Prince Edward Island: Province of Potatoes and Anne of Green Gables 

Where to eat, glamp, and play in Canada’s smallest province!

If you enjoyed reading as a child, you’ll recognize Prince Edward Island as the backdrop of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved Anne of Green Gables. If you gravitate toward romances as an adult, however, you may also know the island as the dreamy setting of Carley Fortune’s This Summer Will Be Different.

Both set in Canada’s smallest province, these varied stories of past and present hit at an essential truth. Prince Edward Island feels almost fictional, with landscapes primed for both adventures and the best kinds of misadventures. From the moment you drive across the eight-mile Confederation Bridge (or fly into Charlottetown Airport), the island’s lush, sprawling farmlands ease into red sand beaches, the idyllic playground for the Anne Shirley of the province’s collective imagination.

It’s within these seemingly endless landscapes that Prince Edward Island does some of its best work. Known as Canada’s potato capital — the island produces around a quarter of the country’s spuds, as honored at The Canadian Potato Museum. PEI prioritizes seasonal, self-grown foods that hinge on both land and sea. Below, you’ll find the perfect itinerary to experience the flavors and fantasies of this prolific environment, where wild foxes trot across sand dunes as frequently as oysters appear on menus.

Where to Stay on Prince Edward Island

While Prince Edward Island presents both luxury hotels and rugged campsites, the island’s most unique accommodations fall somewhere in between, melding high-end comforts with nature’s secluded luxuries. At Treetop Haven, you can choose between cabins and glamping pods, which make for a particularly fun stay; each pod comes with an indoor bathroom, kitchenette, and private, outdoor hot tub, ideal for sipping wine after shucking oysters on the deck.

On Prince Edward Island’s North Shore, Nature Space Resort introduces a layer of wellness to its year-round glamping grounds. The family-run property has designed a multitude of colorful and distinctive Mongolian yurts, all furnished with warm, intricate touches, from cozy wood fireplaces to — yet again — individual, outdoor hot tubs. From the property, you can also access a sauna, ice bath, and designated yoga yurt, as well as miscellaneous hiking and snowshoeing trails and add-on kayaking tours.

MYSA Nordic Spa and Resort

Come for the hot-to-cold plunges, but stay for the greenhouse-to-table restaurant. As Prince Edward Island’s first Nordic-style spa, MYSA instills St. Peters Bay with Scandinavian-Canadian charm. Over some 18 acres, the spa has cultivated a thorough wellness roster consisting of thermal and steam baths, a Finnish and barrel sauna, and a variety of cold plunge options. After you’ve rested in the spa’s designated relaxation areas, head upstairs to the resort’s restaurant, which changes its menu with the season. Depending on the timing of your trip, tuck in to the seared scallops, paired with a garlic shrimp pasta and drizzled in a white wine butter.

Outdoor Adventures

Prince Edward Island neighbors the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Northumberland Strait, so you’ll find no shortage of serene coastal drives, swimmable beaches, and lighthouse-laden landscapes. For a starting point, check out Prince Edward Island National Park, or get yourself to the nearest beach for a refreshing swim. If you’re interested in traversing a designated trail, rent a bike at Confederation Trail Bike Rental Adventures and take to the eponymous path. Afterward, peruse the shops of St. Peter’s Bay, and grab a Nanaimo bar — a Canadian specialty from British Columbia — from the quaint Black and White Cafe.

Green Gables Heritage Place

Channel your inner child and bookworm at Green Gables Heritage Place, where you can walk in the footsteps of Lucy Maud Montgomery. Even if you’ve never read her books, meander the Haunted Wood and Balsam Hollow trails to soak up the forest’s picturesque ambience.

On your way out, stop by the gift shop, which sells every imaginable cover and version of Anne of Green Gables. Regardless of which you choose, make sure to stamp your book with the author’s signature for a true PEI keepsake. Afterward, you can further your Avonlea immersion by visiting the neighboring L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish National Historical Site.

Prince Edward Island’s Delicious Dining Options

You can’t go to Prince Edward Island and not try the seafood, which comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms, from buttery lobster rolls to fresh oysters, haddock tacos, and crispy fish and chips. For oysters in Victoria By the Sea, try the Landmark Oyster House, which serves a rotation of whatever’s just been shucked. If you’re in the mood for mussels or seafood chowder in the Rustico area, pair your meal at the Blue Mussel Cafe with an oyster-garnished Caesar cocktail.

A meal at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company promises both an outdoor activity and a jam tasting session, as the building sits on twelve acres. While you wait for your table, take a brief walk through the attached gardens. Then, whet your appetite with the shop’s samples of preserves, salsas, and dressings. As for your actual meal? While the restaurant serves breakfast through dinner, there’s no better PEI morning than one with potato pie, which layers thin slices of potato with cheese, chives, and a bacon crust. Order your entree with a side of salt cod and potato fish cakes and wash the hearty breakfast down with a soothing pot of house tea.

For the ultimate beach lunch or road trip snack, stop at The Handpie Company not far from the Confederation Bridge. Here you’ll find delicious, savory fillings in the flakiest of pie crusts. Flavors range from barbecue pulled pork to cheesy potato and onion, so pick a few pies to mix and match. Better yet, turn those hand-sized pastries into a full meal by snagging a tub of potato salad; the homemade side demonstrates the prowess of PEI potatoes, best enjoyed from a picnic blanket on the red sands.

 

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