I
sometimes wonder how Prince Edward Island might have evolved if
celebrated author, Lucy Maude Montgomery, had not written her world
famous Anne of Green Gables series. The first Anne story was published
in 1908 and I imagine it could be successfully argued that the
delightful tale about the adventures of a young red-haired orphan
marked a turning point in the development of the island destined to
become forever known as “Anne’s Land.”
Without the Anne factor,
I have to wonder if millions and millions of visitors would have
flocked to Canada’s smallest province over the past many decades. I
also have to wonder if Anne was not the underlying catalyst for the
construction of more than two dozen PEI golf courses—some of them the
most renowned in the country.
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Would an 11-km-long bridge have been
built connecting the island to mainland New Brunswick had it not been
for the worldwide popularity of PEI ignited by Anne? I think not. I
very much doubt that “spud island” could have reached the heights it
has merely on the reputation of its famous potatoes or, for that
matter, even its magnificent sand beaches.
It’s reasonable to
suggest that Anne has been the growth hormone that has significantly
helped evolve a small, Atlantic coast island into a destination known
and loved around the globe. As every Canadian knows, it is so well
loved that Britain’s Prince William and his new bride, Kate Middleton,
chose to visit PEI in July on their first ever trip abroad as the Duke
and Dutchess of Cambridge.
Kate, it was publicized, was fond of the
Anne of Green Gables series and was keen to visit the place that served
as the background for the books. Some might say it doesn’t get much
better than royalty. Taking nothing away from Anne and the
several sites on the island relevant to the books and their author, PEI
is a vacation venue chock full of interesting things to see and do.
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I
have personally visited several times, first dating back 30 years ago
when I drove from Ontario with my son to show him the delights of this
tiny perfect island that I had only read about in travel journals. I
have been returning ever since.
To get a deep and truly
memorable sense of the place, I highly recommend tapping into some of
what the tourism people promote as “authentic” PEI experiences. Among
the options are islander-led clam-digging outings, lobster fishing and
oyster-harvesting. Another obvious choice is deep sea fishing plus farm
boot camps and islander-led cooking and dining classes. Whatever
choices are made among the “authentic” PEI experiences, one issue is
certain: visitors get a true feel for how islanders live, how they
work, and how they play.
Across the island, a “down home”
friendliness and modesty prevails. I will forever remember a day during
one of my trips when I booked a tee time at one of PEI’s notable golf
courses and was paired up with three locals consisting of two men and a
teen.
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It turned out to be a great foursome with lots of laughs and good
fun. Partway through the round one of the gentlemen asked me if I knew
who my cart buddy was. I said no and was quietly told he was a PEI
farmer but more notably the Solicitor General of Canada and formerly
the federal Minister of Agriculture, The Hon. Wayne Easter, a man who
would never have boasted about his government ranking. That’s just the
way islanders are which makes them marvelously unpretentious island
hosts.
Beyond golf courses, PEI beaches command a high
ranking. The island is virtually surrounded by sand, hence a beach is
never hard to find. In fact, nothing on the island is difficult to
access. It can be driven end to end in less than four hours and across
its width in far less time. While all four shores boast great beaches,
the north and east shores are particularly blessed and the island
overall has seven provincial parks closely associated with the various
coastal areas.
Of course, there are the ever-popular Anne
sites that attract people from as far away as Japan and Australia.
Dedicated fans come with cameras and usually an Anne of Green Gables
book tucked under their arms. They come to see and photograph Green
Gables House, Green Gables Museum, the birthplace of Lucy Maud as well
as other Ann-related sites. The annual highlight is the Charlottetown
Festival featuring Anne of Green Gables – The Musical. This
internationally celebrated presentation adapted from the original story
has been running every summer at the Charlottetown Confederation Centre
of the Arts since 1965.
Whether it was the Anne factor that
attracted them or not, this tiny perfect island saw 1.3 million
visitors in 2010. Moreover, since the Royal visit, numbers will likely
increase in 2011, thanks largely to Lucy Maud Montgomery who
inadvertently got the ball rolling that helped shape PEI into a one of
the country’s most special places.
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| For more information, brochures and a free travel guide go online at www.tourismpei.com or call 1-800-463-4PEI. |
