Although we had traveled to Nova Scotia nearly 30 years ago, we had never visited Prince Edward Island. On the itinerary for last summers road trip adventures, it seemed like a logical place to visit since it would save us airfare. And now that we live permanently in upstate New York, it really is easier to travel places that used to take 8+ hours to get to. Particularly when one has to get off the “Isle of Long” first. (Shout out to Larry The Duck on SiriusXM’s First Wave station for getting me through the morning commute and his endearing giggle when he invariably describes Long Island that way.)
My initial impression of PEI was wow! That’s a really really long bridge you have to take to even get to the island. Case in point: The bridge, known as the Confederation Bridge, is the longest bridge in the world crossing ice-covered water. I’m not sure what exactly that means since there was no ice the day we crossed but that’s what a Google search revealed. It’s also really expensive. CA$47.75 to cross a bridge? Granted, it’s only a one-way toll (you pay on the way back) but still!
So once we got off the bridge, we stopped the car and walked around a tourist-filled rest area and then decided to grab a couple of lobster rolls for lunch.
On To Charlottetown
I was a bit disappointed with Charlottetown I have to say. A) It was a lot smaller than I expected and B) There wasn’t really a lot to do there. Yes, we could have gone to see “Anne of Green Gables: The Musical” (just kidding!) since it has been playing annually in Charlottetown since 1965! But since I was already dragging Lynn to see the author’s house the next day, I decided to spare him anything else related to “Anne.” Besides we were already being bombarded by Anne of Green Gables souvenirs and even “‘Anne” chocolates everywhere we looked.
Thing is, I never read Anne of Green Gables growing up. I actually went to my local library this summer before we set out on this adventure, and truth be told, I liked the book and the character. (And knowing how I was as a young teenager girl, I probably would have tossed the book in the garbage because back then I liked reading books by D.H. Lawrence.)
I’m really glad I read the book this past summer since so much of Prince Edward Island is wrapped up in the many stories that author Lucy Montgomery wrote. She managed way back then to create characters that one can emphasize with and the near fairy tale setting of her books on the island only adds to their appeal.
So our first morning in PEI we went to visit the very modest family house where she was born and where she eventually married, too.
Followed by a further drive down the road to see a “heritage place” museum that showcased many of her books and the inspiration for writing them.
Driving between these two places, we would catch glimpses of the water and marvel at the beauty of the countryside. I also didn’t know there were so many farms on Prince Edward Island. Or that their primary crop was potatoes. And why was the soil so incredibly red?
It turns out there’s a lot of iron in this soil and although it looked like “sand” similar to what we had seen in the deep red stones of Sedona, Arizona, this soil was lush and fertile. I stopped more than once to pull over to try and capture the deep color of the earth but the camera just didn’t do it justice.
We continued to drive a bit around the island when suddenly I saw a sign for “Malpeque.” Could it be the same Malpeque that was famous for its oysters? We journeyed on to find out.
Even though it was not even noon, we decided to have an early “snack” of some just-harvested Malpeque oysters, “from the source,” so to speak at the Malpeque Oyster Barn. Now that I’ve had the “real thing,” it’s very difficult to order fresh oysters anywhere else and expect them to be even passable.
Fresh and only slightly briny, they needed just a simple squeeze of lemon as shown here although the Migonette sauce and fresh horseradish were a nice touch, too.
Afterwards we walked around the dock area and looked at all the oyster/lobster traps so artfully displayed.
And then we went to find a lighthouse nearly an hour and a half away on the other side of the island.
Point Prim Lighthouse
When we drove down a sandy beach road looking for the Point Prim Lighthouse, we didn’t expect to find a long line of cars parked on the side of the road. We realized the real reason people were there was to eat at the Point Prim Chowder House.
Even though we didn’t have a reservation, they found a table outside for us. I have to say the view was delicious! The food was decent. And the mosquitoes! Boy, they loved my ankles that day!
So back to the view.
With these pretty white curtains (that they tried to tie back since they had a tendency to billow in the wind), I felt I was in a fancy Caribbean resort rather than PEI.
We had a bowl of chowder and two lobster rolls but genuinely had a hard time thinking who was enjoying their “feast” more – Lynn and I or the mosquitoes nibbling on us.
We ate quickly and then made our way over to the lighthouse where (drum roll) we were one of only two visitors.
After lunch, we decided a visit to the beach (and being able to dig our toes into that incredible red sand) would be just the thing to do.
We had packed bathing suits and borrowed some towels from the hotel (but boy do I hate changing in a toilet stall!) and then indulged in a beautiful afternoon at Brackley Beach.
They have dunes! They have crystal clear water! They have soft red sand! Really, it was very relaxing.
Dinner both nights in Charlottetown was pretty uninspiring but I have to assume that’s because the town was filled with tourists looking for a cheap hamburger and a beer. We did have some fantastic chowder at Brickhouse Kitchen and Bar. Loaded with fresh seafood (at least four different kinds from what I could tell) plus potatoes and cream, it was really good! I went back to check their website, pulled up their menu and this chowder is actually a winner! Named the 2018 PEI Potato and Shellfish Chowder Champion, this one dish has lobster, haddock, scallops, mussels, smoked bacon and PEI potatoes.
Don’t you just want to dive into that dish? I do!
PEI Potatoes and Charlottetown’s Farmer’s Market
Speaking of PEI potatoes, well here we go. Okay, so as I mentioned before, I was trespassing on farmland trying to take pictures of the soil and the abundance of potato plants when I thought well, I have to buy some. Luckily, we were in town for the weekend and Saturday mornings is where all the action is at the Charlottetown’s Farmers’ market. Unfortunately, we had already eaten a (mediocre) breakfast at the hotel, but we walked around the stalls and marveled at all the goodness that was being displayed.
Potatoes right from the earth!
Lettuce and scallions and squash, too!
Wait, are those just-picked Shiitakes?
And lots of different varieties of fresh baked bread?
Are you hungry yet? Because I am!
Needless to say, only three things would bring me back to PEI. The oysters, the farmer’s market and the beach!
Oh yeah, on the way home, guess what I bought?
Until our next “Let’s Go” adventure.