On the northern shores of Prince Edward Island off the eastern coast of Canada lies Cavendish, a rural community abundant in rugged natural beauty. The town is flanked by glistening beaches, rust-colored sandstone cliffs, and golden dunes. Cavendish Beach’s vast stretches of sand, and gentle waters warmed by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, form an idyllic spot for swimming, beachcombing, and sunbathing.

Prince Edward Island National Park, just east of town, is home to lush woodlands, hiking trails, and Green Gables Heritage Place, a beloved literary landmark. The island supplies restaurants across North America with shellfish, and restaurants and cafes along the coastline serve up freshly caught lobster, mussels, and oysters. In addition to being a destination in its own right, Cavendish’s prime location makes it a gateway to exploring the rest of Prince Edward Island.

The closest airport to Cavendish is Charlottetown Airport (YYG), about a 40-minute drive. While there are currently no public transportation options for getting to town from the airport, plenty of taxis and ride-hailing services are available, as well as car rental. If you are driving from Nova Scotia, a ferry from the town of Caribou will get you and your car to PEI’s Wood Islands in just 75 minutes, with another hour to drive north to Cavendish. The town itself is easy to explore on foot or bike, but you may find a rental car is the most convenient option for reaching your vacation rental in Cavendish and will give you the freedom to explore the rest of Prince Edward Island.

The spring and summer months provide the warmest weather and optimal conditions for enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming. Cavendish experiences frequent rain and snowfall throughout most of the year, so it’s a good idea to pack an extra layer or two, no matter the season. At the beginning of July, the town hosts a music festival on the beach that features four days of live performances from global artists. The Fall Flavors Festival, held in September, is a month-long, island-wide food festival that features more than 300 culinary events, including a food hike.

Winters on Prince Edward Island can be very cold and windy, and you are likely to see a good deal of snow, but there is still plenty to do as long as you’re dressed appropriately. Winter sports opportunities abound, including speed-skating, tubing, snowmobiling, and fat-tire biking.

Green Gables Heritage Place

Green Gables Heritage Place — a literary landmark found within L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish National Historic Site — provides the opportunity to peruse the landscape that inspired a popular novel by one of Canada’s most celebrated authors. The site includes a visitor center, a farmhouse with a green-gabled roof, gardens planted in 19th-century fashion, and several walking trails.

Homestead Trail

This four-mile loop brings you across rolling hills and pastoral farmland, with glimpses of red sandstone cliffs and Cavendish Beach. After meandering through a lush spruce forest, you’ll arrive at picnic tables overlooking New London Bay and the Cavendish Dunes, where you can restore your spirits before finishing the hike.

Confederation Bridge

A 40-minute drive southwest to Borden-Carleton will bring you to the eight-mile-long Confederation Bridge, which connects New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The bridge, supported by more than 60 piers, is one of the world’s longest bridges crossing ice-covered water. You can admire this impressive engineering feat from afar, or hop on a shuttle that transports visitors across the stretch. If you decide to drive across the bridge, you’ll have to pay a toll on the westbound side.