The main differences are the route focus and level of support.

• Supported Independent Tours: Focus on a mix of scenic roads and trails. Include luggage transfer, on-call emergency repair for our rental bikes, and detailed route planning.
• Island Walk/Confederation Trail Packages: Primarily follow these specific trails. Luggage transfer is optional, and on-call repair is not included.
  Compare all tour features on our Tour Comparison Page.

Start with our Itineraries: Browse our published trips to find one that closely matches your goals. Use our Trip Comparison Tool to filter by difficulty, duration, and interests (e.g., foodie, family-friendly).

1. Request a Personalized Quote: If you need tweaks (like a different room or accommodation venue), note them in the Quote Request Form. We’ll send a proposal.
2. Fully Custom Tours: For a completely unique itinerary, we require a non-refundable planning deposit (starting at $500 CAD/person), applicable to your final tour cost.

We mostly use scenic byways, heritage roads & the Confederation Trail. Road cycling will either be on a broad shoulder or on less-travelled paved surfaces. Terrain is generally gently rolling. We often suggest multiple ride options where possible to accommodate different cycling abilities, activity or terrain preferences. Our published itineraries include total distance, and auto-generated descriptions of the elevation and terrain. Once your final balance is paid we provide full access to plotted routes to each participant including highlighted map, printable directions, downloadable route formats, ride profile and detailed route statistics for all daily ride options in your itinerary.

We specialize in individuals, families, and small groups of 8-12. While our rental fleet is the largest on PEI, accommodation availability is the main limiting factor for larger groups. Many of our preferred properties are small-scale. Contact us with a Quote Request Form to discuss options for your group size.

Yes! Several of our tours include the Cavendish area and key Anne sites. But since Cavendish is a popular tourist hub, we prefer to guide visiting cyclists enthusiastic about our endearing red-headed snippet to lesser-known gems like the Anne Museum in Park Corner.
Tours that include these areas: Tip to Tip North + Anne’s Land, Tip to Tip North Shore, North Shore Bliss West +, Confederation Trail Tip to Tip IV and other Supported Independent trips that include 2-night stays in Dalvay, for example. Check each itinerary for specific details.
In Charlottetown, you can catch the musical Anne & Gilbert in the summer, and on alternate years, the musical Anne of Green Gables at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

We strongly recommend booking a minimum of 4-6 months in advance, especially for travel from June through September. PEI’s best small inns and B&Bs have limited space and fill quickly. We typically stop taking new tour requests for the current season after June.

Groups: many of the properties we use are small scale, so ample advance booking is the best way to secure your preferred lodging choices.

The best time for cycling is June through September, with July and August being the warmest and busiest.

Shoulder Seasons (May & October): Travel is possible, but some restaurants and attractions may be closed. Please check our trip comparison tool for itineraries using open accommodations.

Weather: PEI has a maritime climate. Summers are pleasant (average 20-25°C / 68-77°F), but conditions can change quickly. Be prepared for sun, wind, and rain. For detailed data, see PEI’s official climate page.

Once you have a better idea of which itinerary outline we should use, or what specific adjustments you’d be interested in having us include, kindly send us a Quote Request Form with all your particulars and we’d be happy to send a tentative proposal for your consideration.

• Our Bikes: Tour prices include our high-quality deluxe hybrid bikes, perfect for PEI’s mixed terrain.

• E-Bike/Gravel Bike Upgrades: We offer e-bike and gravel bike upgrades for a supplement. View our full rental fleet and prices here.

• Your Own Bike: You are welcome to bring your own bike, and a discount will be applied to your proposal.
  Note that our Emergency Road Repair Insurance is ONLY available for MacQueen’s rental equipment, on Supported Independent tour programs. If traveling with your own equipment you’ll be provided with a list of local support services, should you require roadside assistance.

Upgrades are subject to availability. If you wish to upgrade after paying your deposit/final balance, you should first consult current availability, price differences, accessory upgrades and our rental equipment’s features in our bike rental platform. If you see a specific category/model/size that interests you, email us at info@macqueens.com with your request. We will confirm availability and adjust your invoice. The supplement can be paid as part of your Final Balance or alternatively in the shop at the time of your outfitting.

E-bike batteries easily last a full day of riding. A typical charge will cover 80-125 km, depending on the assist level and terrain. The battery can be partially recharged during lunch and fully each night at your accommodation with a standard 110V outlet. You will have plenty of power for our designed routes.

MacQueen’s rental accessories include trunk/handlebar bags, touring panniers, helmets, locks, emergency repair kits with pump/tire irons/patch kit/multi-tool, Delta cell phone holders, Cyclotron cell phone holders + battery pack, and clipless pedals. View their specs here. We are open to installing your saddle/pedals on our equipment if desired. Our accessories are only available as add-on complements to our rental bikes, so if you’re bringing your own bike, you’ll also bring all of your own accessories, including navigational devices, cell phone holders, etc.

We don’t rent mirrors, since in our experience with rental bikes, they’re frequently broken. But if you feel more comfortable riding with that accessory, consider bringing/purchasing your own helmet/eyeglass/wrist mirror, or a Velcro handlebar mirror. Closed-end handlebar grips on some of our rental bikes aren’t always conducive to installing fixed handlebar models. View our shop inventory

You’ll navigate like a pro using your smartphone. After your final payment, we provide full access to your routes through Ride With GPS, which includes:

• Turn-by-turn voice navigation on your phone.
• Points of interest and meal suggestions.
• Downloadable files for personal Garmin devices.
• Printable cue sheets.

