the pristine dunes of Greenwich and Basin
Head's silica-rich "singing sands," P.E.I. has a
beach to suit every taste. Better yet, they're
lapped by some of the warmest waters north
of the Carolinas (www.tourismpei.com/
what-to-do/beaches-parks).
Many shellfish fans call the Island Canada's
oyster capital because its prized Malpeque
variety, drawn from the eponymous bay,
have set the gold standard for more than a
century. Sample them waterside or slurp
some back at the Fall Flavours Festival
(www.fallflavours.ca).
Conceived by celebrity chef Michael Smith,
The Inn at Bay Fortune's FireWorks Feast
features multiple courses cooked in a
7.5-m-long (25-ft.) wood-burning, fire-
breathing stove that has an integrated
smokehouse, hearth, grill, plancha, rotisserie
and oven (www.innatbayfortune.com).
The entire world seems to know about COWS
ice cream. Its 34 varieties are available at
several locations in P.E.I., but you can get the
inside scoop at COWS Creamery on the
outskirts of Charlottetown, which offers tasty
and educational tours (www.cows.ca;
www.cowscreamery.ca).
SCENIC DRIVES
The 350-km (217-mi.) North Cape Coastal
Drive is full of contrasts. It's quickly getting
a reputation as the Canadian Oyster Coast.
There is everything here from Mi'kmaq
and Acadian communities to secluded
beaches and towering wind turbines
(www.northcapedrive.com).
The 253-km (157-mi.) Central Coastal Drive—
which includes Green Gables Shore and Red
Sands Shore—covers key Anne sites and much
of PEI National Park, plus communities ranging
from commercial Cavendish to quaint Victoria-
by-the-Sea (www.centralcoastalpei.com).
The 475-km (295-mi.) Points East Coastal
Drive is dotted with lighthouses and lined
with 50-odd beaches. There are timely
attractions, too—among them Orwell Corner
Historic Village and Roma at Three Rivers
National Historic Site (www.pointseast
coastaldrive.com).
FAMILY FUN
Kids of all ages love making sandcastles, and
Maurice Bernard is the expert in residence at
PEI National Park. You can sign up for Experi-
ence PEI's "Sensational Sandcastles" program
to receive a private sandcastle building
lesson with a professional sand sculptor
(www.experiencepei.ca/sensational-
sandcastles; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/pei).
PE
89
National Parks and Historic Sites:
www.parkscanada.gc.ca
1-888-773-8888
Park Pick
ARDGOWAN NATIONAL
HISTORIC SITE,
CHARLOTTETOWN
Ardgowan, a gracious 19
th
century
Gothic revival residence not far from
downtown Charlottetown, was the
home of William Henry Pope, one of
the Fathers of Confederation. It's an
example of a large rural "cottage" from
the Victorian era and was the scene of
lavish entertaining in 1864 during the
historic Charlottetown Conference. The
interior—which now houses Parks
Canada's administrative offices for all
P.E.I. holdings—isn't open for public
tours, but visitors are encouraged to
stroll around the gorgeous grounds and
perhaps pause for a picnic. Pope was
an avid gardener and the sprawling
property reflects his passion
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ardgowan).
VICTORIA ROW, CHARLOTTETOWN • TOURISM PEI/STEPHEN HARRIS
