Everything Anne on Prince Edward Island

During my half-day driving around Prince Edward Island, I didn’t even scratch the surface of everything Anne-related! Mostly because I didn’t know what there was to see. Don’t make my mistake! See below for EVERYTHING related to the red-headed girl from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved book series.

Most of the Anne action is in the middle north of the island, what Prince Edward Island’s tourism board calls the “Green Gables Shore“. You’ll find the most Anne concentration in Cavendish, New London, and Park Corner with further outposts in Charlottetown, Stanhope, and Kensington, Bideford, and Bedeque. All of this in an area that is less than an hour to drive across.

GREEN GABLES HERITAGE PLACE

THE most popular Anne attraction is Green Gables Heritage Place, the site of the original family farmhouse that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery in her series of books about Anne Shirley. It is appropriately painted and decorated to evoke as much of the first book as possible with period-specific furnishings and book-specific props–I swear there is an uncovered plum pudding in the pantry.

Not only can you tour the two-story house, but you can walk down Lover’s Lane, take a ramble through the Balsam Wood, or brave the Haunted Wood on short trails. See this post for lots of pictures. You can also buy raspberry cordial and other treats in the Butter Churn Cafe and there are restrooms and plenty of free parking.

From July 1-Labor Day, admission is $7.80 ($5.86 USD) for adults, $6.55 ($4.92 USD) for 65+ and FREE for youth 17 and under. The price only goes down from there during the shoulder season (spring & fall.) If you’d like to visit in the off-season, you’ll have to make an appointment, which will cost you a $73.60 ($55.32 USD) fee.

LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY’S CAVENDISH HOME

A quarter of a mile east of Green Gables is the location of the home in which the author grew up. Moving in with her grandparents after her mother’s death when she was a small child, Lucy Maud lived here until her marriage in 1911. The house is no longer standing, but you can tour the manicured gardens and perhaps meet one of Lucy Maud’s relatives, who still own and maintain the grounds.

The site contains a bookstore, and nearby you can visit the post office which is a replica of the original house and contains a small museum. Cost for visiting the site is $6 ($4.50 USD) for adults, $5 ($3.75 USD) for seniors, and $4 ($3 USD) for youth.

You can get here from Green Gables by walking about a mile through the Haunted Wood and past the Cavendish Cemetery where Montgomery is buried. If you prefer to drive, there is a small amount of parking. Open May 20th-October 24th, 10:00 am-5:00 pm, July and August, 9:30 am-5:30 pm.

CAVENDISH CEMETERY

To see where Lucy Maud Montgomery is buried, check out the small Cavendish cemetery. You can spot this on the walking trail from Green Gables to her Cavendish home, or I’m sure you can park at least near it. You can find her plot by following the path from the front gate.

AVONLEA VILLAGE

Right next door to Green Gables is Avonlea Village, a small tourist shopping and dining location. Here you can shop in an official Anne of Green Gables Store, buy Anne’s Chocolates, or browse home decor, spa items, and an art gallery.

Restaurants in the village include ice cream, a grilled cheese shop (how fun!), pizza, coffee, doughnuts, and a place serving lobster rolls.

LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY’S BIRTHPLACE

To see where the author was born, visit this small house museum in New London. On display are scrapbooks capturing Montgomery’s life, progressing from student to teacher to writer. You will also find a replica of her wedding dress and period furniture such as the family organ.

Open from Mid-May to Thanksgiving, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The cost to visit is $4 ($3 USD) for adults and 50 cents for children.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES MUSEUM

From May 20 to Oct 15, you can visit the Anne of Green Gables Museum, just a little west in Park Corner. Here you can tour the Campbell House and gardens, built by Montgomery’s Aunt & Uncle Campbell and called by Montgomery “the wonder castle of my childhood.” This was also where she married Rev. Ewen Macdonald, and couples can arrange to be married there today.

The 110-acre property contains the museum, gardens, a gift shop, a playground area and a carriage ride past the “Lake of Shining Waters.” Hours of operation are 11-4 in May and October, 10-4 in June and September, and 9-5 in July and August. Admission is $6 ($4.52 USD) for adults, $2 ($1.50 USD) for children 6-16, and FREE for kids 5 and under.

