45 Best Sights in Prince Edward Island, Canada

Close to—but far enough from—the tourist hot spots of Cavendish, and protected within the Prince Edward Island National Park, this wonderful beach has a long stretch of clean, soft sand backed by dunes, low cliffs, a boardwalk, and a bike trail. Various access points (with boardwalks and stairs in place mid-May through September 30) add to its popularity, but it's big enough to provide plenty of space for all, and beach wheelchairs are available for those with mobility issues. Organized activities include lessons in sand sculpting on Wednesday afternoons and there are trails through the dunes with interpretive panels along the way. Don't head for home when the sun starts to set—the glow of its final rays on the rich red cliffs is an unforgettable sight. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.

With a 1,100-seat main stage theater, a 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, and several studio stages, this block-long building—opened in 1964 to mark the centennial of the Charlottetown Conference—is the Island's leading cultural venue. From late June through September it hosts the Charlottetown Festival, which includes Anne of Green Gables—The Musical, plus concerts, comedy acts, and other productions. Weather permitting, there are free lunchtime performances in the amphitheater and on the plaza from Monday to Saturday. Off-season, a dynamic mix of touring and local productions, choral concerts, and special events is scheduled. A provincial art gallery has more than 15,000 works and around 20 exhibitions of Canadian art each year. The upper lobby has a replica of the Confederation Chamber, where the Fathers of Confederation met, and a film about the event and related historical themes.

Green Gables, ½ km (¼ mile) west of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish Home, is the green-and-white 19th-century farmhouse that served as the inspiration for the Cuthbert place in Anne of Green Gables. The house, outbuildings, and grounds, all of which belonged to cousins of the author's grandfather, re-create some of the settings found in the book. The same goes for short walking trails dubbed the Haunted Wood and Lovers Lane/Balsam Hollow. If you're well acquainted with the novel, you'll spy lots of evocative details on-site (say, a broken slate or amethyst brooch). An audiovisual presentation on Montgomery's life shares space with a café in the barn nearby. This National Historic Site has been part of Prince Edward Island National Park since 1937 and hosts daily events throughout July and August such as guided tours, puppet shows, and old-fashioned games.

The west end of the Greenwich Peninsula, known for its superior beach and shifting sand dunes, was federally protected in 1998 when a 6-km (3½-mile) section was incorporated into Prince Edward Island National Park. Because the dunes are still moving, gradually burying the nearby woods, here and there bleached tree bits thrust up through the sand like wooden skeletons. The road in ends at an interpretive center (open daily early June to mid-September) where displays, hands-on activities, and themed programs teach visitors about the ecology of this unique land formation. Walking trails let you follow the progression from forest to dune to beach, and include a photogenic boardwalk over Bowley Pond.

Seclusion and stunning scenery is your reward for taking the walk to the beach here, and there are various access points involving varying amounts of walking (the shortest is from the parking lot at the end of Wild Rose Road). But take a longer hike along one of the Greenwich Dune Trail loops and along the way you'll enjoy wonderful views across the parabolic dune system (a rare occurrence in North America) and ponds, including sightings of the rich birdlife. Once there, the beach is an unspoiled expanse of fine pink sand that makes a curious sound beneath your feet. It's well worth stopping in at the Interpretation Centre at the entrance, too. Note: the dunes are extremely fragile, so keep to the beach, boardwalks, and marked trails. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; walking.

Numerous beaches can be enjoyed between Cavendish and Greenwich, but boardwalks and stairs to reach them are only in place from mid-May to the end of September. Brackley, Cavendish, and Stanhope beaches are accessible to those with mobility issues, and beach wheelchairs are available. A relaxing alternative to the beaches is to picnic in the titular grove, accompanied by a soundtrack of songbirds and honking Canada geese that call the nearby pond home. A full slate of cultural and ecological interpretive programs aimed at all ages is also available. More active types can bike or hike on the park's scenic trails. If you'd rather be out on the water, kayaking and canoeing opportunities abound. Winter visitors will find snow cleared from parking lots and can enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, but should be aware that Parks Canada does not provide emergency services in winter.

The section of Richmond Street between Queen and Great George streets is home to a variety of shops (Island crafts, art, hand-knitted sweaters, chocolates, antiques, and glassware are just some of the options), together with eateries, cafés, and a dance club. This vibrant, compact stretch of road really comes alive in summer, when traffic is blocked off and you'll frequently see musicians perform at lunchtime or in the evenings. For more shopping, head around the corner to Queen Street or Water Street.

