Pretty Prince Edward Island and a Taste of New Brunswick
Aug 31st, 2023, 05:12 PM
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Pretty Prince Edward Island and a Taste of New Brunswick
Pretty Prince Edward Island and a Taste of New Brunswick
We recently returned from a wonderful trip to Prince Edward Island including an overnight stop in St. John, New Brunswick. I enjoy writing trip reports because I get the chance to relive our trip, and it serves as my journal. I want to thank tlc195 for his invaluable help in planning our trip. And I want to thank Aulop for his trip report last year that included PEI.
We spent one night in St. John, New Brunswick, 6 nights on PEI, and one night in Jonesboro, Maine on our way home. While on PEI, I divided our time there between 2 nights in Hermanville on the east end of the island and 4 nights in Rustico in central PEI. We live in Massachusetts, so the drive from our home to Hermanville (our first stop on PEI) is 10 hours, so we stopped at a mid-way point on the way to PEI and on the trip back home.
Our itinerary:
St. John, New Brunswick – Homeport Historic B&B – one night
Hermanville, PEI – Johnson Shore Inn – 2 nights
Rustico, PEI – Barachois Inn – 4 nights
Jonesboro, Maine – Chandler River Inn – one night
August 20, 2023: St. John, New Brunswick and one of the best meals of our trip!
We left our home in Massachusetts around 9:00am. The drive to St. John is about 6.5 hours. We arrived in the late afternoon on a Sunday, and checked into the Homeport Historic B&B. The B&B consists of two homes that were built in the 1850’s by 2 shipbuilding brothers. The homes are now connected by another small building.
We aren’t enthralled with St. John but that could be because the city was very quiet and most things were closed since it was a Sunday. There were only a few restaurants open. We drove around the city to see what it looks like. There seem to be some nice stores in the downtown area (not chain stores) but of course everything was closed. The harbor area was very quiet except for one restaurant/bar with a lively crowd on the deck overlooking the harbor. There was also construction around the harbor. St. John is a good stopping off point on the way to PEI.
Surprisingly, we had one of the best meals of our trip at the Taste of Egypt. Both my husband and I ordered rack of lamb that came with Greek potatoes and a salad, and we shared baklava. The food is delicious and very well-prepared.
August 21, 2023: Beautiful Drive along the Fundy Trail Parkway and Arriving on PEI.
I think that if you were to go straight to PEI from St. John, the drive is about 4 hours to Hermanville. However, we decided to take the scenic route so we drove along the Fundy Trail Parkway. This is a beautiful coastal drive with lovely scenery, made a bit more atmospheric with overcast skies and drizzle. There are 21 lookouts, 7 beaches, and 9 other various points of interest along the way, in addition to hiking paths, observation decks and waterfalls. One could spend several days or more exploring this beautiful area. We stopped at several lookouts and also walked along the suspension footbridge over the Big Salmon River.
We stopped for lunch at the Adair Cabins, a hunting lodge. The dining room is casual and very warm and inviting. We had delicious homemade turkey rice soup and BLT sandwiches.
From the Adair Cabins, it was about a 4-hour drive to Hermanville on PEI, via the Confederation Bridge.
We arrived around 5PM at Johnson Shore Inn, our home for the next 2 nights. This is a lovely inn in a beautiful location overlooking St. Lawrence Bay. The location is very quiet because you have to drive down a long dirt driveway to reach the inn. We slept at night with our windows open to the sound of the sea! So wonderful! By the way, the inn does not have air conditioning, which certainly was not necessary when we were there. The rooms have ceiling fans but with the open windows we didn’t need the fan, either. Dave and Mellanie are the owners. We didn’t meet Mellanie but Dave is a wonderful host who is very helpful with restaurant recommendations and sightseeing.
This is a quiet end of the island (and it turned out to be our favorite part of the island) and was not as crowded as central PEI. There aren’t as many restaurants so we did make advance dinner reservations. Our dinner this evening was at the North Lake Boathouse Eatery. Both my husband and I ordered the delicious seafood chowder for our starters. I then ordered grilled scallops, which were delicious and simply prepared. Very tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband order fish cakes with baked beans, and he was very happy with his meal, too.
We recently returned from a wonderful trip to Prince Edward Island including an overnight stop in St. John, New Brunswick. I enjoy writing trip reports because I get the chance to relive our trip, and it serves as my journal. I want to thank tlc195 for his invaluable help in planning our trip. And I want to thank Aulop for his trip report last year that included PEI.
