10 Essential Things To Do In Charlottetown PEI Your First Time

Looking for things to do in Charlottetown PEI?

Charlottetown might not be a large city (despite it being the largest in Prince Edward Island), but there are still some essentials things to do your first time visiting.

These are my essential things to do in Charlottetown Canada, which includes some historical, nature, and even free activities that are family friendly and unique to Charlottetown! I’ve even added some bonus seasonal things to do in the city and some top places to go for local food and drinks!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Welcome To Charlottetown Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown is the largest, and capital city, of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Although it is the largest PEI city, it’s by no means large. In fact, Charlottetown is a quaint harbour city that is completely walkable!

But Charlottetown’s real rise to fame is for being the birthplace of confederation. All that means is that Charlottetown was where the idea of Canadian confederation was formed. So exploring Charlottetown involves learning about this pivotal political history as well!

Top 10 Things To Do In Charlottetown PEI

Charlottetown attractions range from scenic walks to historical Island homes to politics.

Like I said, Charlottetown Prince Edward Island packs a lot into its small city.

1. Go On A Walking Tour Of Charlottetown Prince Edward Island

I always go on a walking tour in any new city I visit, so I can get my bearings and learn a bit more about the history. Charlottetown is no exception.

The best part about a walking tour in Charlottetown? It’s such a walkable city that you can explore it all in just a few hours!

I went on Adventures. com walking tour and loved it! This was our only option during low season, but there are more options if you’re travelling during high season, like this one with Viator.

If walking isn’t for you, you can also book a double decker bus tour with Viator here.

P.S. if you book your stay with the Great George Hotel, they offer free walking tours if you stay with them.

2. Best Charlottetown Attractions: The Beaconsfield Historic House

I’ve toured a lot of historical homes on my travels, but The Beaconsfield Historic House was one of my favourites!

Built in 1877, this Victorian home truly transports you back to that era from the moment you step inside – it’s like walking onto a set for Downton Abbey.

Like any respectable residence from that time period, it was built with such craftsmanship that every detail should be admired.

But it’s Beaconsfield Historic House’s history that sets it apart from any other historical home I’ve visited in the past.

It was built for one of the most prominent families in PEI at the time (the Peake’s), but it didn’t stay in the family for long. It switched owners a few times until eventually becoming a residence for student nurses!

They offer guided tours of the house and it’s definitely one of the best things to do in Charlottetown PEI. See the updated tour schedule here.

3.What To Do In Charlottetown Outside: Visit Victoria Park

Not too far from the Beaconsfield Historic House is Victoria Park, where there are actually few things to do in Charlottetown PEI…

The main attraction is the boardwalk. The boardwalk starts just after Beaconsfield House taking you through the park until just before Brighton Beach Lighthouse.

It’s not a very long walk, only about 20 minutes to walk the entire way. But along the way, you’ll pass by some notable Charlottetown attractions.

Right at the start, you’ll pass a small white house. Although it doesn’t look like much, this is Government House, where the lieutenant government of PEI works and lives. Find out more about Government House here.

Further along the boardwalk, you’ll pass by the Prince Edward Battery and the Victoria Floating Dock (a great spot to watch the sunset, by the way). And as I mentioned, at the end of the boardwalk is the Brighton Beach lighthouse lighting your way!

If you look out across the water along the boardwalk, you might also be able to spot two other PEI Lighthouses: Blockhouse Point Lighthouse and Warren Cove Front Range.

4. Walk & Shop Along on Queen Street & Victoria Row

The main street in Charlottetown is Queen Street. This is where you’ll find some great souvenir shopping spots and local restaurants.

You’ll also find the Confederation Music Hall (which puts on Anne of Green Gables the Musical every year), and the city’s Town Hall.

Just off of Queen Street is Victoria Row, a short, quaint street with more restaurants and shops to explore.

5. See Province House (If Possible)

Province House is one of the top things to do in Charlottetown Canada as it’s a very important building. It’s where it all went down – the birth of Canadian confederation I mean!

Province House where members of parliament met to discuss legislations for what would eventually be the Government of Canada.

Unfortunately, Province House is currently under some serious construction for restorations but check here for updates.

For now, there’s still a small exhibit about Province House at Confederation Centre of the Arts.

