Advice re Trip to Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada?

[RobertInOntario]

This question is almost non-train related!

My family and I are thinking of vacationing in Prince Edward Island this June/July. Both my wife & I have been there before but it was some 15-20 years ago. We’re not sure if we will drive there (it’s close to 1,000 miles) or take a VIA train to Moncton, then rent a car from Moncton. Only concern, the trip from Toronto (where we live) to Moncton is over 23 hours, so that could be tiring. On the other hand, kids can often ride for free on VIA during the summer (one child per adult).

If we drive, we also hope to visit Exporail (a Canadian Railway Museum) just south of Montreal. Amongst other things, I'm really looking forward to seeing "Dominion of Canada," a British "Mallard class" steam engine that was sent to Canada because of its name/connection.

Just wondering if any Gauge members have vacationed in PEI recently and have any suggestions regarding accommodation & how or organize or plan the trip. We’ve hardly begun our research and time is running out!

Thanks,
Rob

[MasonJar]

Can't help with advice re: PEI (last time I was there - 1994?). But the train was excellent - part of the experience. I would say that you should bite the bullet and go for a sleeper of some sort - even a room with bunks. Sleeping in the chairs is impossible. We had a kids behind us who woke up at 4am and asked "are we there yet?" every 10 minutes until 8am.

Andrew

[RobertInOntario]

Can't help with advice re: PEI (last time I was there - 1994?). But the train was excellent - part of the experience. I would say that you should bite the bullet and go for a sleeper of some sort - even a room with bunks. Sleeping in the chairs is impossible. We had a kids behind us who woke up at 4am and asked "are we there yet?" every 10 minutes until 8am.

Andrew

Thanks, Andrew. I will definitely look into this then. I'll phone VIA soon.

I was thinking, if we'd been up all or most of the night, that we'd feel rotten and pretty crabby by the time we arrived in Monton. It could be worse than jet-lag!

Rob