We spent one night in St. John, New Brunswick, 6 nights on PEI, and one night in Jonesboro, Maine on our way home. While on PEI, I divided our time there between 2 nights in Hermanville on the east end of the island and 4 nights in Rustico in central PEI. We live in Massachusetts, so the drive from our home to Hermanville (our first stop on PEI) is 10 hours, so we stopped at a mid-way point on the way to PEI and on the trip back home.
Our itinerary:
St. John, New Brunswick – Homeport Historic B&B – one night
Hermanville, PEI – Johnson Shore Inn – 2 nights
Rustico, PEI – Barachois Inn – 4 nights
Jonesboro, Maine – Chandler River Inn – one night
August 20, 2023: St. John, New Brunswick and one of the best meals of our trip!
We left our home in Massachusetts around 9:00am. The drive to St. John is about 6.5 hours. We arrived in the late afternoon on a Sunday, and checked into the Homeport Historic B&B. The B&B consists of two homes that were built in the 1850’s by 2 shipbuilding brothers. The homes are now connected by another small building.
We aren’t enthralled with St. John but that could be because the city was very quiet and most things were closed since it was a Sunday. There were only a few restaurants open. We drove around the city to see what it looks like. There seem to be some nice stores in the downtown area (not chain stores) but of course everything was closed. The harbor area was very quiet except for one restaurant/bar with a lively crowd on the deck overlooking the harbor. There was also construction around the harbor. St. John is a good stopping off point on the way to PEI.
Surprisingly, we had one of the best meals of our trip at the Taste of Egypt. Both my husband and I ordered rack of lamb that came with Greek potatoes and a salad, and we shared baklava. The food is delicious and very well-prepared.
August 21, 2023: Beautiful Drive along the Fundy Trail Parkway and Arriving on PEI.
I think that if you were to go straight to PEI from St. John, the drive is about 4 hours to Hermanville. However, we decided to take the scenic route so we drove along the Fundy Trail Parkway. This is a beautiful coastal drive with lovely scenery, made a bit more atmospheric with overcast skies and drizzle. There are 21 lookouts, 7 beaches, and 9 other various points of interest along the way, in addition to hiking paths, observation decks and waterfalls. One could spend several days or more exploring this beautiful area. We stopped at several lookouts and also walked along the suspension footbridge over the Big Salmon River.
We stopped for lunch at the Adair Cabins, a hunting lodge. The dining room is casual and very warm and inviting. We had delicious homemade turkey rice soup and BLT sandwiches.
From the Adair Cabins, it was about a 4-hour drive to Hermanville on PEI, via the Confederation Bridge.
We arrived around 5PM at Johnson Shore Inn, our home for the next 2 nights. This is a lovely inn in a beautiful location overlooking St. Lawrence Bay. The location is very quiet because you have to drive down a long dirt driveway to reach the inn. We slept at night with our windows open to the sound of the sea! So wonderful! By the way, the inn does not have air conditioning, which certainly was not necessary when we were there. The rooms have ceiling fans but with the open windows we didn’t need the fan, either. Dave and Mellanie are the owners. We didn’t meet Mellanie but Dave is a wonderful host who is very helpful with restaurant recommendations and sightseeing.
This is a quiet end of the island (and it turned out to be our favorite part of the island) and was not as crowded as central PEI. There aren’t as many restaurants so we did make advance dinner reservations. Our dinner this evening was at the North Lake Boathouse Eatery. Both my husband and I ordered the delicious seafood chowder for our starters. I then ordered grilled scallops, which were delicious and simply prepared. Very tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband order fish cakes with baked beans, and he was very happy with his meal, too.
Aug 31st, 2023, 05:26 PM
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Our very delicious rack of lamb dinner at Taste of Egypt in St. John!
Waffles and fruit at the Homeport Historic B&B in St. John
View from our B&B in St. John
Homeport Historic B&B
Lounge area at our B&B in St. John
Sandstone sea caves at St. Martins, NB
Beach along the Fundy Trail Parkway
Suspension footbridge over the Big Salmon River
View of the Big Salmon River from the suspension footbridge
Buddha's stacking stones - brings the stacker good luck!
Johnson Shore Inn, Hermanville, PEI - we loved our stay here! So peaceful and serene.
Delicious grilled scallops at the North Lake Boat House Eatery
My husband loved his fish cakes and baked beans!
Last edited by KarenWoo; Aug 31st, 2023 at 05:29 PM.
