PEI 2026: Charlottetown Art Scene / Trip Postmortem

While in Charlottetown, we spent some time checking out the street art and Fine Arts that the city has to offer. We began by taking part in a scavenger hunt called “Eckhart in the City”. This involves a search for nine tiny bronze sculptures of Eckhart the mouse, a character in a popular children’s book “The True Meaning of Crumbfest” by PEI author David Weale. The tiny mice were installed at popular sites in 2009 as a fun activity for locals and tourists with hints and clues on the Internet to help locate them. Because it was raining during most of the time that we were searching for them, I only found four mice including one by the downtown location of Cows Creamery, at the box office at the Confederation Arts Centre, by City Hall, and across from St.Dunstan’s Basilica. The Eckhart Challenge was part of the 2018 season of Amazing Race Canada where contestants had to find 3 of the mice.

The city also offers a map for an art walk that takes you to sculptures, murals and other street art scattered throughout the streets of the downtown core. I found some of the destinations on this “art” walk questionable since they included historic ones like the sculpture of William Henry Pope that we spotted at the Harbour, or the John Hamilton Grays sculpture across from St.Dunstan’s Basilica. I would have preferred a route that concentrated on street art.

The Confederation Centre of Arts is a cultural complex that was open in 1964 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. As such, it is a National Historic Site that serves as a national memorial to the Fathers of the Confederation. Inside is the Sobey Family Theatre which is the largest theatre in Eastern Canada. The theatre hosts the Charlottetown Festival, an annual summer festival that is famous for being the birthplace of Anne of Green Gables the Musical. As we had already watched this musical in Toronto, we declined to watch it again in Charlottetown and concentrated instead on the Confederation Centre Art Gallery which houses permanent and traveling exhibits of Canadian visual art.

When we first entered the Confederation Centre of Arts, we came across yet another representation of Green Gables house, this time made totally out of sugar by Japanese cake designer Mrs. Keiko Sakaguchi. The intricate display includes not only the iconic white and green house but also flower gardens, figures representing Anne, Marilla, Matthew, and Gilbert, and furnished rooms inside the house. Anne of Green Gables was first introduced to Japan during WWII when a Canadian Missionary gave Hanako Muraoko a copy of the book in 1939. At great risk to herself since the book had been banned, Muraoko secretly translated it to Japanese. After the war, the book was added to the national school curriculum. Anne’s relatable character resonated with Japanese values of resilience, perseverance, found family, and appreciation of nature. Also on display was a bronze bust of Lucy Maud Montgomery that was possibly on loan since the sculpture is usually in the L.M.Montgomery Institute at the University of PEI’s Robertson Library.

Vancouver-based South-Asian artist Sandeep Johal is a prominent multi-disciplinary visual artist whose works span drawing, collage, mural painting, and textiles. She often depicts themes of gender injustice and violence against women but contrasts her dour subject matters with brightly hued, beautiful works. One of the major installations in her exhibition “To be Something More” is based on the classic tragic Punjabi folktale of Sohni Mahiwal. In the original story, Sohni secretly traverses a tumultuous river each night by sitting in a hard-baked clay pot so that she can meet her lover Mahiwal. Her sister-in-law finds out and betrays her by switching her pot with one that is unbaked. This new pot cannot withstand the water and breaks apart, causing her to drown.

Johal retells the tale using a series of five works of acrylic painting on canvas layered with intricate embroidered textiles.  The first four panels depict the original story. The first work titled “Between Hell and Heaven” depicts Sohni’s unhappiness in her marriage and the joy she finds when with her lover. The second piece “Floating on the Edge of Desire” depicts her nightly journey in the pot.  The middle work titled “Betrayal Wears a Familiar Face” includes two faces representing the sister-in-law’s treachery. The fourth piece “Where Water Lets Go” shows her drowning after the pot crumbles. But Sandeep adds a fifth image that provides an alternative ending. Titled “She Becomes Something More”, it shows Sohni shedding her human form and being reborn as a creature that escapes to freedom. By reframing the age-old story, Johal evokes themes of “endurance, perseverance and spirit ... transforming hardship into vibrant beauty and hope”.

Two more installations in this exhibition seem related to the Sohni folktale and each series depicts eyes. Titled “Of Watching and Being Watched”, multi-coloured eye-shaped panels reflect a society under constant community surveillance, as Sohni was when her secret trysts were discovered. “Vessels for Dreams yet to Come” consists of papier- mâché covered “found” vases which Johal uses to reclaim and repurpose Sohni’s transportation mode that led to her death, turning them into containers of unknown future potential and hope.

