The best place to start an Anne tour is at Green Gables itself, but this place somewhat disappoints, even if it is the closest thing we have to the "real" fictional Green Gables. (The author's birthplace or favorite home are equally authentic destinations.) The farmhouse here dates from the mid-19th century and belonged to cousins of Montgomery's grandfather; it is considered the chief inspiration for the Cuthbert farm in the books, and has since been furnished according to descriptions in the books. The home is operated by Parks Canada as part of the larger Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site; as such, the parks department operates a helpful visitor center on the site where you can watch a short film about Montgomery, view a handful of exhibits, and explore the farm and trails. If you're a die-hard Anne fan, you'll no doubt delight in visiting settings where the literary characters ventured: Haunted Woods, Lover's Lane, and the like. But you'll need an active imagination to edit out the golf carts puttering through the scenery at an adjacent golf course and the busloads of tourists crowding through the house and moving, herdlike, down the outdoor pathways. Come very early or very late in the day to avoid the biggest crowds. (Rumors still persist that the real Green Gables burned down a few years back, but it didn't; these conspiracy theories evidently stem from news reports about a minor fire here in 1997.)