Any ideas for a 3 generation family girl trip to PEI?
 

We have booked a house in Summerside.We love Anne, good seafood, beaches and nature treks. Our ages range from 7 years to 67 years! Thanks for any input.

The vista of Malpaque Bay is still clear in my mind after 15 years.

Also, there was a restaurant in Kengsinton which searved up a wonderfull breakfast.

Mount Alison in New Brunswick is worth a day trip via ferry (not sure if it is running now).

Cap Meux in the Isle de Madelines is well worth the trip. The ferry leaves from Souris PEI which is east of Charlottown.

Hi HTJim, I'm curious about the Isle de Madeleine and Cap Meux. I think its a pretty long ferry ride, so what makes it worth the trip?

The older people should teach the girl how to eat a lobster, if she does not already know.

And the older people should get up early so the younger people can enjoy the beach during the best swimming part of the day.

Seven is pretty young for a girl to become a photogapher, but she certainly can become a demonstration model. This means her job is to be in photos showing PEI things; she's showing off a jellyfish,showing marsh grasses, showing what the water depth is like in the same spot at high tide and low tide, pointing out how floating docks work, and so on. These will be useful pictures for future PEI-related projects.

There should also be a sunrise and sunset test; the threesome should check out the arrival of the sun one day, and the departure of the sun another day. In both cases, snacks should be consumed.

That in turn brings up the unique-food part of the adventure. What is special about food in PEI that is different from food at home? Potatoes arefresher, for one thing. The hot dog buns may be very different from home, depending on where home is. Are potato chips packaged differently? Are there different kinds of ginger ale than backhome?

And how close to the production site can you get food? Mackeral from a fisherman at the dock> Lobster right out of the boat? Potatoes from a farmer?

As I wrap this up, I note a lot of emphasis on food, but it is based on my many visits to PEI when I was little, plus assorted visits since, including taking a child there.

BAK

I thank everyone for ideas. This is my first time using Fodor's talk. It is beyond fun getting and giving advice to people who enjoy travel as much as we do! I will look up Malpaque Bay and Cap Meux. Us older people (46 & 67) and younger people (7 & 8) will get up early.The problem is the 20 year old who LOVES to sleep. How ironic that my mom is a photographer-great ideas for her to be involved in! We are from the Outer Banks of NC and throughly enjoy seafood. I am especially looking forward to mussels and a dinner at St. Ann's Church. As you can tell we are not strangers to PEI just a more eclectic group this trip. My the daughter (the 20 yr.old) has plans of moving to PEI next year so she will be scouting around for housing, jobs, etc.)Please continue with the advice! We leave by car next Thursday.

Isle de Madeleine and Cap Meux are a five hour ferry ride from Souris PEI.

Coming from the prairies, being on the ocean is an experience in itself.

I found Isle de Madeleine and Cap Meux a very quiet, peaceful and isolated place with good restaurants. The houses are painted bright colours in greens, reds and purples which was also new to me at the time.

Lobster dinner is a must - St. Ann's is definitely good, but also consider New Glasgow as an additional or alternate lobster supper. Not that there was anything at all wrong with St. Anns, but the last time we went I would give New Glasgow the slight edge (depends on which evening etc. of course).

For fun for all ages, take a kite :-) We bought one on the beach in Cavendish, and it was a great diversion for us (and we are "grown-ups"!). However of course it was more expensive to buy it on the beach than if we had brought one with us.....

If you love Anne, for a change you could consider seeing the play/musical of Anne of Green Gables in Charletown if you have not seen it in a previous trip?

Oh, and don't forget to stop at Cow's ice cream - their website (www.cows.ca) says there is actually one in Summerside. Even if you don't want ice cream (and it is great ice cream) take a look though the humourous cow merchandise including slippers mugs, t-shirts etc.

Hi,

I am a travel consultant and I was just in Charlottetown/Cavendish/New Glasgow last month and it is wonderful and beautiful. I would recommend the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company for lunch or special dessert and definitely for gifts for everyone at home. The jam and preserves made my knees weak!

Take lots of time at Anne of Green Gables - definitely stop and watch the video introduction of Maud Montgomery. I was at the park for about an hour and it wasn't nearly long enough! Be sure and stop for lunch at the little coffee shop on the backside of the barn.

Any little town along the coast is going to have fresh lobster. Don't hesitate to look for a place with lots of cars - that is a sign that the locals like the place. The locals will be glad to help teach everyone to eat lobster.

By the way, try the ice cream at any of the local places. Cows is a franchise store and the local places have more personality. You can visit a Cows in Whistler, B.C., too.

Best Regards,
Julia

I forgot to include the interpretive centres and other services offered by Prince Edward Island National Park if you are interested in learning about the ecology of the island or other programs - wide variety of activities available and nice walks etc. I was fascinated by the fragility and complexity of the dunes environment.

By the way, the previous poster has a good point on cows ice cream being a franchise - but it is a franchise that originatd in PEI :-)! The original is in Cavendish and second in Charlottetown..... but really the best would be to "comparison shop" and try several places for ice-cream, of course just for research purposes.....!

Have a great trip.

We did a 3-generation girl trip to PEI 2 years ago and loved it! First, about the lobster dinner, we went to New Glasgow on the recommendation that the lobster was better. However, I heard later that St. Ann's has live music, which definitely would have added to the total experience. Obviously, you'll want to see the Green Gables house in Cavendish. In addition, the girls are at a perfect age to visit Avonlea Village, kind of like a miniature DisneyWorld with costumed Anne of Green Gables characters who interact with the children and reenact portions of the book. It was high quality and very enjoyable. The Anne musical in Charlottetown is really well done and good for all ages. And lastly, in Summerside at 619 Water St. East, the College of Piping & Drumming puts on fabulous evening performances with Celtic/Scottish music and dance. Check out their schedule at www.collegeofpiping.com. Have a wonderful time!