The Best Things to Do in Charlottetown

Charming and quaint, Charlottetown is the largest city in Prince Edward Island. It is also the capital city and is known as the “Birthplace of Confederation” as it was home to the famous Charlottetown Conference in 1864, which began the talks that eventually led to the Canadian Confederation.

Named after Queen Charlotte, this seaside city of roughly 40,000 people is a wonderful place to see Victorian-style homes and is full of culture, festivals and events, artisan shops, world-class restaurants, and more. It’s also a convenient base for exploring much of the island as it’s close to many top attractions such as Prince Edward Island National Park, Cavendish and the Anne of Green Gables site, beautiful beaches, and more.

In this guide to the best things to do in Charlottetown, we’ll help you plan your next trip by sharing the best things to do as well as where to eat, where to sleep, and what to do when you explore the rest of PEI.

History of Charlottetown

As briefly mentioned above, Charlottetown is quite famous for being the “birthplace of confederation”. This is because, in 1864, the first gathering of Canadian and Maritime statesmen took place to discuss the proposed Maritime Union. However, this discussion actually led to the union of British North American colonies, which was the beginning of the Canadian confederation. Somewhat ironically, PEI did not join Confederation until 1873.

Despite this important part of Canadian history, PEI’s history dates back further, not only with thousands of years of Indigenous occupation with the Mi’kmaq but also with French settlers who happened to be the first European settlers back in 1720. Then, during King George’s War, the British took over the island. Long story short, a few wars took place, including in 1775 when the city was raided by Massachusetts-based privateers during the American Revolution.

As time went on, the British constructed Fort Edward for defense and later the “Government House” and a building that came to be known as “Province House”, which is now a National Historic Site.

On April 17, 1855, Charlottetown was incorporated as a city.

How to Get to Charlottetown

Sandwiched in-between the other Atlantic provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, Charlottetown can be reached by plane, car, or boat.

By Car: Since 1997, Prince Edward Island could be visited by car thanks to the Confederation Bridge, an engineering marvel for Canada. Carrying the Trans-Canada Highway across the Northumberland Strait, it links PEI to New Brunswick via a 12.9-kilometre bridge, which is not only Canada’s longest bridge but also the world’s longest bridge over ice-covered water. It takes 10-12 minutes. There is no toll going to PEI but there is a toll coming back.

By Plane: The Charlottetown Airport (YYG) is quite close to downtown Charlottetown is serviced quite frequently, especially during the summer, by airlines such as Air Canada, WestJet, and Flair Airlines. Rental cars are available should you need one but keep in mind that the summer months can be very busy.

By Boat: Charlottetown does have a cruise port, which means some cruise ships do stop here. However, there is also a ferry that leaves Caribou, Nova Scotia, and arrived in Wood Islands, PEI, which is about a 1-hour drive from Charlottetown. In addition, if you have your own boat, you can also visit that way.

Best Time to Visit Charlottetown

Like all of Prince Edward Island, the best time to visit Charlottetown is during the summer months. From June until the end of September, the weather is generally warm and favourable. However, many sites, including lighthouses and national historic sites, do begin to close in late September. Charlottetown, like any major city, can be visited year-round, but PEI is not a popular place during the winter due to the lack of accommodation and activities.

What to Do in Charlottetown

Once you’re in Charlottetown, you probably want to be busy exploring as much as you can. Well, we’ve got you covered. Below are some of the top things to do in Charlottetown.

Historical Walking Tour

Whether you decide to do a self-guided tour or join one of the many guided tours, walking around Charlottetown is such a great thing to do. Not only is it quite small but there are so many beautiful historic buildings, as well as seaside views that make walking such a joy. However, we certainly recommend taking a historic walking tour with a guide to learn about the buildings you see and the city you’re visiting.

We did a walking tour with The Confederation Players, which is really great because they dress up in authentic Victorian costumes and play the roles of delegates from the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. However, we’ve been told this is changing to reflect other stories. There’s also The Secrets of Charlottetown tour, another tour that brings the history of Charlottetown to life.

For a self-guided historic tour, pick up a map at the Welcome Center in Founder’s Hall at the waterfront or potentially from your hotel.

The Charlottetown boardwalk

Speaking of beautiful walks, we also recommend taking a walk along the Charlottetown boardwalk, which basically follows the coastline around Victoria Park. It’s popular with both locals and tourists and offers beautiful views of the harbour and parts of the city, while also bordering a big park. You’ll also find cannons that have stood guard since the 1800s and the Prince Edward Battery, which is one of the top attractions in Charlottetown.

Prince Edward Battery and Victoria Park

With its stunning views of the harbour, Prince Edward Battery was built at a strategic position to defend this important Maritime location. The Charlottetown boardwalk, as mentioned above snakes its way right around Victoria Park and the Battery, where visitors can see a row of cannons and small barracks. In 1805, the battery was moved from Great George Street to this fortification point. It was later named Fort Edward, though it never did see action.

Confederation Centre of the Arts

Unlike most small cities, Charlottetown is actually home to a beautiful art centre, which covers an entire city block and opened in 1964 as Canada’s national monument to Confederation. The Confederation Centre of the Arts houses a museum, art gallery, theatres, and a provincial library. During the summer, it is well known for the production of Anne of Green Gables, which runs from June to September and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running production. The art gallery, although small, does showcase many beautiful works by Canadian artists as well as travelling exhibits, and even has an entire room dedicated to Charlottetown-raised artist Robert Harris, one of Canada’s most renowned painters from the turn of the century.

Province House National Historic Site

Not far from the Confederation Centre of Arts is Province House, known as the “Birthplace of Canada.” This three-story sandstone building was constructed between 1843 and 1847 as a colonial government building and is now the seat of the Parliament of Prince Edward Island. It has been closed for many years due to renovations so when it does open again, it is most definitely a great place to visit.

The Confederation Chamber is where delegates met in 1864 to begin the talks of what would become the modern state of Canada. However, during its closure, we recommend visiting the Story of Confederation exhibit at the Confederation Centre of the Arts next door. Here, you can see a replica of the Confederation Chamber and watch the film, A Building of Destiny, about the history of Province House and the Charlottetown Conference.

Beaconsfield Historic House

Located right near the waterfront and near the beginning of the Charlottetown Boardwalk is the beautiful Beaconsfield Historic House, an elegant villa that was designed by W. C. Harris and built back in 1877 with lace-like wooden decoration, a mansard roof, and a graceful dome. The mustard-yellow building is a great example of Victorian architecture, and the interior design and furnishings make this a great place to visit.

It also houses the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation as well as a bookshop, which specializes in publications relating to the island. From time to time, exhibitions of local history, lectures, and concerts are held here.

St. Dunstan’s Basilica

While walking around the city, you’re bound to stumble upon St. Dunstan’s Basilica with its red sandstone spires and its French neo-Gothic style. Buil in the 19th century, It’s a memorable piece of the city skyline and a National Historic Site. One of the things it’s most famed for is its Italian-carved altar. On