6. Fun Things To Do In Charlottetown PEI: Find The True Meaning Of Crumbfest

Lucy Maud Montgomery might be the most popular author from PEI (the author of Anne of Green Gables), but she isn’t the only author.

David Weale, another local Islander, wrote The True Meaning of Crumbfest! To celebrate this local author, Charlottetown set up a a scavenger hunt around the city.

Eckhart in the City takes you on an adventure throughout Charlottetown to find all nine mouse statues (P.S. Eckhart is the main character from The True Meaning of Crumbfest!).

Although it’s initially intended for kids, there’s nothing stopping you from taking part. Plus, this fun activity lets you discover some of the more hidden parts of Charlottetown Prince Edward Island.

Print the brochure with clues here!

7. Go To The Cows Ice Cream Factory – Charlottetown Attractions

Cows is Prince Edward Island’s largest local ice cream shop!

It used to be unique to Prince Edward Island, but lately it’s been popping up all over Canada (Montreal is apparently the last place to have a shop open!).

So if you haven’t already tried Cows Ice Cream, then head to the shop in Charlottetown.

Otherwise, I recommend the Cows Factory, just outside Charlottetown.

The Cow Factory is a short drive outside the city centre but it’s worth the short trip.

At the factory, you can not only try their delicious ice cream, but also go on a self-guided tour to see the magic behind the franchise. Keep in mind, it’s not the most exciting factory tour, but you get some interesting information about the history and brand.

And you can also browse the largest selection of Cows merchandise you’ll ever see.

Don’t forget to selfie with the larger than life Cow’s cow in the front!

8. Go To Peake’s Quay, Confederation Park, & Founder’s Food Hall & Market

Along the edge of the city centre are some of the top Charlottetown attractions: Peake’s Quay, Confederation Park, and the Founder’s Food Hall & Market.

Carve out a bit of your day to spend a bit of time here. Go on a peaceful walk through the park, watch the incoming and outgoing boats from the marina, and pick up a delicious lunch!

Peake’s Quay and Founder’s Food Hall & Market is the lunch spot to go to in Charlottetown if you’re travelling with picky eaters! They have tons of different food options to choose from.

Peake’s Quay has a few food stalls in the marina which makes for a pretty unique dining experience! The Founder’s Food Hall & Market is all indoors so it’s the perfect alternative in case of rain!

You can also pick up one of a kind souvenirs from local sellers at both Peake’s Quay and Founder’s Food Hall & Market.

9. Things To Do In Charlottetown PEI: See The 4 Original Squares

This is one of the most interesting and underrated things to do in Charlottetown PEI.

When Charlottetown was first built, the city was divided it into equal squares to easily sell the land.

Today, four of those plots of land were turned into parks: Kings Square, Hillsborough Square, Rochford Square, and Connaught Square.

These four parks surround the city centre on all four sides. You don’t need to visit all of them, but you should stroll through at least one.

The parks give you an example of the size and the division of the original plots of land. So what may just look like a plain old park, actually has a lot of background and history to it.

They offer an escape from the city, but also you may find unique art exhibits in each one to discover.

10. Admire The Contrasting Island Architecture Styles

I never really cared for visiting Cathedrals or churches on vacation (I may have seen one too many in Rome!). But, I will say you need to go to St. Dunstan’s Cathedral in Charlottetown.

St. Dunstan’s Cathedral is across the street from The Great George Hotel (which I recommend staying at! Book your stay here!).

There’s such a great contrast between The Great George Hotel, originally built in 1846, and St. Dunstan’s Basilica Cathedral, built in 1916. You read that right! Despite the Cathedral looking like the oldest building in Charlottetown, its actually isn’t! It was just built to look that way!

St. Dunstan’s was built in the gothic revival style whereas The Great George is a classic Island style building.

Plus it’s worth visiting to see, and photograph, the bright coloured buildings of the Great George Hotel alone!

Bonus! Seasonal Things To Do In Charlottetown Canada

If you’re visiting Prince Edward Island at the right time, there are a few extra things to do in Charlottetown PEI.

See Anne of Green Gables The Musical

Anne of Green Gables The Musical is the longest running musical in Canada.

This is a MUST SEE in Charlottetown PEI. It usually runs during high season, between June and September at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

See upcoming dates & availability.

