As you’re making your way around Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada, you’re never more than 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the sea. You’ll want to spend time at the shore — the island has more than 90 beaches — but you can also explore its small communities, take photos of its lighthouses, and get outdoors in its parks. PEI is an excellent destination for cyclists and hikers, particularly along the 449-kilometre (278-mile) former rail line that’s now the island-crossing Confederation Trail.

The province is known for its fresh seafood, particularly lobster, oysters, and mussels, and its farms grow plenty of fresh produce, including a significant percentage of Canada’s potato crop (visit the Canadian Potato Museum on the island’s west side to learn more about the spud). For many people, though, PEI is all about the life and times of a feisty, red-haired fictional girl: Anne of Green Gables. Author Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942), who created this beloved Canadian icon, grew up in the PEI town of Cavendish, the area that inspired many of the Anne novels.

Prince Edward Island’s air hub is Charlottetown Airport (YYG), near the provincial capital. Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) in Nova Scotia, about three hours and 15 minutes by car from Charlottetown, is a larger airport, so it’s worth checking there for more flight options. You can also reach PEI on the 75-minute car ferry that travels from May through December between Caribou, NS, and Wood Islands, PEI. The landmark 13-kilometre (eight-mile) Confederation Bridge crosses the Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island to the province of New Brunswick on the Canadian mainland. Exploring PEI is easiest if you have your own car, since the island has limited public transit. If you enjoy bicycling, check out the island’s numerous cycling routes. Also, if you’d like to combine a PEI trip with a visit to Quebec’s Magdalen Islands, you can catch the ferry to the Îles from the PEI port of Souris.

Peak season in Prince Edward Island runs from late June through early September, the best time for hanging out on the sandy beaches. Fall brings cooler temperatures and the brilliant colors of the changing foliage, which makes it an excellent season for road tripping, hiking, and cycling. The island hosts several autumn food festivals, too. Speaking of food, if you love lobster at its freshest, time your visit for one of PEI’s two lobster seasons: May through June or August to October. Many attractions geared to visitors shut down between November and April, when the weather turns cold and often snowy.

Charlottetown

Wander the streets of the historic old town and along the scenic waterfront in Charlottetown, PEI’s provincial capital. With a population of about 40,000, Charlottetown isn’t a big city, but it has plenty of places to eat and drink when you’ve finished exploring. Graze your way through the local food hall, too.

Cavendish

In and around Cavendish, the hometown of author Lucy Maud Montgomery, you can visit several attractions to learn more about the fictional Anne of Green Gables and about the author’s life: Montgomery’s Cavendish Home, where the author wrote Anne of Green Gables and where she lived with her grandparents between 1876 and 1911; Green Gables Heritage Place, the farmstead that was the model for the House of Green Gables; and the Anne of Green Gables Museum, which houses many of the author’s belongings.

Prince Edward Island National Park

Beach-lovers should head for the island’s national park along its northern coast. Between its sand dunes and red cliffs, Prince Edward Island National Park has a number of popular beaches, cycling paths, and hiking routes. It’s close to Cavendish, so you can easily combine an Anne experience with a day at the beach.