MATTHEW’S CARRIAGE RIDES

From the Anne of Green Gables Museum, you can hire “Matthew” to take you on a guided carriage ride around the grounds and past the Lake of Shining Waters for 30 minutes. An hour-long tour will take you all the way down to the white sand beach and back.

There is room for 5 adults or children on each carriage ride. A half hour will cost you $75 ($56.53 USD) for the whole group or $125 ($94.20 USD) for an hour.

CAPE TRYON LIGHTHOUSE & CLIFFS

I feel like I recognize the Cape Tryon Lighthouse most from the Road to Avonlea TV show from the 90’s. You can find the charming square light about 10 minutes north of LMM’s birthplace on a lovely red sandstone cliff. This little lighthouse influenced Montgomery’s setting in Anne’s House of Dreams. You can’t enter the lighthouse, but visitors to the ground are welcome.

BIDEFORD PARSONAGE MUSEUM

The home of LM Montgomery while she was teaching at the nearby school, you can visit this Gothic revival house 9-5 June 4-October 9, or by appointment the rest of the year. As far as I can tell, admission to the house is FREE.

LOWER BEDEQUE SCHOOLHOUSE

The Lower Bedeque Schoolhouse is the last place Lucy Maud Mongomery taught school before leaving Prince Edward Island for Ontario. It has been restored to look the way it did when she taught there with many heritage items on display. Open from July 1-Aug 25, 9-5. Admission is $2 ($1.50 USD) or $6 ($4.52 USD) for a family of 4 or more.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES THE MUSICAL

In Charlottetown, you can see Anne of Green Gables The Musical from June 18 – September 22 at 1:30 or 7:30. It’s located in the Confederation Center of the Arts right downtown and tickets prices range from $29-84 ($21.85-63.30 USD). Some reviews say that the theater is small, so every seat is a good one.

I can’t say how good it is, most people say it’s a must-see, and I’m sure it’s a family-friendly affair.

ANNE & GILBERT THE MUSICAL

If that’s not enough of a singing Anne for you, there’s also Anne & Gilbert The Musical around the Corner at The Guild, another small theater. Shows are at either 1:00 or 7:00 on all days except Saturday from May through October. Check your dates to see what’s available. Tickets seem to cost between about $36-75 ($27-56) including fees.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES STORE

While you’re in Charlottetown watching musicals, don’t miss the Green Gables Store for officially licensed Anne of Green Gables products. This is the Charlottetown outpost of the same stores in the Avonlea Village and the Anne of Green Gables Museum.

DRESS UP AS ANNE

On your way off (or on) the island, make a stop at Shop & Play, THE location for Anne dress up! This long-standing shop used to do business selling Anne-related figurines but slowly shifted to a dress-up experience.

I can’t tell if it costs anything to dress up and have your picture taken, but there seems to be a lot of Anne-related items to look at and purchase here, including Anne chocolates and merchandise. Located in a shopping village right next to the island side of the Confederation Bridge.

MOVIE LOCATIONS

For a few bonus locations around the island that figure into the film series: Dalvay by the Sea was used as the exterior of the White Sands Hotel (and was a stop on Prince William & Kate’s honeymoon tour.) And Stanhope-by-the-Sea also figures in the White Sands footage.

The charming town of Kensington has appropriated the train station used in the first film and is a perfect stop for fans. The town welcomes visitors and looks like a super cute place to walk around for an afternoon.

Some exterior shots of the barn and church were filmed where Orwell Corner Historic Village is now. You can visit the village for $10 and under a person for a sort-of living history museum experience with a blacksmith shop, petting zoo, agricultural museum and frequent events for kid-friendly fun.

There are far more movie locations in Ontario if you want to check those out as well!

SUGGESTED ITINERARY

For an official suggestion from the Prince Edward Island tourism board, this three-day Anne itinerary is a good start to plan your own Anne of Green Gables adventure around PEI!