
Enjoy your summer vacation on the north shore of PEI, Canada!
#1 Island destination in North America; Top 10 in the world
-- Travel and Leisure magazine, 2004
Best Golf & Travel Destination in North America
-- Toronto Sun 2005 Golfers' Choice Awards
"P.E.I. is an overlooked gem....a worthy destination for anyone who enjoys outdoor adventures in wide-open spaces"
-- Mark Stachiew, canada.com Read the article
|
Why has PEI received these accolades? Read on to find out...
(Or browse our
Activities QuickLINKS for an instant glimpse of some of the many possibilities that will make your visit to the Island a memorable one).
Become part of an annual revitalization ritual
Prince Edward Island comes alive during the summer months. Shaking off the cold blanket of winter, the Island collectively greets the arrival of Spring with a newfound sense of life and purpose that builds to a crescendo during summer, when the Island is its most vibrant. Nature and culture are celebrated, with music, dance, theatre, arts, crafts, and fine dining competing for your attention with an endless array of outdoor activities on land and sea. Summer on PEI is carefree, and the Cavendish north shore area has long been the hub of summertime excitement, engrossing Islanders and visitors alike in an annual ritual of revitalization.
Open spaces, pastoral seaside setting
It all begins with an appreciation of the spectacular natural setting. The shifting sands of the living dune environment extend for miles along the PEI north shore, providing shelter for
endangered bird species (more
here), a pristine environment for the study of unique
geological formations, and miles upon miles of
beaches for you to enjoy (find
locations).
Heritage roads cut through swaths of forest by the Island's early settlers provide glimpses through treed canopies of the rolling farmland and river vistas beyond.
But there are infinite ways to experience the Island. Whether it be
hiking or
cycling numerous
community trails or the
Confederation Trail that traverses the Island from tip to tip, enjoying the spectacular views while teeing up on one of its
teeing up on one of the nearby premier
golf courses, trying your luck at
deep sea fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, enjoying a sumptuous
lobster supper -- that quintissential
pei summertime feast, experiencing uplifting
jazz or classical music resonating throughout one of the Island's most distinctive churches or the down home Maritime sounds of a
ceilidh shaking the rafters of a local community hall, there is plenty to captivate a spirit set free a thousand miles from home. There are a million things to do on this "million acre farm," so we know that you will not be left wanting. And before you leave, you will surely have found some insight into the "
Island way of life."
Seascape Chalet - tranquility in the heart of the PEI north shore
Fortunately, Seascape Chalet's ideal location allows guests to be as near to or as far from the action as you would like, so you really do have the best of all worlds. Located in the north shore fishing village of Stanley Bridge less than 5 minutes from PEI National Park beaches and all the attractions of Cavendish, Seascape Chalet allows guests to be in the thick of the action at a moment's notice. But the tranquil setting on a private peninsula jutting into picturesque New London Bay also provides you with the opportunity to beachcomb the peaceful shore, paddle a kayak up the Hope or Stanley Rivers or out to the dunes alongside the fishing boats embarking on their daily journey, or simply lay back and relax on the sundeck and against this scenic backdrop let all your cares drift away. Do all or nothing -- after all, there's always next year...
Planning your Prince Edward Island vacation
Below we have provided an overview of some of the possibilities for a vacation on the north shore of PEI, focussing on the many activities within a 15 minute drive of Seascape Chalet that complement a romantic retreat, family vacation, or golf escape. But the possibilities are endless, so visit
PEI Tourism website for more comprehensive information on anything you will need in planning your vacation. The
Things to do,
Events,
specialized Itineraries and
Green Gable's Shore (formerly Anne's Land) pages provide a quick glimpse of the events and activities that one can enjoy on the north shore of PEI. You can also
download or
order your PEI Visitor's Guide to help with your vacation planning.
In the meantime, below is a non-exhaustive list of some of the possibilities for recreation and fun in the Cavendish region of the north shore. Enjoy!
Outdoor activities: Fun on the water
Beaches
-- beachcomb tranquil New London Bay pebble/sand shoreline(on site)
-- romantic sunset stroll on beautifully scenic shore (on site)
-- kid-safe beach (on site)
-- sand dunes of
PEI National Park and Cavendish beach (within view, 3 min. drive)
--
kiteboarding, other
water-based activities. (1 min.)
What kind of a beach-goer are you? Are you a Blissed-out Beachgoer? Adventurer at Sea? Beach Bird Watcher? The PEI north shore provides a haven for these beach-goers and more, all within minutes of Seascape Chalet. Check out Life at the Beach for more.
Boating
-- 2 kayaks, pfds, paddles provided free for guest use (on site)
-- kayaks also available for rent at
Inn at the Pier (1 min.)
-- sailing (mooring/slipway available at Stanley Bridge
wharf (3 min.)
Motorized Activities
The Pier Marina (1 min.) has:
--
parasailing - with dry boat-takeoff and landing
--
jetskiing - tour New London Bay on a Seadoo!