Sep 1st, 2023, 07:02 AM
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August 22, 2023: Gorgeous Greenwich Dunes and a Lovely Lighthouse
For breakfast, Dave offers eggs cooked any way you like them, toast, choice of bacon, ham, and sausage, fruit, yogurt, hot or cold cereal. The dining room is very pretty with lots of windows overlooking the green lawn and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
After our delicious breakfast, our first destination of the day is the Greenwich Dunes, which turns out to be one of our favorite activities we did on PEI. It’s about a 30-minute drive from our inn. The Dunes are part of the PEI National Park, and is separated from the rest of PEI National Park by St. Peters Bay.
The Greenwich Dunes area consists of two parts: the Greenwich Beach where there are facilities, including a life guard; and the Greenwich Dunes Trail over sand dunes and a pond. We didn’t visit the beach with the life guard because it wasn’t warm enough for us to go swimming. We had great weather on our trip, except for our last day when it rained, but the other days were sunny with temps ranging from high 60’s to mid 70’s, not warm enough for us! But there were definitely hardy Canadians swimming.
The walking trail is a beautiful walk over a gravel path and then on a boardwalk over the dunes, and then a floating boardwalk over the pond. We walked to the beach at the end (which does not have a lifeguard or facilities). The scenery is absolutely gorgeous! This was a highlight of our trip. This trail is 4.6km RT, and took us about 2 hours.
After all that walking, we were starting to feel a bit hungry, so we stopped at Rick’s Fish and Chips in St. Peters Bay for a light lunch. My husband had fish cakes and I had a delicious seafood chowder with fresh dill, which really gave it a nice flavor!
After lunch, we drove to the East Point Lighthouse (built in 1867) and climbed the 67 stairs to the top for nice wraparound views of East Point. The lighthouse is lovely painted in white with red trim and red Adirondack chairs overlooking the water.
Tonight we had dinner reservations at Clam Diggers restaurant in Cardigan, about a 30-40 minute drive from our inn. We loved our appetizer of mussels with coconut curry and my husband loved his Ocean Bake dinner: scallops, shrimp and haddock. I was disappointed in my fried whole belly clam dinner. The first few were plump and tasty, but the clams underneath were small and tasteless.
For breakfast, Dave offers eggs cooked any way you like them, toast, choice of bacon, ham, and sausage, fruit, yogurt, hot or cold cereal. The dining room is very pretty with lots of windows overlooking the green lawn and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
After our delicious breakfast, our first destination of the day is the Greenwich Dunes, which turns out to be one of our favorite activities we did on PEI. It’s about a 30-minute drive from our inn. The Dunes are part of the PEI National Park, and is separated from the rest of PEI National Park by St. Peters Bay.
The Greenwich Dunes area consists of two parts: the Greenwich Beach where there are facilities, including a life guard; and the Greenwich Dunes Trail over sand dunes and a pond. We didn’t visit the beach with the life guard because it wasn’t warm enough for us to go swimming. We had great weather on our trip, except for our last day when it rained, but the other days were sunny with temps ranging from high 60’s to mid 70’s, not warm enough for us! But there were definitely hardy Canadians swimming.
The walking trail is a beautiful walk over a gravel path and then on a boardwalk over the dunes, and then a floating boardwalk over the pond. We walked to the beach at the end (which does not have a lifeguard or facilities). The scenery is absolutely gorgeous! This was a highlight of our trip. This trail is 4.6km RT, and took us about 2 hours.
After all that walking, we were starting to feel a bit hungry, so we stopped at Rick’s Fish and Chips in St. Peters Bay for a light lunch. My husband had fish cakes and I had a delicious seafood chowder with fresh dill, which really gave it a nice flavor!
After lunch, we drove to the East Point Lighthouse (built in 1867) and climbed the 67 stairs to the top for nice wraparound views of East Point. The lighthouse is lovely painted in white with red trim and red Adirondack chairs overlooking the water.
Tonight we had dinner reservations at Clam Diggers restaurant in Cardigan, about a 30-40 minute drive from our inn. We loved our appetizer of mussels with coconut curry and my husband loved his Ocean Bake dinner: scallops, shrimp and haddock. I was disappointed in my fried whole belly clam dinner. The first few were plump and tasty, but the clams underneath were small and tasteless.
Sep 1st, 2023, 07:14 AM
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The view from our room at Johnson Shore Inn
The view from Johnson Shore Inn
The inn's lovely porch!
Another view from the inn
Greenwich Dunes boardwalk
Beautiful Greenwich Dunes boardwalk over the pond
Pretty view from the boardwalk
Floating boardwalk over the pond
Majestic Scenery - one of our favorite places
Greenwich Dunes boardwalk over dunes and the pond
We have reached the end of the trail!
