Last updated on January 23rd, 2026
Ready to go on the ultimate Prince Edward Island road trip? We’re sharing over 32 fun things to do on Prince Edward Island!
With rolling hills and farmland, quaint towns, picturesque beaches, and a plethora of lighthouses, Prince Edward Island (PEI) is straight out of a storybook. In fact, it was even the inspiration for one of the most popular children’s books!
Prince Edward Island was the second stop on our three month Atlantic Canada road trip and we were very pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed our time on the island. If we’re being honest, we tend to prefer destinations with more mountainous scenery, difficult hikes, and action packed activities. So we were a little worried that the island wouldn’t be exciting enough for us.
Watch us explore the best things to do on Prince Edward Island on a four day road trip. Including hikes, beaches, unique sights, and delicious food!
But the beauty of Prince Edward Island is that it forces you to slow down. The island’s relaxed, slow pace vibe was exactly what we needed. We loved driving around and seeing the scenery along the coastal drives, making quick stops for hikes or local eats, and visiting different beaches.
And in this guide we’re sharing over 32 fun things to do on Prince Edward Island, to help you craft your own perfect Prince Edward Island road trip. Plus, some important travel planning logistics!
Why trust us when planning a trip to Atlantic Canada?
We spent over 3 months traveling all around Atlantic Canada in our self-converted Sprinter van, visiting many of the popular sites, plus off the beaten path gems along the way. And instead of rushing through these areas like most people are forced to on vacation, we traveled slowly, allowing us to experience them more as locals. Because of this, we have tons of tips to help you plan your own Atlantic Canada adventure, whether it’s just for a week or for multiple months.
About Prince Edward Island
Located on the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Canadian Maritimes, Prince Edward Island is the smallest of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories. But despite its size, it packs quite a punch!
The island is home to 1,100 km (683 miles) of shoreline, some of the best golf in Canada, the highest concentration of lighthouses in North America, and a large farming industry (especially potatoes), with over 42% of the land being farmland.
It also played a big role in Canada’s history! Charlottetown, PEI was the location of an important conference for Canadian Confederation, which is when New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and present day Ontario and Quebec joined together to be an independent country, called the Dominion of Canada. Because of this, Prince Edward Island has been given the nickname the “Birthplace of Confederation.”
Looking for more history in Atlantic Canada? Be sure to visit one of North America’s oldest cities, St. John’s, Newfoundland!
The best things to do on Prince Edward Island
There are countless things to do on Prince Edward Island. And the best way to experience them is along the province’s three Coastal Drives: the North Cape Coastal Drive, Central Coastal Drive, and Points East Coastal Drive.
Each drive is loaded with fun and interesting stops to make and we’ve broken up this list of things to do on Prince Edward Island by the coastal drives, to make it easier to plan.
We’d suggest structuring your Prince Edward Island Road trip by starting in Charlottetown, driving the southern part of the Central Coastal Drive, completing the North Cape Coastal Drive, finishing the northern part of the Central Coastal Drive, and ending with the Points East Coastal Drive.
We’re sharing our exact itinerary below. But for additional detailed itinerary options, check out our Atlantic Canada eBook!
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island and its largest city. And while it’s technically located on the Central Coastal Drive (which we’ll cover next!), we think it stands alone as its own destination and makes for a great starting and ending point to your time on Prince Edward Island!
How much time do you need in Charlottetown?
We spent almost a full day in Charlottetown and felt like it was plenty of time!
Looking for more things to do in Charlottetown? Check out our guide to the BEST 15 Things to do in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Receiver Coffee Shop
Start your day in Charlottetown at Receiver Coffee! This coffee shop is located in an old railroad brass shop and makes some delicious coffee. Plus some tasty looking food items!
Confederation Landing
Confederation Landing is where the Fathers of Confederation landed for the Conference in 1864. Today it’s a small park right on the water, with great views of the area and a small waterfront pathway you can walk.
Explore downtown
We loved walking around downtown Charlottetown. Despite being the largest city, it has a small town feel, with lots of charming, historic buildings. And it’s very walkable! While downtown, make sure to walk down Victoria Row, a cobblestone street lined with boutique shops and restaurants filling the Victorian era buildings.
Want to explore downtown with a guide? This historic walking tour of Charlottetown will show you the best sights and provide lots of information along the way.
Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!
