Get your lunchbox
Come over for lunch!
A homemade lunch box is the perfect way to wrap up a visit after working up an appetite walking along the Ivan Quinn Trail or travelling back in time at the Museum. We offer a choice of an Entry Island lobster sandwich or a turkey sandwich with Tomme des Demoiselles cheese from local producer Pied-De-Vent and cranberry chutney from Grandma’s Bakery.
Individual sandwiches are also for sale at the Entry Island Museum, pending availability. To make sure your lunch is ready and waiting, we recommend reserving the lunch box option online on our website.
Get your lunchbox
Come over for lunch!
A homemade lunch box is the perfect way to wrap up a visit after working up an appetite walking along the Ivan Quinn Trail or travelling back in time at the Museum. We offer a choice of an Entry Island lobster sandwich or a turkey sandwich with Tomme des Demoiselles cheese from local producer Pied-De-Vent and cranberry chutney from Grandma’s Bakery.
Individual sandwiches are also for sale at the Entry Island Museum, pending availability. To make sure your lunch is ready and waiting, we recommend reserving the lunch box option online on our website.
In Cap-aux-Meules, board the M/V Ivan Quinn, which will take you to Entry Island in about an hour. This ferry goes to and from the island twice a day from Monday to Saturday.
Visit http://www.traversierctma.ca/ for the ferry schedule.
Excursions to the island (in a Zodiac or sightseeing boat) also depart daily from the Cap-aux-Meules marina
Visit https://www.excursionsenmer.com to see schedule and pricing
In Cap-aux-Meules, board the M/V Ivan Quinn, which will take you to Entry Island in about an hour. This ferry goes to and from the island twice a day from Monday to Saturday.
Visit www.traversierctma.ca/en/entryisland for the ferry schedule.
Excursions to the island (in a Zodiac or sightseeing boat) also depart daily from the Cap-aux-Meules marina
Visit https://www.excursionsenmer.com for the schedule and rates.
What to do
Ivan Quinn Trail
Slip on your sneakers and go hiking on the island! Admire the red cliffs that are home to several species of nesting birds, the meadows where cows and horses roam freely, and the landscape dotted with rolling green hills.
The most famous, Big Hill, at 174 metres of altitude, is the highest point in the whole archipelago. Those determined enough to follow the Ivan Quinn Trail to the top will be rewarded with a breathtaking 360-degree view.
The 1.5-kilometre, out-and-back trail offers an intermediate-level hike with moderate elevation. Leashed pets are permitted, and access is free. The trailhead is on Big Hill Road, next to the museum. Benches along the trail allow visitors to stop and enjoy the island breeze. Please follow the signs and stay on the side of the road on your way to the trailhead. Local tip: walk on the side closest to the direction on the wind—you will eat less dust when you eventually sit down to have your lunch. For a no-hassle picnic, don’t forget to from our website for easy pick-up at the museum.
After your ascent, take the time to visit the rolling hills and valleys behind the island, and stroll through Mosey’s Hollow and past Kitty’s Brook—the island is both peaceful and astounding. During your stay on the island, you can also stop at the charming Anglican church built by islanders in 1950 and visit the Entry Island Museum.
Entry Island Museum
Isolated from the main archipelago of the Magdalen Islands, Entry Island is known as a pearl in the heart of the Gulf of Saint-Lawrence. In the middle of this tiny, pastoral island is nestled the Entry Island Museum.
Schedule Hours
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
The museum, which houses a collection gathered through the generosity of Entry Island residents, is dedicated to the interpretation and preservation of Entry Island’s rich history.
The permanent collection and exhibits of farming and fishing equipment, veteran memorabilia, photographs, household objects, and oral history are reminders of how Magdalen Islanders used to live.
The Entry Island Museum notably offers guided tours, providing information and insight into local lore, built heritage, and community knowledge that goes back two hundred years—English speakers settled the island in 1821–1822—and even earlier, to seasonal occupation by Mi’kmaq hunters.
Go on a treasure hunt! Explore Entry Island in search of the hidden loot of Mosey the Hermit. Clues will guide you along the way. A simpler version of this historical self-guided tour of Entry Island is available for younger visitors, as well as a more complex version for adults.
Download Huntzz on google play or on the App Store.
Vents et Marées Trail
The Sentiers entre Vents et Marées, as this hiking trail’s name suggests, weaves along the wind-blown shorelines of the Magdalen Islands.
Inspired by the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, the trail was founded by local residents who wanted to develop a long-distance walking trail throughout the archipelago. The 13 legs of the 230-kilometre trail, which vary from about 10 to 28 kilometres each, stretch along back roads and beaches.
Eight- or 15-day itineraries are suggested. Although the trail includes stops in various villages, and although the trail is clearly marked, the multi-day hike is unserviced. The region’s Official Tourist Guide lists services offered across the Magdalen Islands. The Sentiers entre Vents et Marées is open from May 15 to October 15. The Entry Island leg of the trail is a 9.1-kilometre hike that includes the Big Hill trail. You can stop at the museum to get your stamp.
General information on the island
The island is about two kilometres (1.2 mi) wide and three kilometres (1.9m mi) long, only 7.2 km2 (2.8 sq. mi.), and is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the main port of the Magdalen Islands, Cap-aux-Meules. Entry Island is only accessible by ocean or air.
The tiny island is home to a close-knit community, mainly of Irish and Scottish descent. Approximately 60 residents currently reside on Entry Island year around, a considerable decrease in recent decades, down from 270 in 1980. Fishing has traditionally been the main industry of the island. The lobster fishery remains the most important, and some fishermen also harvest crab, scallops, whelk, mackerel, tuna, and herring.
Entry Island is the ideal location for walking, hiking, a picnic, or simply to relax. The pace here is set by the weather, the sea, the twice-daily ferry trips in and out. The island is small enough to be visited in its entirety on foot in a few hours. You can explore the rolling hills, spectacular vistas, and heritage sites during an excursion of several hours or a full day.