If we visit PEI again, I would definitely take this walk again.
What can be prettier than this!
Sep 1st, 2023, 07:20 AM
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East Point Lighthouse
I love the combination of red and white!
My husband's delicious Ocean Bake dinner at Clam Diggers Restaurant
I was disappointed in my whole belly clams. The clams on top were tasty enough but the clams underneath were small and tasteless.
Another view from the Johnson Shore Inn
Last edited by KarenWoo; Sep 1st, 2023 at 07:22 AM.
Sep 1st, 2023, 04:42 PM
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August 23, 2023: A Singing Beach, Oyster Tasting, and the Great Red Crustacean!
After another delicious breakfast, we checked out of our inn and drove to Basin Head Provincial Park, another highlight for us. Basin Head Beach is one of the prettiest beaches, if not the prettiest, on PEI with its pure white sand that is geologically unique. Because of its high silica content, when you walk on the beach you can hear it squeaking or “singing”! The park consists not only of the beach, but a fisheries museum, concessions, bathrooms and shower and changing facilities.
The beach is supervised and it’s split into two sections divided by a channel. There is a footbridge over the channel, and we noticed adults and children jumping off the footbridge into the channel and floating or swimming downstream! They were having so much fun! I was surprised this was allowed because there is a sign warning of the danger of fast currents. But there was a lifeguard sitting in his chair right next to the channel and keeping close watch. We spent about 2 hours here sitting in our beach chairs and enjoying the fun and the beautiful day. We didn’t venture into the water. Too cold for us!
After leaving the beach, we drove to St. Peters Bay where we indulged in an oyster tasting at Julio’s Seafood Market. This was so much fun! We tasted a total of 18 oysters! This is how it works: Julio chooses 7 different oysters for each one of us to taste. They are from all over PEI. After tasting the 7 oysters, we have to choose our favorite and we get 2 of our #1 favorite oysters at the end. He is very funny and knowledgeable. It was like a show! There was another couple with us who were from Calgary and never had oysters before. They were having so much fun, too! Then we bought ice cream at the shop next door. Oysters and ice cream! What a great lunch combo!
From here it was about a one hour drive to our home for the next 4 nights: The Barachois Historic Inn in Rustico in central PEI. The Inn consists of the Gallant house (built in the 1880’s) with 4 very spacious bedrooms, and another newer building called the MacDonald House that contains 4 suites. Our room was in the Gallant House. All 4 of these rooms have HUGE bathrooms. Our bathroom was actually larger than the bedroom!
The Barachois Inn is in a very pretty location, with St. Augustine, the oldest Catholic Church on PEI across the street, and the Farmers Bank Museum, and Rustico Bay.
This evening’s dinner was at the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers! Thanks to tlc195 (AKA Tom) for recommending these lobster suppers! We are lobster lovers and really enjoyed our feast. I chose a 1 pound lobster and my husband chose a 1.5 pound lobster. The price includes rolls, your choice of seafood chowder or tomato basil soup (of course we chose seafood chowder), steamed blue mussels, and a salad sampler (potato salad, garden salad, and coleslaw) and your choice of dessert. They don’t take reservations, and they are very busy, but the wait is worth it. I should mention that several people staying at the Barachois Inn told us that 2 people in their group don’t eat lobster. So one man ordered chicken and the other man ordered steak. They were both disappointed in their chicken and steak. Thought it was sub-par. Looks like lobster is the winner here!
After another delicious breakfast, we checked out of our inn and drove to Basin Head Provincial Park, another highlight for us. Basin Head Beach is one of the prettiest beaches, if not the prettiest, on PEI with its pure white sand that is geologically unique. Because of its high silica content, when you walk on the beach you can hear it squeaking or “singing”! The park consists not only of the beach, but a fisheries museum, concessions, bathrooms and shower and changing facilities.
The beach is supervised and it’s split into two sections divided by a channel. There is a footbridge over the channel, and we noticed adults and children jumping off the footbridge into the channel and floating or swimming downstream! They were having so much fun! I was surprised this was allowed because there is a sign warning of the danger of fast currents. But there was a lifeguard sitting in his chair right next to the channel and keeping close watch. We spent about 2 hours here sitting in our beach chairs and enjoying the fun and the beautiful day. We didn’t venture into the water. Too cold for us!