The final piece of this exhibit is probably my favourite. It is Johan’s personal take on the 17th-century Dutch memento mori or vanitas paintings which used still-life objects as symbols of the brevity of life, certainty of death, and the emptiness of worldly pursuits. Titled “When the mortality of age overtakes the blind conceit of youth” (2026), the large-scale mural consists of 39 pieces of textile that are objects from Johan’s childhood. Whereas the Dutch paintings usually feature decaying foods and fruits, Johan’s Indo-folk aesthetic and Punjabi cultural motifs include a cup of tea, box of cigarettes, candles, animals including a pig, snake, and tiger, the Hamsa hand (an evil eye protective symbol), an apple core, and vases containing wilting flowers.  The pink vase with an eye motif calls back to the previous works that we saw. Like the Dutch paintings that she is channeling, this piece comments on the passage of time and the inevitability of death, as noted by the skull.

In the exhibit called “Consumed”, local PEI artist Jane Meredith Whitten uses consumer and industrial waste including plastic packaging, beach debris, and other commonly discarded objects to create beautiful new works using traditional craft techniques such as knitting, crocheting and basket weaving. Some of the pieces on display include baskets and bowls made from twisted electrical cords, flattened juice boxes, and flattened pop and beer cans. She made vases out of beach rope, plastic strapping and fishing lines, a quilt from snack packaging bags, and decorative hanging objects made from various packaging material, plastic twist ties, strings, milk bag clips, product hooks, and more. Her creative reuse of what most would consider waste or garbage is really inspiring.

Rich has developed the appreciation for ceramics, buying some pieces on our travels and through auctions, and even started taking lessons to learn how to make some himself. He was therefore quite enamoured by the Confederation Centre Art Gallery’s extensive collection of over 17,000 pieces of ceramics ranging from vases, bowls, mugs and other dining ware, and decorative items. Some of these works came from the Expo 1967 Collection of Fine Art that was first displayed in the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal. Works by renowned Canadian potters including Kjeld and Erica Deichmann, Walter Ostrom, and more were on display. A temporary exhibit called “The Art of Collecting – the Tom Banks Collection” added even more ceramics to admire. We were particularly delighted to see a sauce bowl by Bruce Cochrane since we had recently purchased a large fish vase from him. Also interest from the Banks collection were the plates and lamps by Theo and Susan Harlander of Brooklin Pottery since we own a few pieces by them as well.

There are some eclectic and cool art pieces created from various mediums scattered throughout the art gallery.  D’arcy Wilson’s multi-work installation titled “Cabin Fever” (2025-26) imagines a settler homestead interacting with nature. Each artwork is partially comprised of an inherited family heirloom. Collectively the works hint of ecological harm caused by colonialism. The most striking piece is called “Gush” and resembles a waterfall. It is made from an antique bedroom attached with a “waterfall” created with wool hooked on linen burlap. I liked the large pop-art sculpture replicating a vintage package of Adams Chiclets gum with an amber siren at the top, as well as Michal Lexier’s “Book Sculptures: Three Generations” (1993) which is made to look like a bunch of stacked books with photographs spanning the spines that depict three generations of women. In terms of paintings, Brian Burke’s “Whenever you are ready” (1993) provides a different perspective in that half the painting shows a seated audience waiting for a show to start while the other half is the stage curtain shown from the perspective of someone backstage looking out. Quite striking in the contrast of its simplicity versus the significance of its topic is Jean Paul Lemieux’s 1964 painting “Charlottetown Revisited” which depicts the historic 1864 conference that led to the formation of Canada. At the left and right are tall black silhouettes of the Fathers of Confederation wearing top hats while the centre depicts Province House in Charlottetown.

Two monumental works fill a large room at the base of the art gallery. The sculpture Leviathan (2015) by Canadian artist Paul Griffin was created using the trunk from a massive 110-year-old elm tree into which 186,000 galvanized, electroplated roofing nails were hammered. From afar, the sculpture looks like a prone giant with legs spread. The structure measures 15 feet by 8 feet. It is surrounded by Eleanor King’s wall paintings titled “Emerald (Cradled in the Waves” (2017), derived from Google satellite views of Prince Edward Island, which King turned into a hard-edged, geometrically shaped abstract mural.

TRIP POSTMORTEM

We loved our impromptu 7-day vacation to Prince Edward Island, made possible when we secured a home swap in North Rustico which eliminated the cost of accommodations for two-thirds of our trip. The scenery and seafood were incredible. We enjoyed the cultural aspects as well including visits to art galleries, watching a wonderful play and attending my first ever drive-in.