Go To The Sunday Downtown Farmers Markets

If you find yourself in Charlottetown on a Sunday, one of the best things to do in Charlottetown PEI is to go to the Downtown Farmer’s Market.

Charlottetown’s Downtown Farmer’s Market is an open air market on Queen Street between Grafton and Dorchester. The streets is closed off to cars, making it pedestrian only. They invite local food vendors, artists, and more!

Because it’s outside, it’s closed during low season. View the vendor lists and whether they’re open for the season here.

Bonus What To Do In Charlottetown For Food & Drink!

Need some food and drink related things to do in Charlottetown Canada! These are my favourite places in Charlottetown for some food and drink during your visit!

Have A Fun Night Out At Hive & Hollow

There aren’t too many things to do in Charlottetown PEI at night besides going for dinner and out to a bar.

But for a fun and one of a kind night, head to the Hive and Hollow.

You can order a basic dinner here, but it isn’t about the food. It’s a ceramic and board game cafe! You can choose to either play a board game for the evening or paint a ceramic masterpiece to take home with you!

TryThe Best Coffee At Alambé In Charlottetown

Typical recommendations for cafes in Charlottetown include Timothy’s World Coffee and Receiver Coffee. You while those two are great cafes, if you’re a real coffee fan, you can’t miss out on Alambé.

Alambé is a Vietnamese coffee shop. But on top of having Vietnamese classics like Ca phe sua da (made with condensed milk), and egg coffee, you might also be able to get their extreme cold brew coffee.

Their extreme cold brew isn’t even on the menu, so you’ll have to ask specially for it! Let’s just say, I’ve never tasted coffee so strong, it almost tasted like rum! All you need is just one shot; it’s that strong!

Try Local Charlottetown Beer: Upstreet, PEI Brewing, Gahan House

I wouldn’t have pegged Prince Edward Island as a beer hub, but I was shocked by the amount of local microbreweries they had across the Island, and especially in Charlottetown.

So if you’re looking for what to do in Charlottetown at night, why not head to a microbrewery to taste a local flight.

It’s a fun activity to try a few at a time, you can even take notes to better compare each brew with my printable flight scorecard here.

Some of the top places to go are PEI Brewing, Upstreet, and Gahan House.

Even if you don’t like beer, I found they had really unique options to try as well (like blueberry beer, root beer beer at Gahan House which were DELICIOUS.

Day Trips From Charlottetown Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown is also an amazing hub to explore the rest of Prince Edward Island. It’s the largest, and also the most central city on the Island.

From Charlottetown, you can easily visit Anne of Green Gables attractions (see the full list of Anne of Green Gables attractions in PEI here). But also it’s the perfect hub to explore the Central Coast and East Coast of the Island.

Read my guides for the Central Coastal drive of PEI here, and the Points East Coastal drive here.

You can also book organized tours to the different attractions around Prince Edward Island from Charlottetown, see Viator tour options here.

Although you can visit the North, it is a bit far to do everything in one day from Charlottetown.

P.S. Need A Place To Stay In Prince Edward Island?

We stayed at the Great George in Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island. It’s centrally located boutique hotel that offers a unique luxury experience. I mean the bathroom has heated floors – it doesn’t get better than that! Plus, a delicious healthy breakfast was included every morning with your stay. See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

If you aren’t staying in Charlottetown, here are some other hotel recommendations in Prince Edward Island…

We also stayed in Summerside at the Summerside Inn Bed & Breakfast. It’s in a beautiful victorian home and walking distance to the city centre. Plus the host is very nice and helpful, making a delicious breakfast for you! See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

Or, if you’re visiting Prince Edward Island with the family and staying in Cavendish, book the Cavendish Lodge & Cottages. Rent your own private little cottage in a small cottage village. See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

See more accommodations in Prince Edward Island on Booking.com.

Or you might also be interested in reading…

Hotels On Prince Edward Island: The Best Places To Stay In PEI

My Prince Edward Island Road Trip Must-Haves On Amazon

Related Posts

• Hotels On Prince Edward Island: The Best Places To Stay In PEI
• Top Anne of Green Gables Destinations To Visit On Prince Edward Island
• 10 Best Souvenirs In Prince Edward Island You Have To Buy

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Last update on 2024-05-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API