Central Coastal Drive PEI: The Top Things To See

The Central Coastal Drive in Prince Edward Island explores, well, the central part of the Island. It’s where you’ll find PEIs largest city, Charlottetown, the Prince Edward Island National Park, and everything Anne of Green Gables. Don’t worry, there’s also no shortage of lighthouses either!

It took us several days actually to drive the Central Coastal drive. Even though it’s the shortest of the PEI drives, it has the most attractions. I mean, you can spend at least a day in Charlottetown alone!

I’ll go over everything there is to do on the Central Coastal drive in a loop starting from Charlottetown.

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Prince Edward Island Coastal Drives

There are three Prince Edward Island scenic drives that take you all around the Island. The North Cape Coastal drive is the North part, Central Coast is the middle, and Points East is the East end.

There are lighthouses, incredible views, beaches, hikes and so much more on each of these drives. Not to mention the local stores, museums, and restaurants to discover!

You might also be interested in reading…

North Cape Coastal Drive PEI: Top Things To See

The Points East Coastal Drive PEI: Top Things To See

What To Know About The Central Coastal Drive PEI

If you arrive to Prince Edward Island from the Confederation Bridge, you’ll already be on the Central Coastal Drive.

You should spend most of your time on Prince Edward Island exploring the Central Coast.

There are the most things to do, in the smallest area (which means less time wasted driving and more spent on activities!).

The best place to stay if you want to do the Central Coastal drive in multiple days is in Charlottetown. This is the biggest city, and will have the most entertainment and restaurants.

incredible rolling hills on the coastal drive on prince edward-island at golde hour. The road is a a shade of yellow instead of grey. It leads you down into the valley, towards a river cutting the picture in half. The green grass continues on the other side, and finally, the land meets the sky in the distance. The sky is yellow near the land, but becomes more blue the higher up.

How Long Is The Central Coastal Drive?

The Central Coastal drive is actually the shortest of three Prince Edward Island drives at only 253 km / 155 miles (almost 200 km shorter than Points East Coastal Drive!).

There are actually two regions to explore along the Central coastal drive: the Green Gables shore region on the north, and the Red Sands Shore region on the south.

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Can You Do The Drive In One Day?

Depending on what you want to see, you can spend anywhere from two to three days exploring the central coast in Prince Edward Island.

If you’re only interested in driving and seeing the sights from the car, then a day is more than enough.

But, if you want to spend some time enjoying any of the beaches, museums, or hikes along the drive, you’ll need more time!

We did the drive in two days, staying in Charlottetown overnight. Charlottetown is very central and it’s more convenient to stay in the same hotel than have to move with your luggage.

central coastal drive pei off the main roads. Driving on a red dirt road, it looks like off the edge of the world straight into the water below... There are wires connected by poles showing that the road in fact does continue below. The sky is completely clear without one cloud.

Need A Place To Stay En Route – Central Hotels

The Central Coast is where you’ll find most hotels on the Island because, well, it’s very central to the rest of the Island. It’s very important to not drive when you’re tired, if you need to stop, here are my hotel recommendations along the Central coastal drive.

I recommend staying in Charlottetown, the largest city. We stayed at the Great George and highly recommend it. The boutique hotel just had us wanting more that we even extended our stay there. With freshly made breakfast in the morning and heated bathroom floors. See room rates and availability on Booking.com.

If you wanted to split up the drive, you could also stay in Summerside, PEIs second largest city. We actually stayed at the Summerside Inn Bed & Breakfast to add a local vibe in a historical house to our stay. See room rates and availability.

You can also stay in Cavendish, another reasonably central location on the Island and a great place to stay for families. Simply Charming Cottages has space for the entire family and it’s in the heart of Cavendish. See room rates and availability on Booking.com.

See more of my Prince Edward Island hotel recommendations.

instagram-worthy-hotel-charlottetown-pei

Central Coast Drive PEI Itinerary

Start In Charlottetown

You could spend at least a day in Charlottetown alone (no seriously, see the top 10 things to do!).

If you have limited time in the city, go on a walking tour (like this one), where you’ll walk along Queen Street, Victoria Row, and head down to the Wharf.

You can either start or end your day at Brighton Beach on the edge of the city (p.s. it’s the perfect spot for sunset!).

beaconsfield-historic-house-top-things-to-do-in-charlottetown

Prince Edward Island National Park (Brackley-Dalvay)

The Prince Edward Island National Park is a HUGE chunk of the Central Coastal Drive.

Normal National Parks in Canada have you hike or bike to points of interest within the park – not this one!

