DAY ONE
Getting there
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is one of three maritime Canadian provinces. From Boston, it’s a 10-hour drive through Maine and New Brunswick and then over Confederation Bridge to the island. The island is about twice the size of of Rhode Island.
You also can opt to take a ferry from Nova Scotia to the island.
What to do?
Stop at the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre just before the Confederation Bridge. It has displays about the birds that you’ll see in the region and about what life used to be like before the bridge was constructed. There’s also a snack bar and walking trails with access to the beach. Make sure to climb to the top of the observation tower to get a better idea of Confederation Bridge’s length – 8 miles to be exact! Admission cost: Free, but parking is about $4, depending on the exchange rate.
KidTripster Tip: Before we left, we made sure to have paper maps, as we didn’t want to use our cell phone data for navigation. Since the island is so small, most maps are detailed enough to find your way.
After leaving Cape Jourimain, cross the Confederation Bridge to PEI.
Where to eat?
Our cottage was in Cavendish, but we headed farther east to North Rustico for dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf, which promised a 60-foot salad bar. It delivered with the typical salad fixings plus unlimited mussels and seafood chowder.
KidTripster Tip: Our family made the mistake of ordering entrées in addition to the salad bar. There was no need. Save yourself some money and get the salad bar only.
Where to stay?
For the first three nights of our vacation, we stayed at the Cavendish Country Inn and Cottages. We reserved a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom cottage which also had a kitchen and living room. It was rustic and sparsely appointed but clean. The property had two pools, a hot tub, a few small playsets plus horseshoe and volleyball courts. There also was an on-site laundromat.
Each cottage had a gas grill, though when we tried to use ours, it turned into an inferno. Our master bathroom had a Jacuzzi-style tub, but the jets didn’t work. When we tried to talk with the management about these deficiencies, they placed the blame on us, indicating we weren’t using them properly. Needless to say, I’d pass on this property.
Day 2 has us visiting lighthouses and beaches. Keep clicking, please.
