Amanda PhillipsLast summer we shared our beginner’s guide to Nova Scotia. Now it’s time to introduce you to one of Atlantic Canada’s other great provinces: Prince Edward Island.
Aptly nicknamed the Garden of the Gulf, Prince Edward Island is one of the best provinces in Canada if you’re looking to relax and get away from it all. Here’s a quick guide to get you started!
Things to do
Explore its capital
Prince Edward Island only has two urban areas with one being the capital, Charlottetown. It is only home to 34,000 people and you’ll find church turrets punctuating the skyline rather than skyscrapers. When visiting Prince Edward Island this will likely be your base for exploring and it’s well worth putting aside a day to wander around (especially in the evening when the sun sets over the harbour).
Visit the Anne of Green Gables house
Anne of Green Gables is considered a classic piece of Canadian literature. And deep within the Prince Edward Island National Park, you’ll find the very house that inspired the book. You can wander through the Green Gables House, explore several museums, and take an afternoon walk along the Haunted Woods and Balsam Hollow trails that are mentioned in the book!
Listen to singing sand
No, you didn’t misread that. The sand found along Basin Head is unique white silica sand that makes a “squeaking” noise when stepped on. The cliffs also boast a beautiful red hue thanks to the high iron concentration that oxidises upon exposure to the air.
Acadian Forests
The Acadian Forests stretch across Atlantic Canada and into New England and are incredible to look at with their multi-coloured hues. The Acadian Forest Region is a combination of the Northern Hardwood and Boreal forests, creating a unique blend of hardwood and softwood trees found nowhere else on earth.
Play a round of golf
There are 27 golf courses on Prince Edward Island, which isn’t a surprise given how beautiful the island is. PEI is also small enough that it’s easy to visit two in one day!
Food & Drink
With vast open fields and the Atlantic Ocean right on its doorstep, it’s no surprise that Prince Edward Island boasts a wide selection of fresh, local produce. The island is very proud of its farm-to-table ethics, where any dish you eat could have easily been caught or harvested only 10 minutes away. They are also a variety of food tours on offer for anyone who wants to learn more.
Seafood is especially popular with lobster, oysters and mussels on almost every menu. If it’s vegetables you prefer, then you’ll find potato farms everywhere. Potato farming is one of Prince Edward Island’s primary industries (McCain chips originated on Prince Edward Island!). There’s even a Potato Museum!
If you enjoy a tipple, you’ll love the wineries and distilleries on the island. They range from fruit wine to craft beers and local vodka (again, the potato industry). Most of the wineries and distilleries offer tours.
Getting there and getting around
Prince Edward Island is best when slotted into a wider Atlantic Canada itinerary. Halifax in Nova Scotia offers direct flights from the UK that only take 6 hours. After landing you can then take an internal flight to Charlottetown, hop on the PEI Express Shuttle, or hire a car and drive across the Confederation Bridge (or hop on the ferry).
Top tip: when leaving the island via the Confederation Bridge you’ll be asked to pay a toll-tax.
The island is only 120 miles long, and you can easily explore it in a week – no matter your mode of transport. The pace of life is much slower on Prince Edward Island and is somewhere where you’d even be encouraged by the locals to slow down your car and take in the view.
Other important information
- Prince Edward Island’s tourist season is during our summer
- Prince Edward Island is in the Atlantic Time Zone and is four hours behind the UK
- They use the Canadian Dollar, which you can obtain in most Barrhead Travel branches and on our website
