Trip Summary10 Days / 9 Nights
|
Come join us for a ride around Prince Edward Island, affectionately called PEI. Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province – both in area and population.
The island is one of Canada’s eastern provinces and enjoys beautiful beaches, spectacular sunsets, lighthouses, farms, craft artisans and a rich history. PEI is also home to the fictional Anne of Green Gables. Anne of Green Gables is a 1908 novel written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
PEI is home to the Confederation Trail, a converted railway line, which is now a rolled stone dust bike path that traverses through the island for over 200 miles, offering car-free riding without steep elevation changes. About one-third of this tour’s recommended riding is on the trail. We found the trail to be beautiful, smooth and we were able to ride at nearly the same speed as we do on the road, without worrying about cars. We recommend wider tires for comfort and safety.
| Day 1 |   We will meet at the family-owned Fairholm National Historic Inn, about five miles from the Charlottetown airport*. We will assemble bikes, walk around the town of Charlottetown, admire the Victorian architecture and have a group dinner. We also offer a short ride to see the sights of the town. After dinner we will enjoy the musical play Anne of Green Gables at the nearby Confederation Center of the Arts.
* Note that there are cabs to take you from the airport to our start point. If you are traveling with a full sized tandem, we may be able to help you depending on when you arrive. |
| Day 2 |   We stick around Charlottetown for one more day and offer a 40 mile loop ride where we will travel through lovely farmland. After the ride, if you have a car, you can repark your car at the long term lot at the Charlottetown airport. We can give you a lift back. Dinner is on your own in one of the many restaurants near our inn. |
| Day 3 |  We head over to the western side of the island. You will have a choice of rides from 34 to 98 miles. Most of today’s ride is on the Confederation Trail. The shorter routes involve transport in the morning. We end the day at the West Point Lighthouse Museum and Inn where we will stay. We will have a lobster bake on the beach. |
| Day 4 |  We offer loop rides today that take you to the Canadian Potato Museum, home of the world’s largest statue of a potato. (We won’t ruin it for you by putting a picture here!) Have lunch at the museum. Their french fries cannot be beat! In the mid-afternoon, we will offer transport to the northernmost point of the island where there is a lighthouse, wind energy interpretive center and walking trail. Ride options will be in the 30 to 100 mile range. (The 100 mile ride takes you all the way to the North Point Lighthouse.) We will enjoy a group dinner by the lighthouse. |
| Day 5 |  We offer a choice of rides today – from 40 to 110 miles. The shorter distances involve transport in the morning. We will continue to ride through fantastic coastal towns, to the town of Dalvay. We will pass through the town of Cavendish, known for it’s connection with the Anne of Green Gables story and the Anne of Green Gables Museum. We ride along beaches and coastal parks to end our day at a Inn that is located within a National Park. We will enjoy a group dinner at the Inn. |
| Day 6 |  We will enjoy a layover day at the Dalvay by the Sea Inn where you can enjoy loop rides into the countryside. You can visit the Island Honey Wine Company for a tour and a taste of their delicious mead. We will enjoy a group dinner. Ride options are 30 to 50 miles. |
| Day 7 |  We leave Dalvay enroute to the town of Montague on the eastern side of PEI. More lighthouses, artisan shops, home made ice cream, quiet roads and beautiful scenery. Dinner is on your own in one of the restaurants within walking distance of our hotel. Today’s rides range for 40 to 55 miles. |
| Day 8 |  On this layover day in Montague, you can relax, enjoy the town, stroll through the Artisan Craft Market, rent kayaks or take a fishing boat tour. You can also ride your tandem. We also offer loop rides ranging from 30 to about 65 miles. We will enjoy a group dinner. |
| Day 9 |  Today’s ride is 35 miles back to Charlottetown. You can stop at the Orwell Corner Historic Village for a glimpse into 19th Century life on the Island. Once you are back in Charlottetown, if you have a car, we will give you a lift to the airport where you left your car at the start of the tour. We will enjoy a final group dinner in Charlottetown. |
| Day 10 |  After breakfast at the Inn, we will say our goodbyes. (Note that we do offer some additional rides for those who opt to spend a few more days on the Island.) |
| Route |
Miles |
| Day 1 Exploring Charlottetown Loop | 6 |
| Day 2 Charlottetown Loop | 42 |
| Day 3 Charlottetown to West Point | 34, 50 or 98 |
| Day 4 West Point Loops | 26, 39 or 93 |
| Day 5 West Point to Dalvay | 37, 54 or 111 |
| Day 6 Dalvay Loops | 33 or 47 |
| Day 7 Dalvay to Montague (required riding) | 40 or 53 |
| Day 8 Montague Loops | 32, 47 or 66 |
| Day 9 Montague to Charlottetown (required riding) | 34 |
| Total Miles if you ride every day | 285 to 550 |
The hills on the island are pretty consistent and average about 35 feet per mile. Most of it at a gentle 2-3% grade.
Note that we are offering this tour twice.
This is a nine night trip. We limit the size of our tours to be no more than ten couples. We only accept couples on tandem bikes. Come join us!
What is included?
- Nine nights lodging (see the hotels/country inns below)
- Seven breakfasts (one hotel offers a continental breakfast that was a bit on the light side. There are nice breakfast options close to the hotel.)
- Seven dinners
- Routes
- Luggage transport
- Transport on two days to help shorten rides
- Transport to the north end of the Island
Note that we do not provide any bicycles. We expect that you have a tandem that is in good working order and that you are able to assemble your bike. If you do not have your own tandem, you can rent a coupled tandem from Mel at Tandems East. Mel also sells tandems, so if you end up renting from him, you might get a discount if you purchase a bike from them. If you have a tandem that is not coupled, it is possible to bring it, but you should make sure that all of your flights could handle the larger box. If you have a tandem that is not coupled it is possible to bring it, but you should make sure that all of your flights could handle the larger box.
What is not included?
- Airfare
- Transportation to the Fairholm Inn (start point)
- Meals, other than those mentioned above
- Alcoholic beverages
- Admissions to points of interest
What is the average mileage per day? The mileage on this tour is very flexible. We have a number of layover days at hotels and transport on days that we change hotels. There are only two days – Day 7, from Dalvay to Montague and Day 9 Montague to Charlottetown, that are required riding. You can see the other day’s riding options in the table above.
Where will we be staying?
While this could change, here are the inns and hotels that we plan to stay in.