As for the weather, you could look at it from a glass half empty or glass half full perspective. We traveled at the beginning of September which theoretically should have been still warm, summery weather. So it was unlucky that we were hit with the effects of a huge stormfront during our entire stay in North Rustico. But since we were able to pivot our plans, we still were able to enjoy the beautiful vistas, red sand beaches and sand dunes during the initial two sunny days. But on the lucky side, our flight took off early morning with no issues. Had the flight been several hours later, we would have been grounded when a massive storm hit Toronto causing significant damage and major plane delays. All in all, I think we were more lucky than unlucky and had a great time despite the weather.

This was our first home swap using guest points that we gained from joining HomeExchange. We have hosted swaps several times at our place and have enough points to try for a swap in Madrid next fall. So far, jumping back into the home swapping game after a 10-year pause has been nothing but positive. I hope to have more fun trips to write about in the future.

PEI 2026: Charlottetown Harbour, Downtown

When we planned a last-minute trip to Prince Edward Island after securing free accommodations in North Rustico via our HomeExchange home swap membership, we preceded that stay with two days in the capital city of Charlottetown. We chose Shipwright Inn, a historic house dating back to 1865 that has been converted into a 5-star heritage bed and breakfast with Victorian décor and furnishings. Since our North Rustico lodgings would be free, we splurged in Charlottetown and chose a large suite with a sitting area, mini kitchen with fridge, stovetop and microwave, a 4-piece bathroom with a shower, and a spacious bedroom with a king-sized bed and a soaker tub.

In addition to private, on-site parking, the inn included a full hot breakfast each morning, served in a formal Victorian dining room. The house was constructed as the private residence for James Douse, a prominent shipbuilder. Each room is named after a section of a ship including “the Captain’s Quarters”, “Wheelhouse”, “Quarterdeck”, etc. Our room on the second floor was called “Crow’s Nest”, named after the highest lookout point on a traditional sailing ship. Maritime artwork and 19th century maritime equipment are found throughout the Inn. Situated in the heart of the city, the location was perfect for exploring downtown Charlottetown as it was just a 10-minute walk down to the Harbour.

The Charlottetown Harbour is a natural harbour located on the southern coast of PEI that is formed by the meeting of three rivers (Hillsborough, York and Elliot) which empty out towards the Northumberland Strait. The historic waterfront in downtown Charlottetown includes terminals for commercial shipping, cruise ships, local water excursions, and harbour boat tours. Lively quays, marinas and boardwalks are filled with gift shops, seafood restaurants, patio bars, and green spaces with picnic tables and gazebos. In the summer, the area supports a robust night life with live outdoor music as well as pop-up markets, festivals and open-air events. A historic railway building has been converted into an indoor “Founders’ Food Hall & Market” with stalls selling local food, drink, and artisanal products.

Situated at the edge of Queen’s Wharf are a pair of large-scaled sculptures. The “Love Lock” structure is affixed with padlocks attached by residents and visitors to spell the word “LOVE”, similar to one found in Toronto’s Distillery District. The “Big Red Numbers” sculpture was first installed in 2014 to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference which led to the creation of the Dominion of Canada.  Each year since, the sculpture has been updated to reflect the new year. This year’s 2026 sculpture features the PEI flag in the “0”. A player piano on the wharf is just one of a pair of public pianos. The other piano is situated in Confederation Landing Park where the sculpture “Celebration: Then and Now” is also found. Installed since 1996, this metal sculpture consists of tall metal rods that mimic ship masts attached with ceramic panels as sails, each designed with symbolic landforms representing Canada’s provinces and territories.  The Canadian flag is attached to the tallest sail in the centre of the piece. The hull of the ship is a circular weathered metal base carved with scenes of Charlottetown’s maritime history.

While references to Anne of Green Gables can be found everywhere throughout PEI, at the Charlottetown Harbour, the lobster is even more prominent. There are lobster sculptures in front of restaurants and gift shops while lobster images grace sweaters, T-shirts, hats, mugs, and more. I really liked the cheeky and punny image of a lobster standing in front of a boiling pot of water holding the sign “Say no to pot!”. 

