If the North Cape seems to be the Acadian (French-speaking) side of the island, then the eastern side of the island appears to bear the Scottish influence. And since this side of the island faces Nova Scotia, the oldest lighthouses are found here.
ORWELL CORNER HISTORIC VILLAGE
Less than 30 minutes from Charlottetown is the historic village of Orwell Corner. I mentioned this one briefly in my Everything Anne post since they filmed a few exteriors here.
This is an authentic village with six or so buildings situated just as they stood in the 1890’s. Visit the animals, learn about farm life, ask questions, make candles, ride in a wagon, and get scones and coffee in the tea room. Most people seem pleasantly surprised to find all there is to do here, but perhaps don’t go in with high expectations–it’s pretty small.
Admission is $10 ($7.60 USD) and under and is included in the PEI Historic Sites passport. Open from 8:30-4:30 from June-October (open weekends in July & August.) In Orwell.
SIR ANDREW MACPHAIL HOMESTEAD
Just around the corner from the Orwell Farm is Sir Andrew Macphail’s Homestead. Here you can tour the house of this amazing Scotsman, get tea or lunch in the tea room, and walk the short trails (less than 2 miles total) in the surrounding Mcphail Woods.
On Friday nights in July & August, attend the “Ireland Meets Scotland” event. Take a wagon ride to the Mcphail Homestead for a three-course meal, then ride the wagon again to the Orwell Community Hall for a Celtic musical performance. Cost is $50 ($38 USD).
I can’t find that there is a fee to get in, most people seem to hike or eat. The grounds are open from 9-5 daily, the house is open 10-5 Tuesdays-Fridays from June to October. From July 1-Sept 22, the tea room is open noon-3pm, and a Sunday brunch is served 11-2. In Orwell.
SELKIRK SCOTTISH HERITAGE CENTRE
The Selkirk Scottish Heritage Centre isn’t a destination in its own right, but if you are passing by and have some Scottish in you, you might want to stop into this replica croft house for some Scottish-themed purchases and history.
FREE, open June-September. They occasionally host events, most notably the PEI Highland Games the first weekend in August (maybe–the website is a bit outdated.) In Eldon.
FLEECE AND HARMONY WOOLEN MILL
I don’t knit (much) but I would still love to stop into this woolen mill just because I like the vibe of Fleece & Harmony. I mean, just check out these descriptions of their sheep! I’m in love. And the yarns look beautiful too. And while you can certainly shop, many have reported being shown around the farm if they ask. If *you* are into knitting & crochet, check out PEI’s Fibre Trail for more fine island yarns.
Open year-round, 9:30-5. In Belfast.
POINT PRIM LIGHTHOUSE
The Point Prim Lighthouse is the first and oldest lighthouse on Prince Edward Island and one you can actually climb. Nearby is the Point Prim Chowder House, a well-loved beachfront seafood restaurant.
Lighthouse is open 10-6 from June 16 to September 30. Admission is $5 ($3.80 USD) for adults, $3.50 ($2.66 USD) for kids. Chowder house is open 11-3 for lunch and 4:30-8 for dinner. In Point Prim.
WOOD ISLANDS WELCOME CENTRE & LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM
The Wood Islands Welcome Center is a shopping plaza at the “gateway to Eastern PEI” since this is where the ferry from Nova Scotia comes in. Here you’ll find local yarn, honey, and sweets for sale, plus a second-hand store down by the charming lighthouse, which offers guided tours.
Welcome Centre is open May 1-Oct. 26 and shops vary in hours–the liquor store is open 9-7, the candy shop only until 4:30. The Lighthouse is open June 9-Sept 29 from 9:30-5:30. There does seem to be a small fee–I imagine around $5 ($3.80 USD)–though I can’t find online proof. In Wood Islands.
ROSSIGNOL ESTATE WINERY
The Rossignol Winery is a lovely waterfront building with island-bred table and fruit wines to try and to buy. You’ll also find some art scattered around the grounds.
Tastings are by donation and go to the local hospitals. Bottle range from $16-42 ($12-32 USD), but most are around $20 ($15 USD). In Little Sands/Murray River.
KINGS CASTLE PROVINCIAL PARK
This large provincial park has a beach, an ice cream stand, lots of new and vintage (think “fort) playground structures, and trails through the woods with random fairytale characters along the way. A fantastic place for kids (or adults) to run around.
FREE, open June 8-Oct. 7. In Gladstone/Murray River.
THE OLD GENERAL STORE
I don’t really do a lot of shopping myself, but The Old General Store looks cute enough to draw me in. Features island-made crafts, jewelry, quilts, paintings, soap, etc. all in a 1900s-era general store in downtown Murray River.
