Page 135 - Travel Guide to Canada 2019
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PE
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                                                                                                                Park Pick


                                                                                                                ARDGOWAN NATIONAL HISTORIC
                                                                                                                SITE, CHARLOTTETOWN
                                                                                                                                        th
                                                                                                                Ardgowan, a gracious 19  century
                                                                                                                Gothic revival residence not far from
                                                                                                                downtown Charlottetown, was the
                                                                                                                home of William Henry Pope, one of
                                                                                                                the Fathers of Confederation. It’s an
                                                                                                                example of a large rural “cottage” from
                                                                                                                the Victorian era and was the scene of
                                                                                                                lavish entertaining in 1864 during the
                                                                                                                historic Charlottetown Conference.
                                                                                                                The interior—which now houses Parks
                                                                                                                Canada’s administrative offi  ces for all
                                                                                                                P.E.I. holdings—isn’t open for public
                                                                                                                tours, but visitors are encouraged to
                                                                                                                stroll around the gorgeous grounds
                                                                                                                and perhaps pause for a picnic. Pope
                                                                                                                was an avid gardener and the sprawl-
            CHARLOTTETOWN • DESTINATION CANADA/DISCOVER CHARLOTTETOWN
                                                                                                                ing property refl ects his passion
                                                                                                                (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ardgowan).
            ones, drawn from the eponymous bay, have         SCENIC DRIVES  
            set the gold standard for more than a           The 350-km (217-mi.) North Cape Coastal              National Parks and Historic Sites:
                                                                                                                      www.parkscanada.gc.ca
            century. Sample them waterside or slurp         Drive is full of contrasts. It’s quickly getting                1-888-773-8888
            some back at the Fall Flavours Festival         a reputation as the Canadian Oyster Coast.
            (www.fallfl avours.ca).                         There is everything here from Mi’kmaq and
                                                            Acadian communities to secluded beaches          Corner Historic Village and Roma at Three
            Conceived by celebrity chef Michael Smith,      and towering wind turbines (www.                 Rivers National Historic Site (www.points
            The Inn at Bay Fortune’s FireWorks Feast        northcapedrive.com).                             eastcoastaldrive.com). 

            features multiple courses cooked in a
            7.5-m-long (25-ft.) wood-burning,               The 253-km (157-mi.) Central Coastal             FAMILY FUN                                      
            fi re-breathing stove that has an integrated    Drive—which includes Green Gables Shore          Kids of all ages love making sandcastles,
            smokehouse, hearth, grill, plancha, rotisserie   and Red Sands Shore—covers key Anne             and Maurice Bernard is the expert in
            and oven (www.innatbayfortune.com).             sites and much of PEI National Park, plus        residence at PEI National Park. You can
                                                                                                  communities ranging from commercial   sign up for Experience PEI’s “Sensational
            The entire world seems to know about            Cavendish to quaint Victoria-by-the-Sea          Sandcastles” program to get a lesson from
            COWS ice cream. Its 36 varieties are            (www.centralcoastalpei.com).                     the master. If you just want to admire the
            available at several locations in P.E.I., but                                                    creations, drop by the third Saturday of
            you can get the inside scoop at COWS            The 475-km (295-mi.) Points East Coastal         July for the park’s annual Great Island
            Creamery on the outskirts of Charlottetown.     Drive is dotted with lighthouses and lined       Sandcastle Competition (www.parks
            Sign up for a tour which is educational,        with 50-odd beaches. There are timely            canada.gc.ca/pei; www.experience
            fun and delicious (www.cows.ca).                attractions, too—among them Orwell               pei.ca/sensational-sandcastles).















                                                                                     • Atlantic Canada Receptive Service Specialists
                                                                                     • Multi-lingual Step-on Guides
                                                                                     • Self-Drive Getaways

                                                                                     • Custom Group Tour Planning
                                                                                     • Cruise Ship Shore Excursions



               53 Silver Terrace, Bedford, Nova Scotia     Tel: 902-422-2861 / 1-800-565-8296     www.taymactours.com
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