It’s actually recommend that you DRIVE through most of the Prince Edward Island National Park… It’s THAT big!

You can still bike through if you want to, but walking would take you WAY too long!

From Charlottetown, I’d start with the Brackley-Dalvay section of the park, heading straight to Dalvay By The Sea.

Related

The Breathtaking Prince Edward Island National Park: Everything You Need To Know

There are a few stops en route where you can park and snap some pictures, like Dalvay By The Sea and the Covehead Lighthouse.

The Covehead lighthouse, is the Prince Edward Island lighthouse! You have the ocean, the sand dunes, and red and white lighthouse perfectly framed in your photo!

If it’s nice day, you can opt to just spend the day at the beach or even go on a hike in the park.

We went to the very end of the National Park to walk the Robinsons Island Trail. You get some stunning views, and a nice shaded walk.

Finally, once you’re making your way out of the Prince Island National Park, stop at The Dunes Studio Gallery & Cafe. It’s a great spot to pick up a local souvenir, or stop for lunch or a coffee before the rest of your drive.

They also have some gorgeous gardens to wander through or just look out on while sipping your coffee inside.

But don’t spend all your money and time here, the next stop is also food and souvenir related…

Confused About The Prince Edward Island National Park?

The Prince Edward Island National Park is SO confusing – you’re not alone! There is only ONE National Park on Prince Edward Island… it’s just in three sections (Brackley-Dalvay, Cavendish-North-Rustico, and Greenwich).

Two out of the three sections are drivable and are a part of the Central Coastal Drive. The third section (Greenwich Dunes) is a part of the Points East Coastal Drive, it’s the one with the famous floating docks!

P.S. If you’re still confused, don’t worry, read my post that goes into more detail about each section of the Prince Edward Island National Park and what you should see in each!

pei national parks map graphic map. The Map highlights three sections of Prince Edward Island National Park.

On the left, green area represents the Cavendish section of the park. There are arrows pointing out with highlights of the area: Mackenzie's Brooke, Cape Turner, and Green Gable Heritage Place. There's even a blown up icon of the Mackenzie's Brooke red archway.

Followiing a white dotted line you're lead to the middle section in Navy Blue: Brackley Dalvey. Highlighted areas are Robinson's Island, Covehead lighthouse (with a graphic popping out of a white and red lighthouse), and Dalvey-by -the Sea.

The white lines lead you out of the park until you reach a little red graphic car, underneath it says scenic drive.

On the right of the map, on the edge, is the third section of the park, represented by purple - Greenwich. An arrows sticks out pointing to a graphic of white docks floating on water, with text saying Greenwich Dunes Trail: floating docks.

Prince Edward Island Preserve Company

The Prince Edward Island Preserve Company is the spot for souvenir shopping in Prince Edward Island and afternoon tea (if you’re lucky).

Come here to shop local teas, jams, and art. Then, if you’re feeling peckish enjoy some delicious afternoon tea. I was so upset, they had closed for the season a few days before we got to PEI.

The tea room overlooks the gardens (which are free to wander through as well) and the Hunter River.

I have to say, it’s a very peaceful location to refuel though because we have part two of the Prince Edward Island National Park coming up…

Related

10 Best Souvenirs In Prince Edward Island You Have To Buy

pei preserve company perfect place to shop for souvenirs and for tea.

The image shows the outside of the building. A beautiful bright red roof, with yellow shingles siding the buidlings. There are a few small windows, and a ramp leading to the entrance. On the lowest part of the roof is a raised sign that says: Prince Edward Island Preserve Co.

In front of the buildings is the start of the beautiful garden, with layers of bushes in the back and pink and light green flowers in the front.

North Rustico Fishing Village

The second part of the Prince Edward Island National Park starts in North Rustico.

Before heading into the National Park though, spend some time exploring the fishing village of North Rustico.

I’ll admit, when we visited, the village was a bit deserted, and spooky… but I think during high season it’s probably very lively.

You’ll want to make sure see the North Rustico Harbour. You can walk from the Harbour along the North Rustico Harbour Trail to the fishing village, it’s about a 25 minute walk (not including stops for pictures!).

Keep an eye out for the Rustico Fisherman in the water on your walk! If you’re feeling up to it, walk all the way to the North Rustico Harbour Lighthouse at the edge!

north rustico harbour village across the water coming in to the shore. There are birds spotted throughout the water, but what really stands out is a man like figure in the middle. This is the fisherman statue of North Rustico.

Behind the water, is the North Rustico harbour lining the shore line with small harbour houses each with their own colour palette, from blue, to yellow, and red, and green.