Fishing
--
Grahams Deep Sea Fishing, Stanley Bridge
wharf (3 min.) (
more)
--
inland fishing. Secluded spots for catching brook trout are within 5-15 mins. (
License required):
>
Stanley River (tidal saltwater), Stanley Bridge (5 min.)
>
Granville River (tidal saltwater), Granville (7 min.)
>
Gunn's Bridge (tidal saltwater), Trout River Rd. (7 min.)
>
Murphy's Pond (freshwater), New Orleans Rd., Granville (8 min.)
>
Bell's Pond (freshwater), New Glasgow (15 min.)
Outdoor activities: Fun on the land
Scenic Walks
-- miles of dirt tracks ideal for daily walks or jogs (on site)
--
PEI National Park Trails provide a range of easy to moderate seaside and woodland trails in the Cavendish, Stanhope and Greenwich areas of the park. Those listed below are within 5 minutes of Seascape Chalet:
>
Homestead Trail, PEI National Park, near Cavendish Campground
> Clark's Lane Trail, Cavendish Grove (the former Rainbow Valley, across from Avonlea Village)
> Cavendish Beach Trail, Cavendish Grove
>
Balsam Hollow Trail, Green Gables, Cavendish
>
Haunted Woods Trail, Green Gables, Cavendish
>
Cavendish Dunelands Trail, Cavendish beach East, PEI Nat. Park
Hiking and Cycling (
more)
--
Community Trails provide scenic hikes varying in difficulty and in a variety of natural environments. Below are three nearby trails (distances are to trailhead):
> Trout River Community Park and Trail, Millvale (5 min.)
A small community park with playset, picnic tables and short, easy trail along the scenic Trout River -- ideal for parents of young children.
> Devil's Punch Bowl & Princetown Rd. Trail, Granville (7 min.)
Another initiative of the Trout River Environmental Committee (TREC) to promote and preserve healthy watershed ecosystems. Devil's Punchbowl is a former provincial park with trails exploring the great diversity of plants and trees in the area.
> Breadalbane Nature Trail (15 min.)
One of 6 featured destination trails on PEI, 6.5 km, moderate with some steep sections and overlooking the Dunk River. See a review and map of the trail from trailpeak.com
-- The
Confederation Trail is the former railway that now a purpose-built hiking and cycling trail. This is one of the best opportunities to experience some of the Island's inland natural habitat from one tip to the other!
> Read
one traveller's account
> And
another
> Nearest access points are:
-
Breadalbane (15 min.)
-
Hunter River (15 min.)
-
Kensington (15 min.)
Heritage Roads
-- Some of the Island's
oldest roads are only minutes away!
> Scenic Trout River road nearby provides one access point. (3 min.)
>
Perry Road, Hazelgrove (off Trout River Rd., 10 min.)
>
Princeton/ Wharburton, Fredericton (off Trout River Rd., 10 min.)
>
Junction Road, Hartsville (15 min.)
>
Millman Road, Irishtown (15 min.)
One of the best ways to explore PEI's "back country" is to throw the map away and just explore. It is virtually impossible to get lost, and before long, you will end up "somewhere." Allow plenty of time for stopping to photograph the scenery, or perhaps for trying to capture on film that red fox that just poked its head out of the trees alongside the road!
Horseback Riding
-- Cavendish Trail Rides (3 min.)
Harness Racing
Horse lovers might also want to experience Islanders' love of
harness racing. The season reaches its climax in Charlottetown with the prestigious Gold Cup and Saucer Race during
Old Home Week in mid August, and earlier visitors can see harness racing during the mid-July
Summerside Lobster Carnival, but a true understanding of the love of harness racing on PEI is perhaps best gained at the small tracks scattered around the Island (Read one person's account).
-- Harness Racing PEI's racing calendar
-- Calendar of live harness racing in Summerside and Charlottetown
-- Visit a standard-bred horse farm (more PEI Experiences).
Scenic Drives
-- Some of the Island's oldest roads are only minutes away! Start from the scenic Trout River Rd. in Stanley Bridge.
> With dirt track and treed canopies overlooking scenic vistas are Perry Road in Hazelgrove and
Princeton/Wharburton Road in Fredericton (about 10 min.).
> The Junction Road in Hartsville (15 min.) and Millman Road in Irishtown (15 min.) are also nearby.
> For a longer excursion, the central location of the Cavendish region allows one to venture either “up west” to experience the Acadian culture of the Evangeline region and native Mi'kmaq culture on Lennox island, or “down east” via the Points East coastal drive to some of the oldest small towns on PEI. Either tip of the island can be reached within a 90 minutes to 2 hours, making either of these scenic drives easily accommodated into your itinerary as a day trip.
Family Attractions
Amusement Parks
-- Sandspit (3 min.)
-- Shining Waters Family Waterpark (3 min.)
-- Avonlea Village (5 min.) (Reviews)
-- Green Gables (5 min.)
Miniature Golf
-- Sandspit, Cavendish (3 min.)
-- Black Magic Indoor Blacklight Mini Golf, Cavendish (3 min.)
-- Mariner’s Cove miniature golf, Cavendish (5 min.)
