A naturalist’s paradise, Prince Edward Island is one of the top cycling destinations in North America! Circling the island are 40 glorious beaches, ranging from bright red clay to pure white sand. Bird sanctuaries are numerous, seal colonies lie along the shore, and occasional whales and porpoises are sighted. Inland, the rural nature of the island’s old homesteads is enhanced by stretches of untouched woodland. Even while pedaling through its pastoral farmlands, you never feel far away from the ocean and its refreshing breezes. Prince Edward Island is everything you have heard it is. Join us for our fun and friendly tour around the island this summer!
The Prince Edward Island Bicycle Tour is an enjoyable and inexpensive cycling vacation. This supported group camping trip is a friendly event, with a great deal of socializing. Along the way, we will learn about Prince Edward Island’s important role in Canada’s history, discover its incredible variety, and experience what makes the island distinct. This is a tour which will be both spectacular and memorable.
The PEI tour alternates each year between the eastern and western sides of the island. This year our adventure in Canada’s smallest province will take in PEI’s central and western sections. We will follow scenic back roads, enabling us to experience the rural flavour of the island. No matter where we are, we will never be far from its shores, which we will visit often. The shallow depths allow us to swim in the warmest waters north of Carolina. We will also include options to explore parts of the province’s trail system, which follow the path of old train lines. The Prince Edward Island West Bicycle Tour has gently rolling terrain and varied scenery, with natural attractions and quiet seacoasts.
We try hard on our Prince Edward Island tours to fit in both experienced riders and also at the same time welcome newer and more casual cyclists. For riders looking for higher distance each day, don’t skip over touring PEI. We have prepared most days extra routes along peninsulas and harbours to explore. On this tour we can have both types of riders enjoying exploring the Island.
In addition to cycling to our favourite hidden corners, we will enjoy campfires, swim at beaches, wander on shoreline walks, take trails, taste great seafood. Our week on Prince Edward Island will be fun, social, and rewarding.
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Saturday, July 28 – Borden-Carleton to Prince Edward Island National Park
Sunday, July 29 – Prince Edward Island National Park to Linkletter
Monday, July 30 – Linkletter to Kildare
Tuesday, July 31 – North Cape Day Ride
Wednesday, August 1 – Kildare to Cedar Dunes
Thursday, August 2 – Cedar Dunes to Cap Egmont
Friday, August 3 – Cap Egmont to Borden-Carleton
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Saturday, July 28, 2018 – Borden-Carleton – Prince Edward Island National Park 67 km (41 mi.)
Our tour begins, and we head northward. Today we face a few medium-sized hills. This cross-country route across the province is set in a pleasant patchwork quilt of farmland. It is always a favourite among cyclists. We emerge on the other side of the province at Cavendish, at Prince Edward Island National Park. The park is famous for its huge white sand beach.
Sunday, July 29, 2018 – Prince Edward Island National Park – Linkletter 73/59 km (44/36 mi.)
There will be options today. There are several short-cuts to allow an easier day or more time in the small town of Alberton. Near town, we can ride out to Northport Harbour. Northport has a restaurant and a marina, a very good spot for a break and some good photos. These docks are the landing place of Giant Bluefin tuna. This is a great seafood port.
Monday, July 30, 2018 – Linkletter – Kildare 77 km (47 mi.)
Today is the longest day of the tour. It has however also the lowest amount of elevation gain of the event, so this should also be doable for any newer or more casual riders. Our campsite today is at Jacques Cartier Park of the town of Alberton along the ocean and is quite attractive, directly touching the beach. You will want to spend some time here enjoying the ocean.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 – North Cape Day Ride 65 km (40 mi.)
Today we go to the far western tip of the Island. At West Point Lighthouse, we can see where the Northumberland Strait meets the mighty Gulf of St. Lawrence. We return back for a second night and beautiful view at Jacques Cartier Park.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 – Kildare – Cedar Dunes 68 km (42 mi.)