Behind the smaller harbour houses of the fishing village are the larger homes and finally the trees leading your eyes to the semi cloudy blue sky.

North Rustico-Cavendish Scenic Drive PEI

North Rustico actually brings you right back into the Prince Edward Island National Park, but this time the North Rustico-Cavendish section.

There are a few scenic spots to stop at along the drive for some photo opportunities.

From North Rustico, you’ll want to stop at Cape Turner, Orby Head, and MacKenzie’s Brook (edit: RIP Mackenzies Brook). These are all viewpoints, this section of the park doesn’t have any real beaches.

You can walk down to the shore to see MacKenzies Brook, although, do so at your own risk! There are stairs leading you down to the shore but make sure you check that it’s low tide.

November 2022 EDIT: Mackenzie’s Brook arch is no longer there after it was weakened by tropical storm Fiona, and broke in November during Hurricane Nicole. You can still walk down to the shore if you wanted to walk along the beach.

mackenzies brook sea arch prince edward island photographed in 2021. A large red sea wall juts out from the side of the cliffs edge, there's a small hole, creating an archway to walkthrough.

The photograph was taken at high tide so the water is crashing in to the archway and the sea cliffs.

Explore Cavendish On The Coastal Drive

If you follow the road through the Prince Edward Island National Park, you’ll end up in the town of Cavendish.

This is a very touristy town on Prince Edward Island, and you’ll have few options of things to do here.

You can either continue down the road to go back into the Prince Edward Island National Park. Or you can go into the town and check out some Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery tourist attractions…

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Option 1: Continue Through The National Park

If beaches were what you were looking for, this is the section of the park you want. This is Cavendish Beach with ocean waves, a relaxing beach to enjoy, and sand dunes in the background.

Once you’re here, you’ll also want to check out the floating docks overlooking the Lake of Shining Waters. Don’t be confused though, this doesn’t have anything to do with Anne of Green Gables… you can see the actual inspiration for the novel later on the Central Coastal drive.

Or if you’re interested in stretching your legs and moving, you can also go hiking or biking in this section of the park, a popular path is the Homestead Trail.

a man standing on red rocks with his arm on a large sign that reads Cavendish, Prince Edward Island National Park. On the right side of the sign, is a woman leaning on the sign and also standing on the same bed of red rocks.

Around the red rocks is a field of large lush green grass, and far in the distance, you can see a sand dune covered in grass.

Option 2: Explore The Town Of Cavendish (Anne Of Green Gables)

The town of Cavendish is really only popular because of Anne of Green Gables. It really isn’t much of a town and it’s very touristy.

While on your Central Coastal Drive, the main site is the Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place. This is the original farm house of L.M. Montgomery’s cousin and was the inspiration for Green Gables.

Parks Canada has turned it into the actual Green Gables from the storybook. You can see Anne and Matthew’s rooms, walk down the inspiration for Lovers Lane and the Haunted Woods.

Related

Top Anne of Green Gables Destinations To Visit On Prince Edward Island

Once you’re in Cavendish, you can also stop by L.M. Montgomery’s grave and take a photo with her memorial statue in the park across the street.

In town, you’ll also find the church where she got married and her funeral took place.

If you’re travelling with kids, there are a bunch of amusement parks here to enjoy. Or make sure to stop by a recreation of Avonlea, filled with shops and restaurants.

lucy maud-montgomery park statue. The bronze statue is in a long sleeve dress with a high neck and flowing down the floor, from the early 1900s. In her hands, is an opened, face down book. Her heda is titled up to towards the sun. Her hair is in a loosely fitted bun. She sits on a bench, with room next to her where a real woman sits in a similar pose, taking in the warm Prince Edward Island sun. Instead of a book on her lap, it's a DSLR camera. She's wearing clothes from the 21st century, a long sleeve shirt, a green puffer vest, with loose fitting jeans. Just behind the bench, is a bronze statue of a cat. Around the women, is a garden with flowers, grass and trees in the background.

L.M. Montgomery Birthplace

The next few stops along the Central Coastal drive are also Anne of Green Gables themed…

The L.M. Montgomery birthplace is, of course, where Lucy Maude Montgomery was born. She didn’t live here very long before she moved in with her grandparents in Cavendish (her actual childhood home was torn down, but you can see where it was by visiting The Site of L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish Home).

Her birthplace has been turned into a museum dedicated to her life. If you’re interested in real life instead of learning about a fictional story, this is the museum for you.

