Published in 1908, Anne Shirley was mistakenly sent to a brother and sister, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, on Prince Edward Island. The children’s classic Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, is based on an actual place in Canada. The series of books has enchanted millions of readers from across the globe, and many want to see the famed Green Gables house on PEI, which is now a Parks Canada site in the Canadian Maritimes. Here are the top things to do at Anne of Green Gables.
9 Top Things to Do at Anne of Green Gables
Read, Watch or Listen to Anne of Green Gables
Tour the Green Gables Visitor Centre Interpretive Film
Walk through the Barn
Tour the Anne of Green Gables House
Walk through the 19th-century Garden
Take a hike on Lovers Lane or the Haunted Woods
Sip a Raspberry Cordial
Buy a Book
Visit the other Anne sites in Cavendish
Anne of Green Gables at a Glance
| Year Established: 1936 |
| Located: Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Season: May to October |
| Top Features: Anne of Green Gables House |
The Anne of Green Gables Books and Movies
Penned by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the Anne of Green Gables book was an immediate success. To date, the series has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 36 languages.
Readers travel to see the house that inspired Montgomery to write the book. The MacNeill Family Farm, the author’s cousins, inspired the series and has been preserved to its original 1800s appearance.
This national park is a must for book lovers. Dedicated to preserving the Prince Edward Island setting of Anne of Green Gables, it is a must for book lovers. During our visit, we were surrounded by red-headed girls, young and old, dressed in green gingham dresses with braids, myself included.
Pick your favorite version. Before you arrive, read, watch or listen to Anne of Green Gables. We listened to the audiobook on our road trip. I also recommend the Netflix series Anne with an E.
Tour the Green Gables Visitor Centre Interpretive Film
Opened in 2019, this is the first stop for most visitors to the Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place. Once inside, you will find a replica of the Anne of Green Gables house in Legos. There is also a display of international book covers. In fact, I was amazed to learn how this series is beloved worldwide, especially in Japan.
I recommend watching the introductory movie. Families will also find spaces to read together.
Walk through the Barn
Depending on the day, visitors can learn a skill that people from the late 1800s used daily to survive on Prince Edward Island. Anne of Green Gables took place before automobiles, so there is a chance you will see a buggy. My kids loved the buggy they could climb into.
The barn was an important place in the 1800s, especially on Prince Edward Island. It was where the animals were raised, especially during the harsh winters.
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Tour the Anne of Green Gables House
As one of the Top Things to do at Anne of Green Gables, the tour of the Green Gables House is self-guided. It was originally owned by the Macneills family, cousins of Montgomery, who her grandparents raised.
This house was less than a mile from the house that Montgomery lived in. This property was very familiar to her. The Anne of Green Gables house is furnished, and the rooms are charmingly decorated.
Walk through the 19th-century Garden
The area around the Anne of Green Gables is landscaped. It features a large lawn, so I let my kids run around while enjoying the summertime blooms.
During my visit, I found rose bushes blooming. There were plants that were typically used in the 19th century and be on the look out for fruit trees and bushes.
Hiking at Green Gables Heritage Place
Green Gables Heritage Place offers two hiking trails to explore the property. Visit the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home with a quick family hike though the Haunted Woods. Both are suitable for young children, and it is one of the Top Things to do at Anne of Green Gables,
Haunted Wood Trail—Walk to the Site of L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish Home. Easy and .9-km roundtrip.
Balsam Hollow Trail—Originates along Lovers Lane and meanders through the woods and along a brook. Easy and .8-km roundtrip.
- Buy a book
As a writer and lover of classic children’s literature, I recommend buying a book as a souvenir.
- Visit the other Anne sites in Cavendish
More than the Green Gables Heritage Place, Cavendish is really Anne-land.
Places to Eat at the Green Gables Heritage Place
Stop by The Cordial Cafe for beverages, coffee or baked goods. We sampled a Raspberry Cordial, just like the one from the books.
It is open during the season from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May until October.
Kids at Green Gables Heritage Place
I recommend you explore the property and interact with the costumed guides, including Anne herself. We found Anne in July on the trail in the Haunted Wood. It was a treat for my kids, and to be honest, I thought it was fun.