Of course, lobster rolls were in plentiful supply in the Harbour. Based on our research for our trip, the consensus was that Dave’s Lobster offered one of the best lobster rolls in Charlottetown. Originally open as a stall in Founders Food Hall in 2014, it moved to Peake’s Quay on the waterfront in 2018. The lobster rolls come in two styles. There is “The Local”, which consists of chilled lobster with seasoned mayo, crisp celery and fresh chives, or “Some Fancy”, which offers warmed lobster smothered with lemon garlic butter and fresh chives.  Both types of rolls include a ¼ pound of lobster meat in large chunks served in the classic New England-style split-top bun which is brushed with butter and grilled. Both styles of lobster roll sounded good so we went for the “Half and Half” option to try them both. As sides, we added sides of coleslaw and potato salad. This was our first lobster rolls of the trip and it more than lived up to its reputation.

We finished off our lunch with an ice cream from Cow’s Creamery, PEI’s iconic ice cream, artisan cheese, and cow-themed apparel company that first opened in Cavendish in 1983 before expanding to Charlottetown in 1985. We would later visit the location in Cavendish’s Avonlea Village, but our first visit in PEI was at the Harbour. I was tempted by the whimsical t-shirts, especially the “PiCOWball” one, but held off from purchasing one since they cost over $25 each. This turned out to be lucky since the warehouse in Cavendish were selling selected designs for $10 and I bought one there. Next to Cows is the bronze sculpture of William Henry Pope, PEI’s Colonial Secretary in 1864, being rowed out in a boat to welcome the delegates from what is now Ontario and Quebec to attend the Charlottetown Conference. The sculpture was unveiled in 2014 to mark the 150th anniversary of the conference.

We saw a few Anne of Green Gables themed souvenirs in the shops at Charlottetown Harbour, but not as many as I would have expected. Instead, the popular item seemed to be wooden ducks carved from bamboo root which were decorated in a wide variety of styles including ones wearing bikinis and flipflops, ones in rubber boots, dressed as chefs or nurses or superheroes. I really wanted a duck but didn’t think it would survive the plane ride home in my carry-on luggage.  Another popular item was the “Dirt Shirt” clothing line where 100% cotton t-shirts were dyed using PEI’s iron-rich red soil.

Heading back north from the harbour towards our accommodations, we did come across the Anne of Green Gables specialty gift shop where all items were dedicated to the red-headed heroine. Operated by descendants of author L.M.Montgomery, the boutique carries the Island’s largest selections of official Anne books, keepsakes, local souvenirs, branded chocolates and candy, and a bottled drink that referenced the “raspberry cordial” that Anne famously tries to serve to her friend Diana in the 1908 novel but accidently pours Marilla’s homemade wine instead. We bought a couple of the red, sparkling raspberry sodas to bring with us to North Rustico.

Charlottetown’s 3-storey City Hall was completed in 1888 and serves as the headquarters for the mayor and city council. Designed in Romanesque Revival-style using red brick with stone detailing, it has a square corner tower and rounded arches. The ground floor once housed the city’s police station, fire hall and stables while the upper floors held the council chambers and courtroom. It is the oldest municipal building in PEI and was designated as a National Historic Site in 1984. When we were there, a large purple ribbon was displayed on the façade of the clock tower, as part of PEI’s annual Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence against women and girls. A functional sundial sits on the south-facing wall of the tower.

An interesting sculpture named “John Hamilton Grays” depicts two delegates from the 1864 Confederation Conference who had the exact same name. John Hamilton Gray, the Conservative Premier of PEI was the chair of the conference while John Hamilton Gray of New Brunswick was a delegate from that province. Unveiled in 2014 as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, the sculpture imagines the two namesakes engaged in conversation during the gathering. The sculpture sits in front of St. Dunstan’s Basilica, a historic Roman Catholic cathedral erected between 1897-1097. It was designed in High Victorian Gothic Revival style with soaring 200-foot twin spires with stone sculptures flanking the main entrance. The building was destroyed by fire in 1913 and rebuilt in 1919.

The interior of the Basilica features ribbed vaulted ceilings, a 14-foot German stained-glass rose window depicting the four gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and a 4,600-pipe Casavant organ. Unlike the traditional religious imagery in the rose window, the interesting stained-glass windows along the nave were installed in the 1970s and created by Canadian craftsmen. They depict parishioners in modern clothing including suits and ties and clergymen wearing modern clerical collars. The scenes illustrate the Seven Sacraments, which are holy rituals and ceremonies in the Catholic Church including Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing the sick, Marriage, and Holy orders. One window highlights previous Bishops of the Diocese of Charlottetown and rectors of the former St.Dunstan’s University.

