Things to do in Prince Edward Island

Best time to visit Prince Edward Island

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• June to August

  Everything open, warmest water, busiest and priciest.

• September

  Warm days, thinner crowds; a local favourite.

• October

  Fall colours; most seasonal businesses closed.

• November to May

  Very quiet; many hotels and restaurants shut.

What's on

• Charlottetown Festival June to September

  Summer theatre season at the Confederation Centre, anchored by the Anne musical.

• Cavendish Beach Music Festival July

  Big country music weekend; the north shore sells out.

Best things to do in Prince Edward Island

• Green Gables Heritage Place

  $

  The farmhouse behind Anne of Green Gables, with woodland walking trails.

• Victoria Row

  Free

  Pedestrianised block of shops and restaurants; the natural first evening.

• Confederation Centre of the Arts

  $$

  Memorial to the 1864 conference; summer home of the Charlottetown Festival.

• St. Dunstan's Basilica

  Free

  Twin-spired Gothic Revival cathedral; notable stained glass inside.

• Beaconsfield Historic House

  $

  Victorian mansion museum on the waterfront; quick merchant-history stop.

• Province House National Historic Site

  $

  Birthplace of Confederation; check restoration status before planning around it.

• Peake's Wharf

  $$

  Harbour departure point for fishing, seal-watching, and sunset cruises.

• Cavendish Beach

  $

  Red cliffs, dunes, and a long supervised beach in the national park.

Where to stay in Prince Edward Island

• Downtown Charlottetown

  first-timers, food trips, no-car travellers

• Cavendish / North Shore

  beach holidays, families, Anne pilgrims

• Summerside

  budget travellers, quieter base

• East end

  slow trips, Basin Head beach days

Think twice about

• Borden-Carleton bridge approach
• Cavendish in October
• Deep rural stays without a car

Best restaurants in Prince Edward Island

• Claddagh Oyster House

  $$$$

  Oysters and seafood in an Irish-pub setting; reserve summer dinners.

• Water Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound

  $$

  The classic lobster dinner; confirm it is open before going.

• Leonhard's Cafe & Restaurant

  $$

  European cafe fare; good for breakfast and lunch.

• The Chip Shack

  $

  Fish and chips takeout; the cheap waterfront lunch.

• COWS Creamery

  $

  The island's famous ice cream; worth the summer line once.

• Truckin' Roll Ice Cream

  $

  Rolled ice cream; a fun alternative to the COWS line.

• Hopyard

  $$

  Craft beer and pub food; good evening hangout.

• John Brown Richmond Street Grille

  $$

  Steak and seafood grill; reliable dinner reservation.

Outdoor things to do in Prince Edward Island

• Gulf Shore Parkway

  $

  Coastal drive linking the national park beaches with dune lookouts.

• Confederation Trail

  $

  Flat island-wide rail trail; the Charlottetown to Mount Stewart section rides well.

• Basin Head Provincial Park

  $

  Singing-sands beach on the east end; pack food, services are thin.

• North Cape

  Free

  Northwest tip with lighthouse, wind farm, and red cliffs; remote and quiet.

• Victoria-by-the-Sea

  Free

  Tiny harbour village with a summer theatre and a nearby beach.

• Point Prim Lighthouse

  $

  The island's oldest lighthouse (1845) on the southeast shore.

Best hotels in Prince Edward Island

• The Great George

  $$$

  Heritage buildings turned boutique hotel; the character pick.

• Delta Hotels Prince Edward

  $$

  Big waterfront hotel; reliable, with parking and a pool.

• The Hotel on Pownal

  $$

  Modern boutique hotel a block from Victoria Row.

• Loyalist Country Inn

  $$

  Long-running waterfront inn; good value in Summerside.

Is Prince Edward Island expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Confederation Centre of the Arts: weeks ahead
• Peake's Wharf: a few days ahead
• Claddagh Oyster House: a few days ahead
• John Brown Richmond Street Grille: a few days ahead
• Sims Corner Steakhouse & Oyster Bar: a few days ahead
• The Great George: months ahead
• Delta Hotels Prince Edward: months ahead
• The Hotel on Pownal: months ahead

• Summer accommodation: months ahead for Charlottetown and Cavendish.
• Charlottetown Festival tickets: book with your hotels.
• Wood Islands ferry: reserve in summer.

Is Prince Edward Island safe?

• Swim at supervised beaches for rip currents; fog on coastal roads. Emergency number: 911.

Prince Edward Island travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Pick one or two Anne sites rather than all of them.
• Eat lobster in town or at a harbour pound, not roadside gift shops.
• Beaches east of Brackley are as good as Cavendish with fewer people.

Getting around Prince Edward Island: public transport and more

• You need a car; the island is 280km tip to tip with almost no tourist transit.
• Charlottetown is walkable; park once and walk downtown.
• Reserve the Wood Islands ferry in summer.

Who Prince Edward Island suits

More in Canada

Every Canada guide