Of all of the Canadian provinces, Prince Edward Island is probably the most unique. It is the smallest province, by population and area, yet also the most densely populated and the biggest producer of potatoes. Who knew?
You might also be surprised at how much is packed into such a small place. Let us show you some beautiful and quirky attractions on Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada.
Bridge to the Attractions on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is not the easiest Canadian province to get to. In fact, it was not accessible by road until 1997 when the Confederation Bridge was built.
The bridge stretches 13 kilometres across the Northumberland Strait from New Brunswick to Borden-Carleton on Prince Edward Island.
At Borden-Carleton you’ll see a toll booth on the opposite side of the road.
Don’t worry though, there’s no charge for entering Prince Edward Island. Only for leaving.
Common Questions About the Confederation Bridge – Attractions on Prince Edward Island Canada
⭐ Is the Confederation Bridge the longest in the world?
Nope. That would be in China.
⭐ Is it the longest bridge in Canada?
Yes. It is also the world’s longest bridge over water that ices over. Now wouldn’t that be a sight?
⭐ Why is the Confederation Bridge curved?
To allow cargo and cruise ships to pass underneath.
⭐ How long does it take to cross the Confederation Bridge?
About 10 minutes. Enjoy the view, but keep your eyes on the road!
Beautiful Attractions on Prince Edward Island – Indian River
Just 30 minutes north of Borden-Carleton, you’ll find Indian River. Located on Chichester Cove, Indian River is home to the historic St Mary’s Church.
The church was built between 1900 and 1902 as a ‘bigger and better’ replacement for the previous church that burned down after being hit by lightning in 1896.
The church is said to have amazing acoustics. That’s probably why it was purchased by the Indian River Festival after it was decommissioned as a church in 2009.
Kensington – Beautiful Attractions on Prince Edward Island Canada
Kensington is a quaint little settlement less than 10 minutes from Indian River. Truth be told, pretty much all the settlements on Prince Edward island are quaint. But quaint is good!
You don’t get more quaint than the Island Stone Pub. How cute is it?
It’s also nice and cosy inside with some pretty fine food choices that won’t break the bank.
There are also a crazy amount of menu items containing potato, but what else would you expect from Canada’s biggest potato producing province?
Quirky Attractions on Prince Edward Island – Haunted Mansion in the Town of Kensington
Not far from the pub, you’ll find Dr Jack’s haunted mansion. Dr Jack was apparently a rich English man who ran an inn from his mansion.
Then, just like Hotel California, the guests couldn’t leave.
Sounds like the pretty standard haunted house back story.
I didn’t go inside because the CA$17 charge for adults seemed a bit steep to me, but it would probably be a nice place for kids. In fact, I think kids are their target market.
That’s not to say that I didn’t appreciate the aesthetic of the place.
The ‘DeadEx’ crate in the front yard of the mansion made me giggle a little.
Anne of Green Gables Museum – Quirky Attractions on Prince Edward Island Canada
Just 12 kilometres, or about a 10 minute drive, north of Kensington is the Anne of Green Gables Museum in Park Corner.
The museum is contained within the house where Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of the Anne of Green Gables book, spent much of her childhood.
It is pretty much an homage to the life of the author, with some of her personal belongings as well as items from her books.
There is a CA$6 admission fee, which I guess is worth it if you are really into LM Montgomery’s books.
Beautiful Attractions on Prince Edward Island – French River
Less than a 15 minute drive northeast of Kensington lies a small, picturesque settlement called French River.
French River is so picturesque that it is one of the most photographed places on Prince Edward Island.
This colourful and tranquil village has traditionally been a fishing and farming village. These days it has a golf club and accommodation as well.
Gardens of Hope – Beautiful and Quirky Attractions on Prince Edward Island Canada
Just a short 20 minute drive southeast of French River, in the centre of Prince Edward Island, is New Glasgow. On the main road in New Glasgow, you’ll find the Gardens of Hope on the River Clyde.
These gardens are run by a non-profit organisation, so entry is free. There is a donation box if you feel you want to contribute to the cause.
There is also a butterfly house near the gardens, run by the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company. It honestly looked like a big ol’ tourist trap, so enter at your peril!
Plus there’s a good chance you’ll see butterflies in the gardens.
Twelve Acres of Happiness at the Gardens of Hope – Attractions on Prince Edward Island
As the name suggests, the gardens aim to provide a happy place full of hope. They do that pretty well!
Firstly, they’ve recycled some things and used them as part of the themes for different areas of the gardens. Like the Magical forest with windows and doors that make you feel like you’re in Wonderland.
Then they’ve provided benches all around the park where you can sit down and take it all in.
It’s impossible to leave these gardens without a smile on your face.
Beautiful Attractions on Prince Edward Island – Prince Edward Island National Park
The Prince Edward Island National Park is divided into three sections, Cavendish-North Rustico, Brackley-Dalvay, and Greenwich, on the north of the island.
It’s full of amazing beaches, history, lookouts and hiking trails.
There is even designated camping areas that can be pre-booked.
It’s possible to see all of the points of interest across the three sections of the park in one day. What’s even better is that the park seems to be fairly quiet, even in the middle of summer.
The entrance fee for the park is CA$7.90 for an adult day pass or CA$16 for a family. Pretty worth it for those beautiful sunsets, eh?