P.S. If you make a stop at L.M. Montgomery birthplace, and you’re ready for more food, head at the Blue Winds Tea Room. Of course it was closed when we drove by but I would have killed to enjoy some tea in this adorable blue house!

Hosteter’s Viewscape

This is quite possibly my favourite view in all Prince Edward Island (and that says a lot considering how beautiful the province is).

We almost missed this view because it’s easy to drive by right! Thankfully PEI knows the beauty of this view so they’ve set up a parking lot for you to stop and take it all in. It’s a quick pit stop off the side of the road but it’s hella worth it!

It looks over the French River harbour (which you’ll then drive right by for a close up view!).

french river harbour viewpoint pei. Some wheat is blurred in the front of the frame, the color is a golden yellow, almost matcha the red dirt behind it. There's a mix of green grass and red dirt leading down into the French River. Just beyond the river is a line of harbour home, each a different colour, blue, yellow, green, grey, red, and white, all in a line with a dock in front of them.
Behind the homes, the land starts to raise up turning into hills of green grass and trees before meeting the sky.

New London Lighthouse

I know what you were thinking, it’s been way too long since you’ve seen a lighthouse on the Central Coastal Drive! Thankfully PEI has you covered, and you never go too long without one!

The New London Lighthouse is en route to your next destination, so it isn’t out of your way to get too (or on any terrifying roads to drive on!)

I really like the New London Lighthouse because it offers such a different landscape than any other lighthouse on the Island.

The foreground is filled with wheat grass and you can just barely make out the river in the background (almost making you wonder why there’s even a lighthouse here in the first place!).

new london lighthouse pei canada. A field of wheat grass still with a bushy top leads your eye until it meets a white and red lighthouse.

Beyond the lighthouse isn't much, a small green hill, two bushes on either side of the lighthouse, and then you can barely make out some more rolling hills in the distance, made blue from the sky above.

Cape Tryon

There haven’t been any lighthouses for a while so now you need two in a row! Although, I might recommend against visiting Cape Tryon lighthouse…

This one is definitely less than ideal to get to, let’s just say you feel like you’re driving off the edge of a cliff… So the views are both terrifying and amazing all at once.

If you’re driving in a Sedan though, avoid this lighthouse at all costs. We made it down in our rugged Subaru Crosstrek, and boy was it a trek!

You’re driving on a two way – one lane red dirt road, with A LOT of holes in it! Let’s just say it was a bumpy ride to say the least!

But once we made it there, I didn’t want to leave!

Related

The 10 Best Prince Edward Island Lighthouses You Won’t Want To Miss

incredible stark view of the cape tryon lighhouse in pei canada.

The photo is separate into thirds horizontally, represented by vibrant green grass at the base, a deep blue for the sea in the middle, and a lighter shade of baby blue for the sky - without a cloud in sight.

On the right third of the frame stands a tall white structure with a red roof, small balcony at the top, a window, and a door. It starts at the base of the grass and reach almost to where the sky starts!

Anne of Green Gables Museum

Didn’t I say the Central Coastal Drive is an Anne of Green Gable day!?

The Anne of Green Gables Museum is a mix between real life and fiction.

The museum is set up at Silver Bush farms – the Campbell family farm (a.k.a. L.M. Montgomery’s cousin).

Montgomery often visited Silver Bush Farms and said this was her favourite place in PEI. So, it’s no surprise that she drew a lot of inspiration from it. In fact, this is the true inspiration for the Lake of Shining Waters!

Like is said, Silver Bush farm is a good mix of both fact and storybook. You can learn some more about the author, but then you can go on Matthews Hay Ride around the farm!

silver bush prince edward island. A giatn white painted barn takes up 2/3 of the photo. The tip top of the roof is painted in the classic Green Gables green. In front of the barn is an empty three row black horse drawn carriage.

Next to the barn in the distance, looks like the tiniest gazebo, putting the size of the barn into perspective.

Thunder Cove Beach & Teacup Rock (RIP)

If you didn’t stop at the beach before, maybe you’ll want to take a break now because it’s another beach stop (although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one, especially now since the main reason to come here no longer exists…!).

Thunder Cover Beach is a very nice beach to relax on .. although just a bit hard to get to. That’s because most of the access points to the shore are down steep red cliffs. There’s one small path that you can use that everyone seems to use to access the beach, and it still isn’t the best.

The main attraction at the beach is Teacup Rock. A rock formation that well, looks like a teacup. But there’s another catch! If you thought the beach was hard to reach, Teacup Rock is worse. It’s about a 15 minute walk along the shore and then across some slippery rocks before finally reaching Teacup Rock.