Other Family Activities (Read a review)
-- large open space for softball, kite flying, exercising pets (on site)
-- outdoor swing set, selection of family games available (on site)
-- beachcombing the shoreline (on site)
-- oyster aquaculture (on site)
-- bird watching (National Park, 3 min.)
-- Grandpa’s antique photo studio (4 min.)
-- Ripley’s Believe it or not (4 min.)
-- Wax World of the Stars (4 min.)
-- petting zoo (Shining Waters Family Fun Park, 4 min.)
-- bicycle and kayak rental (10 min.)
Food and Dining)
Casual/Cafe-style Dining:
-- Carr's Oyster Bar (Stanley Bridge, 3 min.)
-- Blue Winds Tea Room (New London, 7 min.)
-- Cafe on the Clyde at PEI Preserve Co. (New Glasgow, 10 min.)
Family Dining:
-- Sam's Restaurant (Cavendish, 3 min.)
-- Sutherland's at Stanley Bridge Resort (Stanley Bridge, 3 min.)
-- Pizza Delight (Cavendish Boardwalk, 3 min.)
-- Chez Yvonne (Cavendish, 4 min.)
-- New London Seafood Restaurant (New London wharf, 8 min.)
Dinner Theatre:
-- Eddie May mystery dinner theatre (Stanley Bridge, 3 min.)
Fine Dining:
Want to celebrate an anniversary or other extra-special occasion? Thanks to the PEI Culinary Institute, the Island is quickly gaining a reputation for fine dining that combines fresh local produce and seafood with culinary artistry to create inspired dishes that make for an unforgettable dining experience when enjoyed against the backdrop of an evocative Island vista.
Try one of these fine restaurants on the PEI north shore
(reservations recommended):
--
Shipwright's Cafe (Margate, 8 min.)
--
Olde Glasgow Mill Restaurant (New Glasgow, 10 min.)
--
Lot 30 (Charlottetown, 25 min. -- former Dayboat chef Gordon Bailey's new concept)
--
Dalvay-by-the-Sea (Grand Tracadie, 30 min.)
Lobster Suppers – The quintessential PEI summer feast:
--
St. Ann’s Lobster Suppers, St. Ann’s church hall (5 min.)
--
New Glasgow Lobster Suppers (10 min.) - the original
--
Fisherman’s Wharf, North Rustico (10 min.) - 60 foot salad bar
--
New London Seafood Restaurant (10 min.)
Interested in how it all began? Learn how a small group of junior farmers created the most famous seafood meal on PEI. See the history section at the bottom of this page.
Cook your own seafood dinner:.
--
Carr’s Lobster pound and Wharfside Market at Stanley Bridge wharf (3 min.) sells live and cooked lobster as well as quahogs, mussels, oysters, soft-shelled clams and more…
-- Cavendish Tourist Mart for convenience items (5 min.)
-- Co-op or Community Market, North Rustico (8 min.)
-- Gallant's Clover Farm, South Rustico(10 min.)
-- Kensington Save Easy (15 min.)
Cultural events, festivals, and attractions
Music
-- Ceilidhs, musical parties held in communities throughout the island, including the
Ross family (more
here) and others at Stanley Bridge Hall (2 min.)
--
Indian River Festival (15-20 min.) (read
Midsummer Night's Magic)
--
College of Piping bagpipe performances, Summerside (30 min.)
-- More
music
Theatre
--
Victoria Playhouse, Victoria-by-the-Sea (20 min.)
--
Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside (25 min.)
--
Confederation Centre, Charlottetown (30 min.)
Anne of Green Gables
--
Green Gables house (5 min.)
--
Site of LM Montgomery's Cavendish Homestead (5 min.)
-- LM Montgomery gravesite, Cavendish corner (5 min.)
--
Avonlea Village (5 min.)
--
Lucy Maud Montgomery Heritage Museum, Park Corner (20 min.)
--
Anne of Green Gables Museum at Silverbush, Park Corner (20 min.)
More Anne Events:
Antiques, Craft Shops & Art Galleries
--
Stanley Bridge Studios (4 min.)
--
Art Gallery of Tony Diodati (15 min.)
Pottery studios
--
Trout River Pottery, Stanley Bridge (7 min.)
--
Village Pottery, New London (8 min.)
Museums
--
Green Gables House and
heritage site (5 min.)
--
Marine aquarium and manor of birds, Stanley Bridge (5 min.)
Community Festivals
--
Lobster Carnival, Summerside (mid-July, 30 min.)
--
Old Home Week (PEI Provincial Exhibition), Charlottetown (mid-August, 30 min.)
--
Stanley Bridge River Days Eco-festival (late August, 3 min.)
--
Kensington Harvest Festival - traditional small-town festival with parade and beauty pageant(late August, 15 min.)
--
Crapaud Exhibition – tractor pull and livestock (late July, 20 min.)
There are community events and festivals held throughout the year, from lobster carnivals to lavendar festivals to international oyster shucking contests. Check the following sources for more information:
Read what our Guests have to say!
<< Home