A PEI Road Trip, Part 2 – Going Coastal

 

 

Day Three, Sunday

Sunday was check-out day. This was the final day of our PEI road trip. We had a relaxing morning, packed everything up, and proceeded to the office building to park. It wasn’t necessary to stop here to check out, but we decided to take a walk to the lake on the property. The check-in office is housed in the former Club House of the now-closed nine hole Eagles View Golf Course.

 

The Bridge Over the Lake

The new owner of the property runs only the Airbnb condos. The future of the land is unknown. The course has not been in use for a couple of years, and it shows. Previously well-groomed greens have given way to grass and weeds with hidden sandtraps amongst the grasses.

A short walk and you are at the lake (Maclure’s Pond). We came here to see and cross the bridge that Gord (the Airbnb manager) told us about. A sign still hangs on the bridge railing: #3 Tee Across Bridge.

Gord referred to it as the ‘million dollar bridge’ implying it was expensive to build. We did cross the bridge, take some photos and enjoy the lake views, but the bridge is older and in need of repairs. There are a few loose boards. It’s a shame, as it’s a beautiful place.
We soon departed Murray River and headed for Point Prim.

 

 

Point Prim Lighthouse

 

 

We arrived at the Point Prim Lighthouse in a downpour but didn’t let this stop us. Located at the end of Point Prim Road in Belfast, the lighthouse sits at 60 ft tall and overlooks the Northumberland Strait.

Built in1845, Point Prim Lighthouse was the first and is the oldest lighthouse in PEI. It is one of only three round brick lighthouses in Canada. The outside was shingled to protect the bricks from the elements.

You can find out more about the Lighthouse and its history on their website.

 

 

 

 

The Keepers Cottage was completed a couple years ago, and you’ll find a gift shop and washrooms inside. The cost for entrance to the lighthouse is $5 if you plan to climb to the top, which I did along with one of my aunts.

Once we finished in the gift shop and paid our fee to climb to the top, we headed over to the lighthouse. The rain let up a bit as well, but it was still drizzly and overcast.

My aunt and I climbed the four levels to the top! The stairs weren’t that bad and the climbing was easier than I expected it to be. The views from the top were great, though I’d love to stop again on a sunny day.

 

 

 

 

 

After seeing the lighthouse, we set out for our next stop; the Green Gables Post Office. I wrote about the post office stop in my post ‘A PEI Road Trip, Part 1 – Anne’s Land‘.

It was closed on Saturday by the time we got there so we decided to swing by as we made our way to the bridge and home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Toy Factory

 

We took route 13 from Cavendish toward Hunter River (and eventually on to Confederation Bridge via the Trans-Canada Highway). Along the way, we stopped spontaneously at The Toy Factory. I’ve passed by this store dozens of times over the years and never stopped.

It’s a unique looking store, a white house decorated outside with various ‘toys’, like a dinosaur and a nutcracker. My aunts both have younger grandchildren and were keen to look around. I have driven by this store and thought I should stop, but never had. So now was the time!

 

 

 

 

The place was busy, the parking lot full and cars parked alongside the road kind of busy. Inside the store was packed with customers and buzzing with activity. I’m honestly not sure how I managed to get pictures without people in them, patience perhaps!

It was such a fun place and the many kids there that day were loving it. There were lots of unique kinds of toys and collectibles, not the typical department store dolls and such.
In the backroom, there is a workshop where they make their own wooden toys.

The only things missing were Santa’s Elves!

 

 

 

 

Victoria by the Sea

 

From The Toy Factory, we had one more stop before crossing the bridge and making our way home. We continued along Route 13 and finally came to the end of the road. A left turn and a minute later we were in Victoria by the Sea.

This quaint little seaside community was hopping with tourist activity. A small beach was busy with families swimming, and people walked the streets visiting the many shops.
We planned to eat at a little take-out place where I ate last summer, but it was now closed.
On the wharf, there are two other seafood restaurants, but as we were getting on in the day we looked around a bit and decided to call it a day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you do visit Victoria by the Sea, be sure to visit the lighthouse. You can climb this lighthouse as well for a small fee, but it’s much smaller than Point Prim Lighthouse. If you’re a theatre person, a visit to The Victoria Playhouse might interest you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Wait, There’s More…

 

We were driving towards Confederation Bridge and home, but just one more spontaneous stop! Gateway Village and COWS Ice Cream. No trip to Prince Edward Island would be complete without a stop at COWS.
Cownadian Mint wins again!

If you have the time, I recommend a little drive down to the Port Borden Front Range Lighthouse by the Bridge. You’ll have fantastic views of the bridge from here!

 

 

 

 

 

Notes about Confederation Bridge

 

It takes approximately 10-12 minutes to cross the bridge. You can’t stop or pass other cars, and the speed limit is 80km/h. You pay a toll only when departing the island and the current toll rate for 2019 is $47.75CDN (this rate is not the same as the Wood Islands to Caribou ferry, which is higher in price). The bridge is attached to New Brunswick and you are about a 40-45 minutes drive to the Nova Scotia border.

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of the Road

That concludes our PEI road trip! Highlights were the Anne of Green Gables sites and the Point Prim Lighthouse… and COWS Ice Cream, of course.
I hope you get to experience this delightful island one day, or maybe you have already? I’d love to hear about it, so drop me a comment below!