The Ultimate Anne of Green Gables Pilgrimage: 5 Days on Prince Edward Island

Curated By

Marissa Crawford

Canada
Arts & Culture
Boutique Travel
Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel
Slow Travel
Literature

Advisor - The Ultimate Anne of Green Gables Pilgrimage: 5 Days on Prince Edward Island

Curator’s statement

There’s a farmhouse on Prince Edward Island with a green roof and white shutters, tucked behind a stand of spruce and a garden gone a little wild with lupins. It’s the house L.M. Montgomery grew up beside—the one that became Green Gables—and it’s the reason generations of readers have wanted to see the island for themselves. As a child, I adored the Anne books and the Canadian Broadcasting movies with Meghan Follows. Even as an adult, the books are a comfort read, and, when I feel overwhelmed or sad, I pick up my tattered copy. The real magic of an Anne pilgrimage isn’t simply standing inside Green Gables. It’s realizing that the places you imagined while reading the book actually exist.

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Where to stay

The Holman Grand Hotel

A polished downtown hotel where contemporary design and a central Charlottetown location provide a comfortable base for exploring Prince Edward Island’s capital.

The Sydney Boutique Inn

A stylish boutique hotel where historic character, elegant interiors, and a peaceful setting create a refined stay in Charlottetown.

Dundee Arms

A charming historic inn where Victorian character and a central location in Charlottetown’s heritage district create a welcoming island stay.

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Day 1: Welcome to Anne’s island

Getting to Prince Edward Island can be a long journey, so your first day will be relatively leisurely.

Arrive in Charlottetown and check into your hotel. Once checked in, wander the historic downtown Charlottetown, walking along the waterfront and Victoria Row. Pop into an Anne-themed shop and pick up a copy of Anne of Green Gables if you didn’t bring yours with you. Finish the day by enjoying a dinner featuring PEI seafood, such as lobster, oysters, or mussels.

Literary moment: Begin the trip by reading a few pages of Anne of Green Gables somewhere along the waterfront. There’s something lovely about starting the book where the real-life story of its author began.

Day 2: Walk in Anne’s footsteps

Today is the pilgrimage day, focused on bringing the story of Anne to life.

Anne of Green Gables Museum (Park Corner)

Start at the Anne of Green Gables Museum, located at the Campbell Homestead, which Montgomery described as Silver Bush. One of the highlights is Matthew’s Carriage Ride around the property and past the Lake of Shining Waters. If you plan to visit all the attractions listed in this itinerary, it’s worth purchasing the Anne package, which covers your admission to several sites.

L.M. Montgomery birthplace (New London)

Next, visit the house where Lucy Maud Montgomery was born. While Anne is a fictional character, her story was built upon Montgomery’s experiences on PEI. Understanding the author allows you to more deeply understand the character and the settings of the Anne books.

Green Gables Heritage Place (Cavendish)

Then comes the moment you’ve been waiting for. Spend several hours at Green Gables Heritage Place exploring the Green Gables house, the gardens, Lover’s Lane, the Haunted Wood, the visitor center, and the surrounding trails. The site is open seasonally and includes the house, gardens, farmyard, trails, café, and visitor center.

Literary moment: Take the time to soak in the experience. Find a quiet spot to read in the real-life spot that inspired Montgomery’s Green Gables.

Cavendish Beach

Finish the afternoon at Cavendish Beach. You get a chance to experience the actual landscape that inspired Montgomery’s fictional world. If you’re a fan of the 1987 CBC Anne of Green Gables movie, you can almost see Anne and Diana running down the dunes.

This evening, stay in Cavendish. Stay at the Shining Waters Cottages or the Kindred Spirits Inn & Cottage.

Day 3: The real-life L.M. Montgomery

This day is more about Montgomery and the woman behind Anne.

Cavendish Home Site

Visit the site of Montgomery’s Cavendish home, where she lived with her grandparents and where she wrote much of Anne of Green Gables. This is one of the most important Montgomery sites in the area.

Cavendish Cemetery & United Church

Visit Montgomery’s gravesite at Cavendish Cemetery. It’s a surprisingly moving part of the pilgrimage because you’re reminded that this fictional world came from a very real woman and a very real place. Next, visit the Cavendish United Church, where Montgomery worshipped and played the organ, and where her funeral service was held in 1942.

Montgomery Park

Stop at Montgomery Park for a picnic or quiet break. There’s a bronze sculpture of Montgomery with her cat.

For the afternoon, you have a few options, depending on your mood and energy levels. You could continue to explore Cavendish or visit Avonlea Village, browsing the local shops or enjoying an afternoon tea. If you want something more relaxing, you could spend time at the beach or find a scenic spot to sit and read.

Day 4: Anne comes to life

Today, you’ll return to Charlottetown and incorporate a theater component to your pilgrimage. If the performance schedule lines up with your visit, see Anne of Green Gables—The Musical at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

You could also look for Anne & Gilbert: The Musical, which explores Anne as a young woman. This is a great opportunity to dress up a little and make it a special evening.

Before the show, enjoy afternoon tea or cocktails in Charlottetown. After the show, enjoy a beautiful dinner on the waterfront at Salt & Sol or Peak’s Quay.

Day 5: One last taste of PEI

For the final day, you’ll focus more on PEI itself. Montgomery captured the beauty and character of Prince Edward Island. Depending on the season and your flight schedule, you could drive along the scenic coast, walk along the beach, visit a local market, or enjoy any of PEI’s culinary delights, such as a lobster lunch or COWS ice cream.