I explored PEI through the lens of "Anne of Green Gables" — here's how it went

It seems strange to let an 11-year-old guide you through Prince Edward Island, but then again, few understand the island’s charms quite like Anne of Green Gables character Anne Shirley.

Reading the Canadian literary classic is one thing, but exploring the places that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery to write about Anne, a red-haired orphan girl adopted by a brother and sister, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, in the fictional PEI town of Avonlea, is quite another.

I thought that watching fireworks spraying from Toronto’s CN Tower on Canada’s 150th birthday while eating Timbits was easily the most Canadian experience one could ever have. I was wrong.

Flying over PEI, a patchwork of red soil and green farmland, on my Air Canada flight while listening to the Audible version of Anne of Green Gables as I got ready to immerse myself in the land of Anne, I remember thinking, “It really doesn’t get more Canadian than this.”

Here’s how my trip went. If you’re an Anne fan, you might want to take notes about where to go if you ever visit PEI.

The world of LM Montgomery

Before kicking off our Anne of Green Gables tour with Tourism PEI, we stopped for lunch at PEI Preserve Company, which is known for its wide variety of preserves. Since PEI grows a variety of potatoes in abundance, it felt only right to order the potato pie (I cannot recommend this enough, but the portions were huge).

I spot Anne after lunch as I’m browsing through the restaurant’s gift section — on a bright red bottle of raspberry cordial.

Fans will likely be amused at the sight of the drink. Excited to host her bestie, Diana, Anne serves her what she assumes is raspberry cordial. But when Diana ends up drunk, Anne learns that she accidentally served her currant wine.

Next, we head to the Anne of Green Gables Museum, which was the home of LM Montgomery’s Uncle John and Aunt Annie Campbell.

The house, built in 1872, is especially significant because it’s where LM Montgomery was inspired to write several of her novels, and the home still belongs to the Campbell family today.

In fact, right next to the building is Campbell’s Pond, which is known in the book as Barry’s Pond. However, in the book, the name is too ordinary for Anne, who decides to give it a far more enchanting name: The Lake of Shining Waters.

Inside, the beautifully preserved home offers glimpses into the life of the author: photos of her wedding day, the suit she wore to travel for her honeymoon, and her “Crazy Quilt.”

Not too far from the museum is LM Montgomery’s Birthplace.

The author was born on November 30, 1874, and lived in a small home for just 21 months. After her mother died of tuberculosis, she ended up living with her grandparents.

Now, the home features an impressive collection of the author’s scrapbooks, which include her stories, poems, and letters. There’s even a replica of her wedding gown.

Even avid fans of the author are likely to learn something new here.

Many different Annes

It’s hard to miss Anne.

Throughout my trip, I spotted her on almost everything: the back of a truck advertising the upcoming play, on boxes of chocolates, and even on tea towels.

But nowhere is her presence more notable than at the Green Gables Heritage Place, where I learned that ever since the book entered the public domain, it’s hard to know exactly how many languages it has been translated into.

Here stands the Green Gables House, a farmhouse that belonged to the Macneill family, cousins of LM Montgomery. With several rooms added to it over time, the house certainly has a cobbled-together feel. It’s also the setting that inspired the home in which Anne was raised by the Cuthbert siblings.

The home is decorated with period-accurate furniture and ornaments. Upstairs is Anne’s bedroom, where you can spot the brown dress with puffed sleeves — a Christmas present from Matthew.

Not far from the house is the famous Lover’s Lane. The path was used for taking the cows to pasture, but Anne definitely gave it a much more romantic name.

Haunted Wood, where Anne imagines several terrifying creatures living (much to the annoyance of Marilla), is nearby. However, in fairness to Anne, the woods are rather dense, and once the sun starts to set and the wind picks up, it’s not hard to imagine why 11-year-olds would want to stay clear of the place at night.

The following day, we headed to the Confederation Centre of the Arts, where we met the cast and crew of Anne of Green Gables — The Musical, which is set to open on Wednesday, June 19 at Sobey Family Theatre.

Robin Calvert directs the show, which features a mostly female cast and crew. Kelsey Verzotti will play Anne, while Marlene Habdrahan will play Marilla. The musical was first launched in the 1960s, and the cast still uses the same set pieces today.

The play’s popularity is evidence of generations of readers’ love for Anne, an orphan with nowhere to go who finds a family and a home in an unlikely place. It’s definitely something to think about as I sit here in Toronto sipping a glass of raspberry cordial — since it’s still a little too early for currant wine.

How to experience Anne’s life for yourself

If you have always been curious about exploring PEI and checking out these places for yourself, Air Canada is making it easier than ever.

Between July and October, Air Canada offers three daily flights to PEI from Toronto and two times daily from Montreal to Charlottetown with Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express.

If you aren’t able to make it that far east, you can actually listen to the family classic, which is narrated by a stellar all-Canadian cast, including Sandra Oh, Catherine O’Hara, Victor Garber, and Michela Luci on your next flight as it’s now part of the Audible Family Listens channel through Air Canada’s in-flight entertainment.

The author of this post was hosted by Audible, PEI Tourism, and Air Canada.

You might also like:
• A hiker's high: The ultimate journey to Peru's Lares Valley and Machu Picchu
• Walk on the mild side: 11 relaxing BC bucket-list adventures
• A foodie's guide to unique culinary experiences in Peru