Anne of Green Gables House (bicycles only), yes? no?
 

Hello there,

At first I didn't even think going to Anne of Green Gables House was a possibility as my friend & I don't drive and we're staying in Charlottetown, not Cavendish. Although not mentioned in my guidebook, I discovered in another guidebook that there's something called the "Beach Shuttle" which goes from Charlottetown to Cavendish at 9:15 in the morning, leaving at 5:15 in the afternoon.

Reading the Anne of Green Gables book as a grown man, I enjoyed Lucy Maud Montgomery's book probably as much as many eleven-year-old girls do, but I'm not one of these folk either who would go to PEI to expressly visit it for the "Anne (of course with an e LOL) factor". My reason to go to PEI is for the scenery and its reputation as a terrific cycling destination. Besides, I always imagined the Anne of Green Gables home swarming with tourist mobs (the Anne story is apparently especially popular with the Japanese) and Ms. Montgomery's lifetime to me seems such recent history, that visiting the home never really appealed to me and I'd left it at that. However, a friend of mine recently told me that the home really IS worthwhile, that he too thought it would be tacky, but that he ended up loving it, that it was a highlight of his trip to Prince Edward Island.

I have 5 full days in Charlottetown this June. The plan was to do different cycling itineraries out of the city on various days, maybe enjoy one day just walking around Charlottetown itself. I want your thoughts: Do you think Anne of Green Gables House is worth an excursion (remembering that neither of us drive)? I've learned that they do allow bicycles aboard the Beach Shuttle, so we could potentially bike back from Cavendish to Charlottetown after visiting Anne of Green Gables House... seems a do-able distance one-way... or possibly take the bike both ways and just putter around the Cavendish area.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. DANIEL

You are about a good twenty-five minute drive via car from Cavendish to Charlottetown - the roads are really not meant to be shared with bikes - very narrow two-laned country roads. Having said that, if you are able to get a shuttle to Cavendish from Charlottetown, you can rent bikes at the gas station just across from the entrance to the national park. This way you could spend the day exploring the park (lots of bike trails), and the Cavendish area itself. Anne of Green Gables house is in the same vicinity, boardwalk, etc.

Thanks Tanya!

You told me just what I needed to hear. We'll have our bikes with us, but we'll leave them in Charlottetown for that day. Given your advice, I think I'll go with taking the shuttle (without our bicycles, which would have been a bit of a hassle anyway), renting bikes at that gas station in Cavendish, enjoying Anne of Green Gables House & park bike trails, then returning via the shuttle. That actually sounds a pretty terrific way to spend a day.

I noticed that Charlottetown to Cavendish was NOT a recommended cycling itinerary out of Charlottetown on Tourism Charlottetown's website. I appreciate your elaborating that not only is it not mentioned, but it's also not a good idea. I'll stick with Tourism Charlottetown's recommended cycling routes :).

Tanya, I hope you know what a treasure you are on this site for offering so willingly your breadth of experience on travel within Maritime Canada (I haven't forgotten your helping me plan a trip to Halifax & surroundings when I went for the first time in 2003.) I think Fodor's Forums would be shaky on Maritime Canada without you :).

Best wishes, Daniel

PS I do know what you mean about two-lane country roads. I had the bright idea of "cycling on the Isle of Wight" last summer... what a mistake THAT would have been. The roads on the Isle were narrow, cars even had to wait to let cars in the other direction pass, hairpin turns here and there... so I know sometimes roads can be a bit too harrowing for my liking as a cyclist.

Daniel:
You are so sweet to remember. I love to help people explore my part of the world - it is breathtaking and so much to "sea"! Enjoy Charlottetown and the rest of PEI. In Charlottetown, Peak's Quay is a great spot to people watch and enjoy a cold one. The marina is right there, so lots happening and typically live music during the summer. Cows ice cream mmmmmm, and lots of other little shops.

I also found this site http://www.gowheelinpei.com/index.php I don't think it is the same company that rents bikes in Cavendish, but another option to perhaps explore another spot of the Island. My brother often takes his bike over from NS to PEI to ride the trails. They say they are great and very safe.