Sure, PEI has great golf almost everywhere you look, but what else has it got to offer?
Well, having been there and experienced the island’s off-course activities and peculiarities first-hand, let me assure you that everyone in your party will indeed find something to do somewhere around this country’s smallest province. And among them, more than a few things that make you go “Huh?!”
Following is a list of non-golf related activities and idiosyncrasies that will appeal to one and all. And, if you turn your nose up at some of these activities when you first see them, look again, because you’ll be delighted with what PEI has to offer.
And by the way, these aren’t listed in any particular order.
Ice cream: Who doesn’t like this deliciously refreshing treat on a nice, warm summer afternoon or evening? Well, apparently the answer to that on PEI is nobody — and all you have to do is walk into a COWS to find out why. Still using the original formula that was crafted in Cavendish, this is a treat everyone needs to try. With over 32 flavours to sample you’ll see why this brand of treat is ranked as the No. 1 ice cream in the entire world. And yes, there are outlets around the country, including one in Banff, but as anyone knows, nothing is better than the original.
“Youse": Almost as Canadian as “eh,” this word doesn’t mean to “use” something or the female variety of sheep. Rather, it pertains to a group of people. It takes you off guard when you first hear it but after a while it may become part of your own vocabulary… at least while you’re on the island, eh.
Ponies: A night at the races is something that shouldn’t be passed up even if you’re not into betting on the ponies. The Red Shores Racetrack & Casino At The Charlottetown Driving Park is a great place to revel in island excitement as the trotters buzz around the track along with the buzz of spectators anticipating a winning pick. There is also a track in Summerside. The season runs from April through December.
The Most: PEI has a pair of “most per capita” elements anywhere in Canada. Other than golf courses, with 26 active ones on the island, do you have any idea what the second one is? Well, how about roads. There are roads everywhere here and be warned — signage isn’t great in many areas so if you have a hand-held GPS unit, be sure to take it with you because it will come in handy when you go exploring.
Potatoes: Spuds are grown pretty well everywhere here. And when they aren’t being grown it seems corn is the go-to crop. Potatoes are on a three-year cycle in the rich red soil here, mainly because they take so much of the nutrients out of the ground. So to bring the ground’s strength back up, crops like corn, for feed, and canola each take a turn before the spuds make their return.
Churches: This place is packed to the brim with places of worship and some of the buildings are magnificent. Surprisingly, alongside many of those buildings are cemeteries as each church, no matter the size, seems to have one in its yard.
Lobster tourism: This has become a huge business on the island. While the lobster season is broken into two time periods, and two specific areas off the shores, the tourism branch of the industry has taken off in recent years helping to fill the void. There are several places to hop about a boat, go for a cruise and lobster dinner, and find out about how the fisherman here are keen on protecting this vital industry. Along with that, catch-and-release tuna fishing has become a popular, and lucrative, business for the hard-working fisher-people of PEI.
Pay As You Leave: One interesting thing here has to do with coming onto and leaving the island. Getting onto PEI is free no matter if you come over by ferry or roadway. Getting off however is a bit pricier. Everyone, Islanders included, has to pay to leave Canada’s smallest province with prices varying dependent on whether you take the Northumberland Ferry or use the spectacular Confederation Bridge. As for plane travel, we’re not sure if a “departure tax” is levied on your ticket or not.
Beaches: If you’re a water person, you’re going to love it on PEI. There are beaches everywhere and the water is incredibly warm, given the Gulf Coast flow so with 1,100km of shoreline, and much of that designated as beaches, there’s room for everyone to frolic in the salt water under the summer sun. In all, there are 23 beaches including Provincial and National Parks, so somewhere here there’s definitely a spot for you and your family to enjoy.
Driving in the Dark: Somewhat surprisingly, driving here at night isn’t a scary proposition at all (well, except for the lack of signage). There are no big animals like moose, deer or bears that may come crashing out of the woods onto the highways as they simply don’t live on the island. Rather, the largest wildlife you’ll see here are foxes, and some say, coyotes, who apparently made their way onto the island via frozen winter seawater.
Downtown Vibe: The downtown area of Charlottetown is abuzz with activity in the late afternoon/evening/night, as people flock to Victoria Row for food, entertainment and just plain ol’ people watching. A great place to spend some time.
Deep-sea Fishing: If you’ve never tossed a line into the salt water and would like to make a bid for landing some mackerel, cod, or some extremely weird varieties of fish, give this adventure a go. There are plenty of businesses catering to land-locked hopefuls and if you land a big one, the on-board crew will fillet and clean your catch to take home and cook up.
Anne of Green Gables (the Musical): Laugh at me if you want, but even as a sports guy with very little cultural background, I loved this performance. Listed in The Guinness World Book of Records as the longest-running annual musical theatre production, this captivating story that has enthralled millions of people worldwide. Staged at the beautiful Confederation Centre in Charlottetown, this is a must-see.
Seaside Stroll: If you want to see where the Fathers of Confederation first set landed in 1864, then Peakes Wharf is the place to go. Today the area is a bit more “touristy” than back then, but even still, it’s a great place to go to sample local fare and see memorials to the founding fathers.
Seafood: I'm transformed from meat and potatoes to seafood, especially mussels. And for a prairie-raised kid to admit that, you know this fare is fantastic!
Golf: And finally, golf courses. Prince Edward Island is home to the most golf courses per capita in the country — 26 for a population of just over 146,000 full time citizens according to Stats Can. The Big 4 — Crowbush Cove, Dundarave, Brudenell and Mill River — are all owned by the provincial government although they are looking to sell them off. So if you’re looking for a tee time here, believe us, they aren’t all that hard to find as is anything else to do in this interesting, amazing part of our great country.
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