After leaving the beach, we drove to St. Peters Bay where we indulged in an oyster tasting at Julio’s Seafood Market. This was so much fun! We tasted a total of 18 oysters! This is how it works: Julio chooses 7 different oysters for each one of us to taste. They are from all over PEI. After tasting the 7 oysters, we have to choose our favorite and we get 2 of our #1 favorite oysters at the end. He is very funny and knowledgeable. It was like a show! There was another couple with us who were from Calgary and never had oysters before. They were having so much fun, too! Then we bought ice cream at the shop next door. Oysters and ice cream! What a great lunch combo!
From here it was about a one hour drive to our home for the next 4 nights: The Barachois Historic Inn in Rustico in central PEI. The Inn consists of the Gallant house (built in the 1880’s) with 4 very spacious bedrooms, and another newer building called the MacDonald House that contains 4 suites. Our room was in the Gallant House. All 4 of these rooms have HUGE bathrooms. Our bathroom was actually larger than the bedroom!
The Barachois Inn is in a very pretty location, with St. Augustine, the oldest Catholic Church on PEI across the street, and the Farmers Bank Museum, and Rustico Bay.
This evening’s dinner was at the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers! Thanks to tlc195 (AKA Tom) for recommending these lobster suppers! We are lobster lovers and really enjoyed our feast. I chose a 1 pound lobster and my husband chose a 1.5 pound lobster. The price includes rolls, your choice of seafood chowder or tomato basil soup (of course we chose seafood chowder), steamed blue mussels, and a salad sampler (potato salad, garden salad, and coleslaw) and your choice of dessert. They don’t take reservations, and they are very busy, but the wait is worth it. I should mention that several people staying at the Barachois Inn told us that 2 people in their group don’t eat lobster. So one man ordered chicken and the other man ordered steak. They were both disappointed in their chicken and steak. Thought it was sub-par. Looks like lobster is the winner here!
Sep 1st, 2023, 04:56 PM
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Basin Head Provincial Park - the footbridge over the channel
The footbridge that people were jumping off of into the channel
The beach on one side of the footbridge and channel - I love the pure white sand that "sings"!
The beach on the other side of the channel
This view is part of the channel and a pond where people are kayaking.
This park and beach was one of the highlights of our trip!
View from the footbridge looking out to sea
Looking towards the footbridge
Julio shucking oysters! This was so much fun!
The Historic Barachois Inn - this is the Gallant House, the main house
The MacDonald House - the newer building
Our bedroom - look at the very high bed! I had to use the step stool every night.
Spa tub in our bathroom
Very spacious and very beautiful bathroom
Shower stall
Another view of our very spacious bathroom.
How to eat lobster!
My one pound lobstah!
My husband's 1.5 pound lobstah!
New Glasgow Lobster Supper prices
Sep 1st, 2023, 05:07 PM
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I recognize your name. I think you helped me plan my trip to Ottawa about 10 or 12 years ago.
Sep 2nd, 2023, 12:33 AM
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Karen,
Thanks for the trip reports and photos outstanding! I will refer folks to your posts to give them a different perspective of the island.
So did you have a lobster roll in your travels if so where? We are on the island and have had 6 lobster rolls from 6 different restaurants more to come…lol.
Tom
Thanks for the trip reports and photos outstanding! I will refer folks to your posts to give them a different perspective of the island.
So did you have a lobster roll in your travels if so where? We are on the island and have had 6 lobster rolls from 6 different restaurants more to come…lol.
Tom
Sep 2nd, 2023, 04:12 AM
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Karen,
Thanks for the trip reports and photos outstanding! I will refer folks to your posts to give them a different perspective of the island.
So did you have a lobster roll in your travels if so where? We are on the island and have had 6 lobster rolls from 6 different restaurants more to come…lol.
Tom
Thanks for the trip reports and photos outstanding! I will refer folks to your posts to give them a different perspective of the island.
So did you have a lobster roll in your travels if so where? We are on the island and have had 6 lobster rolls from 6 different restaurants more to come…lol.
Tom
Well, you have me beat! I had 2 lobster rolls on the island. The first one was in Summerside at Breakwater Restaurant, and the second one was at Richards Seafood Shack at Covehead Wharf per your suggestion! This is most likely the best lobster roll I have had and my husband agrees. Large chunks of good quality lobster, small amount of mayo and the right amount of chopped celery. Yum! Their fries are some of the best fries we have ever had, too.
Where did you have your lobster rolls? How long are you on PEI?
I will post a photo of my lobster roll from Richard's in the next day or two!
Thank you once again for your wonderful advice in planning our trip!