Open 10-6 Monday-Saturday, 12-5 on Sundays, from June 15-Sept 23. In Murray River.
PANMURE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE AND GIFT SHOP
The Panmure Island Lighthouse is another charming Eastern PEI lighthouse you can climb. This one also has an equally charming gift shop on the first floor with a 2nd-floor book nook where they sell donated books to help raise funds for restorations. The oldest wooden lighthouse on Prince Edward Island.
I’m sure there’s a fee, but again, the evidence is hard to find. Open June 15-Oct 15, 10-6 every day. On Panmure Island.
EXPERIENCE PEI
Experience PEI is listed as being in Montague in the east, but their experiences seem to range all over the island, depending on what you would like to do. The Kendrick family seems to have a bigger and more professional organization than one I discussed in my North Cape post.
Here you’ve got many choices: food tours, fishing and clamming expeditions, falconry, farming, trail rides, even building epic sandcastles! Experience PEI will likely be the highlight of your trip to Prince Edward Island.
Costs range from about $60 ($45.60 USD) to as much as $500 ($380 USD) for a day-long solo photo tour with a pro. Most seem to be around $100 per person, including the popular beach clamming. Operates year round.
GARDEN OF THE GULF MUSEUM
The Garden of the Gulf Museum might not quite be worth a stop in and of itself, but it may be nice to look into for a history of Montague before walking around town. Three floors of exhibits and a genealogical center occupy the old customs house.
Cost is $5 ($3.80 USD) for adults, FREE for kids 12 and under. Hours from June 4-Sept 28 are 9-5, Mon-Fri in June & September, Mon-Sat in July & August. In Montague.
ROMA AT THREE RIVERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Perhaps not very large in scope, but Roma at Three Rivers looks a little more worth your time in Motague. Eat a heritage breakfast, lunch, or tea with bread from the outdoor oven, dress in period costumes, and take a guided tour of the house and gardens.
Enjoy the Chocolate Festival (“286 years since JEAN PIERRE ROMA arrived and so did CHOCOLATE”) July 27-28 or the Roma Gala Heritage Feast on Sept 8.
Admission is $5 ($.3.80 USD) for adults, $3 ($2.28 USD) for kids 6-17, and FREE for 5 and under, or $15 ($11.40 USD) for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids. Open June 25-Sept 28, from 10-5 daily. In Montague.
GEORGETOWN WALKING TOUR
In the city of Georgetown, you can pick up a historic walking tour map from either the town hall at 36 Kent St or the information kiosk at 65 Grafton St. This will lead you to the old churches, homes and waterfront areas with time to stop in the shops and cafes.
FREE. Open anytime. In Georgetown.
A. A. MACDONALD MEMORIAL GARDENS
While you’re walking around, make sure to take in the A. A. MacDonald Gardens, Prince Edward Island’s largest municipal park. This is obviously something the town takes much pride in, with plantings and color throughout the season. The central fountain is lit at night.
FREE. Open anytime. In Georgetown.
KING’S PLAYHOUSE
If you are here at night, be sure to take in a show at the King’s Playhouse. Storytelling, music, comedians and more make an appearance here as well as the spot to start aGeorgetown ghost tour. The 2018 season marks the final one for the Four Tellers, an acclaimed show featuring funny and poignant stories of the island.
Regular season shows (music, Abridged Shakespeare) cost $17.40 ($13.23 USD) per ticket. Special events, including the Four Tellers, cost $25 ($19 USD). Ghost Tour is $10.40 ($7.90 USD). In Georgetown.
SALLY’S BEACH PROVINCIAL DAY PARK
Find shells, sea glass, and solitude at Sally’s Beach Provincial Park. There is a boardwalk and changing facilities and apparently not very many people. Sounds like my kind of place.
FREE. Open mid-June to mid-September. In Little Pond.
SOURIS BEACH GATEWAY PARK
For another fantastic beach, check out Souris Beach Park. This one is a bit more populated, with shops, ice cream, and lobster just steps away. It’s also another great place to look for sea glass.
FREE. Open June 1-Oct. 15. In Souris.
HISTORIC SOURIS LIGHTHOUSE
Just below town and the ferry is the Historic Souris Lighthouse. Walk up 45 steps to the lantern room and balcony in this square wooden lighthouse built in 1880. There is also a small museum and gift shop here.
Tours are $5 ($3.80 USD) for adults, $4 ($3 USD) senior, and $2 ($1.50 USD) for youth. Open from May 15 to Sept 15. In Souris.
