What Makes Fall on Prince Edward Island So Special?
If you ask me my favourite season on PEI, I don't even have to think about it. It's fall. Summer gets all the attention, but fall is when I'm happiest here. [If you want the practical side of the season, like what closes, what to prep, and the mice, PEI in the Fall: A Locals' Guide to What Changes covers all of that.]
It starts with the colours and the smell of the woods. I love the colours and the smell of the woods in the fall. Hiking is a favourite pastime of mine, so spending as much time outside in the woods as I can is a must this time of year. October is when the leaves really peak, and that's when I want to be on the trails as often as I can get there.
This year has been a bumping year for mushrooms. We easily saw 40-50 species on our walk this past weekend - the were abundant around every turn and the kids (and adults too) were just blown away by the diversity and sheer number of mushrooms.
Fall camping is the best-kept secret. Most people pack the camping gear away after Labour Day, but some of our favourite trips have been in the fall. We've gone fall camping at New Glasgow Highlands Campground and at Brudenell River Provincial Park, and both are beautiful once the leaves start to turn.
Planning a fall camping trip? Check the campground's season dates before you go, since not every campground on the island stays open into the fall, and pack more layers than you think you'll need. Mornings and evenings get crisp fast! Provincial Camping this weekend?
You can have a fire all day long. This is the big one for me. A great thing about fall camping is that you can enjoy a fire all day long, and you can depend on being able to cook over the fire as well. Cooler days make a campfire something you actually want going from morning coffee right through to supper, and cooking over it is half the fun. We have made some amazing dinners on the open fire:
Lasagna in the cast iron dutch oven
Pizza pockets
Peach cobbler
Corn on the cob (cooked in the husk)
Hot Dogs and s’mores are always a winner
Fall on PEI is quieter, cozier, and honestly the season when the island feels most like home to me. If you've only ever seen PEI in July, come back in October. You'll see a whole different side of it.
Got more questions about what island life is actually like? Your Questions Answered: Moving to Prince Edward Island rounds up the ones I get asked most.