Today’s ride should be among the favourite sections of the tour of most riders. On the west coast, the scenery is magnificent. The landscape is gently rolling and the traffic is low. We follow the coastline and visit a large fishing community. We stop our riding at Cedar Dunes, a wonderful large sandy beach and the end of a full day.
Thursday, August 2, 2018 – Cedar Dunes – Cap Egmont 75 km (43 mi.)
This is PEI’s world famous potato country. The latter half of the day passes one of the remaining areas from a time when French-speaking people lived on the entire island. An option today is to ride part of the Confederation Trail, in this region in good condition. Tonight is our last night together and we plan some socializing.
Friday, August 3, 2018 – Cap Egmont – Borden-Carleton 70 km (43 mi.)
Continuing our way eastward, we squeeze through where PEI is at its narrowest point. Summerside has an interesting and active waterfront. Red clay cliffs edge us along a very pleasant section of Northumberland Strait. Soon the Confederation Bridge comes into view, and all too soon we end our island vacation back at Borden-Carleton.
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What We Provide: – Comprehensive ride guide; all about what you will experience on route, history, culture, trivia -camping facilities -luggage transfer; we will carry your gear, just bike and enjoy the ride! -bike mechanic assistance -sag wagon service –support vehicle available for breakdowns or drives to shorten your day -daily route maps -tour escort; Gary Conrod will be along the route, he has 177,000 kilometres cycling experience, including almost every road on Prince Edward Island
About Our Tours:
Our tours are different! We run friendly and fun bicycle-camping trips. There are not many groups left like us out there doing this. Running inexpensive tours by camping and not doing inns is now a rarity. We have done it this way since way back in 1987. It gets a little bit harder each year to crawl in and out of tents - we are not getting any younger, but we would still rather be doing it our way - under the stars.
Our events usually have between 18 and 35 people, the majority older adults. Since our camping groups are a bit larger compared to inn to inn tours, there are far greater chances of finding others with the same interests. During a week to 10 day tour everyone gets to know pretty well everyone else. Rather than a tour with just a handful of people, possibly none you have things in common with, our size allows a wide range of personalities, interests, and similar riding speeds. We feel our trips are just the right size for fitting in. Lots of friendships are made on our tours.
We run our tours in prime natural settings in Eastern and Atlantic Canada. Our tours are a bit harder to get to - they will need more planning. Running events in remoter regions with limited options raises costs a bit more than if we did them in busier places. We feel getting away from the heat, humidity, cities, stress, tension, and traffic makes the experiences we offer completely worth it. Our return rate is among the highest of any cycling organization - as high as 90% on some tours, so overall people seem to love what we are doing and value their experiences.
Accommodation:
Our trip will be a tent camping adventure, but for some who say their camping days are behind them can join in on our journeys. A limited number of Bed and Breakfasts and motels are along our route. Upon request, a listing of motels and Bed and Breakfasts will be sent with confirmation. Due to the small places we go to, early reservations are strongly recommended.
Meals:
Each cyclist can have their own choice of dining. Some prepare meals at our campsites. Participants buy food daily at designated spots and we transport it to the end point. We have a large amount of cooking stoves, equipment, and cutlery – no need to bring any of that gear to our tour. Others prefer to enjoy as many restaurants as the route allows. We will provide a list each day of what you will find along our route.
Baggage System:
Each morning you will bring your baggage to our truck. You are then free to ride at your own pace. Your bags will be waiting for you upon your arrival at the next campground or indoor selection.
Tour Support:
During the ride, our support vehicle will be at your service if you need a lift or other assistance. Maps and information materials will help guide you along the way.
Preparation and Equipment:
We will carry whatever you feel you need to enjoy the tour. You must supply your own bicycle, tent and sleeping bag.
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| Entry Fee: $798 CAD (Canadian Dollars) |
Returning Participants Appreciation:
We are proud of having among highest the return rates of all bicycle touring organizations. In appreciation, we wish to offer returning riders for 2020 tours $100 off before March 31, 2020 and $50 off after.
