NEW GLASGOW  Escaping to the gentle island this summer? Why not? The peaceful, pocket-sized province boasts grassy hills, blush-coloured shores and roads that wind through old-fashioned villages — all elements for a lazy retreat. If you brought your kids, consider renting a room or, smarter still, a cottage at My Mother’s Country Inn near the north shore. Built around 1850, the coral-coloured home, along with its 20 hectares of land, was once a bustling farm. Today, it’s an inn with seven rooms. For guests who want a little more space, there are also three attached one-bedroom cottages each with a kitchenette and living room. For those who want more privacy, there’s a separate, three-bedroom cottage, also equipped with its own kitchen and living space. High-season inn rates start at $90, double occupancy, including breakfast. The smaller cottage will run you $125; the larger one $250 for up to four people. The inn is open from June 1 until September 30. (800) 278-2071. www.mymotherscountryinn.com

FERNWOOD  The Briarcliffe Inn, located near Salutation Cove in the south, was built in 1914. It began as a farm and later, in 1916, also became a B&B called the Briarcliffe Tourist Home. The B&B’s Sunday teas always attracted the island’s finest ladies, including one Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables. In 2002, the now slate-green farmhouse opened once again as a B&B (this is the B&B that was documented throughout its renovation on HGTV in 2004). It has five rooms, each named in honour of one of the house’s past owners. All are French country in style with antique lamps, side tables and dressers. The floors are all original pine. Afraid of ghosts? We hope not. The B&B is so inviting that the spirit of one of its original owners, Fredica MacFarlane, supposedly still calls it home. Rates are $100 to $150, double occupancy, including breakfast. (866) 887-3238. www.briarcliffeinn.com

HERMANVILLE  How does listening to the ocean while you drift off to sleep sound — too tranquil to be true? At the Johnson Shore Inn in the north-east you can do precisely that. Built in 1999, the country inn, along with its 20 hectares of land, is on a brick-red cliff that towers over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The inn has 12 rooms, each with a view of the water. Eight have queen-size beds, four have both a queen and a twin. All are dressed in antiques and artwork and have chairs facing out to sea. None have telephones or TVs. Want something really special? Suite #9 is a corner room where guests see the sun both rise and set over the water. Rates range from $125 to $295, double occupancy including breakfast, depending on the size of the suite and its view. The inn is open from May 1 through January. (877) 510-9669 . www.johnsonshoreinn.com