For our last meal before leaving Charlottetown to head to North Rustico, we had lunch at Claddagh Oyster House, open in 1983 as “Claddagh Room” before being renamed in 2006. This long-standing seafood house and raw oyster bar features fresh island ingredients prepared by Chef Mitchell Jackson. We each started with an order of Oyster Rockefeller followed by a soup and sandwich combo of a breaded haddock sandwich and a bowl of seafood chowder. Considering this was a combo, we were impressed by the size of the bowl of soup and even more impressed by the delicious broth and amount of seafood that the chowder contained. There were large chunks of various fish, shrimp, mussels and the sweetest of broth. This was by far the best meal that we had on our entire trip and the best seafood chowder that we have ever consumed! I just wish we had time to come back for another bowl at the end of the trip.

PEI 2026: Cavendish, Avonlea Village - Anne of Green Gables

In addition to red sand beaches and sand dunes, if there is one thing ubiquitous in Prince Edward Island, it is Lucy Maud Montgomery (LMM)’s beloved young adult novel’s titular character, Anne of Green Gables. Souvenirs and memorabilia of the iconic character are found everywhere, from shops in Charlottetown to tiny boutiques in North Rustico to Cavendish which is an entire community devoted to the freckle-faced redheaded Anne with an “E”. To get to Cavendish from North Rustico, we drove along the coast on the Gulf Shore Parkway, which is within the Cavendish to North Rustico section of the PEI National Park.

On our first two sunny days in PEI, we toured the coastline around Greenwich to the east and Malpeque Bay to the west and saw calm waters with waves gently lapping the sparkling sand. Things were totally different two days later when we ventured out again after hunkering down in our North Rustico home swap to wait out the massive storm that passed through the province. Although the heavy rain had subsided to a drizzle, and dark clouds remained in the sky, it was still quite windy (a mere 70km/hr gusts after the previous 90km), and the big, angry waves came crashing onto the shores. It was actually interesting to see the contrast.

Because our visit to PEI encompassed the days up to Labour Day, we were able to drive through all the sections of the national park for free (as part of Canada Strong summer program) as opposed to costing $10 per person. We stopped at the scenic Doyle’s Cove, which we had heard of previously when we saw the Doyle Curl Sweater, that was named after this location, at a wool store in North Rustico. In addition to the red sandstone cliffs and views of the St. Lawrence, the area is known for the Doyle Farmstead, settled by Captain Andrew Doyle in the 1840s, and Doyle’s Barn, built in 1953, which was given regional heritage status for its architectural construction, family history and visual prominence overlooking the cove.

The next scenic coastal lookout before reaching Cavendish was Mackenzies Brook which was famous for its striking natural rock formations including the much photographed “Sea Arch”. Unfortunately, just like the Teacup Stack at Malpeque Beach, the arch was pummeled by the 2022 Tropical Storm Fiona. But whereas the Teacup Stack was totally destroyed, only the top horizontal part of the arch collapsed at Mackenzies Brook, leaving an isolated red sandstone stack that the locals now call the “Cactus Pot”.

Cavendish is a premier summer resort community with a famous white sand beach backed by red sandstone cliffs, and the Dunesland Trail with a floating boardwalk similar to one that we walked on at Greenwich. But because of the inclement weather and constant intermittent rain, we decided to make this an “Anne of Green Gables” day and concentrate on visiting sites that were mostly indoors.

Although you can find references to her everywhere in PEI, Cavendish is the central hub of all things related to Anne of Green Gables. Author Lucy Maud Montgomery (LMM) grew up and wrote her novels here, using the location as the basis for the fictional setting of Avonlea in her books. Many heritage buildings frequented by Montgomery have been restored and several interpretation centres erected to give context to the life famous author and the eight books in her Anne of Green Gables series that have sold over 50 million copies.

The Cavendish Visitor Information Centre is a municipal tourism bureau providing physical maps and information about the area including restaurants, shops, attractions, hiking trails, and accommodations including hotels, B&Bs, cottage rentals, and campgrounds. You can buy a regional park pass here, during the months when access is not free. There is a small gift shop selling local and regional items, access to public bathrooms and free WIFI, and a small seating area where you can sit and rest. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful in recommending routes and points of interest.

A permanent exhibition space within the Cavendish Visitor’s Centre is currently set up to commemorate 150 years of Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) with photographs taken of her throughout her lifetime, as well as 18 photographs out of the thousands that she took herself as an avid and accomplished photographer. There is a replica of the Green Gables Heritage home, the white and green farmhouse belonging to LMM’s cousins David and Margaret Macneill, which she used as the inspiration for Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert’s home in her books.  We would tour the actual restored farmhouse on our next stop. Newspaper clippings and copies of her journal are also on display.