St. Dunstan’s Basilica
One of the most iconic sights in Charlottetown is the St. Dunstan’s Basilica. This is a gorgeous gothic cathedral that was built in the early 1900s. Its spires are some of the highest points of the city’s skyline, making it one of the most visible landmarks downtown. You can go inside whenever they are not having a service, which we highly recommend!
Founders’ Food Hall & Market
Our favorite stop in Charlottetown was the Founders’ Food Hall & Market! This indoor market has over 18 local shops and restaurants inside. We really enjoyed our meal from Datcha, which serves French Caribbean Street food. Their signature dish is the bokit, which is fried dough that makes for a great vessel for their delicious sandwiches!
While you’re there, make sure to try some hot sauces at Maritime Madness. And don’t forget to pick up some potato fudge from Oh Fudge! Yes, fudge made out of potatoes sounds really odd, but trust us – it is SO good! And the best part about it is it has a fraction of the calories so you can eat so much more guilt free!
COWS Creamery
Another can’t miss PEI staple is Cows Creamery. This is an uber popular ice cream spot that is headquartered on Prince Edward Island, but has a few locations in other provinces. You can visit some of their scoop shops around town, but we suggest going to their factory, to do a tour and also try ice cream.
Make sure to grab a bag of their chocolate covered potato chips before you leave for a sweet and salty snack for later!
Victoria Park
If you’re looking for a relaxing walk at a park, check out Victoria Park. Inside the park there are four historic squares, woodland walking trails, a swimming pool, boardwalk walking trail, and tons of beautiful flowers. It has great views of the water too!
Where to stay in Charlottetown
Since Charlottetown is centrally located and has plenty of accommodation options, it makes for a great homebase to explore the nearby Central Coastal Drive and even some spots along the North Cape Coastal Drive and Points East Coastal Drive.
Hotels: The Holman Grand Hotel, The Great George, and Hampton Inn & Suites
Vacation Rentals: Waterfront Loft, Lovely one-bedroom in Charlottetown, and Bright and lovely one-bedroom apartment
Campgrounds: Cornwall/Charlottetown KOA
Boondocking: Unfortunately the lighthouse we boondocked at is no longer allowed. However, this parking lot near the Founders’ Food Hall is common for vans to stay over night for a fee. You can also stay at the Red Shores Racetrack & Casino if you’re a larger rig.
Central Coastal Drive
The Central Coastal Drive is located in the central part of Prince Edward Island and includes both the north and south shores. It is the most popular of the three drives and offers rolling hills, red dirt cliffs, and charming fishing villages. On top of that, you’ll get to visit a National Park, eat seafood, listen to music, and visit the iconic Anne of Green Gables attractions.
How much time do you need on the Central Coastal Drive?
We’d recommend spending 1-2 days on the Central Coastal Drive.
Argyle Shore Provincial Park
Located on the southern end of the Central Coastal Drive is Argyle Shore Provincial Park. This is a great spot to see the island’s iconic red sand and cliffs! You can spend a couple hours here enjoying the beach, plus looking for hermit crabs.
Note: Unlike some other provinces, the provincial parks on Prince Edward Island are FREE to visit!
Cabot Beach Provincial Park
Another great provincial park on Prince Edward Island is Cabot Beach Provincial Park. Located on the northwest end of the Central Coastal Drive, this park is known for its soft, red sand. Unfortunately due to poor weather, we didn’t get to explore much of this park. But we did camp here for a night and the campground was nice!
Tip: if you’re hungry while visiting, Malpeque Oyster Barn is an excellent choice for oysters!
French River
Quite possibly the most quaint spot we visited during our Prince Edward Island road trip was the tiny fishing village of French River. From this viewpoint you’ll have an idyllic view of rolling hills, the small, colorful village, and a river. It’s a super quick stop, but it’s postcard worthy!
And just down the road, you can also visit the Cape Tryon Lighthouse.
Prince Edward Island National Park
Prince Edward Island National Park is located on the Northern Shore of PEI and is broken into three regions: Cavendish-North Rustico, Brackley-Dalvay, and Greenwich.
Both Cavendish-North Rustico and Brackley-Dalvay are located on the Central Coastal Drive and are one of the best things to do on this entire route!
Canada National Parks have a fee to enter. Prince Edward Island National Park costs $9.00 CAD per adult to enter, or $17.50 CAD per family (up to 7 people) during peak season. If you’re visiting multiple Canadian National Parks, we suggest getting the Discovery Pass, which is $75.25 CAD for one adult or $151.25 CAD for up to 7 people. This gets you into all Parks Canada sites for one year!