Karen
Sep 2nd, 2023, 04:40 AM
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Hi Karenwoo
Yes, I recognize your name as well, from posts regarding New England travel. As for PEI, I really have only seen the central part. One year I planned a trip where the focus was cycling, doing expeditions with Charlottetown as the base. Tea Hill Beach was a favourite spot, my friend and I had it to ourselves—the ripples in the red sand were otherworldly. I also loved the red cliffs in a park just east of Cavendish, again there was almost no one there when I went. I even really like Victoria Park there, a nice place to stroll if staying in central Charlottetown, with views of the harbour.
My second trip I stayed with a friend who had moved to Vernon River, a very rural area about a 20 minute drive from Charlottetown. We saw the Dunes (different from the Greenwich Dunes you wrote about) and Dalvay-by-the-Sea, two popular island spots, but that trip was mostly about rural cycling and peace.
cheers Daniel
Yes, I recognize your name as well, from posts regarding New England travel. As for PEI, I really have only seen the central part. One year I planned a trip where the focus was cycling, doing expeditions with Charlottetown as the base. Tea Hill Beach was a favourite spot, my friend and I had it to ourselves—the ripples in the red sand were otherworldly. I also loved the red cliffs in a park just east of Cavendish, again there was almost no one there when I went. I even really like Victoria Park there, a nice place to stroll if staying in central Charlottetown, with views of the harbour.
My second trip I stayed with a friend who had moved to Vernon River, a very rural area about a 20 minute drive from Charlottetown. We saw the Dunes (different from the Greenwich Dunes you wrote about) and Dalvay-by-the-Sea, two popular island spots, but that trip was mostly about rural cycling and peace.
cheers Daniel
Sep 2nd, 2023, 04:43 AM
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Hi Tom,
Well, you have me beat! I had 2 lobster rolls on the island. The first one was in Summerside at Breakwater Restaurant, and the second one was at Richards Seafood Shack at Covehead Wharf per your suggestion! This is most likely the best lobster roll I have had and my husband agrees. Large chunks of good quality lobster, small amount of mayo and the right amount of chopped celery. Yum! Their fries are some of the best fries we have ever had, too.
Where did you have your lobster rolls? How long are you on PEI?
I will post a photo of my lobster roll from Richard's in the next day or two!
Thank you once again for your wonderful advice in planning our trip!
Karen
Well, you have me beat! I had 2 lobster rolls on the island. The first one was in Summerside at Breakwater Restaurant, and the second one was at Richards Seafood Shack at Covehead Wharf per your suggestion! This is most likely the best lobster roll I have had and my husband agrees. Large chunks of good quality lobster, small amount of mayo and the right amount of chopped celery. Yum! Their fries are some of the best fries we have ever had, too.
Where did you have your lobster rolls? How long are you on PEI?
I will post a photo of my lobster roll from Richard's in the next day or two!
Thank you once again for your wonderful advice in planning our trip!
Karen
We are on the island for a month, only 2 weeks left
Lobster Rolls so far….
Richards Victoria x 2
Fin Folk Food, York by Tracadie
Casa Mia, Victoria
Lost Anchor Cavendish
On the Dock North Rustico
So far Richards #1 and Fin #2.
Best non lobster roll meal so far….Pedro’s in North Rustico
And the search continues…..lol
Tom
Sep 2nd, 2023, 08:05 AM
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August 24, 2023: Beaches, Dunes, and a Taste of Anne of Green Gables
Every morning the Barachois Inn offers guests a choice of French toast, bacon, and fruit OR eggs cooked to order with bacon and toast. There is yogurt and oatmeal on offer, too. We both chose French Toast this morning, and it is delicious! The dining room is very pretty, and has a large enough table to seat about 8 – 10 guests, which was nice. We had lively discussions every morning with Canadians and Americans. We enjoy talking to people about their travels and getting recommendations on restaurants and sightseeing.
Today was our day to explore PEI National Park. Our first stop was Brackley Beach to take photos and admire the people brave enough to swim in the water! We never felt the air temperature was warm enough for us to swim! We are becoming soft in our old age! 😊
Then we drove through the park and stopped at Cove Head Harbor, where we spotted Richard’s Seafood Shack and made note to return for a lobster roll before we left PEI. Our next stop was the beautiful old hotel Dalvay the Sea, located inside the park. This gorgeous hotel was once a summer home for a wealthy oil tycoon in the late 1800’s. There are 25 guest rooms and eight 3-bedroom cottages. There is tennis and badminton available, and we saw croquet set up on the lawn. Looks like a wonderful place to stay! In fact, William and Kate stayed here in 2011! It’s possible for non-guests to have lunch or dinner here, but we didn’t make the time for that. Non-guests can wander inside on the first floor which has a wonderful Old World ambiance.
