How to explore Prince Edward Island by bike

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Almost 10 years ago I found Nirvana cycling on Prince Edward Island. I cycled five kilometers to a neighborhood bakery. Ten more kilometers led to a fish shack with the best fish and chips I had ever eaten. Another 10km and I was biking on a boardwalk right next to a beach where I found an ice cream parlor and joy. Pure joy.

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Ever since then I’ve wanted to go back. If I’ve learned anything from the pandemic, it’s to seize the day. There’s no point in procrastinating on the things you really want to do with the people you love. To that end, my husband and I decided to spend a full week biking (and eating) around Prince Edward Island.

One of North America’s most bike-friendly destinations

Canada’s smallest province is one of the most bike-friendly places in North America. The Confederation Trail stretches 435 km from peak to peak through the middle of the island. Built on an abandoned railroad bed, this section of the Trans Canada Trail passes through beautiful countryside with quaint villages, rolling fields, gorgeous ocean vistas, and plenty of tasty food stops, including some in old train stations.

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In September 2021, a new trail was added to the mix on Prince Edward Island. The Island Walk is a 700km trek inspired by the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Europe. The trail circumnavigates the island province using a combination of existing trails, dirt roads and public highways. Although it’s called the Island Walk, you can also experience this route by bike.

The Island Walk by Bike is the newest bike route offered by MacQueen’s Bike Shop & Island Tours in Charlottetown. On our most recent trip, MacQueen’s organized a unique six-day bike tour in the province’s central region that included the Confederation Trail, the Island Walk and stretches of quiet country roads. The itinerary also included suggested activities. and places to eat and drink.

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Pick up bikes and dispose of luggage

Although we arrived in Charlottetown the night before in pouring rain, the sun shone on the first day of our bike ride. When you arrange a bike tour with MacQueen’s, they take care of everything. All accommodation was booked in advance and daily luggage transfers were also arranged in advance. We dropped our luggage and picked up the bikes and gear at their family run shop in Charlottetown. We were also fitted with a pre-programmed Garmin GPS that identified the recommended cycling route each day.

The route took us along the Confederation Trail, the Island Walk and along quiet country roads with little traffic. It was a great contrast to the busy roads that google maps would have drawn for us if we had planned this ourselves.

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Our itinerary included an average of about 50km of cycling per day. We had the choice between standard bikes and e-bikes. We rode e-bikes and didn’t regret it.

Trip Highlights – Great views, Lobster Rolls, Ice Cream and more

We were a bit nervous cycling through Charlottetown, but once we got to the Confederation Trail it was easy. On our first day and every day after that, we biked both the Confederation Trail and the Island Walk Trail, as well as quiet country roads. We stayed in quaint B&B style accommodations in Victoria by the Sea, Summerside, Kensington, North Rustico, Dalvay by the Sea and Charlottetown.

Biking is slow travel at its finest and we made many stops along the way at historic sites, antique shops, farms, bakeries, ice cream shops, lighthouses and 19th century churches.

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We even stopped for a selfie with the world’s largest whisk in hand – random but funny. We also explored beautiful beaches and other locations in Cabot Beach Provincial Park and Prince Edward Island National Park.

The Boardwalk Inn at Summerside was our second B&B and our favorite place to stay on this trip. Every guest of the B&B receives a small teddy bear, which they can take with them on their further journey. Ed the bear rode the rest of the ride on my bike.

In the evenings we explored local sights, took long walks along beautiful beaches and enjoyed live music or live theater as often as possible. We saw a performance by an Abba tribute band at the Harbourfront Theater in Summerside and attended the premiere of Tell Tale Harbour, a musical comedy co-written and starring musician and actor Alan Doyle, at the Confederation Center for the Arts in Charlottetown.

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Having previously hiked the Camino de Santiago, we were excited to experience the new Island Walk, sometimes referred to as the Canadian Camino. While we didn’t see all of the new trails, the sections we explored were beautiful, tree-lined red clay trails that bore a striking resemblance to the European Camino.

Best of all, we met lovely people and enjoyed dining at wonderful restaurants in the quaint maritime communities we visited.

Whether it was the fantastic lobster rolls at the Lobster Barn Pub and Eatery in Victoria by the Sea, dining at old train station pubs in Summerside and Kensington, or just a delicious ice cream at the Cows Creamery, there was no shortage of delicious food and it was well worth it to cycle 50 km.

Even without the great food, the nice people and the incredible scenery, the trip was worth it.

Debbie Olsen is an award-winning author of Métis and a national best-selling author. Follow her at www.wanderwoman.ca.