Charlottetown – Attractions on Prince Edward Island Canada
Prince Edward Island’s capital ‘city’, Charlottetown, is quite walkable and full of historic sites. Charlottetown has a population of around 40,000, so it feels more like a country town than a city. In fact, I’m not even sure it would qualify as a city in some countries.
Probably the best place in the city to experience nature and history while getting in a bit of exercise is Victoria Park.
This 40 acre waterfront park doesn’t feel like it’s in the middle of a city. You can always find a quiet place to relax.
Attractions on Prince Edward Island – Basin Head Provincial Park
The Basin Head Provincial Park is up in the northeast of Prince Edward Island. It is famous for huge dunes and singing sands.
The Basin Head Beach is split in two by a channel known as the run.
Jumping off the bridge over the run is popular, although frowned upon by the province.
History of Basin Head and it’s Singing Sands
If you want to find out about the history of fishing in the area, the Basin Head Fisheries Museum, near the beach, can help you there. It has a CA$5 admission fee for adults.
But of course, most people just head to the beach, where the high silica content of the sand causes a high pitched noise when you walk on it. It’s a geological phenomenon unique to the area.
The Confederation Trail – Attractions on Prince Edward Island
The Confederation Trail runs 273 kilometres from Tignish in the northwest of Prince Edward Island to Elmira on the eastern tip.
There are also offshoots from the main trail leading to coastal areas that bring the total trail length to 440 kilometres.
I’m not suggesting that you do the whole trail, but it’s pretty easy to take in a few sections here and there.
Walk or Bike A Section or Two of the Confederation Trail
You could, for instance, walk the part of the trail that goes through Kensington after visiting the haunted mansion. It’s right behind the mansion!
Or hop on the section in the Basin Head Provincial Park. Or the Charlottetown section. Or pretty much any other section you happen to be near.
It would also be pretty cool to acquire a bike and cycle several sections of the trail.
For help planning a Confederation Trail adventure, have a look at the island trails site
How to Navigate the Confederation Trail
As the main trail follows the path of a decommissioned rail line, it’s quite flat.
You’ll see bilingual information plaques and shelters all along the trail. There are also settlements at regular intervals along the trail.
If you do happen to lose your way, I’m sure any friendly local would help you get back on track.
Attractions on Prince Edward Island – Woods Islands Ferry to Nova Scotia
The 1 hour and 15 minute ferry ride from Woods Islands to Caribou in Nova Scotia is part of the Trans Canada Highway.
As mentioned earlier, you only pay a toll to leave Prince Edward Island.
This applies whether you leave via the Confederation Bridge or by ferry.
The toll is included in the price of the ferry, which is CA$82.
The toll is around CA$48 if you leave via the bridge.
A More Scenic Exit From Prince Edward Island
Many would argue that the ferry option is much more scenic and watching the ferry navigate the sandbar islands on the way out is quite a site.
Plus if you need to get to Nova Scotia, it’s the logical form of transportation to choose, as the Confederation Bridge takes you to New Brunswick.
Keep an eye out for our next post about a journey from Caribou to North Sydney, then to Canada’s most eastern province; Newfoundland!
In the meantime, check out our other Canada posts –
Natural Wonders of British Columbia
Towns in Alberta on a Road Trip From British Columbia to Alberta
Eastern Canada Road Trip in Ontario and Quebec
Beautiful Things to See on a Road Trip in New Brunswick Canada
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20 Replies to “Attractions on Prince Edward Island”
Wow! What an incredible place. I think the haunted mansion would be too scary for me, but I’d love the gardens.
The gardens were amazing! I spent quite a while exploring them!
Wow, very interesting about the singing sands! I had to look up a youtube video so I could hear it for myself. Super strange!
I would love the Gardens of Hope. I always enjoy “found treasure”, like Elmer’s Bottletree Ranch or Nitt Witt Ridge
It’s a bit unnerving if you’re not aware before you head to the beach, haha.
My family live in the Eastern seaboard of Canada, so I am very familiar with PEI! I rather like Anne of Green Gables house – it’s cute to think of Lucy Maud Montgomery living there.
Eastern Canada is so pretty. It must be fun visiting your family.
I’ve always wanted to go to PEI but haven’t managed to make it to the eastern provinces yet. I didn’t know there were so many unique attractions to visit!
The eastern provinces are full of quirky stuff!
Loved reading this! All those churches are so gorgeous!
Churches are always lovely and intricate.
I haven’t heard about Prince Edward Island before, but I like how beautiful the island look. I would love to explore the park and climb on that lighthouse.
The parks on Prince Edward Island are amazing.
Wow this looks gorgeous – love all the old pretty buildings
Eastern Canada is gorgeous!
My wife has always wanted to go to Prince Edward Island based on her childhood love of the Anne of Green Gables books! We have been loosely talking about planning a trip there for years, but I hadn’t researched other things to do. This is a great list! Thank you!
You should do it! :o)
There is soooo much to see! I am in love with all those coastal views and the sunsets…but the Dr Jack’s haunted mansion and the gardens of hope are really cool too! I mean, the mansion is pretty amazing even before you add in the ghosts!
There is a lot to see for such a small place!
I do love a good sunset!
There are so many cute attractions! I love this. I would personally love to visit the haunted mansion.
I know. It’s certainly is a place that had it’s own way of doing things.