Our next stops were Cavendish Beach and the Dunelands Trail with a floating boardwalk. It’s pretty but Greenwich Dunes is more majestic with jaw-dropping scenery, IMO. If you only have time to take one walk, I recommend Greenwich Dunes.
From here, we decided to visit the Lucy Maud Montgomery homestead in Cavendish. I actually have not read Anne of Green Gables yet, but we did watch one of the many film adaptations before we left for our trip. We saw the version with Martin Sheen as Matthew. As many people know, there are many Anne of Green Gables sites on PEI. Because this wasn’t the primary purpose of our trip, we chose to visit just one site. This site is where Lucy Maud lived from 1876 to 1911 with her maternal grandparents. This is where she wrote Anne of Green Gables. The house was demolished 100 years ago, but the foundation is still there. This is a pretty site with trails with signs with quotes from the author. The original kitchen is on the site but visitors aren’t allowed inside yet. There is a small bookstore where I bought, Can you guess?? Yes, several copies of Anne of Green Gables! One is for me to eventually read and one for each of my 2 daughters. Hopefully, they will read it to their daughters!
We had dinner reservations tonight at Pedro’s Island Eatery in North Rustico, recommended to me by tlc195 (Tom) and our inn. We enjoyed our meal very much. I had salmon and my husband had a white fish, Cod, I think. Everything was cooked to perfection. We shared a Coconut Cream Pie, which was delicious. (I wish I had taken a photo.) Actually, better than the coconut cream pie my husband had the night before at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers. Pedro’s is very busy so make reservations!
Every morning the Barachois Inn offers guests a choice of French toast, bacon, and fruit OR eggs cooked to order with bacon and toast. There is yogurt and oatmeal on offer, too. We both chose French Toast this morning, and it is delicious! The dining room is very pretty, and has a large enough table to seat about 8 – 10 guests, which was nice. We had lively discussions every morning with Canadians and Americans. We enjoy talking to people about their travels and getting recommendations on restaurants and sightseeing.
Today was our day to explore PEI National Park. Our first stop was Brackley Beach to take photos and admire the people brave enough to swim in the water! We never felt the air temperature was warm enough for us to swim! We are becoming soft in our old age! 😊
Then we drove through the park and stopped at Cove Head Harbor, where we spotted Richard’s Seafood Shack and made note to return for a lobster roll before we left PEI. Our next stop was the beautiful old hotel Dalvay the Sea, located inside the park. This gorgeous hotel was once a summer home for a wealthy oil tycoon in the late 1800’s. There are 25 guest rooms and eight 3-bedroom cottages. There is tennis and badminton available, and we saw croquet set up on the lawn. Looks like a wonderful place to stay! In fact, William and Kate stayed here in 2011! It’s possible for non-guests to have lunch or dinner here, but we didn’t make the time for that. Non-guests can wander inside on the first floor which has a wonderful Old World ambiance.
Our next stops were Cavendish Beach and the Dunelands Trail with a floating boardwalk. It’s pretty but Greenwich Dunes is more majestic with jaw-dropping scenery, IMO. If you only have time to take one walk, I recommend Greenwich Dunes.
From here, we decided to visit the Lucy Maud Montgomery homestead in Cavendish. I actually have not read Anne of Green Gables yet, but we did watch one of the many film adaptations before we left for our trip. We saw the version with Martin Sheen as Matthew. As many people know, there are many Anne of Green Gables sites on PEI. Because this wasn’t the primary purpose of our trip, we chose to visit just one site. This site is where Lucy Maud lived from 1876 to 1911 with her maternal grandparents. This is where she wrote Anne of Green Gables. The house was demolished 100 years ago, but the foundation is still there. This is a pretty site with trails with signs with quotes from the author. The original kitchen is on the site but visitors aren’t allowed inside yet. There is a small bookstore where I bought, Can you guess?? Yes, several copies of Anne of Green Gables! One is for me to eventually read and one for each of my 2 daughters. Hopefully, they will read it to their daughters!
We had dinner reservations tonight at Pedro’s Island Eatery in North Rustico, recommended to me by tlc195 (Tom) and our inn. We enjoyed our meal very much. I had salmon and my husband had a white fish, Cod, I think. Everything was cooked to perfection. We shared a Coconut Cream Pie, which was delicious. (I wish I had taken a photo.) Actually, better than the coconut cream pie my husband had the night before at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers. Pedro’s is very busy so make reservations!
Last edited by KarenWoo; Sep 2nd, 2023 at 08:09 AM.
