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The PEI Bottle Houses

July 7, 2019/in Prince Edward Island /by ValleyFamilyFun

Exploring the PEI Bottle Houses Disclosure: Our family received free admission to this attraction so we can share with you great places to visit off the beaten path, like the PEI Bottle Houses, for your next family adventure! The PEI Bottle houses have been on my bucket list to explore for over 10 years. Ever […]

York Redoubt National Historic Site

July 5, 2019/in Halifax, Museums, Uncategorized /by ValleyFamilyFun

York Redoubt National Historic Site York Redoubt National Historic Site in Halifax has been on my bucket list for quite some time. We finally got to check it out, and this is our experience! Here’s how Parks Canada describes York Redboubt: High on a bluff overlooking the entrance to Halifax Harbour sits a fortification that […]

The PEI Bottle Houses

July 7, 2019/in Prince Edward Island /by ValleyFamilyFun

York Redoubt National Historic Site

July 5, 2019/in Halifax, Museums, Uncategorized /by ValleyFamilyFun

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The PEI Bottle Houses

July 7, 2019/in Prince Edward Island /by ValleyFamilyFun

Exploring the PEI Bottle Houses

Disclosure: Our family received free admission to this attraction so we can share with you great places to visit off the beaten path, like the PEI Bottle Houses, for your next family adventure!

The PEI Bottle houses have been on my bucket list to explore for over 10 years. Ever since one of my friends showed me her pictures from her visit, I knew it was a place I wanted to check out!

Here’s what the website says:

“Bottled sunshine: Retired carpenter, fisherman and lighthouse keeper Édouard Arsenault’s recycling project that began in 1980 has become a unique attraction in Cap-Egmont. The Bottle Houses village contains a six-gabled house, tavern, chapel and gift shop radiating a symphony of sunlight-powered colours in a tranquil garden setting.”

Together the 3 fantasy-like bottle buildings use over 30,000 glass bottles. They have been included in ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ and ‘1000 Places to See Before You die’.

The three buildings include a house, the tavern and the chapel. Following the self-guided tour, there are several things to search for during your visit, including the 4 blue bottles in the chapel!

Enjoy the gardens, the view of the Confederation Bridge and the art pieces scattered around the property.

Kids will love searching amongst the bottles, looking at the fish, or wandering the many paths around the gardens.

Planning your Visit

The Bottle Houses are located on the Western shore of Prince Edward Island, about 50 minutes from the Bridge or 30 minutes from Summerside.

It is a lovely drive along the shore to get there, so definitely worth heading off the beaten patch to check it out!

It takes about 30 minutes to tour the Bottle Houses, but you can spend much longer admiring the details, and enjoying the scenery.

Hours and Admission

The Bottle Houses and gardens are open from May to October.

Hours and admission fees can be found here.

The Bottle Houses were just as beautiful and fun to explore as I had imagined. I am so glad we went on a sunny day so we could see the light reflecting through the bottles!

This is an off the beaten-path well worth taking, and we highly recommend incorporating the PEI Bottle Houses into your next PEI adventure!

Learn more about the PEI Bottle Houses

York Redoubt National Historic Site

July 5, 2019/in Halifax, Museums, Uncategorized /by ValleyFamilyFun

York Redoubt National Historic Site

York Redoubt National Historic Site in Halifax has been on my bucket list for quite some time. We finally got to check it out, and this is our experience!

Here’s how Parks Canada describes York Redboubt:

High on a bluff overlooking the entrance to Halifax Harbour sits a fortification that has helped protect this historic port throughout three centuries of Canadian history.
Part of Halifax’s formidable Defense Complex, York Redoubt was constructed in 1793 just as war broke out between Britain and France. Perched on a bluff at the narrowest point of the outer harbour, it offers superb views.

Originally built in 1793, the information boards guide you through how the fort changed with technological advances through to WWII. York Redoubt has long played a vital role in protecting this strategic port city.

York Redoubt is a fun place to explore. There are tunnels, underground shelters and out buildings throughout the site.

Walk along the walls, see the cannons, and catch a glimpse of the view!

Walking Trails

Around the site are a series of gravel paths and loops making up approximately 3km of trails.

However, nothing is marked, and there is no map of the trails.

After exploring the main section of the fort by the parking lot, head towards the Canada flag on the hill to find more out buildings to explore, and the path loops back around to the parking lot.