Also, pets are allowed in some areas of the park like picnic areas, camping areas, and trails. But they are NOT allowed on beaches in the National Park between April 1 and October 15.
Cavendish-North Rustico
The Cavendish-North Rustico area of the park is most famous because of its connection to author L.M. Montgomery and her story, “Anne of Green Gables.”
Cavendish Beach is Prince Edward Island’s most famous beach and the top thing to do in this part of the park. Despite visiting on a very rainy and windy day, we surprisingly had a great time at this beach. And we can tell that on a nice day, it would be beautiful!
Besides just visiting the beach, we recommend checking out the Cavendish Dunelands Trail that travels along the beach and through dunes.
About a 12 minute drive away is the North Rustico region of the park. This is a little fishing village, where you can watch the fishers dock their boats after a long day at work. You can also walk along the boardwalk, cycle through town, or enjoy a seafood feast at Blue Mussel Cafe or Pedro’s Island Eatery.
Brackley-Dalvay
For a quieter beach experience, head to Brackley Beach in the Brackley-Dalvay section of the park. This part of the park has several smaller beaches with much less traffic. The Covehead Harbour Lighthouse and Dalvay-by-the-Sea National Historic Site are a couple other must-visit stops in the area. And for lunch or dinner, swing by Original Richard’s!
Anne of Green Gables
The town of Cavendish, in the Cavendish area of Prince Edward Island National Park is famous for being where Anne of Green Gables takes place. In fact they call it the Green Gables Shore!
For those unfamiliar with Anne of Green Gables, this is a series of books from the early 1900s about a young orphan girl named Anne who mistakenly was delivered to a couple here on PEI.
And if you’re an Anne of Green Gables fan…this is your mecca! In this part of the park you’ll find Green Gables Heritage Place, the L.M. Montgomery Statue, and the author’s home. You can play a round at Green Gables Golf Course, indulge in Anne of Green Gables Chocolates, and peruse the Avonlea Village. There is no shortage of Anne themed attractions here!
Want to experience Anne of Green Gables through a tour? Check out the half day Island Drive & Anne Tour.
Prince Edward Island Preserve Company
Prince Edward Island’s rich farmland makes it a great place to grow many foods. Including raspberries! And a must try dessert is raspberry cream cheese pie from Prince Edward Island Preserve Company!
This is a two layer cream pie, a cheesecake like bottom layer and a raspberry pie filling top layer. It wasn’t cheap, but WOW it was good!
Besides the pie, you can also eat at their restaurant or buy some preserves and other gifts. But what makes this place extra special is the environment. It’s right on the water and the Garden of Hope is right next door, with tons of beautiful flowers.
Looking for more places to eat on the Central Coastal Drive? Check out:
The Mill in New Glasgow (New Glasgow)
C&B Corner Cafe (Kensington)
Blue Goose Restaurant (Crapaud)
The Handpie Company (Albany)
Lobster Barn (Victoria)
Where to stay on the Central Coastal Drive
You could stay in Charlottetown for the Central Coastal Drive and do day trips to the different areas listed above, but we’d recommend staying along the coast at least one night, to have the beaches nearby. You won’t find any major chain hotels here. Instead there are small motels, cottages, and campgrounds.
Hotels: Kindred Spirits Inn & Cottages (Cavendish) and Cavendish Maples Cottages (Cavendish)
Vacation Rentals: Meridian 63º Tiny Cabins and Treetop Haven
Campgrounds: There are quite a few campgrounds in this area, including the Cavendish Campground and Stanhope Campground inside of the National Park. But if those are full (like they were for us), check out Cabot Beach Provincial Park.
The Twin Shores Camping Area and Borden/Summerside KOA, and New Glasgow Highlands Campground are a few other options.
North Cape Coastal Drive
The 350 km (217 mile) North Cape Coastal Drive follows along the northwestern coast of Prince Edward Island. You can take Route 2 through the center, but for the best views, follow Route 14 along the Northumberland Strait to West Point and Route 12 along the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
This is a much less visited side of the island compared to the Central Coastal Drive, Charlottetown, and the Points East Coastal Drive. But don’t skip out on it! It has some of the best things to do on Prince Edward Island and you’ll get to enjoy many spots without the crowds.
How long do you need on the North Cape Coastal Drive?