Open in 2019, the Green Gables Visitors Centre is the entrance and ticketing lobby to the Green Gables Heritage Place and grounds with access to small strolls referenced in the Anne books such as Lovers Lane, Balsam Hollow Trail, and the Haunted Woods. Once again, we were lucky to visit during the summer months when the Canada Strong program was in effect, so admission was free saving us another $10 per person. It is also a curated museum exhibition hall space for L.M.Montgomery with biographical displays tracing her life, historical scrapbooks, as well as books, diagrams and other references to Anne of Green Gables. Here we found another miniature replica of the Green Gable Heritage Place, this time made from Lego blocks, examples of covers of Anne of Green Gables novels which have been translated into 36 different languages, and the 1906 typewriter that LMM used to write her books.

A comprehensive timeline of the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery (LMM) traces her birth in New London, PEI in 1874 to her death in Toronto in 1942. At aged 21-months, after the death of her mother from tuberculosis, LMM was raised by her maternal grandparents Alexander and Lucy Macneill in Cavendish. After attending Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown and Dalhousie University in Halifax, LMM worked as a schoolteacher in rural schoolhouses between 1894-1898. She returned to Cavendish after the death of her grandfather. Having worked on a writing career since 1890 under pseudonyms including Maud Cavendish or L.M.Montgomery to hide her gender, LMM published Anne of Green Gables in 1907 and reached international fame. In 1911, she married Reverend Ewan Macdonald and moved to Ontario where she raised two sons and continued adding to the Anne Series until 1939.

Exiting the back of the Green Gables Visitor Centre, we walked towards the Green Gables Heritage Place, which is the restored 1.5-storey wood-frame Macneill farmhouse dating back to 1830s where L.M. Montgomery’s cousins lived. This is this house where she often frequented that became the inspiration for the home that Anne lived in after she was adopted by the Cuthberts. The white fence leading to the green-gabled building is engraved with the quote “It’s delightful when your imaginations come true, isn’t it?”

It is worth noting that while this site is run by Parks Canada, it is not Montgomery’s grandparents’ house where she grew up. Located 800 metres to the east, that house was torn down in the 1920s but the ruins of the original stone foundations plus the remnants of the old kitchen/ local post office, and the surrounding grounds with interpretive plaques are now part a privately owned attraction called “Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home”. You can tour that attraction for a separate fee, which we chose not to do.

The interior of the Green Gables Heritage Place has been refurbished to represent a functional 19th-century farm including the living and dining rooms, kitchen and pantry. There are a few nods to elements described in the Green Gables books. The room representing Anne’s bedroom includes a version of her puffy dress hanging on the door and Marilla’s bedroom has a reproduction of her amethyst broach on display on the dresser. Both of these objects are described in memorable and touching scenes in the first Anne of Green Gables book.

A reconstructed Victorian barn representative of ones found in late 19th century farms plus the vintage horse-drawn buggy reference back to Matthew Cuthbert’s buggy that he used to drive around. In another building, two actors dressed up as Anne and her friend Diana were role-playing the characters and ready to interact with the tourists. Back inside the interpretive centre were clothes that allowed visitors to dress up as their favourite characters from the books. While I borrowed the hat, braids and dress, I brought my own freckles.  On the way out, you could have your souvenirs stamped with LMM’s signature or an image of Green Gables.

Montgomery Park (formerly Cavendish Heritage Park) was once the site of Montgomery’s old schoolhouse which she attended as a child before it was removed to make way for the park. A beautiful life-sized bronze sculpture of Montgomery and her beloved cats can be found at the back while commemorative plaques encircling the park trace her history.  Walking trails lead to the Site of L.M.Montgomery’s Cavendish Home as well as the church that she attended. There is also a memorial dedicated to Reverend Albert Benjamin Simpson who was part of the founding families of Cavendish which include the Simpsons, Macneils and Clarks who settled in the area in 1790. Several plaques reference these original families.

