Thanks for joining us on this year’s Family road trip to Prince Edward Island!
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Local Teen Dies of Boredom on Family Road Trip
By: Dirk Boldrick
I remember car trips when I was a kid. We would start out so excited, but part way in we would all wonder what on earth we had been thinking. Dad had a time frame so we drove for eight hours nonstop except maybe to pee. Mom made egg salad sandwiches which got warm in the car and made us drink milk that was also getting warm. My parents argued over when to stop and where to stay if it was a two or three day car trip. You never wanted to be the kid who had to sit in the middle with the floor hump or the one who had the dog sitting at your feet the whole way. By the end though, when the destination was close, excited would build again. Those were the days!
Today, kids can’t handle even short family car trips, never mind those long ones that last for days. Last summer when we drove down East, my son was convinced that he would literally die from boredom. He had a cell phone, a laptop with downloaded movies, and reclining seat with pillow and blanket. Our van has air conditioning. He was in constant contact with his friends – texting, tweeting, snapchatting, instagramming and calling. How could he be bored? I felt like we were on a two hour feeding schedule with a newborn as we stopped at every McDonald’s, Harvey’s, and St. Hubert from here to PEI.
We crossed that bridge many hours later, and guess what, he had not died. In fact, the bridge became a turning point. He started chatting excitedly about past trips and making faces about eating lobsters. We talked about where we would eat and noticed those familiar sights that let us know we are there. This is why we do it. In the end we don’t remember the middle of the trip where we are tired and sore and just want to be there. We remember it as a journey and a chance for us to bond over shared memories. We are excited to see what becomes this summer’s funny story or memory. I know that this isn’t something that will suit every family. It certainly is not easy with really little kids or in a very small vehicle. I know that a lot of people,especially these days, don’t have the luxury of enough time off to spend it driving. I also know that when my son goes home he will probably tell his friends how awful it was, but I hope that when he looks back, many years from now, he will smile and groan about the floor hump and the warm egg salad sandwiches and remember that it made our family closer and that he will carry on the tradition of the family road trip. It is what works for us.
Lobster Haters Guide to PEI
By: Francis Boldrick
Every year we head down to the East Coast. We pack the van with family, pets, suitcases and whatever else we need to feel at home, and off we go. Thirteen hours later I can smell the ocean and I think…. “Gosh this smells awful”. How do people love that smell – dead fish and seaweed. We then pass the many fish processing plants, the lobster wharf, the oyster socks in the bays and I think, “Yuck!” Everyone else in my family starts drooling. Can you eat well if you don’t like seafood? Can you enjoy a trip to Prince Edward Island if you hate lobster? What if it isn’t just lobster that you hate, but all fish and seafood? The good news is, you can!
Most restaurants have other options for the land lovers in the group. Even the famous chef, Michael Smith, has so many courses for his evening meal at Fireworks, located at the Inn at Bay Fortune, that you can skip the seafood and just enjoy the other 10 courses. He starts with oyster hour, but in his outdoor garden he was serving alpaca tacos and fresh pork sausage with homemade ketchup. Once we sat down there was salad with 50 greens/plants from the garden, beef done three ways and the meal ends with homemade marshmallows (rhubarb/rosemary) roasted over a fire outside. It isn’t a cheap meal, but it is a beautiful drive to Bay Fortune and is worth the experience, especially if you get to meet Michael Smith.
For many visitors, the famous lobster dinners are a must do. Places like New Glasgow are known for this feasts which are based on the idea of the church supper, but they do realize that not everyone likes lobsters. They have roast beef and chicken on the menu as well as many salads, rolls and the best pies you could ever imagine. I highly recommend this experience because you won’t leave hungry.
My real food passion in PEI though is the other thing they are famous for – potatoes! In fact there is an entire museum in O’Leary dedicated to the potato. The snack bar there only serves dishes made from potatoes such as french fries, potato pancakes, potato cake, potato donuts and potato chips. It is perfection. A drive through the little village near the Cavendish Potato Factory leaves me like a dog with its head out the window. The smell of french fries fills the air!
My other favourite food item is found in Charlottetown. Charlottetown is a tourists’ dream and they have the most amazing candy shop on Grafton street. I bought so many retro gummies last year that it cost me $70.00. Who needs dinner when you have $70.00 worth of gummies? Making this even better is that it is steps from the famous Cow’s Ice Cream shop. Gummies can be the main course and ice cream can be desert!
So, if you are not a seafood fan, do not worry about a trip to PEI. There is so much amazing food on the island. You will not starve and your stomach will thank you for taking you there. Here are my top 5 restaurants that sell more than seafood:
- Terra Rouge located on Queen street in Charlottetown (try the bone marrow, with greens, eggs and crusty bread)
- RedWater Grill in the Holman Grand hotel on George Street (they serve a main protein and you choose your sides – I like the chicken)
- The Table located out in New London (a feast geared to only 18 people at a time, changing each night. We enjoyed a dinner cooked over an open fire – chicken, ribs, steak, and potatoes served with salad and the best blueberry pie imaginable.)
- Fireworks located in Bay Fortune (this is Michael Smith’s restaurant)
- Winston Churchill’s Pub on Queen Street in Charlottetown (amazing English curry)
Enjoy!
Family Roadtripper 