13 Best Places to Visit in Canada That Aren't Toronto or Vancouver
9. Cavendish and North Shore, Prince Edward Island: Coastal Beauty and Literary Legacy
The North Shore of Prince Edward Island, anchored by the village of Cavendish, offers visitors a perfect blend of natural beauty, literary history, and family-friendly attractions set against a backdrop of red sandstone cliffs, pristine beaches, and the rolling farmland that inspired L.M. Montgomery's timeless Anne of Green Gables stories. Prince Edward Island National Park protects 60 kilometers of the island's most beautiful coastline, where visitors can walk along pristine beaches, explore coastal dune systems that support rare plant species, and observe the fascinating process of coastal erosion that continuously reshapes the island's distinctive red cliffs. The Green Gables Heritage Place, located in the heart of Cavendish, preserves the 19th-century farm that served as the inspiration for the Cuthbert family home in Montgomery's novels, allowing visitors to step into Anne's world and explore the house, gardens, and trails that feature prominently in the beloved stories that have been translated into dozens of languages and continue to attract visitors from around the world. The area's beaches, including Cavendish Beach and Brackley Beach, offer some of the warmest ocean swimming north of the Carolinas, with water temperatures reaching 20°C (68°F) in summer, while the surrounding countryside provides excellent opportunities for cycling along quiet country roads, visiting working farms that welcome visitors, and exploring the island's famous red soil potato fields that produce some of North America's finest potatoes. The region's accommodations range from charming bed and breakfasts in heritage homes to modern resorts that cater to families, while local restaurants serve the island's famous seafood, including mussels, lobster, and malpeque oysters, alongside traditional island specialties like potato bread and blueberry pie made from wild berries that grow abundantly in the island's interior.