As a child, L.M.Montgomery worshiped with her grandparents at Cavendish Presbyterian Church which resided at the site which is now the Cavendish Community Cemetery. By the beginning of 1900, the old church needed to be replaced and the new Cavendish United Church opened at its current location in September 1901. LMM served as organist here from 1903 to 1911, playing on an organ that she donated. Commemorative triple stained-glass windows were dedicated in her memory but unfortunately, we could not get in to see them. Although she died at her home in Toronto, her body was returned to Cavendish and her funeral service was held at this church.  She is buried at the Cavendish Community Cemetery where an iron arch at the entry to the cemetery reads “Resting Place of L.M.Montgomery, Cavendish”. Her grave features a red-granite headstone with engravings for herself and her husband Reverend Ewen Macdonald. Also buried in the cemetery is Lucy’s mother, maternal grand parents and the cousins whose home inspired the setting of Green Gables. The current post office has an exhibit that highlights Montgomery’s relationship with postal services since the Macneill family ran the local post office out of their family kitchen. Lucy served as assistant postmaster from 1898 to 1911.

Avonlea Village is a seasonal attraction in Cavendish, named after Anne Shirley’s fictional village of Avonlea.  It features a collection of heritage and replica buildings populated by local artisanal shops and fun eateries. The village is free to enter and acts as a vibrant shopping and culinary scene. The store called Artisan Market is located in the former Belmont School where L.M.Montgomery taught from 1896-1897. Cow’s Creamery has a prominent presence in Avonlea Village including its famous ice Cream Shop, the factory retail outlet for Cow’s hilariously punny, parody T-shirts and apparel, as well as two eateries.  At the outlet, most of the T-shirts were just $10 so I bought a “Born to Ride” T-shirt. I really wanted the “Alanis Mooisette” as well but it did not come in my size.

We grabbed a quick bite at “Moo Moo BBQ” which combines authentic slow-smoked meats with premium cheeses to offer gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, Texas slow-smoked beef brisket, pulled pork and smoked turkey sandwiches. We decided to share one grilled cheese and one pulled pork grilled sandwiches.

Although we didn’t eat there, we checked out “Moo Moo Burgers” which is situated in the former Long River Church which dates back to 1872. This is the Presbyterian church that L.M.Montgomery attended occasionally when visiting her Montgomery and Campbell relatives in Long River. The deteriorating church was moved to Avonlea Village for preservation, restoration and repurposing. It was very interesting to see burgers being hawked in the apse area of this church which still has all of its Gothic Revival multi-paned lancet windows and vaulted ceiling. Stairs lead to the second floor where the pews are still in place.

PEI 2026: North Rustico to Brackley Beach

Brackley Beach is a scenic resort and rural community on PEI’s north shore just east of North Rustico where we were staying at our home swap cottage. We passed through this area on our second day in in the province when we drove from Charlottetown to the Greenwich section of PEI National Park. We visited Dunes Studio Gallery and hiked on the Greenwich Dunes Trail but did not get a chance to explore the points of interest in the Brackley Beach area until another day. Because of the bad weather, we never made it to the actual beach itself but located enroute from North Rustico to Brackley Beach are a massive art gallery, an acclaimed seafood restaurant and a cool soap store. The community is also home to the only drive-in movie theatre on the island, making it a popular attraction for both locals and tourists. 

Located on a scenic point of land in South Rustico, extending into the southwest side of Rustico Bay, is the Fine Crafts Gallery of Gaudreau Fine Woodworking, a large 2000-square-foot gallery space that features high-quality regional woodworking, pottery, weaving and paintings by artisans across Atlantic Canada. There were so many beautiful pieces to look at and we had limited room in our carry-on bags for our flight home to Toronto, but we were tempted to buy something. After a bit of debate and negotiation, we settled on a hand-woven cotton throw and a small round casserole dish.

Right across the street from the Fine Crafts Gallery is the Blue Mussel Café, a popular family-run seasonal seafood restaurant that once sat on the North Rustico Harbour near our home swap lodging, before moving to this new location near Oyster Bay Bridge in 2026. The restaurant does not take reservations but allows you to join an online waitlist during its opening hours. The first day that we tried to get a table, I monitored the size of the waitlist starting around 4pm, hoping to join before it got too busy, but timing it so that we could have a meal and then get to the Brackley Beach Drive-in for 7:30pm. The wait seemed reasonable at about 15-30+ minutes up to 4:30 but then suddenly it jumped and by 5pm, the estimated wait time was almost 2 hours making it too late for us to have dinner. We went to the Fisherman’s Lobster Supper in North Rustico instead and decided to try again the next day. This time, we had 7:30pm tickets to a play at the Watermark Theatre so we joined the waitlist just after 4pm to get a 5pm seating.

