Trip Report!! ABD Canadian Maritimes: Nova Scotia/Prince Edward Island/New Brunswick 8/25 - 9/1/24 - Updated 1/26/25

[sayhello]

Enjoying your trip report and seeing some familiar spots. I did my own Maritimes trip last year and drove across the Confederation Bridge ( I was coming from New Brunswick) and took the ferry from PEI to Nova Scotia. It is a cool ride. Not sure if they do it all the time, but there was a guitar/ fiddle duo playing in one of the inside sitting area. So I split my time between inside and outside.

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying my report! We did the opposite, taking the ferry to PEI, and driving the Confederation Bridge to New Brunswick (coming up in a bit!). I don't *recall* there being any music playing on the ferry, but hey, my brain is not always the best! I think I would have spent more time inside if there had been music, though!

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

Day 3: Kindred Spirits - around PEI and the world of Anne of Green Gables.

So I totally have to admit that this day was one of the ones I was really looking forward to. I am a *total* Anne of Green Gables geek, and have been for a long time. The options for this day was one of the things that decided me to take the ABD version of this trip vs. the Tauck Maritimes trip. I had seriously considered both!

Even though I wasn't a big fan of this hotel's the setting was rather pretty! (This is basically the same view as from last night, looking over the golf course to what I assume is the clubhouse and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the background).



We were given a leisurely morning at the hotel (my notes say meetup was at 11am!) You could arrange to do whatever you wanted at the resort (golf, spa) but I just chose to sleep in & do a bit of wandering. I don't know if anyone availed themselves of the resort's amenities before our meetup. We drove a short ways across the top of the Island toward Cavendish, the area of PEI where Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery spent much of her life, and which she fictionalized as Avonlea and it's surrounds. We spent some time at the Green Gables Heritage Place, which, among other things, had the house that inspired Green Gables. It was the home of cousins of LMM's grandparents, and she spent a lot of of time there and in the woods surrounding the area. She lived nearby with her elderly grandparents after her mother died when she was young.

We had some free time to explore the house and wander the woods ourselves. There was a self-guided tour of the woods set up with plaques describing how different locations related to LMM and her life. A lot of these areas inspired her writings.





The rooms were staged & decorated as they might have been when LMM visited as a child.







Puffed sleeves!



After checking out the house, we headed out through the gardens to the path into the woods. It was really a gorgeous day!





There were a few different loops you could take through the grounds ("Lovers Lane" or "the Haunted Wood") and I was definitely slower than everyone else as I stopped to read each and every plaque as I passed it, trying to keep an eye on the time to make sure I gave myself plenty of time to get back to the house for the meetup time.



Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

After we finished our explorations, we met up to board our motorcoach and head to the small "recreated" village of Avonlea. It was made up of historic buildings relocated from around the area to make a quaint little shopping and eating area.



We were given around an hour to eat OYO and shop, and were told after that to meet up at the old school house (which LMM had at one time taught at). A few of us chose to eat at MOO MOO BBQ Grilled Cheesery. It had an array of various grilled cheese and/or BBQ meat sandwiches and plates, which you could pair with things like tomato soup and mac & cheese. The cheese and butter used were from Cows creamery (I'm assuming it's the same Cows as the ice cream, which was also there!) I had a fancy grilled cheese with a side of mac & cheese and a cream soda. It was all quite yummy. Some people ate at the French "La Rose" Bistro, but that was a sit down meal, and took the entire time in the village. They did say it was quite good.

We did some wandering around and I did some souvenir shopping (had to pick up a few Anne of Green Gables things!).





We, of course, bought some Cows ice cream (this was some sort of double chocolate, and totally delicious!)



Then we all headed over to the old school house. Kira and Josh had a very cute surprise for us there that I won't spoil, but it was *loads* of fun!

We then loaded back up on the motorcoach and headed off to the Anne of Green Gables Museum.



The Anne of Green Gables Museum is built on the farm owned by LMM's Aunt Annie and Uncle John Campbell. She spent a good portion of her young life visiting her cousins who lived on this farm, and even lived there for a while and was later called "Auntie Maud" by her younger cousins. The museum was started by the wife of one of those cousins, and the farm is still owned by the Campbell family. On our way in, we stopped and picked up our step-on Guide, who was a member of the Campbell family.



She gave us an overview of the museum, and told us we'd be planting potatoes, touring the home, and if we did well with the planting, we'd get cookies and lemonade! (Spoiler, we did get some! )



Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

A man meant to be Matthew (elderly brother & sister Matthew & Marilla adopted the orphan Anne) told us about planting and growing potatoes and showed us how to plant a piece, and we got to hoeing and planting!





Interestingly, they were local purple potatoes.



After that, we headed into the farm house where we could wander the house/museum. We also took turns riding in tractor-drawn carriages that took us around the very pretty grounds.





Part way through, my water bottle, which I *thought* I had the strap around my wrist, fell out of the carriage. Everyone was quite worried about it, but the carriage behind us managed to not run it over, and I was able to walk over afterwards & retrieve it! At it was not at all damaged and it didn't leak! Best water bottle ever! (That's it, teal & purple, lying on the path!)



I then checked out the house/museum.





Like the Green Gables house, it was furnished as it would have been when LMM lived there, with some of her belongings displayed.





Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

We then headed over to another building where we had the promised cookies and lemonade. We then had a photo op with Anne herself!





After we finished up at the museum, we returned to the motorcoach again and headed up to Cavendish Beach on the shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.



They had an overlook there that looked down on the very pretty (& fairly busy) beach.

Folks hung out on the overlook or went down to the beach (some dipped their feet in the water) and also explored the nearby Dunelands marsh area.









Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

The Dunelands (more marsh land than dunes, at least in the boardwalk area we walked in) was very beautiful and peaceful. The dunes that surrounded parts of it were grass-covered for the most part.





Next, it was off to dinner! On our way to the restaurant, we made a quick stop at the cemetery in Cavendish where Lucy Maude Montgomery MacDonald was buried.





Dinner was in the Garden Cafe at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Co.



We arrived a bit early, so we were given time to walk & wander the beautiful "Gardens of Hope" they had there.







The Cafe area was really sunny and pretty in a rustic way. Very nice.

I believe we had pre-ordered this meal. I don't remember exactly what this was (some sort of lasagna, maybe?) but I remember it was delicious.



We had a local musician story teller entertaining us during dinner. He was absolutely fabulous!! Funny and engaging, and just really fun.



After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to pack up and head to bed. The next morning we were off to New Brunswick!

Next up: Day 4: Clawsome Adventure - We head to New Brunswick!

Sayhello