The North Cape Coastal Drive and its top sights can be experienced in 1-1.5 days.
Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour
An absolute MUST visit stop on the North Cape Coastal Drive is Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour in Summerside. All of their ice cream is homemade including the chunks, sauces, and cones. While Cow’s is definitely more popular and very good, Holman’s is more of a local and quaint experience.
Not only is the ice cream top notch, but it’s located in an old family home, with a gorgeous courtyard to enjoy your frozen treat.
Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island
Just northwest of the town of Summerside is the Acadian Museum. Acadians are the descendents of the first French settlers to come to the island. Over the centuries their culture still has a great impact on PEI. At the museum you can learn all about the Acadian people and culture including cuisine, music, dance, and much more!
The Bottle Houses
For a quirky stop, head to the Bottle Houses! Located near Cape Egmont is a collection of fantasy-like buildings made of over 25,000 glass bottles cemented together. Édouard Arsenault began building them in 1980 and it was soon offered as a tourist stop (cost: $10 CAD per person).
When you walk into these glass buildings, the sunlight passing through the bottles creates a beautiful display of light. This is definitely one of the most unique things to do on Prince Edward Island!
Tip: These Bottle Houses look awesome, but Prince Edward Island has another set of bottle houses that are free, plus take donations for a good cause! We’ll share more about those on the Points East Coastal Drive.
Cape Egmont Lighthouse
Prince Edward Island has 61 lighthouses, which is said to be the highest concentration of lighthouses of any province or state in North America. On average you can find one lighthouse every 55 km!
It would be very difficult to visit them all, so we suggest picking a handful to check out during your Prince Edward Island road trip. We’re sharing a few of the best ones in this guide, to help you narrow them down.
And one of our favorites we visited is the Cape Egmont Lighthouse! It came recommended to us by multiple people not only to visit, but to also camp at. There was plenty of room for several rigs and the views were amazing!
Beach Goats
Ever dreamt of paddle boarding with a goat? Well, with Beach Goats you can make your dreams come true!
This goat farm offers a variety of experiences with their goats. Not only can you paddle board, but you can also hang out with the goats on the beach, do goat yoga, have a paint night, milk experience, and so much more!
Be sure to check the Beach Goats website for hours and more info on experiences.
West Point Lighthouse Inn and Museum
The West Point Lighthouse was built in 1875 and stands at 69 feet tall, making it PEI’s tallest lighthouse. It’s located in Cedar Dunes Provincial Park and has a unique tapered square shape with black and white striping. But what sets it apart from almost all other lighthouses is that you can sleep in it!
The inn has 13 rooms, with 11 of them having walkout decks, but the best room is the tower of the lighthouse!
There is also a museum at the lighthouse, plus a park with beaches. And because of the shape of its coastline, it’s also a great spot to watch the sun rise and set!
If you love lighthouses, then we recommend visiting the lighthouses on the Twillingate Islands and the Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland as well, because they’re beautiful and offer great views as well!
Canadian Potato Museum
Even though Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in Canada, it is the largest potato producing province! The red, iron-rich soil, warm summers, and cold winters provide the ideal growing conditions for potatoes.
There are over 100 varieties of PEI potatoes exported to over 20 countries! At the Canadian Potato Museum, you can learn some history about potatoes, see the many diseases that can impact them, check out different machinery, and so much more.
Don’t forget to get a photo with the massive 14 foot potato outside!
North Cape Nature Trail
One of the best hikes we did on Prince Edward Island was the North Cape Nature Trail. This trail is located at the very northern tip of the island and travels about 3.2 miles (5.1 km) round trip. It is pretty flat, which is a perk of hiking here on PEI!
Besides this hike, North Cape is also the site of Wind Energy Institute of Canada’s national wind turbine test site. So as you hike along the trail, you’ll not only have incredible ocean views, but you’ll also get to walk amongst 80 meter tall wind turbines. To learn more about the turbines, you can visit their interpretive centre too!
Backwoods Burgers
During your North Cape Coastal road trip, pop into Backwoods Burger in Tyne Valley for a hearty meal! We got the Backwoods Burger and Fries With the Works, which is a Prince Edward Island staple.
This is the island’s twist on poutine. It is fries with beef, gravy, and peas, plus our version had fried onions. It tasted a lot like beef stew on fries…we loved it! And the burgers were very solid too.
Looking for more places to eat on the North Cape Coastal Drive?