BASIN HEAD DAY PARK
Basin Head Beach has been named the #1 beach in Canada for its beauty and “singing” sands that squeak underfoot. Also popular is jumping into a canal coming off the strait–while officially prohibited, everyone seems to do it and no one stops them, even though there are posted lifeguards nearby. There’s also shopping and food available with plenty of washrooms and parking.
Reviews say you can choose your beach experience here, either staying with the crowds near the park’s structures or walking down the beach where it is much less crowded.
FREE, open from June 8 to Oct. 7. In Basin Head
BASIN HEAD FISHERIES MUSEUM
Adjacent to the beach is the Basin Head Fisheries Museum, a small museum dedicated to the maritime history of the area. This is one of the seven PEI Museum and Heritage sites, which can be seen on a passport. Worth a walkthrough if you’re interested in history or fishing.
Admission is $4 ($3 USD) for adults, $3.50 ($2.66 USD) for school-age children, FREE for preschoolers, or $11.50 ($8.75 USD) for a family of four. Open June 4 to Sept. 19 from 9:30-5 most days–weekdays in June & September, daily in July & August. In Basin Head.
ELMIRA RAILWAY MUSEUM & MINIATURE RAILWAY
What attracts me most about the Elmira Railway Museum is the miniature train! It reminds me of the train that Walt Disney had in his backyard. As such, this might be best for small kiddos, but of course, I wouldn’t hesitate to get on it myself. Otherwise, at this little museum there is a train station and some miniature displays, but maybe not worth a stop if you don’t have kids or interest.
Part of the 7 PEI Heritage Museums and can be visited on the passport. Or $5 ($3.80 USD) and below for admission. Train rides only operate in July & August and cost an extra $6 ($4.56 USD) and under per person. Open June 4-Sept. 19 from 9:30-5. Not open weekends in June & September. In Elmira.
EAST POINT LIGHTHOUSE & WELCOME CENTRE
Maybe not worth the drive for itself, but if you want to go all the way, you can’t get any farther east on Prince Edward Island than the East Point Lighthouse. Here you can climb the lighthouse and see the reefs, the colliding currents, and wind farms of the eastern point.
Admission is $6 ($4.56 USD) for adults, $5 ($3.80 USD) for seniors (which they call “adults with experience” or A.W.E.) $3.50 ($2.66 USD) for children 6-18, and FREE for 5 and under, or get a family pass for $15 ($11.40 USD). Open 10-6 from June 1 to Sept. 30. In East Point/Elmira.
PEI NATIONAL PARK – GREENWICH
There are 21 provincial parks (like U.S. state parks) on Prince Edward Island, and one national park with two locations. The Eastern location of the PEI National Park is in Greenwich, about an hour from Charlottetown. Parabolic dunes, a floating boardwalk, hiking trails, beaches and a welcome center are all here for you during the summer months. The park is open the rest of the year, but at your own risk since there is no Parks Canada Emergency Response during the off-season.
FREE access. Officially open from May 14 to Sept. 29. The visitor’s center is open June 13 to Sept. 14, 9-5 daily. In Greenwich.
SUGGESTED TOURING
Again, there is so much to do, and Eastern PEI is a large area, with the attractions generally being shore-related, like beaches and lighthouses. Which sounds fine to me! I’d love a coastal drive around Eastern PEI.
This is the way I might break up these attractions, especially if I were staying somewhere central like Charlottetown. Start with coffee & scones at the Orwell farm then a walk around the trails of the Mcphail Woods. Quick stops in the Selkirk Scottish Centre and Fleece & Harmony, then a tour of the Point Prim Lighthouse and lunch at the Chowder House. A post-lunch dessert and tour of the Wood Islands Welcome Centre & Lighthouse and/or some tastings at the Rossignol Winery seems appropriate. Then depending on time, a stop in the Old General Store in Murray River, then up to Panmure Island and ending the day in Montague, visiting the Roma Historic Site if it’s still open and buying some bread. Then dinner in Montague (this place looks good) and a walk around town.
A second day would consist of more lighthouses and beaches, starting with a hike at the National Park in Greenwich, a drive to the end of the island in East Point, then down the beaches and museums of Basin Head, Souris, and Sally’s Day Park to end the day in Georgetown with dinner, a walk, and a show in the King’s Playhouse.
I haven’t timed all this out to see if this two-day plan is practical, but for a quick-moving solo traveler like myself, it certainly seems worth a try!
Wow, there seem to be an awful lot of national parks in PEI. Nice yarn! Everything is really unique. 😉
I do really like that yarn…they have a lot of it on PEI