Summer in Summerside PEI - & tourism inspired by books

Summer in Summerside PEI - & tourism inspired by books

Leaving Bouctouche and New Brunswick with a high tide just after dawn, we worked the favorable currents and tides into Summerside on the island province of Prince Edwards Island (PEI). This, the smallest of provinces in Canada, has a big heart and warm welcome for visitors.  Summerside has an attractive and well maintained Curling and Yacht Club in the heart of the town.  

Close to the dock is a seafood market, the biweekly Farmer’s Market, tourist shops and even a grocery store. Steve finally found a Canadian Tire store just up the road to exchange his defective hose purchased last year in Kingston and Montreal.  The exchange took longer than the bike ride – the complication – how to credit the taxes collected by Ontario and Quebec now that he is exchanging it here in PEI!  (Oh yes, the taxes are significant.  We have enjoyed the 20% favorable exchange rate, but give most of that back in taxes at the end of the day.)

With our arrival in Summerside we have been delighted to bask in some sunshine and mild temperatures – almost summer weather for a change.  Even the short cloudy periods have been punctuated by bursts of sun which are welcome after what has seemed like weeks of fog, drizzle and gray skies. 

Stops here – besides those for food and supplies, will included the Wyatt House – a restored mid-19^th Century house, walks in the older part of town, bike rides on the Confederation Trail, and attendance at a performance by the College of Piping – think River Dance. (details to follow) Due to their schedule we stayed on an extra day to catch a show and used the extra time to make a road trip…..

A Tourist Attraction Built on BOOKS

From Summerside we rented a car for a pilgrimage to Green Gables of Anne Shirley fame – the inspiration for L.M. Montgomery’s famous series. While I did not make Steve visit every possible stop among the extensive options (her birthplace, the site where she actually grew up, a museum at one of her book settings – Looking Glass Pond, etc.).  We did spend a few hours at the Canadian National Park – Green Gables. This is the farm house in Cavendish, PEI which Montgomery used as the inspiration for her setting.  It was a neighbor’s farm adjacent to the property of her grandparents where she lived almost half of her life and wrote the first Anne book – published in 1908.  The house is original but lovingly restored as described in the books and has been in the parks service control since the late 1930’s when much of the area around it was preserved as Cavendish National Park.  The interest and move set the area aside was inspired by the popularity of the stories set here. Although it took Montgomery several years to get her first Anne story published, once it hit the bookshelves it was an instant success prompting an interest in the actual location that inspired her fictional setting. Years before the park service took over the property, the owners of the farm (called “Green Gables” by Montgomery) were hosting a bed and breakfast for fans wanting to see for themselves the places described in the books – such as the Haunted Woods and Lover’s Lane as well as the farm. From these rustic roots today we find a massive complex of commercial development – low scale – but extensive built around the attraction of the Green Gables Heritage Site. Families plan week long vacations to the area to enjoy the camping, beaches, and fun parks.  Tucked into the lush green hills along the shore, we saw mini-golf courses, roller coasters, Avonlea Village shops, Ripley’s Believe it of Not and other touristy sprawl.  Yet, the reading teacher in me was happy to see even a kitschy attraction built on the love books. (OK, they are now movies too.)

Lucky for us it was a short drive back through the rolling green countryside to our boat.  Oh, we did stop at more than a few country antique stores for a button hunt and even scored a few hits.  Then we made a diversion in Malpeque for oysters in the harbor.  The catch right off the boat and served up in style in a tiny but cozy eatery was a just reward for Steve who kindly suffered through the literary tours and stops in dust shops.