Samuel’s Coffee House (Summerside)
South Central Kitchen & Provisions (Summerside)
PEI Roti (Summerside)
Where to stay on the North Cape Coastal Drive
The North Cape Coastal Drive is pretty remote, with very small towns along the way. Summerside will offer the most options, but there are some good places to stay elsewhere as well!
Hotels: Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham (Summerside), Guest Suites at Willowgreen Farm (Summerside), Quality Inn & Suites (Summerside), Mill River Resort (Mill River), and West Point Beach House (West Point).
Vacation Rentals: Apartment in Summerside, 2 bedroom apartment near Boardwalk(Summerside), Barn in Tignish, and Shades of Summer Hideaway(O’Leary).
Campgrounds: Green Park Provincial Campground (near Tyne Valley) and Linkletter Provincial Park Campground(near Summerside).
Boondocking: One of our absolute favorite boondocking spots on Prince Edward Island was the Cape Egmont Lighthouse. We got to sleep along the cliffs, overlooking the water and the lighthouse. It was EPIC! You can also boondock at the North Point Lighthouse.
Curious how we find free camping in North America? Check out our guide to finding free camping!
Points East Coastal Drive
Last, but certainly not least, is the Points East Coastal Drive. It’s a tough choice, but we think this may have been our favorite of the three coastal drives! With rolling dunes, beautiful beaches, a fun lighthouse, and unique attractions, it offers a great mix of the best things to do on Prince Edward Island.
Prince Edward Island National Park (Greenwich)
The final region of Prince Edward Island National Park, Greenwich, is located along the Points East Coastal Drive. This area is home to the biggest sand dunes on Prince Edward Island and the best way to see them is along the Greenwich Dunes Trail!
This trail offers a nice mix of scenery as it travels through fields, forest, and over Bowley Pond on a floating walkway, before ending at Greenwich Beach. We loved this hike and it was definitely our favorite part of Prince Edward Island National Park!
Visit Lighthouses
Similar to the other coastal drives, Points East has many lighthouses to explore. Like the Point Prim Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on Prince Edward Island. Or the picturesque Wood Islands Lighthouse. But one that we especially loved was the East Point Lighthouse. Not only can you go to the top of this one ($6.90 CAD per person at the time of our visit), but we saw TONS of seals in the water!
Basin Head Provincial Park
There are many beaches on Prince Edward Island, but for a unique experience, head to Basin Head Provincial Park. Not only is this beach the most beautiful that we visited, with super blue waters, but the sand does something interesting…it sings!
Due to the high silica count in the sand, it will sing to you when you walk on it. Unfortunately, you need to be on dry sand for this to happen. And the sand was a bit too wet during our visit, so we didn’t get the full effect.
Even if you can’t get it to sing, this is still one of the best things to do on Prince Edward Island. We LOVED this beach! And we even saw a fox run across its dunes!
Souris
One of our favorite towns on Prince Edward Island was Souris. This charming little seaside town has a few activities that make it well worth a stop on a Prince Edward Island road trip.
First, grab some coffee and food from Evergreen Cafe. Their crunchwrap and lattes were 10 out of 10!
Afterwards, go walk the boardwalk at Souris Beach Gateway Park. It’s such a nice, easy stroll right by the water. And after you’re done, make sure to head onto the beach to look for sea glass! We found quite a few little pieces!
Brudenell River Provincial Park
Before exploring Prince Edward Island, we spent a week working from Brudenell River Provincial Park. This park has a great campground, plus walking trails near the water. And the surrounding scenery is beautiful!
While most of our time was spent behind our computers (and going on daily walks with Kona), we got to witness quite a few of the fun activities here. Like the pool, horseback riding, and kayaking! There’s also the Rodd Brudenell River Resort and golf course!
Another great kayaking adventure in Atlantic Canada is at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick, which we highly recommend!!
Travel back in time at a living history museum
For the history buffs, the Points East Coastal Drive has a couple fun living history museums, where you can learn about the area and see some demonstrations. The Orwell Corner Historic Village has blacksmith demonstrations, farm animals, and other activities, like making candles.
Roma at Three Rivers offers a similar experience, but what is extra cool about this one is that they serve a traditional lunch at noon!
Montague
While driving around the Points East Coastal Drive, another town to check out is Montague. Especially if you love beer, as they have a couple breweries, including Bogside Brewing and Copper Bottom Brewing.