Test our navigation with our free Public Day Tours from Charlottetown. For an overview of all the features you’ll have access to, check out the Tour Participants Benefits help page. To avoid battery drain, we recommend renting a Cyclotron (cell phone holder with battery pack) if you intend to navigate with your phone.

Our on-call mechanic service is included only under specific conditions:

✅ INCLUDED: For guests on Supported Independent Tours using MacQueen’s rental bikes. Service calls may be assessed extra fees. For non-emergencies guests often are happy to have us come after hours or combine quick fixes when picking up luggage first thing in the morning.

❌ NOT INCLUDED: For guests bringing their own bikes or those on Island Walk/Confederation Trail packages (you will receive a list of local repair services).

We highly recommend a longer test ride in Charlottetown before departure to ensure your bike is perfectly adjusted prior to embarking on your journey.

For any self-guided cycle tour, you should be prepared with proper clothing for sun/rain protection and travel with an adequate water supply + backup energy supplements. In the event they’re required for an emergency, we can assist with contacting local taxi services, and recommend you carry a cell phone for that purpose. Our luggage transfer service is not a passenger shuttle; luggage transfer vehicles are sometimes executing multiple transfers on a daily route, and vehicle models/sizes can vary depending on the scheduled services. Our shuttle vehicle, with bicycle, passenger + luggage capacity, is mainly designated for Tip to Tip routes to Tignish (09:00) and returning from Elmira to Charlottetown (15:00) and in between, we schedule lunch/breaks/EV charging.

Luggage transfers are optional on the Island Walk by Bike & Confederation Trail trips. They’re included on Supported Independent Cycle Tours and your bags should be ready for collection at your accommodations by 09:00 each day.
Starting/Ending in Charlottetown?
If you’ve booked a Charlottetown hotel with MacQueen’s to start or end your trip, luggage will automatically be scheduled for collection there. All other luggage transfers involving Charlottetown pickups/dropoffs are scheduled from/to MacQueen’s at the beginning/end of your journey.

Our luggage transfer capacity limit is established at 1 (non-oversized) suitcase per traveler. For MacQueen’s cycle tour clients, we have a limited amount of luggage storage space available in the office. More info/rates here.

Some breakfasts are included and your itinerary will specify inclusive meal services. We select accommodations based on their proximity to, or facilities for, evening dining. We provide daily suggestions for meals and activities and will populate your final itinerary with those details 30 days in advance of trip start, once the final balance has been paid. Some venues may be recommended for advance booking (such as dinner at the Inn at Bay Fortune or Dalvay) and those suggestions are usually posted in your public itinerary link from the outset so that you make those plans/arrangements in advance.

Yes, we book all accommodations for you. We use a direct-payment model for lodging, which sometimes saves travelers 15% on taxes and provides greater flexibility with individual cancellation policies. The details will be clearly outlined in your proposal. Learn more about our 3-stage booking process here.

To make it easy for travelers to compare total trip costs, our Published Tour Prices & Stage 1 Preliminary Proposals include accommodation costs.
In Stages 2 & 3 of our booking process (Pre-Quotation & Registration), lodging is separated from what’s payable to MacQueen’s.
This method offers a number of advantages including:
-lower price for travelers lodging at any smaller B&B’s that fall below the provincial tax threshold (if those services were included in our tour price, it would cost travelers 15% more versus paying directly)
-increased flexibility / financial recovery options for travelers with any potential cancellation events
-for groups, ability to pay individually for assigned room categories at many properties that don’t require advance deposits
-for groups, individual credit card point accumulation
-total transparency on accommodation costs, and options to evaluate those options prior to committing to booking
-reduced administrative burden on our end in terms of tax compliance & recovery

Typically if you’re looking to tack on accommodations in Charlottetown before or after your tour, that would be the extent of what we’d offer to add into your MacQueen’s travel proposal. Very occasionally on demand we might also quote/book a rental car on your behalf, but using your credit card to guarantee the service rather than processing the charge through our company, subject to our booking terms & conditions. Our specialty’s cycle touring in PEI, so that’s where we prefer to dedicate our time and professional resources, not so much in consulting on arrangements for getting to PEI. Our Traveling to PEI page has the basics.
We find it’s helpful to book an extra night in Charlottetown as domestic flight delays aren’t uncommon. Having that window of time also allows you to adequately plan for a test ride and vet any rental equipment adjustments before leaving the city.

View our published cycle tour Terms & Conditions.

Chamois Butt’r to protect “down there” while riding. Sometimes even a small underwear band can chafe and turn into a blister. If your butt’s not broken in, then consider it.
Padded cycle shorts and liners, rain gear, souvenir jerseys, reflective clothing or accessories, footwear, cycling socks, travel size chain lube, gloves, eyewear, cell phone holders, extra tubes, souvenir water bottles, blinking taillight attachment, multi-tools, CO2 inflators, mirrors, energy snacks and more.

View our shop inventory

View a short packing list

View our Traveling to PEI page for info on secure parking in Charlottetown. Parking facilities at MacQueen’s are limited and reserved for tenants & retail customers. Vehicles not registered with our Property Manager and left overnight in our commercial parking lot may be towed.

If you’re planning to ride the same day as your outbound flight, then if you’re wondering where to plan for a post-ride shower, consider:
-a relatively economical day pass at the UPEI aquatics facility or
-a guest pass/class at a local gym or
-a drop-in class at a yoga studio with locker/shower facilities or
-book a hotel room for day use
-Some provincial parks have public showers at their locations.
MacQueen’s Bike Shop’s staff showers aren’t for public use in the summer, sorry!