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Welcome to the Island INNsider, the Inns of Distinction Prince Edward Island Newsletter
Greetings!

Thank you for joining us on our continuing journey exploring the five touring regions of beautiful Prince Edward Island. We are half way there! If it is the sea you love, then this is the touring region for you.

 

The North Cape Coastal Drive is, in many ways, the best reflection of PEI's diversity, both past and present.  The Island's Acadian, First Nations, and English histories are all reflected here.  PEI's economic history, from fox farming and fishing to potato harvesting, shipbuilding, and wind energy can be experienced through the variety of attractions and experiences along the North Cape Coastal Drive.  Whether your interests gravitate towards the arts, sports, museums, cultural experiences, or experiential tourism, outdoors or in, the lifestyle and diverse history of PEI is best felt in the dozens of place names, attractions and community festivals that take place along the North Cape Coastal Drive. 


North Cape Coastal Drive
 

Over the last few issues of the Island INNsider, we have discussed two of the three counties in Prince Edward Island. In this issue, we will enter the third and westernmost county, Prince County. The North Cape Coastal Drive, known as The Canadian Oyster Coast, is looped for your convenience; you can travel the region clockwise or counter-clockwise to take in the scenic route first or last. Either way, you will be welcome to enjoy some of the most inviting communities, harbours, gorgeous seascapes and landscapes in Atlantic Canada. It won't take you long to discover a love for the sea in this region and the richness it brings to the lives of its local people.

 

Prince County was named by Captain Samuel Holland in 1765 for the Prince George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales, who would later be crowned King George IV (1762 - 1830), hence making Prince County's shire town Princetown. However, the inferior harbor for Prince Royalty saw the settlement pattern change, and gave this honour to Summerside, one of only two cities on all of P.E.I. (Charlottetown being the other).  You can start your tour of the western coast in the city gateway of Summerside, which offers all the amenities of a small modern city.

 

The county's defining geographic feature is Malpeque Bay, a sub-basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which creates the narrowest portion of Prince Edward Island's landmass, an isthmus upon which the city of Summerside is located. The line of division varies, but Malpeque Bay is also informally considered the socio-economic division of more urban East Prince and rural West Prince.

 

Much of the Island's industrial base is concentrated in the eastern part of the county, with frozen French fry manufacturing plants, a potato chip manufacturing plant, and an aerospace industry. Industrial farming for root crops such as potatoes accounts for the majority of rural economic activity, followed by fishing for shellfish such as lobster, crab, and of course oysters.

 

We would recommend at least 3 full days to tour the western end of Prince Edward Island and be able to take in all its heritage, museums, festivals, local cuisine, nature, and adventure.



City of Summerside

Before you start your drive along the coast, stop in the second largest city in the province and explore all this city has to offer.  Visit the year-round indoor Summerside Farmers' Market (Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) to chat with local farmers and get a taste of local cuisine or a snack for your tour.

 

Summerside was once home to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Summerside. The Base closed in 1990 and is now known as Slemon Park, a business park now home to several aerospace and transportation companies. The Summerside area was also once home to the world's largest concentration of Tame Silver Fox farms. This is highlighted at the Silver Fox Museum.

 

The city of Summerside is the only place in P.E.I. to run an independent electric utility. The Summerside distribution grid has been linked to the Maritime Electric network since 1961. In 2007, 23% of the city's electricity was provided by a private wind farm in the western end of the Island. A city owned wind farm was constructed and became operational in 2009.  It comprises four wind turbines, each capable of providing 3 megawatts of electricity, and was immediately tied into the city's power. This is Canada's first municipally owned and operated wind farm; producing about 25% of the electricity for the entire city. At times when usage is low and the winds are high, the wind farm has the potential to produce more power than the city consumes.

 

Sport features prominently throughout the year in Summerside. The Consolidated Credit Union Place is the largest indoor sports facility in the province.  It contains an aquatics centre, meeting and convention rooms, fitness centre, two NHL size ice surface arenas, bowling lanes, and an indoor walking track. The Credit Union Place is home to the Summerside Capitals (MHL) and the Summerside Storm (NBL). Adjacent to the Credit Union Place is Summerside Raceway, a standardbred harness racing track. There is also the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club and Summerside Golf and Country Club.

 

The city has redeveloped several waterfront industrial sites that were abandoned by the railway and marine terminals. Enjoy the beauty and stroll along the expansive Harbourfront Baywalk Coastal Trail, a new boardwalk for residents and visitors alike.


Museums
The diversity of Prince County is reflected in its many museums and historic sites, which include:

 

The Former Summerside Post Office National Historic Site, Summerside

This is a good example of the post offices erected by the Department of Public Works in smaller urban centres during Thomas Fuller's term as Chief Architect (1881 - 1886). It is representative of Fuller post offices in its two-and-half-story height, its use of high-quality materials, its blend of Gothic and Romanesque elements, and its prominent location on a corner Lot.

 

PEI Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, Summerside

Located in The Wyatt Centre, a multi-purpose arts facility, this museum recognizes and pays tribute to athletes and builders of sport who have brought special honour to P.E.I.

 

International Fox Museum and Hall of Fame, Summerside

This museum, located in the Holman Homestead, displays the history of the fox fur industry which thrived in PEI at the turn of the 20th century, and of the men and women involved in the industry.  

Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island, Miscouche

Learn about Acadian heritage through exhibits that celebrate the arrival of the Acadian people in 1720 to Isle Saint-Jean (present day P.E.I.). Most notably this museum salutes the great expulsion of the Acadian people in 1755.