Panmure Island Provincial Park
Panmure Island Provincial Park is home to a long, golden sandy beach along a causeway. And it is said to be one of the best beaches on the island! We unfortunately visited on a gloomy, rainy day. But from what we could tell, it was pristine!
You can also check out the Panmure Island Lighthouse while you’re here too!
Buffaloland Park
Did you know that there are bison on Prince Edward Island? Neither did we! Back in 1973, Alberta gifted Prince Edward Island a herd of 15 bison and today you can get a glimpse of them at Buffaloland Park. There is a fenced path you can walk, which leads you to an overlook of the park. If you visit in the early morning or evening, you’ll have the best luck. But we did see some in the afternoon from afar!
Hannah’s Bottle Village
Hannah’s Bottle Village is another bottle village on the island. And if we had to choose between the two, this is the one we’d pick!
It’s free, but accepts donations and all donations go to a children’s hospital. Since opening in 2002, they have raised over $100,000!
There are over 30,000 bottles here, which you can see across various buildings and sculptures. We loved walking around here!
Where to stay on the Points East Coastal Drive
Hotels: Gateway to Greenwich Suites, Rodd Brudenell River Resort, and Johnson Shore Inn
Vacation Rentals: Oceanfront Luxury Glamping Dome
Camping: All Points East Campground, Brudenell River Provincial Park, and Campbell’s Cove Campground
Boondocking: We spent one night camping here and it was super peaceful! It’s tucked down some rougher backroads, so it takes a bit of effort to get to.
Island Wide
Beyond the coastal drives, there are a handful of island wide activities that you may want to partake in along your Prince Edward Island road trip!
Confederation Trail
The Confederation Trail is a 273 km west-east trail built on a decommissioned railroad line. It travels from one end of the island all the way to the other from Tignish (km 0) to Elmira (km 273). The trail can be hiked, biked, and in some sections experienced by horseback.
There are several branch trails that take you to other parts of the island as well like small towns and Charlottetown for a total of 449 km. The trail grade never rises above 2%, so it can be enjoyed by all ability levels.
Along the way there are plenty of accommodations and resupply points so that you can go on a self guided cycling tour. Or if you’d rather go on a fully supported tour with accommodations and meals planned as well as a shuttle back to the start, then check out PEI Cycling Tours or MacQueen’s Bike Shop. MacQueen’s also offers rentals.
The route can be done in one long trek or you can break it up into sections and tackle it over multiple visits. Next time we’re in Prince Edward Island we will definitely ride this with our own bikes!
Play Golf
Prince Edward Island is world renowned for its golf courses. Here are a handful of courses to add to your list!
Green Gables Golf Course: This was designed by Stanley Thompson and is the region’s oldest course, dating back to 1939.
Links at Crowbush Cove
Dundarave Golf Course
Fox Meadow
Planning your trip to Prince Edward Island
How to get to Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island sits north of Nova Scotia and east of New Brunswick. Since it is an island, you’ll need to cross the Northumberland Strait to get to and from the island.
You can either take a ferry from Nova Scotia, fly into Charlottetown, or drive the Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick.
Ferrying to Prince Edward Island
The Northumberland Ferry travels between Caribou, Nova Scotia and Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island, which is on the eastern side of the island. The ferry operates May through December and the ride is 75 minutes. To see the most up to date schedule and fares, check the ferry website. Reservations are highly recommended!
Ferrying here from Newfoundland would first require a ferry to Nova Scotia. With so many great places to visit in Newfoundland we recommend going there too if you can!
Driving to Prince Edward Island
The Confederation Bridge is 12.9 km (8 miles) long and goes over the Northumberland Strait. The bridge ends at Borden-Carleton, west of Charlottetown. They recently lowered the toll to $20 (round trip) for two axle vehicles, which is a huge decrease from before!
You pay the toll when you leave Prince Edward Island, so don’t be confused when you drive onto the island and don’t see a place to pay. The fee can be paid by cash or card.
Flying to Prince Edward Island
To fly to PEI you’ll fly into the main commercial airport, Charlottetown Airport (YYG). We flew in and out of this airport for our RAGBRAI adventure. It is very small (with just a couple gates) and not many amenities, but it was nice!
The airport has non-stop flights from several major destinations in Canada like Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and a few more. It is mostly serviced by Air Canada and Westjet.
Once arriving at the airport, you definitely will want to rent a car to explore Prince Edward Island!
