stop at Victoria-by-the-Sea. Founded in 1819, the small village served as a major seaport with steamships headed to Charlottetown and Nova Scotia. Today the fishing area of 100 residents also boasts an artists’ colony.
Walking around the grid-like streets, we passed by galleries and the Victoria Playhouse. Originally a community hall built in 1915, the Gambrel-style wood building hosted lobster suppers, council meetings, and other activities for decades. In the early 1980s, the Victoria Playhouse began live theatre performances in the space, attracting tourists to the area.
Near the shore, we also spotted the Victoria Seaport Lighthouse. The 35-foot, square tower is notable for featuring both the green-colored, Leard’s Front Range and the red-colored, Palmer’s Back Range. A small museum, open only from July to mid-September) details the area’s history and provides visitors with access to the top for views of the harbor and village.
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is Victoria’s largest city so we parked the car and explored the city for a couple of hours. After lunch, we walked into St. Dunstan’s Basilica, the only Catholic cathedral on the island and one of 20 Canadian Basilicas.
After a fire destroyed the original structure in 1913, parishioners rebuilt the French Gothic cathedral patterned after St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC. Twin 200-foot spires reach from the church’s exterior welcoming visitors to enter the three carved oak doors. Inside, a rose window above the altar draws the eyes to the buttressed ceilings, stained glass windows, and sculptures. A Casavent Freres pipe organ sits in the balcony area above the entrance.
Many people don’t realize PEI is the official birthplace of the Confederation. In 1864, leaders from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI met at Charlottetown’s Province House to discuss a Maritime Union. Quebec and Ontario joined in the discussions and by 1867, Queen Victoria passed the British North American Acts, establishing the dominion of Canada. We learned all of this at Story of Confederation, a free exhibit temporarily housed at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Upon renovation completion, the exhibit will return to Province House.
Before leaving the area, we walked down Victoria Row. The cobblestone street (closed to vehicles during the summer) boasts restaurants, galleries, and shops in the middle of the town.
Cavendish
Now it was time to head to Cavendish, the area I wanted to visit on my previous trip. This resort area on the north shore of the island overlooks the St. Lawrence River and lies about 45 minutes from Charlottetown.
Lucy Ann Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables books, grew up in the area and based her novels on the area. Look for an upcoming post about the Green Gables Heritage Place, which deserves its own post.
Cavendish showcases its rugged red sandstone cliffs at Prince Edward Island National Park. From our B&B, we took a walking path to Cavendish Beach. With the rainy weather, the wind whipped around us so we only stayed for a few minutes. That night, we followed the coastal drive to North Rustico, a small fishing village for dinner at Blue Mussel Cafe.
Before leaving the island, we stopped one more time to see the cliffs of Cavendish. If you only have one place to visit in PEI, this is it.
Conclusion
PEI is an amazing place to visit! PEI is divided into three counties, Prince County on the western side, Queens County in the center, and Kings County to the east. Our trip focused mainly on Queens County which included Victoria by-the-Sea, Charlottetown, and Cavendish. Prince County boasts the second-largest town of Summerside while Kings County offers 50 beaches along the Points East Coastal Drive.