Parks Canada offers an interpretive booklet just for kids, similar to the NPS Junior Ranger program. At the Visitor Center, families can grab a copy and complete the Parks Canada Xplorers Program.
It guides kids aged 6 to 11 through the significant features of the Green Gables Heritage Place. After completing the booklet, kids get a souvenir. The Parks Canada Xplorers Program is free.
Where’s Green Gables Heritage Place
Located on Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes, the Green Gables Heritage Place is at 8619 Cavendish Road, near the northern shore of the island. It is 40 km from Charlottetown, the province’s capital.
Green Gables Heritage Place is open daily from May 1 to October 31 for its regular season. Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Adult admission is $9 CAN, $7.50 CAN for seniors, and youth 17 and under are free. If your family is visiting several Parks Canada sites, consider a Parks Canada Discovery Pass.
Other Anne of Green Gables Places to Explore
- Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace—Born in nearby New London, L.M. Montgomery was born in a modest home. After her mother died when she was less than two years old, her grandparents raised her. Located at 6461 Route 20 and open seasonally from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission.
- The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home—A quarter of a mile east of the Green Gables Heritage Site, take a hike to see the remains of L.M. Montgomery’s homestead. It also features the Old Kitchen Post Office, operating as a book store. Open daily from May until October from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $6 CAN.
- Cavendish Post Office—The official Cavendish Post Office offers an Anne of Green Gables exhibit since she and her family operated the post office out of the family kitchen. Located at 8555 Cavendish Road and free.
Lodging on Prince Edward Island
During our visit to Prince Edward Island, I rented a small guest house. There is also smaller bed-and-breakfasts or lodges. Though you need to make reservations early, Cavendish offers limited lodging and it fills for the summer season fast.
Where to Eat on Prince Edward Island
During our visit, we dined at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company. A charming restaurant and tea shop that features local products along with a kid’s menu and signature blended teas, jams and jellies.
I started with the Seafood Chowder, a mix of local seafood in a creamy base with potatoes and leeks. Then moved on to the Seafood Bubbly Bake, a combination of shrimp, salmon, scallops and haddock in a cream sauce and topped with a panko crust.
Don’t hesitate to order the PEI mussels, which are known worldwide. The local mussels are a must for every visitor and are farmed along the rivers on PEI. I recommend ordering the Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie for dessert.
Located at 2841 New Glasgow Rd in New Glasgow, it’s open daily from May through October from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. It serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, and I found family-friendly dishes and a kids’ menu.
How to Get to Prince Edward Island
Visitors can arrive on Prince Edward Island in several ways.
During our visit, we took the Northumberland Ferry from Caribou, Nova Scotia, to Wood Island, PEI. We arrived early for the 8 a.m. ferry and drove our American-sized SUV onto the ferry. We were directed to the taller two-vehicle levels.
Our ferry featured a small café where we got a breakfast snack. We also found lots of seating and areas to enjoy the crossing outside if the weather is nice.
The odd thing about getting on and off Prince Edward Island, there’s no charge to ride the ferry to PEI. But you’ll have to pay to get off Prince Edward Island, either on the ferry or the bridge.
During our trip, we left PEI on the Confederation Bridge, a 13-km bridge connecting New Brunswick with central Prince Edward Island. The Confederation Bridge is a toll bridge, and the 2024 fee for a standard auto is $50.25 CAN.
Note: No one is allowed to stay in their vehicle during the crossing, but there is enough to occupy passengers on the 75-minute voyage.
The Charlottetown Airport (YYG) offers service from Eastern Canadian destinations on Air Canada.
Nearby Sites to Explore
Prince Edward Island National Seashore—Located near Cavendish, the protected area makes the water warmer than the North Atlantic. In August, it reaches a high temperature of close to 70F, so it’s great for splashing and wading.
Dalvay-by-the-Sea National Historic Site—Built in 1895, it’s a 25-room summer resort tucked in the park that recently hosted HRH Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. A public tour isn’t offered by enjoy afternoon tea on the weekends.
Charlottetown—Explore the largest city and the capital of Prince Edward Island.
Cruising?
Charlottetown is a cruise ship port-of-call, like Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
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Know Before You Go
- PEI is a busy summertime destination, and lodging reservations are a must during the peak season.
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