Vacation rentals in Cavendish

This small Prince Edward Island community became famous as the hometown of author Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942), who created one of Canada’s most beloved fictional characters, the spirited, red-haired Anne of Green Gables. Cavendish and the surrounding towns have no shortage of places to dive deep into the Anne mythology and the author’s own history, from Montgomery’s Cavendish Home and Green Gables Heritage Place, in Cavendish, to the Anne of Green Gables Museum in Park Corner, 20 minutes’ drive to the northwest. But Cavendish and the surrounding areas aren’t only about this fictional heroine. Prince Edward Island has more than 90 beaches to explore, cycling routes to ride, and plenty of small towns where you can wander. PEI’s provincial capital, Charlottetown, with its historic old town and pretty waterfront, is only a 40-minute drive from Cavendish, too. And wherever you go on the island, meals center on lobster, mussels, oysters, and the bounty of the surrounding sea.

For lobster lovers, PEI has two seasons — May through June, and August to October — when the catch is freshest and most bountiful. For everyone else, PEI’s busy season for cottage rentals is the summer, from late June to Labour Day in early September, when the sun shines on its sandy beaches. If you enjoy cycling or exploring the outdoors beyond the beach, fall is another excellent time to visit, with its vibrant foliage and cooler temperatures, as well as several food festivals. The island is much quieter during the often snowy winters. Many of its tourist attractions close between November and April, though locals stay busy with music, food, and other indoor entertainment.

Prince Edward Island National Park

With broad beaches, red cliffs, and sandy dunes along several sections of the island’s north coast, Prince Edward Island National Park is a popular sun and surf destination. The park has a number of hiking and cycling routes, and birders might spot great blue heron, belted kingfisher, and other species. The main sector of the park is just outside Cavendish.

Confederation Trail

You can cross Prince Edward Island by bike or on foot along the 449-kilometre (278-mile) Confederation Trail, a gentle former rail route that traverses the island from tip to tip. While the trail doesn’t come directly into Cavendish, you can follow branch trails from town to reach the main route.

Canadian Potato Museum

PEI is Canada’s major potato-producing region, so of course, the island has a quirky museum where you can learn about farming and harvesting the spud. You can eat some, too, at the museum’s PEI Potato Country Kitchen, which serves baked potatoes, French fried potatoes, poutine, potato-crust pizza, and even potato fudge. The Canadian Potato Museum is in the town of O’Leary, an hour and 15 minutes west of Cavendish.