Have you ever visited somewhere because you read about it in a book? We visited the “Land of Anne” – sites of Anne of Green Gables with kids during our Canadian Maritimes road trip.
“You never know what peace is until you walk on the shores or in the fields or along the winding red roads of Prince Edward Island in a summer twilight when the dew is falling and the old stars are peeping out and the sea keeps its mighty tryst with the little land it loves. You find your soul then. You realize that youth is not a vanished thing but something that dwells forever in the heart.” — Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables
Lots of people make the same trip that Elizabeth Gilbert did in Eat, Pray Love, and years ago Italy’s countryside saw a huge boom in tourists because author Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun so eloquently and romantically described the food and small towns of the region.
Several years ago, my mom and I wanted to pay homage to favorite author Jane Austen with a trip the UK and tours of Bath, Salisbury and other places tied to a woman, who described the English hills and hedgerows, manors and moonlit trails in her many novels.
I was an English Major in college and have been an avid reader my entire life yet somehow I missed reading Anne of Green Gables. But, when we decided on a trip to Prince Edward Island this summer, I wanted to make sure I read it before we stepped foot on the rust-red sand of the somewhat remote island.
I honestly fell in love with the book and plucky Anne. And the book’s eloquent descriptions of the PEI landscape greatly enhanced the excitement about our trip.
Lucy Maud Montgomery grew up in the small, seaside hamlet of Cavendish, PEI (about 35 minutes from Charlottetown) and the basis of Anne’s Avonlea. The area is dedicated to her and her stories about Anne.
I imagined that I was Anne riding in a horse-drawn buggy down a copper-colored dirt lane as we drove to the northside of PEI from Charlottetown watching beautiful hills of lush grass and purple and pink lupine swaying in the wind.
The best first stop to orient yourself to the “Land of Anne” is at Lucy’s original home site where we learned insight on her childhood and early adult life from a great-great-great nephew of hers. She was a postmaster of the town for a short time, and they still have the small desk where she performed her official duties.
While the original house is no longer standing, you can take a short walk along a trail to see the original stone foundation; the well the family gathered water from; and the “haunted wood” she describes in her book. My favorite part was seeing the apple tree where she used to read and write stories (I rubbed my hands in the dirt to channel her creativity and writing prowess…)
Our next stop was Green Gables Heritage Place, part of Prince Edward Island National Park (and run by the Canadian government vs. the other sites which are privately owned and operated). Green Gables Heritage Place includes Green Gables, a re-creation of the Anne’s fictional home with furnishings from the era (early 1900s).
I loved picturing Anne in the kitchen putting liniment into a cake instead of vanilla. The attraction also has a garden and trails, a short film, and interpretative center which was not open when we were there, but is now. There is also a gift shop where you can buy a raspberry cordial, sweet and tangy, just like Anne! Around every corner, I half expected to see a young girl with red braids blowing in the wind. And imagined running down the lane to meet Diana, her “dearest and most bosom” friend in the world.
While we visited PEI in the off-season, there’s no doubt that Anne and Lucy’s influence is global as we saw several groups of Japanese tourists and other non-Canadian folks soaking up the Land of Anne.
Back in Charlottetown, do not miss one of the two shows that are devoted to Anne – Anne and Gilbert– The Musical and Anne of Green Gables – The Musical. The traditional Anne of Green Gables story had not started its season yet, but we caught Anne and Gilbert, which tells the story of Anne as she goes off to college, and her dismissal of her eventual love, Gilbert.
We adored the musical – it plays at The Guild, a small, intimate setting where you can feel the vibration from the clogging numbers in your seat. I was a little concerned about my boys’ attention for the show as they don’t know the story, but they really enjoyed it.
The acting is excellent; there are high energy dance numbers; and it really gives you a sense of the pride of the people of PEI as well as examples of their traditional music and dance. And it’s just fun. My kids are still singing some of the songs from it! “Gilbert loves Anne of Green Gables…” Both musicals have limited seasons so be sure to check for tickets before you go.
There is an Anne of Green Gables souvenir shop on Victoria Street in Charlottetown (across the street from The Guild); and Anne of Green Gables Chocolates has several locations. If you want even more Anne, additional places to visit include Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace, and the Anne of Green Gables Museum.
Another must-see are the beautiful northside Cavendish beaches which have large dunes made from the north winds blowing the sand, a much different landscape than the shores on the southeast side of the island. No matter where you are on PEI, you are no more than 10 miles from a beach!
“Anneland” is a beautiful part of PEI, although we didn’t find any part of the island that wasn’t stunning. A book lover, there’s nothing better than immersing yourself into a story, and it’s even better when you can literally do so at the often-imagined settings of books. Canada has an awesome program called Project Bookmark, where they are creating a literary trail marking “our stories in our spaces, by placing fiction and poetry in the exact Canadian locations where literary scenes are set.” The Anne sites are part of the trail.
Walking in the footsteps of characters whether real or fictional really makes a huge impression on me and my family, and it made us feel connected to both Lucy and Anne. However, the best part of visiting the sites of Anne of Green Gables with kids is that my 9-year old is now eager to hear and read more stories about freckle-faced Anne.
What places have you visited because of a book?
Check out more of our adventures on Prince Edward Island with kids
A Canadian Maritimes Road Trip with Kids: Our 7-day Itinerary
A Trip to the Canadian Maritimes with Kids: Perfect for First-time Experiences
