Families across Atlantic Canada are flocking to Prince Edward Island to get the magical summer vacation they’ve been dreaming about since last fall.
Whether you have teens who want to try new watersports, kids who can’t wait to scream with delight on roller coasters and water slides, or toddlers who’ll giggle when the waves tickle their little toes, there’s fun awaiting every family on Prince Edward Island.
THEME PARKS TO EXPLORE
Matthew Jelley with Maritime Fun Group says the Island’s two biggest theme parks — Shining Waters and Sandspit — are running smoothly with their new safety precautions. Both parks are operating with a smaller capacity and requiring reservations so there’s plenty of space to allow for social distancing.
Families heading to Sandspit can reserve tickets for either a 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. time slot, with an hour-long closure in between so the park can be properly cleaned. (A tip from Jelley is to create an online account, which will allow you to change your park reservation up to 24 hours beforehand.)
Since social distancing would be impossible on the rides, guests need to wear masks while waiting in line and riding. The water rides, however, don’t require masks since they’d just get soaked.
Sandspit traditionally operated as a pay-as-you-go park where you only needed to pay if you rode the rides, but now that the park’s capacity is limited, Jelley says they made an important change for this summer.
“Everyone now needs a bracelet, but we’ve lowered our prices to allow for that,” explains Jelley. “Overall, it’s going very well. Guests are enjoying the reduced capacity because they’re able to get a lot more rides in.”
MINI GOLF, LASER TAG AND MORE
He says Maritime Fun’s other attractions on Prince Edward Island — like Cavendish Beach Adventure Zone, Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium, Wax World of the Stars, Mariner’s Cove Boardwalk and River of Adventure Mini Golf — have only needed to make minor changes to allow for social distancing. Maritime Fun’s final two attractions — the “haunted” Route 6 Motel and the Hangar Laser Tag Arena — finally reopened last weekend and now require small-group reservations.
“The Cavendish area continues to be the leading cluster of family attractions in Atlantic Canada, and we’re proud we’ve been able to put measures in place to ensure all of our attractions could reopen this year,” says Jelley.
HOMEMADE ICE CREAM WITH A TWIST
The old Holman Homestead on Fitzroy Street in Summerside dates back to 1855, and local merchant Robert Tinson Holman lived there during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
When it looked like the rambling old heritage home might be demolished in 2016, Ken Meister and his family decided to buy it and turn it into an ice cream parlour. They had no experience making ice cream but they dove in, spoonfirst, and now they rotate through about 100 different flavours — each made in small batches using fresh cream from the nearby ADL plant.
“It was a steep learning curve, from military air operations to making ice cream for a living, but now we have the best ice cream on P.E.I.,” promises Meister.
The Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour property is right out of a fairy tale, with lush gardens and the vintage ice cream parlour set up in the historic home. Meister says folks of all ages love the heavenly aroma of the freshly-baked waffle cones and homemade sauces that complement the made-from-scratch ice cream.
“Our staff love working here because everyone’s always happy and smiling,” says Meister. “Whether you’re two years old or 92 years old, everybody likes coming into an ice cream parlour.”
PICNICS AND TOURS AND ADVENTURES — OH MY!
Want to take the family for a picnic? Chef Michael Smith and his team at The Inn at Bay Fortune are packing gourmet baskets with goodies like fresh sourdough bread, smoked brisket, homemade sausage, smoked salmon potato salad, creamsicle panna cotta and chewy chocolate chip cookies.
Looking for a fun way to experience something new? Tour company Experience P.E.I. offers engaging two- and three-hour tours where you and your family can learn from the experts, whether it’s how to sculpt an amazing sandcastle (with local artist Maurice Bernard), how to carve your own souvenir from local materials (with the pros at McAskill’s Woodworking) or where to grab some of the tastiest fare on the Island.
Want to bring your bikes over to the Island? The Confederation Trail stretches 273km from tip to tip and covers 470km in total. Prince Edward Island’s trails community relations coordinator Ruth DeLong says it’s a wonderful spot for kids to ride since it’s safely off the roads — built on the old railway lines — and almost totally flat.
THE VERY BEST BEACH DAYS
Prince Edward Island has more than 1,100km of shoreline and the very best beaches in Atlantic Canada, so it isn’t a complete trip to the Island without time spent exploring its soft sand and warm waters.
Older kids and teens will love getting adventurous with windsurfing, kiteboarding or stand-up paddleboarding, and little ones will be happy to build sandcastles and splash around in the waves. How about a family kayaking or canoeing tour, exploring coastal nooks and crannies?
Social distancing is easy on the beach, where there’s always plenty of sand for everyone to spread out and enjoy the fresh air. All that’s left is for you to hit the bridge — or the ferry — and bring your family over to play on the Island.
To explore more family vacation options available on Prince Edward Island this summer, visit ExplorePEI.com.
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