Things To Do in Queen's County

There are three things that make Cavendish a prime tourist destination: the Prince Edward Island National Park with its legendary long, sandy beaches; two top golf courses; and its dedication to a fictional heroine. Cavendish is the home of literary redhead Anne of Green Gables, a beloved figure in Canadian literature and well known around the world, particularly in Japan where children read the book to learn English. Fortunately for those who love and appreciate Anne and her creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery, important sites have been preserved and cared for, either by Parks Canada or descendants of the author. The enduring popularity of the novels attracts droves of tourists. It didn’t take savvy entrepreneurs long to realize that the area could support amusement parks and shopping arcades, plus a surfeit of motels and “cottage courts”. Attractions, accommodations, shopping and restaurants tend to be conveniently located along the main road (Rte. 6).

As for “downtown” Cavendish, there’s no discernible village center, just an intersection of roads and a tourist information center; everything is sprawled out along the approach roads. If you’re on PEI to stroll quaint lanes and villages, rather than because of an interest in Anne, you’re better off heading east to North Rustico or south to New Glasgow. If beaches, nature, walks in the woods, or quiet relaxation by the sea appeals, then turn north at any of the entrances to the national park. Check at the Interpretive Centre on the northwest corner of routes 6 and 13 to find out what is happening during your visit. If your children enjoy amusements, buckle in for a day or two. This village has the most kid appeal of any community on the island, but don’t expect a high-tech Disney-like experience or exciting nightlife.

North & South Rustico to Brackley Beach

A few miles east of Cavendish are the Rusticos, five in all: North Rustico, South Rustico, Rusticoville, Rustico Harbour, and Anglo Rustico. (Don’t feel bad if you can’t keep them straight.) They’re fun, relaxing places to head if you’re seeking beaches, small harbors, and friendly locals.

This was one of the first Canadian regions to be populated by Acadians following the Treaty of Paris, and is the oldest Acadian presence on PEI dating from 1790. The Rusticos are attractive villages with far fewer tourist traps and auto traffic than Cavendish—which means they’re much easier to explore by car or bike. Out of the hubbub, they’re all still close enough to the national park and Anne’s land, so they work well as a base. And the island’s famous beaches are virtually at your doorstep.

North Rustico clusters around a scenic harbor with views out toward Rustico Bay. Leave time for walking around, perusing deep-sea fishing opportunities (see below), and peeking into shops. The village curves around Rustico Bay to end at North Rustico Harbour, a sand spit with fishing wharves, summer cottages, a fisheries museum, and a couple of informal restaurants. A boardwalk follows the water’s edge from town to harbor, a worthy destination for a quiet afternoon ramble or a picnic. Also, here is Outside Expeditions, one of PEI’s best outfitters; they offer sea-kayaking excursions around the harbor and into surrounding areas. If you need a book for the beach, stop at the excellent Jem Books (tel. 902/963-3802) as you leave North Rustico at 6922 Route 6, open mid-May mid-Sept. If you’re in need of a butter tart or something else that’s sweet for the picnic basket, the Olde Village Bakery at 7 Winter St. (tel. 902/963-3467) in the heart of North Rustico can fix you up. Open daily 9am to 5pm June to Sept.

To get to South Rustico, continue east on Route 6 to Route 243 and ascend the low hill overlooking the bay. Here you’ll find a handsome cluster of buildings that were once home to some of the most prosperous Acadian settlers. Among the structures is the sandstone Farmers’ Bank of Rustico Museum (tel. 902/963-3168), beside St. Augustine’s Parish Church (see below)—you can’t miss it. A bank that’s historic? In this case, yes. The bank was established with the help of a visionary local cleric, the Reverend Georges-Antoine Belcourt, in 1864 to help local farmers get their operations into the black. The Father and parishioners actually built the bank themselves, timber by timber, stone by stone. It operated for some 30 years and helped inspire the credit union movement in North America before it was, ironically, forced to shut down by legislative banking reforms. Open for tours from June through September, Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sundays 11am to 5pm (off-season by request). Admission costs C$8 adults, C$7 seniors, C$5 youth, children under 12 free, and C$22 per family (2 adults, 2 children aged 13-17).

Right next door to the bank, there are two more structures worth checking out. Doucet House, a sturdy log building of Acadian construction dating from 1772, was the home of Jean Doucet, who arrived in these parts on a type of inshore fishing boat called a “shallop.” It’s believed that this might be the oldest extant home on the entire island. The house was moved from its waterside location in 1999 and completely restored and furnished with period pieces. Its opening hours and admissions fees are the same as those for the Farmers’ Bank; in fact, one ticket gets you into both.

Then there’s the handsome St. Augustine’s Parish Church (tel. 902/963-2245), one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in PEI dating from 1838, with an adjacent cemetery, next door at 2190 Church Road beside Route 243. If the church’s door is open, enter and have a look around the graceful structure.

Brackley Beach is the gateway to the eastern section of the main part of Prince Edward Island National Park, and it has the fewest services of any town in these parts. It’s best appreciated by those who prefer their beach vacations only lightly touched by civilization.

PEI’s north shore is home to the island’s greatest concentration of deep-sea fishing boats. Starting at C$45 per person, you’ll get about 3 hours of time out on the open seas to fish for mackerel and cod. Don’t worry about a lack of experience: All the necessary equipment is supplied, crew members are usually helpful as coaches, and some boat hands will even clean and fillet your catch for you to cook back at your cottage.

Orwell

In southeastern Queens County, the village of Orwell is a worthwhile historic detour off busy Route 1, about 32km (20 miles) east of Charlottetown. (Rte. 1 is the main road travelers drive to get from Charlottetown to Montague, the Murrays, Georgetown, or the Wood Islands ferry.) Macphail Homestead and Orwell Corner Historic Village are near each other on a side road; there are few landmarks other than simple signs directing you, so keep a sharp eye out for the corner and the turnoff.

About Anne of Green Gables

I don’t care if you’re a grouch or a novel-hater, if you’re visiting Cavendish you’ll be missing out on the fun if you don’t prepare yourself by reading Anne of Green Gables first (it’s an unusually engaging book, so it won’t be a chore). The novel has inspired the longest-running musical theater in Canada, a couple of television miniseries, movies, and spin-off fiction and nonfiction books. In fact, Anne has become so omnipresent and popular that a licensing authority was created in the 1990s to control the crush of Anne-related products popping up everywhere.

But if you don’t want to take my advice about reading the book, here’s a little background. In 1908, island native Lucy Maud Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables, her very first book—and an instant success. The book is a fictional account of Anne Shirley, a precocious 11-year-old orphan who’s mistakenly sent from Nova Scotia to the farm of dour Islanders Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had requested an orphan boy to help with their farm chores. Anne’s vivid imagination and outsized vocabulary get her into a series of increasingly hilarious pickles, from which she generally emerges beloved by everyone who encounters her. It’s a bright, somewhat bittersweet story that touched a serious nerve and became such a hit worldwide that it spawned a number of sequels. The book is still taught in many elementary schools in Japan, so throngs of Japanese tourists congregate in Cavendish each year to relive Anne’s fictional life for a few days.

The nucleus of tourism in Cavendish is the preservation of all things Anne, as people come from around the world to pay homage and seek some of the magic. Even with the increased commercialism, there is a certain sweetness to both Anne’s story and the bucolic landscape in which she lived. Except for a dozen or so attractions along Route 6, this area still looks more or less the same as it did during the era when Montgomery wrote the original book.

If you’re a traveler who has never heard of Anne until this moment, or you’re more interested in a holiday at the beach, or taking scenic bike tours, head for nearby communities or the national park.