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Entry Options:
*Credit Card - (Visa and MasterCard) - We put cards through by phone to avoid sensitive information passing through our web site. Please call us at 888-800-2498; or 902-423-2453. Please also for security reasons, do not send credit card numbers by email or text. American and foreign participants have the Canadian amount converted to their currency at the current exchange rate.
*PayPal - we can send you an email with a link that goes to our PayPal page. American and foreign participants have the Canadian amount converted to their currency at the current exchange rate.
*Personal Cheque or Money Order - Postal mail: PO Box 1555 Stn CRO Halifax NS B3J 2Y3 Canada. Note that the bank rate is different than the "paper" rate. Use this link on the day you send payment Exchange Rates Use the column (Client Sells - Receives Canadian). If the math gets complicated contact us and we will help sort it out. Note that the postage rate to Canada is higher than U.S. domestic rate, ask what it currently is, mail can be turned back.
*Interac - send payment link to [email protected]
*Wire Transfer - please contact us and we will check if this can set up without unreasonable charge from your area.
Youth and Child Rates:
We have rates for youth and children, please contact us for details.
Taxes:
All taxes are included.
Deposits – Getting on Board:
To secure a spot on one of our trips a $300 deposit is required. Full payment is due 60 days prior to the day of departure. If we do not receive your final balance on time, we will consider your reservation cancelled. We will attempt to remind you as the date nears.
Cancellations and Change to Later Trip Charges:
We understand things happen in life and sometimes you have to cancel or defer your bike tour. A fair amount of work and arrangements are involved with each registration ACC receives and the cancellation timeline outlined below is strictly adhered to. Exceptions will not be made for any reason. This includes weather or personal emergencies. We highly suggest that you purchase travel insurance. There are many companies that offer inexpensive trip insurance, and we recommend you look into it.
Your cancellation fee will be determined based on the day the written notice is received. There is no refund if you arrive late or must leave a tour early.
Change to later Trip Option - Registrations may be forwarded to a future event within 3 years with the timeline outlined below. Moving your tour ahead is a better deal than the costs of cancelling outright.
| Cancellation Fee | | |
| Over 60 Days | | refund minus $200 |
| 31-60 Days | | refund minus $400 |
| 16-30 Days | | 50% of trip price |
| 15 Days or less | | no refund |
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| Change to Later Trip Fee | | |
| Over 60 Days | | $100 fee; remaining credit may be used within 3 years |
| 31-60 Days | | $200 fee; remaining credit may be used within 3 years |
| 16-30 Days | | $300 fee; remaining credit may be used within 3 years |
| 15 Days or less | | $400 fee; remaining credit may be used within 3 years |
Travel Insurance:
Since there are no exceptions to the cancellation policy outlined above, unfortunately including personal emergencies, we highly recommend that each participant have cancellation and travel insurance. This type of insurance covers illness, accident, loss of luggage, or other unforeseen occurrences. In addition, we also recommend travelers health insurance to supplement your own medical insurance. Atlantic Canada Cycling does not provide travel insurance or health/accident insurance. This is strictly the participant’s responsibility.
Cancellation of Event:
Atlantic Canada Cycling has never had a cancelled event in its twenty-seven years. We do, however, reserve the right to cancel any scheduled tour. In this event you will receive a full refund of any money paid (for tour operation only). In this event ACC is not responsible for expenses incurred by individuals in preparation for the trip such as non-refundable airline tickets, medical expenses, equipment etc.
ACC Registration Form:
Our Participant Form is below. It should open in a new page in your browser. If not, try to right click and “save target as”, "file as" or "linked content as", depending on your browser to download. The form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. It is on most computers but if not you can download from Adobe. If you have problems, please contact us, we can email or fax a form to you. [email protected] Call us at 888-800-2498
ACC Registration Form: Click Here!
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