Built in 1875, lit in 1876, manned until 1963, and still operating today, the West Point Lighthouse is a certifiable PEI icon. A gracefully tapered shape and eye-popping black-and-white stripes make the 69-foot structure very photogenic. Inside, displays and assorted artifacts relating to lighthouses provincewide make it educational, too. Be sure to climb the 72 steps to the top for panoramic views. Beautiful any time of day, they are especially glorious at sunset because the lighthouse faces west.

Built in 1867 (the year Canada was "born"), the restored, heirloom-filled home of a prominent local family feels like a Summerside time capsule. Guided interpretive tours last about 50 minutes. There are concerts in the garden on Wednesdays, and this is also a venue during the Summerside Lobster Carnival and Summerside Arts Festival. The entry fee also admits you to another of the Wyatt Heritage Properties: the Lefurgey Cultural Centre at 205 Prince Street.

Many descendants of PEI's first French settlers still live in the Miscouche area, 10 km (6 miles) northwest of Summerside, and the Acadian Museum commemorates their history. This National Historic Site includes a permanent exhibition on Acadian life, including six large paintings by Claude Picard that portray Acadian national symbols, as well as an audiovisual presentation outlining the story of Island Acadians from the early 1700s onward. A genealogical center, heritage walking trail, and themed gift shop are also on-site.

This was once home to Lucy Maud Montgomery's aunt and uncle. The writer also lived here for a time and was married in the parlor in 1911—in fact, that room serves as a wedding venue for modern-day couples. Inside the house, which is still owned by Montgomery descendants, are mementos such as photographs and a quilt Montgomery worked on. The site includes a gift shop jam-packed with licensed Anne of Green Gables goodies, and there is a Matthew Cuthbert look-alike on hand to take visitors on buggy rides around the pastoral 110-acre property. Trips for up to five passengers cost C$75 for a half-hour, C$125 for one hour.

Overlooking the Northumberland Strait, this small museum depicts the ever-changing nature of PEI's inshore fishing industry through artifacts, exhibits, and dioramas. The museum also hosts events, including demonstrations, music, food sampling, and art exhibitions.

This park, 13 km (8 miles) east of Souris, is noted for an expanse of exquisite silvery sand that's backed by grassy dunes. The beach (accessible via a boardwalk and supervised in peak months) is well worth visiting, and not only because it's one of the Island's most beautiful. If you scuff your feet in the sand here, you can hear it squeak and squawk. The so-called singing sand is a rare phenomenon produced by the sand's high silica content. For visitors with mobility issues a floating wheelchair is available when conditions are safe.

Designed by W.C. "Willy" Harris in 1877 for shipbuilder James Peake Jr., this gracious mansion near the entrance to Victoria Park is one of the Island's finest historic homes. The 11 furnished rooms have rich architectural details and accents—little wonder the once-wealthy Peake went bankrupt soon after his house was completed. Having taken a tour of the first and second floors, pause to enjoy a view of Charlottetown Harbour from the veranda. An on-site bookstore has a variety of Island publications, and special events (such as musical performances and history-themed lectures) are held year-round. A carriage house on the grounds also hosts a Celtic music and dance show on Tuesday evenings (for an additional charge).

Charlottetown's boardwalk extends from Confederation Landing to Victoria Park, wending its way along the water past historic sites and leafy picnic spots, providing views of sailboats and cruise ships en route. As an added bonus, it's lit at night for romantic strolls.

Less crowded than Cavendish, Brackley Beach, within Prince Edward Island National Park, stretches for miles along the north shore, so it's easy to find a secluded spot to enjoy the fine sands and clear water. It's a great place for beach walks, and there's also a cycle track a little way back from the shore. It can get very windy here, which is good news for windsurfers. A boardwalk leads from the parking lot to the beach, and there's access to the Gulf Shore Way East trail, with four-wheel pedal-powered Coastal Cruisers for rent from the Stanhope campground. In summer, a Discovery Dome tent has interactive activities, and you can learn sand-sculpting techniques on Monday afternoons. To access the beach you have to pay the entrance fee to the national park. Pets are not allowed on the beach from April through mid-October. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking; windsurfing.

From late June to late August, the park promises interpretative programs, plus a wealth of outdoor opportunities—including boating, hiking, and horseback riding. There's also a heated swimming pool from July through early September. Two championship golf courses (Brudenell River and Dundarave) are the icing on its proverbial cake.