Sep 2nd, 2023, 08:30 AM
#15
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Brackley Beach, I think. I might be getting the names mixed up. Anyways, this is part of PEI National Park.
Cove Head Harbor in PEI NP.
Cove Head Harbor
Dalvay by the Sea - view of the lake
Beautiful interior of Dalvay by the Sea, a historic seaside resort. Formerly a summer home. William and Kate stayed here in 2011.
Sitting room at Dalvay by the Sea
Beautiful Dalvay by the Sea. A Canadian Historic Site.
Cavendish Beach
Cavendish Beach
Another view of Cavendish Beach
Entrance to the Dunelands trail and boardwalk
Floating boardwalk over a pond
Another view of the pond
Dunelands boardwalk
If you look closely, you will see the boardwalk damaged by Hurricane Fiona. This area was roped off due to unstable cliffs caused by damage from Fiona.
Walking back to the parking lot
Lovely Dunelands Trail but we much preferred Greenwich Dunes.
Lucy Maud Montgomery homestead site
The original kitchen where Lucy Maud lived with her grandparents.
Pretty pathways around the homestead site
Foundations of the house where Lucy Maud lived with her grandparents
The Lucy Maud Montgomery homestead site
Sculpture of Lucy Maud Montgomery
Delicious salmon dinner at Pedro's
My husband's fish dinner - cod, I think
Last edited by KarenWoo; Sep 2nd, 2023 at 08:36 AM.
Sep 2nd, 2023, 12:03 PM
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Karenwoo— Wonderful to see Dalvay by the Sea again in your photos. Looks as charming as when I went for a meal there a number of years ago. Where my good PEI friend knew the waitress, making for a friendly exchange. I also visited the Lucy Maud Montgomery homestead in Cavendish, which I recollect being interesting, even though I was not particularly a devotee of Anne of Green Gables; I saw Montgomery’s gravestone there. In other Anne and PEI experiences, my friends treated me to Anne the Musical while in Charlottetown—I was a little dubious expecting something cheesy so was surprised that I was in tears at the end of the musical (for anybody who knows the Anne of Green Gables story, you might guess why)—the actors and entertainment value were fantastic and I’d actually recommend seeing it; it had been running for years so I would assume is still going?
Best wishes, Daniel
Best wishes, Daniel
Sep 3rd, 2023, 04:52 AM
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Hi Daniel_Williams,
The owner of a gift shop we visited told me the long-running Anne of Green Gables musical was not playing this summer for the first time in a long time. I am not sure if that is the one you saw in Charlottetown. However, there is another musical called Anne & Gilbert that is still playing this summer. I couldn't convince my husband to see it.
The owner of a gift shop we visited told me the long-running Anne of Green Gables musical was not playing this summer for the first time in a long time. I am not sure if that is the one you saw in Charlottetown. However, there is another musical called Anne & Gilbert that is still playing this summer. I couldn't convince my husband to see it.
Sep 3rd, 2023, 05:07 AM
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A few photos from our neighborhood - across the street from the Barachois Inn.
The Farmers Bank Museum of Rustico
St. Augustine Church - the oldest Catholic church on PEI
Rustico Bay - directly across the street from our inn
Oyster beds on Rustico Bay
The Farmers Bank Museum of Rustico
St. Augustine Church - the oldest Catholic church on PEI
Rustico Bay - directly across the street from our inn
Oyster beds on Rustico Bay
Sep 3rd, 2023, 08:58 AM
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Hi Karenwoo
What a great trip you're having.
The seafood - I'm salivating already.
The beaches, the small towns , it's a good itinerary.
You're traveling at a good time , the weather is more enjoyable now.
I'm enjoying your photos , hope you continue to have an enjoyable trip.
What a great trip you're having.
The seafood - I'm salivating already.
The beaches, the small towns , it's a good itinerary.
You're traveling at a good time , the weather is more enjoyable now.
I'm enjoying your photos , hope you continue to have an enjoyable trip.
Sep 3rd, 2023, 03:32 PM
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Hi Karenwoo
What a great trip you're having.
The seafood - I'm salivating already.
The beaches, the small towns , it's a good itinerary.
You're traveling at a good time , the weather is more enjoyable now.
I'm enjoying your photos , hope you continue to have an enjoyable trip.
What a great trip you're having.
The seafood - I'm salivating already.
The beaches, the small towns , it's a good itinerary.
You're traveling at a good time , the weather is more enjoyable now.
I'm enjoying your photos , hope you continue to have an enjoyable trip.
