Journey to enchanting Prince Edward Island, where the legacy of L.M. Montgomery and the beloved tale of Anne of Green Gables come to life. This travel guide highlights significant locations connected to Montgomery and her iconic creation, Anne Shirley. During my visit in 2006, I explored these captivating sites, each steeped in history and brimming with charm. As you read on, click the links to delve deeper into each destination, view historic photos and stunning landscapes, and share in my personal reflections on L.M. Montgomery's influence and literary career.
Cavendish
Green Gables Heritage Place - Explore the farm that inspired the setting of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. As a National Historic Site, the house has been faithfully decorated as the fictional Green Gables. In this space, fiction meets reality. Look at the accurately furnished rooms, including Anne Shirley's cheery bedroom. Pose for a photo in Matthew's buggy, and try some raspberry cordial. Take a walk down the Haunted Wood Trail, Lover's Lane, and the Balsam Hollow Trail to immerse yourself in the landscapes that captured Montgomery's imagination.
Lover’s Lane and the Balsam Hollow Trail - Located at Green Gables Heritage Place, L.M. Montgomery named the pathway between the barnyard and the pastures "Lover's Lane." In her novel, Anne Shirley bestows the same name upon the picturesque path below the orchard at Green Gables. Wander along Lover’s Lane and immerse yourself in the beautiful setting that inspired Montgomery’s storytelling.
The Haunted Wood Trail - Also located at Green Gables Heritage Place, this trail is steeped in mystery and childhood fears. L.M. Montgomery once believed these woods to be haunted, a sentiment echoed by Anne and Diana in Anne of Green Gables. Dare to walk along the Haunted Wood Trail and let your imagination run wild with every rustle and shadow. The Haunted Wood Trail connects to the Site of L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish Home and winds by the Cavendish Cemetery, where L.M. Montgomery's grave is located. Along your journey, visit the nearby Green Gables Post Office and Cavendish United Church before returning to Green Gables through the Haunted Wood.
The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home - L.M. Montgomery spent over three decades (1876–1911) at her beloved Cavendish home with her maternal grandparents, a place she fondly called "hallowed ground." It was within these walls that she penned Anne of Green Gables. Today, you can visit the remains of the homestead where she grew up and immerse yourself in the landscape that inspired Montgomery's timeless tales.
Cavendish Cemetery - A visit to Cavendish Cemetery offers a moment of quiet reflection at the final resting place of L.M. Montgomery. Her husband, the Reverend Ewen MacDonald, is buried beside her. Nearby, you'll find the graves of Montgomery's maternal grandparents, Alexander and Lucy Woolner Macneill, and her mother, Clara Macneill Montgomery.
The Cavendish Post Office aka The Green Gables Post Office - L.M. Montgomery and her grandparents once ran the Cavendish Post Office from their homestead. The modern post office, located near the site of their old home, features an exhibit about how the postal service played a vital role in Montgomery’s life and early writing career. Anything mailed from this post office is stamped with a special Anne of Green Gables, Cavendish PE postage mark.
Cavendish United Church - Just a short walk from the Site of L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish Home, the Cavendish Presbyterian Church (now the Cavendish United Church) holds deep ties to the author's life. Montgomery was an active member of this church, which is located next door to the Green Gables Post Office. L.M. Montgomery's future husband, the Reverend Ewen MacDonald, served as the church's minister from 1903 to 1906.
A couple places I didn't have the chance to visit:
Montgomery Park (external link) - Located across from the Cavendish Cemetery, this park opened in 2019 to honor L.M. Montgomery. Here, you can relax and pose for a photo while sitting beside a life-size bronze statue of Montgomery designed by Grace Curtis and cast by Nathan Scott.
Location: 7512 PE-13, Green Gables, PE C0A 1M0, Canada
Avonlea Village (external link) - This site is a charming recreation of L.M. Montgomery's fictional village of Avonlea. Two historically significant buildings from L.M. Montgomery's life were relocated to the village for restoration and preservation. The one-room schoolhouse, where Montgomery taught from 1896–1897, was moved from Belmont, and the Long River Church, which Montgomery attended with her family during visits to Park Corner, was brought to the site. Adding to the illusion, the Cow's ice cream shop has been designed to look like the Bright River train station where Anne Shirley first met Matthew Cuthbert. Stop for a bite at one of the eateries and visit the shops in this nostalgic village.
Location: 8779 Route 6 Cavendish, PE, C0A 1N0
Charlottetown
Confederation Centre of the Arts - This vibrant cultural arts hub is known for its long-running production of Anne of Green Gables — The Musical, a beloved show that has captivated audiences for decades. The Confederation Centre also houses many of L.M. Montgomery's original manuscripts in its archives including her original handwritten manuscript of Anne of Green Gables.
The L.M. Montgomery Institute - Established in 1993 at the University of Prince Edward Island, the institute is dedicated to fostering research and exploration into the life and works of the beloved author L.M. Montgomery.
Anne and Gilbert, the Musical - This delightful musical brings to life the romance between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. Inspired by Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island, this heartwarming story continues to captivate audiences. This year, you can experience the magic on stage in Charlottetown.
New London
Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace - L.M. Montgomery was born in this house on November 30, 1874. She spent her earliest days here until tragedy struck with her mother’s death when Montgomery was just 21 months old. Step into the bedroom where her life began, view a replica of L.M. Montgomery's wedding dress, and peek into personal scrapbooks filled with her stories and poems.
Park Corner
Senator Donald Montgomery's House - L.M. Montgomery's paternal grandfather, Senator Donald Montgomery, lived in this charming home in Park Corner, which inspired the fictional Ingleside, the beloved home of Anne and Gilbert. Formerly a museum, the house is currently an inn. Visitors can stroll down L.M. Montgomery's Alpine Path to the banks of the Lake of Shining Waters.
The Anne of Green Gables Museum - This private house museum is dedicated to the life of L.M. Montgomery. Located next to the Lake of Shining Waters, Montgomery loved to visit her aunt, uncle, and jolly cousins who lived here. This house inspired Silver Bush in the Pat of Silver Bush series. Despite its name, which causes some confusion, the museum primarily focuses on L.M. Montgomery and not on Anne of Green Gables.
North Shore
Dalvay-by-the-Sea - Perched on the north shore of the island, this hotel is instantly recognizable as the White Sands Hotel to fans of Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea. It operates as a seasonal hotel and restaurant and has striking views of the ocean and Dalvay Lake.
Bideford
Bideford Parsonage Museum - Now a historical museum, this parsonage was once home to L.M. Montgomery from 1894–1895 while she taught at the Bideford school. It was here that the humorous liniment cake incident, famously depicted in Anne of Green Gables, actually happened. Learn about the era by viewing the museum's collection of vintage household items and artifacts.
Bedque
Lucy Maud Montgomery Lower Bedeque School - Explore this restored one-room schoolhouse that L.M. Montgomery taught in from 1897–1898. Stand at the front of the classroom and imagine yourself stepping into Montgomery's shoes or channel your inner Anne Shirley, envisioning your first day as a teacher at the Avonlea school.
Created July 17, 2007. Last updated September 3, 2024.
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