On our recent trip to Eastern Canada, we made a point of visiting Prince Edward Island. Many visitors fall in love with this, the smallest province in Canada. It was the birthplace of the author, Lucy Maud (L.M.) Montgomery, who wrote Anne of Green Gables, and many fans of the book visit the site of her family home in New London, PEI.
To get to Prince Edward Island from the mainland, there are two options. One option is the ferry. The other is Confederation Bridge. We opted for the bridge, which spans the 12.9 km (8 mile) long divide. There is no charge to enter PEI when crossing the bridge, but leaving the island a toll of $47.50 CAD is collected, probably to help with the cost of maintaining the bridge.
The peaceful landscapes are appropriate for the laid back style of this place.
One thing I found very different from my prairie home, was the colour of the soil. It is a rusty red, compared to the black soil of Saskatchewan.
We passed the The Great Island Science and Adventure Park. It was designed and built by the owners, and a fun place to visit during its heyday. Unfortunately, the park had to close in 2008, after 20 years of operation, due to the economics of the time. It now lays abandoned with many of its deteriorating exhibits still in place.
This is Brackley Beach. It was my favourite site in Prince Edward Island. The sand was as fine as salt, and the dunes were spectacular. The beach is found in the PEI National Park, and is a protected area. The dune grass, that holds the dunes in place, is sensitive to being flattened, so the way to and from the beach, is by way of the provided boardwalks. No pets are permitted here, as it’s a nesting area for the endangered Piping Plover.
Don’t worry. I took these photos from the boardwalk that overlooks the beach.
We stopped at Gateway Village before leaving the island, on June 5th, but the shops hadn’t yet opened for the tourist season. We were told that Cow’s Ice Cream was the best in the country, but we’d have to find another location to test that claim.
Hello. I’ve had it in mind to someday go to PEI. I like its isolation and simplicity.
You’re not kidding about the color of the soil. It’s striking!
Neil Scheinin
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I’m sure you’d enjoy it. I hope to see more of it next visit.
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I remember, with great fondness, my visit to PEI, in 1973. I hope to return there next summer, as part of a Cross-Canada drive, from New Brunswick>Newfoundland to British Columbia, or in reverse order.
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What a fantastic trip that will be! I’d love to do that someday.
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So beautiful!
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It was, especially Brackley Beach. The pictures don’t quite capture its beauty.
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That first photo is especially nice. It reminds me of an Andrew Wyeth painting.
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Thank you! So many places we visited would have been inspiration for artists.
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A beautiful place! I love the idea of the toll – come here for free but if you want to leave, pay up. 😀
The red soil is something also seen in some parts of the southeast US like Tennessee and Georgia – I was fascinated the first time I saw it.
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😄 Yes, if you never leave, You never pay! Thanks for reading.
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Beautiful area. Love Anne of Green Gables. Have never been to Prince Edward Island – so thanks for sharing all your photos and information about this lovely place.
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I think the Anne of Green Gables connection encourages much of the interest in PEI, and really helps the tourist trade. Thanks for the comment! 😊
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PEI is still on my bucket list–I’ve been out West but still haven’t done the East!
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I’m sure you’d love it!
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I also would love to see PEI because of the Green Gables books. Beautiful representation of the area through your photos.
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I hope you get there. The Atlantic provinces are special!
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