Prince Edward Island, Canada, often called PEI, was almost our destination about a year and a half back. We ended up going to Charleston, SC instead, but I think that when Canada is available as a destination, we may give PEI a visit.

Statistically, PEI is the most densely populated Canadian province, and the smallest. Tucked between Cape Breton Island and New Brunswick, PEI is connected to Nova Scotia by a bridge, so no ferry ride is needed to get there. The island is a popular vacation spot, with agriculture and fisheries the other industries. In the summer months, farmer’s markets are likely to have veggies to go along with the fish you grill on your patio.

Beach combing is promoted as a holiday activity on PEI, one of the reasons we first looked at it as a place to visit. We’d explore the coast looking for beach glass and other finds. There are miles and miles of beaches all around the island.

We also like to visit some quirky places, and AtlasObscura.com never lets us down. PEI has a Potato Museum, a museum and Hall of Fame related to fox ranching (for fur coats?), and the smallest library in Canada. The place we’d actually visit is the Edward Arsenault Bottle Houses. Rather than waiting for bottles to become beach glass, Arsenault saved empty bottles and used them to build three different structures. It sounds like quite a hobby.

Also notable is the fact that Anne of Green Gables, a favorite novel, is set on Prince Edward Island. The town of Avonlea in the stories is modeled after Cavendish, PEI. There are a number of places that take advantage of the association, including Green Gables Heritage Place, with “the house that inspired Anne of Green Gables,” and Avonlea Village, a “tribute town”. If you read the book as a child, you might want to stop in.

While looking for information about PEI, I came across this illustration from the cover of a brochure about the island that was published in 1900, "The garden of the gulf, Prince Edward Island – and its handsome and delightful capital Charlottetown – being pictures and description of the charms of city and seashore as summer resorts“. PEI looks very inviting.