If you do happen to go, just check the times of the tide beforehand to plan it for low tide.

September 2022 Update: Teacup rock is also no longer there, the once famous teacup rock formation broke during tropical storm Fiona.

The famous red rocks of Prince edward Island on the shoreline. The rocks are quite edgy with indentations caused by harsh weathers and water hitting the side. The tide is making it's way in, but around this bend used to be the famous teacup rock.

Kensington On The Central Coast Drive PEI!

Kensington is a small quaint central town, meaning it not a fishing village, offering a nice change to the day! And there are a few gems to discover in town.

I would primary stop here to check out the old train station. It has links to L.M. Montgomery and was used as a filming location in the Anne of Green Gables movie.

But, I would make a point to stop a coffee and soup or scone at the The Willow Bakery & Cafe.

If you’re interested in spooky things though, you can also check out the famous Haunted Mansion.

pei kensington train station. A large black iron archway welcomes you to the train station in Kensington. In the middle of the arch, it reads Kensington Station. Behind the arch, in the middle, are the old railway track and where the train station used to be - a beautiful stone building. Now you can see a sign for the pub.

Seacow Head Lighthouse

If you’re all about chasing lighthouses on the Central Coastal drive then the Seacow Head Lighthouse is next on the list.

We didn’t stop here because it is quite out of the way and there isn’t anything else nearby.

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Gordon Cove Beach

If the other beaches weren’t up to standards, this is your last chance for a beach for the day, and let me tell you, it ain’t bad! This beach has the best view of the Confederation Bridge disappearing into the distance.

confederation bridge prince edward island going off into the distance of the choppy waters. The red dirt is coming through the grass in front of you on the central coastal drive

Confederation Bridge & Port Borden Back Range Light

If arrived to Prince Edward Island by car, this is most likely how you arrived onto the Island, by taking Confederation Bridge. This is the longest bridge over ice covered waters.

Now it’s time to really appreciate the bridge by stopping in Borden-Carleton at the Port Borden Range Lighthouse.

I mean, what’s a more typical Prince Edward Island view than this!? Confederation bridge AND a lighthouse!? They also have some picnic tables set up for the perfect picnic stop!

You might also be interested in…

9 Prince Edward Lighthouse Printable Postcards

pei central coastal drive lighthouse. A woman in a red wool jacket is walking on a wood side walk towards a white lighthouse that looks like it's seen better days. Yo can tell it's windy because her long brown hair is blowing towards the left.

In the middle of the lighthouse is a red heart with PEI written in the middle.

Behind the lighthouse, you can see the confederation bridge

Victoria-by-the-Sea

Victoria-by-the-Sea is another one of those picturesque fishing villages on the Island.

I think this is another one of those cases where it’s MUCH livelier in the summer months than when we visited in the fall. So we were kind of disappointed with it because most of the restaurants were closed.

But that being said, was very happy with our only option for lunch, Casa Mia.

Casa Mia overlooks the water and the food was delicious!

You can walk around the (very) small town and do some local shopping. Make sure to see the lighthouse too, which you can usually go inside to see the museum.

central coastal drive prince edward island. An iconic view of Prince Edward Island of the marshlands on the island. Blue water meets yellowed- hay looking grass and in the distance some hills appears.

Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye –Fort Amherst National Historic Site

Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye is one of the most historical places on the Island. The only downside is that it’s a bit out of the way if you’re heading back to Charlottetown for the night.

This is where the French settled in 1720 and were later deported by the British in 1758. But, today its commemorated as the place where the Mi’kmaq and French formed an alliance.

You can wander the grounds for free, so bring a picnic and enjoy the views of the Charlottetown port and Brighton Beach. Don’t forget to visit Rocky Point and Blockhouse Point Lighthouse.

Brighton Beach Boardwalk & Lighthouse

Before heading back to Charlottetown for the night, stop at Brighton Beach. This is the ultimate spot for an evening sunset stroll along the boardwalk.

You’ll see the Brighton Beach Lighthouse, the floating dock, and the battery. At the edge of the boardwalk, there’s also the Governors House and Beaconsfield House.

brighton beach lighthouse pei canada at sunset. The sun beams as it hits the horizon. Where the sun should be is a white spot, but around it emanates a large golden yellow glos, that spread across the horizon and into the water as a near perfect reflection.

The glow leads you're eye to the shoreline, where the red rocks look even brighter.

As you follow the shorelines down the beach, you reach a house and a white lighthouse with the perfect reflection in the water.

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