When is the best time to visit Prince Edward Island?
Prince Edward Island is the perfect summer destination! With tons of beaches to explore, you’ll get the most out of your visit if it’s a tad warmer. Because of this, we’d especially recommend visiting between July and August.
However, keep in mind that this will be the busier time to visit. So if you prefer less crowds and don’t mind cooler weather, June and September would be a good choice as well.
Some fun festivals to be aware of on the island that you may want to plan around include Cavendish Beach Music Festival (early July) and the Shellfish Festival (late September).
How much time do you need on Prince Edward Island?
Prince Edward Island is small enough that you can see it all in about a week. But, if like us, you don’t have a full week to spend, you can easily explore in less time too!
Our Prince Edward Island road trip was only 4 days and we were able to visit many of the best things to do on Prince Edward Island, at a pretty relaxed pace. Here is a quick rundown of our itinerary!
Our 4 day Prince Edward Island Itinerary
First Day
- We started the day by exploring Charlottetown, including getting coffee at Receiver Coffee, wandering around downtown, seeing the St. Dunstan’s Basilica, and going to the Founders’ Food Hall & Market.
- Then, we began our drive on the North Cape Coastal Loop, stopping by Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour and camping at the Cape Egmont Lighthouse.
Second Day
- For our first stop, we visited the Canadian Potato Museum.
- We then drove up to the North Cape Coastal Trail and hiked among the turbines.
- For lunch, we grabbed burgers and fries with the works at Backwoods Burgers.
- We stopped by French River to admire the picturesque community.
- And then we camped at Cabot Beach Provincial Park.
Third Day
- We spent this day exploring Prince Edward Island National Park, starting with Cavendish Beach. It was a rainy day, so we cut some activities to avoid being outside too much.
- For a sweet treat, we stopped at Prince Edward Island Preserve Company for raspberry cream cheese pie.
- We then got onto the Points East Coastal Drive and hiked the Greenwich Dunes Trail to end the day.
Fourth Day
- We started the day by trying to hear the singing sands at Basin Head Provincial Park.
- Then, we headed to the East Point Lighthouse and climbed to the top!
- We wandered around Souris, had lunch at Evergreen Cafe, and walked the boardwalk.
- For our final stop, we went to Hannah’s Bottle Village.
For even more Prince Edward Island itineraries, check out our Atlantic Canada eBook! We not only share itinerary options for Prince Edward Island, but also itineraries to road trip around multiple Atlantic Canada provinces.
What to bring to Prince Edward Island
Here are some specific items that you especially want to pack for your time on Prince Edward Island! For a more general packing list, you can download our go to packing list here.
Hiking Gear
While Prince Edward Island doesn’t have many difficult hikes, you’ll still be spending a lot of time outdoors, so make sure to bring the proper gear, including good shoes and water storage (like a Camelbak)! We also always suggest having the 10 essentials on you, just in case.
Offline Maps
We had cell service most of the time in Prince Edward Island, but at times in the interior parts it became spotty. Make sure to download offline AllTrails and Google Maps to navigate on the road and on hikes.
Want to get 30% off an AllTrails Plus membership? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!
We use AllTrails Plus on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.
Layers
The weather can change quickly on Prince Edward Island. We had a couple days with some crazy wind! So we always recommend bringing layers, like pullovers and puffy jackets.
Rain Jacket
During our time on Prince Edward Island we did experience a decent amount of rain. So make sure to bring a rain jacket!
Sun protection
You’ll likely be spending some time at one of Prince Edward Island’s many gorgeous beaches. Bring along a hat, sunscreen, and your sunglasses.
Passport
If you are visiting from the US, make sure to pack your passport! And if you have a NEXUS card, bring that too.
Looking for more things to do in Atlantic Canada?
- eBook: Atlantic Canada Road Trip Guide
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- How to go on a one week Nova Scotia Road Trip (2 itinerary options!)
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- 12 BEST places to visit in Newfoundland from coast to coast!
- Top 10 Fun Things To Do in Twillingate, Newfoundland
- 10 BEST things to do on the Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland, Canada
- Top 10 Best Things to do in St. John’s, Newfoundland
- How to experience the tides at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick
- The BEST 15 Things to do in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- Watch all of our Canadian Maritime adventures on YouTube
Ready to explore Prince Edward Island?
Pin this guide with all of the best things to do in Prince Edward Island to start planning!