 

Kier Memorial Museum, Malpeque Village

The museum is located in the former Kier Memorial Presbyterian Church on Route 20, displays artifacts pertaining to the life of Malpeque and surrounding district. Displays include memorabilia and furnishing from local homesteads, farms, fishing industries, and items related to the history of Princetown.  

Canadian Potato Museum, O'Leary

Your visit to this unique museum surrounded by fertile potato growing fields depicts the potato industry, houses a large collection of farm implements and machinery related to the growing and harvesting of potatoes in P.E.I. The museum contains the largest exhibit of potato artifacts in the world. Don't forget to check out the other attractions on site such as the community Museum, the Heritage Chapel, the Log Barn, and the Red Schoolhouse.

 

Green Park Shipbuilding Museum, Port Hill

Ship building was once one of P.E.I.'s major industries. This museum highlights the Island's ship building history. The museum is housed in the historic Yeo House, once owned by one of P.E.I.'s formost ship building families.

 

North Cape Interpretive Centre

Where cutting-edge research into renewable energy using wind turbines takes place at one of Canada's leading wind test institutes. Inside the Centre is a gift shop, marine aquarium, the interpretive centre and a fully licensed restaurant. North Cape, the Island's northwestern tip, is also famous for its natural rock reef where you have the unusual meeting of two bodies of water. The Northumberland Strait on the Island's western side collides with the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the east with magnificent results. At low tide you can stroll along the reef.

 

The Evangeline Region/ La R�gion Evangeline
 

If you visited the Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island, complete the Acadian experience by visiting this French-speaking region, where P.E.I.'s vibrant Acadian culture still thrives.

 

Attractions to see in this region include the unique Bottle Houses in Cap-Egmont and the historical Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel Church. Delight in artisanal crafts from Le Centre d'Artisanatin Abram-Village, the Quilt-Economuseum, and heighten your experience by indulging in traditional Acadian food throughout the region. You can enjoy the lively rhythms of Acadian music at the many festivals and events held throughout the summer. Next door to the festival grounds you can enjoy a lobster dinner or Acadian-style buffet at the Centre Expo-Festival in Abram-Village.


Tyne Valley

There are no big hotels or box stores here, but this compact village packs in its small cluster of buildings a remarkable amount of charm. It is home to one of the Island's great summer events - the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival. 

 

The Landing Oyster House and Pub is an excellent spot to stop for lunch or dinner featuring fresh local cuisine, and the spot to enjoy local entertainment. Just down the way from the pub live Paul and Jean Offer, owners of The Doctor's Inn, who welcome you to tour their Organic Market Gardens where fresh produce is available daily, and at the Charlottetown Farmers' Market on Saturdays. The Offers also provide specialty dining inside their charming inn, serving up one of Atlantic Canada's most memorable dining experiences.  The vegetables are always fresh and the bread is fresh baked from the wood stove. Dinner reservations are required 24 hours in advance for a maximum of six dining guests.

 

Lennox Island
 

Overlooking beautiful Malpeque Bay is the community of Lennox Island. Discover the heritage and traditions of the Island's first inhabitants, the Mi'kmaq, and stop at the gift shop with its wide selection of handcrafts made by local and international First Nation peoples. In the Ecotourism Complex, you can stop for a taste of traditional Mi'kmaq food.

Things To Do
 

The College of Piping, located in Summerside, celebrates the Celtic heritage on the Island through ceilidhs and concerts, including free mini-concerts each afternoon.

 

Stop in Miminegash to watch the traditional gathering of Irish Moss. Especially after a windstorm, Islanders of the area may be seen gathering the moss, often with horse-drawn carts. Visit the Interpretive Centre to learn more about the Moss and try a piece of the intriguing, yet delicious, Seaweed Pie!

 

The PEI Antiques Trail was developed to help antique lovers explore Island shops and find a unique piece of history to bring home. There are over 20 shops to explore Island-wide, and these shops have been divided into three touring regions. For locations in the North Cape region, visit http://peiantiquestrail.com/north-cape-coastal-drive .

Golf
 

We will feature golf courses in each touring region we cover, as there are a vast number of golf courses on P.E.I.

 

Summerside Golf and Country Club is an 18-hole championship course, and is located 1 km west of the seaside city of Summerside.

 

Mill River Golf Course is located in Woodstock, and headlines the golf courses in western P.E.I. It was the host course for Golf Channel's series "The Big Break", and has hosted numerous other contests and championships. This course is a must on any avid players Island golf tour.

 

St. Felix Golf and Country Club is a 9-hole course located in St. Felix, about 5 minutes from Tignish. It was designed to appeal to all golfers of all ages and skill levels. The course is extremely quiet and the sea air is unbelievably fresh.

Sharing your passion for Prince Edward Island is easy - just click the link to forward any of our e-newsletters with your friends and family. We thank you for your engagement and enthusiasm, and welcome your feedback and comments for upcoming issues of the Island INNsider. We want to write about the things you want to know about.

 

You can't experience P.E.I. without a trip "up west" as we say around here. The North Cape Drive is, in many ways, the best reflection of PEI's diverse cultural and commercial history, and while it is often overshadowed by PEI's other attractions, it is a part of PEI that everyone should experience. 

  

Sincerely,

 

The Innkeepers of the Inns of Distinction, Prince Edward Island
"You've made the journey, we'll make it memorable!"
In This Issue
North Cape Coastal Drive
City of Summerside
Museums
The Evangeline Region/La Région Evangeline
Tyne Valley
Lennox Island
Things to Do

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Tourism PEI provides a list of upcoming festivals and events taking place in all regions of Prince Edward Island.

Upcoming events for August are available here.

General tourism information about Prince Edward Island is available here