21 Jul Member Highlight: Samantha Hughes

Meet Samantha Hughes, of Birches Cottages

When asked about a hidden gem, she shared: “There’s a quiet little hidden gem just steps away from us at Tea Hill Beach, where I’ve been collecting sea glass since I was a kid. I still get just as excited every time the tide brings in new little treasures. It’s the kind of place where you don’t rush; you just wander, breathe, and take it all in.”

That same feeling is what The Birches is all about.

They’re not fancy or flashy, just a family-owned cottage property that’s been welcoming guests since 1987. Simple, cozy cottages surrounded by nature, where days are meant for screened-in porches, slow mornings, campfires, and time together that actually feels like time together.

Guests often tell them it feels like peace and nostalgia wrapped into one. Kids playing outside, coffee by the water, and that classic PEI summer feeling you remember long after you leave.

And when they say “lazy day,” they mean it 

Sleep in, sip coffee on the deck, wander the shoreline, then head into Charlottetown for a patio lunch and a browse through some shops. Swing back for a porch nap, grill supper, then treat yourself to an ice cream.

Finish the night around a campfire under the stars

No rushing. No schedules. Just PEI at its best.