The food was excellent and worth the hassle involved in landing a table. The restaurant is known for its locally sourced seafood delivered multiple times daily and takes pride in not serving any deep-fried food, to preserve natural flavours. As an appetizer, we ordered tuna tartare with fresh PEI tuna marinated in sesame, ginger, caramelized garlic, and ginger on a bed of corn and cucumber, served with an avocado paste and crostinis. For mains, I ordered their famous Lobster Thermidor topped with a cognac/parmigiana cream and breading served with green apple mash potato and seasonal vegetables. Rich had the pan-seared halibut with mango salsa, roasted red potato and seasonal vegetable.

Within the community of Brackley Beach is the Great Canadian Soap Company which sourced the lobster-shaped goat milk soap that Rich purchased in a gift soap in North Rustico Harbour. We saw one of the goats that produced the milk for the soap although he disappeared into his pen by the time we left the shop. There were several signs warning customers not to pick up the chickens, but we did not spot any chickens. Open since 2000, the Great Canadian Soap Company is Canada’s largest producer of handmade goat milk soap, specializing in 100% natural, moisturizing skincare products including bar and liquid soap, shampoo, shaving cakes, lip balms, body cream and laundry soap. The soaps come in a wide variety of scents and fun shapes such as hearts, stars, clovers and even ones shaped like bran muffins. Rich spent quite a bit of time looking at the options and walked away with “Three Wise Men” and “Number Eight Cologne” soaps.

The company was featured in the 2018 version of Amazing Race Canada when contestants participated in a “Suds” challenge that involved milking a goat and identifying 10 different soap scents. 

Brackley Beach Drive-In is one of the last remaining drive-in theatres in Canada and has been in operation since 1959. It was restored to its classic 1950s décor in 1992 after being purchased by the Boyle family. There are two screens each running a double feature starting at dusk from May through October. Vintage cars are placed under the screens to add to the nostalgic vibe. Admission tickets for the double-bill include a free soft drink per person or you could buy a combo ticket that also includes popcorn.

The canteen/snack bar continues with the 1950s décor with an authentic 1950s Morris minor car, a vintage juke box and old-styled Coca Cola machine on display. The concession stand offers a classic snack menu of soda pops and freshly popped popcorn, as well as hotdogs, burgers and other hot food items. Sound for the movies are broadcast through your vehicle’s FM radio by tuning to FM 99.1.  The etiquette for the drive-in is to have your car running in a mode where the radio can play but the engine and lights are not running.

The double feature that we attended was showing the animated children’s film Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie as the first movie and then the female buddy comedy Spa Weekend as the second film. As we were concerned about whether our rental car battery would last through both movies, and since we were really only interested in the second film, we decided to watch the first one without sound while we ate popcorn. Unfortunately, it was raining throughout both movies and by the middle of the first one, it was pouring so hard that it was impossible to see the screen without constantly turning on the engine to use the windshield wipers. By the second film, most people had left and we were told not to worry about watching with the car running so that the wipers could operate on a constant timer. Once again, we were hampered by the stormy weather that we encountered through the back end of our visit to PEI but we made the most of it. Given that this was my first drive-in movie experience, I still had a great time! The actual movies themselves were fun and fluffy time wasters that did not require much concentration, which was perfect for this environment.

On the drive home after the movies, I spotted what looked like a man and woman with bicycles trying to cross the busy Portage Road while a young child was sitting on the back of one of the bikes. I was horrified that they were out in the pitch-black night during a gale-force rainstorm. But as we passed by, I saw the man’s face and realized these were mannequins. The next time we drove by in the daylight, we stopped to take a closer look. Intrigued, I researched on the Internet and learned about Norm and Roxanne, an attraction first created by local resident Stan Skeffington in 1999. 

Participating in a friendly local rivalry to see who could decorate their rural mailboxes more elaborately, Skeffington decided to carve a single wooden mannequin which he named Norman and used it as a support post for his mailbox. Then he began to dress Norman in different outfits, including a farmer, a golfer and a fisherman. This was so much fun and generated so much interest that Stan decided to expand the display. Over the years, he gave Norman a girlfriend named Roxanne, had them get married, added a dog named Sherman and finally after a pregnancy, a little girl named Piper-Lee was born. As things got more elaborate, Skeffington switched to using commercial mannequins instead of carvings so that he could more easily dress and manipulate the family with their different outfits and props. Stan constantly updates the family's outfits, props, and scenarios to match the seasons, holidays, and milestones. This has become a popular stopping point for people to pose for photos with the “Portage” Family.  The display even made the CBC News and is a destination on Google Maps, located at 4122 Portage Road, Oyster Bed Bridge, PEI.