In addition to a popular campground, 360-acre Cabot Beach Provincial Park has fine day-use facilities—particularly for families. In summer, the sandy beach is supervised, plus there's a playground and children's programming. Naturalist-led walks are also available. Surf conditions can sometimes deter swimmers, and alerts are issued if it becomes dangerous, but when it's calm, it's very calm. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

The potato is one terrific tuber: that's the message delivered by this museum. Earnest and intriguing, it has exhibits devoted to the "Amazing Potato," displays of antique potato-farming equipment, a Potato Hall of Fame, even a gift shop selling potato-themed goods. The museum also runs fun add-on tours, which include a guided spin through the facility, plus a trip out to a potato farm, a potato fudge-making lesson, and a lunch of (you guessed it) potato-based dishes.

Encompassing the lighthouse site, this park boasts blissful beaches and supervised swimming (late June to early September), plus children's activities in summer. Recreational programs—including guided walks of the park's nature trails—are also available seasonally.

This waterfront recreation area at the bottom of Great George Street occupies the site where the Fathers of Confederation famously landed in 1864. Walkways and park benches offer plenty of opportunities to survey the activity of the harbor, with the added attraction of banks of wild rosebushes behind. During summer, performers in period costume stroll about the area re-creating the events that led up to the Canadian Confederation. Peake's Wharf, right next to it, has casual restaurants and bars, souvenir and crafts shops, and a marina where boat tours can be arranged. It hosts its own outdoor concert series in July and August. Featuring local talent, the free shows start at 2 and 6 daily, weather permitting.

Just outside Charlottetown, the Cows Creamery Factory offers self-guided tours that teach you everything you need to know about ice-cream production. Following a film (shown in the "Milky Whey Theater"), you can watch staff make waffle cones, whimsical T-shirts, cheddar cheese, and, of course, that award-winning ice cream.

Just north of Darnley (on Route 20, about halfway between Park Corner and Malpeque), this long stretch of sands includes Thunder Cove Beach, weather-sculpted sea stacks, and a number of sandstone caves. There are no developed facilities here, other than a campground, and the beach is often almost entirely deserted except for the seabirds—so it’s perfect for those seeking a "castaway" experience. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

Ships from many nations have been wrecked on the reef running northeast from here, necessitating the installation of the East Point Lighthouse in 1867. Guided tours of the towering edifice are offered mid-June through Labor Day. Books about life at sea, as well as local crafts, are available at the on-site gift shop, and there's a café. Because of the erosion, caution should be used when approaching the high cliffs overlooking the ocean here.

On the waterfront, this center has rotating exhibits of PEI history and fine arts on display in the main gallery: the variety of the exhibitions is one of the center's hallmarks. It also hosts art and craft demonstrations in July and August and lunchtime films on winter Thursdays.

The state-of-the-art exhibits and multimedia displays at this 21,000-square-foot interpretive center on the Historic Charlottetown Waterfront merge high tech with history. A case in point: the "Time Travel Tunnel," which transports visitors back to the Charlottetown Conference of 1864, eventually returning them to the present day with a greater understanding of how Canada came together as a country. In addition to its own gift shop, Founders' Hall has a civic visitor information center where you can get maps, brochures, and advice, as well as a kiosk where you can book tours and purchase theater tickets.

Need a break from those Cavendish crowds? Gardens of Hope, part of the PEI Preserve Company property, is located about 8 km (5 miles) south of town in the Island's most beautiful river valley. The garden covers more than 12 acres and includes a butterfly house. With 2 km (1 mile) of walking trails that thread past fountains and groomed flower beds, then through natural woodland, it provides ample opportunity for quiet contemplation.

Housed in a 1911 armory used by local militia until 1992, the museum recounts the days when fox fur was the height of fashion and fox "farming" was a thriving Summerside industry, and also charts its eventual decline. The heritage building also has a seasonal art gallery upstairs.

The cottage-y white house with green trim overlooking New London Harbour, 11 km (7 miles) southwest of Cavendish, is where the Anne author was born in 1874, and the interior has been furnished with antiques to conjure up that era. Among memorabilia on display are a replica of Montgomery's wedding gown and personal scrapbooks filled with many of her poems and stories.

In Rollo Bay, just west of Souris, handcrafted spirits like vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, brandy, and pastis are produced; the brandy is made with grapes from their own vineyard, and the Physike's Garden Gin is infused with 20 herbs grown on the island. Tours (for up to 10 people at a time) and tastings are offered May through September. Tours are free, but any voluntary donations are passed on to the local hospital. Products can be purchased on-site or online.