I’ve covered the West, the East, the North, and the South of Prince Edward Island, and now I’ll zero in on the capital of the Province, Charlottetown.
SECRETS OF CHARLOTTETOWN WALKING TOURS
Start your connection with the capitol with a walking tour! Local author Jessica operates the Secrets of Charlottetown Walking Tours. Jessica divulges her secrets to small groups at a time on 1-hour tours of the city at 11 am and 2 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays. Plus, she offers a ghost tour on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 pm. Pay right before the tour or book online ahead of time to be sure of your spot. Book both the daytime tour and the ghost tour and you’ll get a custom ebook of Charlottetown’s hidden gems and the first chapter of the author’s own novel.
Cost is $20 ($15.15 USD) per person, per tour. Open May 1-Oct 31. Meets at the corner of Queen St. & Water St. by the Merchantman restaurant.
CONFEDERATION PLAYERS HISTORIC WALKING TOURS & REENACTMENTS
For another walking tour with more, *ahem*, character (i.e. actors) try the tours offered by the players of the Confederation Centre for the Arts. They’ve got a Great George Street Tour where you’ll bump into characters of the past as you walk the historic street. Offered in English at 10:30 & 3:30 Tues-Sat and lasts a little over an hour. $15 ($11.36 USD) for adults, $8 ($6.06 USD) for kids.
Or try the Historic Queen’s Square Tour including stops at the Province House, the recreated Confederation Chamber, an art gallery and comes with its own re-enactment. This 45-minute tour is offered in English at 2:30 Tues-Sat. $10 ($7.58 USD)for adults, $8 ($6.06 USD) for kids. I can’t say I recommend this one because you can do all those activities for free, see below.
FREE around the Confederation Centre are historical vignettes. There is “From Sea to Shining Sea” where the political personalities of pre-Canadian unification discuss the forming of the country. (Daily at 12:50, Tues-Sat, 15 min.) A duel takes place every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 11:30. And on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11:30, the players sing Victorian standards with the Confederation Brass.
All re-enactments and tours are offered between July 3 and August 18. Book walking tours through the Confederation Centre box office.
THE STORY OF CONFEDERATION
Since Province House–the site of the beginnings of the unified country of Canada–is closed for the next 3-5 years for renovations, Parcs Canada has built a recreation of the Confederation Chamber in the upper foyer of the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Here you can learn The Story of Confederation through the film, “A Building of Destiny” and from the Confederation players in the recreated room.
FREE and open(ish) year-round, In July & Aug, 9-5 Mon-Sat, noon-5 Sunday. May, June, Sept, and Oct, 10-3 Mon-Sat. In Nov thru April, 10-3 on Saturdays only.
CONFEDERATION CENTRE OF THE ARTS/PROVINCE HOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Otherwise at the Confederation Centre of the Arts, you have nightly theater and musical concerts, currently Anne of Green Gables the Musical and Jesus Christ Superstar, among many others. There’s also a FREE art gallery, a restaurant, and a gift shop.
The Province House National Historic Site is currently closed for renovations for the next few years, though you can look around outside. Stop into the Confederation Centre for a recreation of its most important rooms. You also seem to be able to visit the house virtually, through a virtual reality experience located at the Centre. The experience is FREE and open daily from 10-6, July 1- Aug 31.
VICTORIA ROW
Right next to the Confederation Centre, Victoria Row is a shopping and dining street housed in Victorian-era buildings. The street is closed to vehicular traffic during the summer months, making shopping and sidewalk dining a pleasure. I bought some awesome jewelry and had a fantastic breakfast here when I visited.
BEACONSFIELD HISTORIC HOUSE
The Beaconsfield House is a fine example of Victorian craftsmanship housing a tragic and interesting history. A bit of regional history is thrown in as well, on guided tours of the home. Right on the waterfront, the Victoria Park Boardwalk is just nearby.
Tours cost $5 ($3.79 USD)and under and are part of the passport of PEI museums and heritage sites. Open year-round from 10-4, Mon-Fri and daily in July & August.
COWS CREAMERY
On a little island in the middle of the river, you’ll find the main location of COWS Creamery, PEI’s original ice cream maker. Here in “the barn” you’ll find delectable ice cream, a self-guided tour of the ice cream and cheese-making process, and a gift shop with as many cow puns as you can print on a t-shirt (moo, eh?)
Open year-round from 9 am to 9:30 pm (though some report it closing at 5.)
This little island also supports a shopping center with retail and outlet shops, Anne’s Chocolates, restaurants, and a brewery (see below.)
PEI BREWING COMPANY
Right next door to COWS is the PEI Brewing Company, brewing 12 beers on site which can be sampled on a tour or purchased in the restaurant. Two tours are offered: the $15 ($11.36 USD) single lasts 45 minutes and gets you a tour of the brewery, two tastings and a can of beer. The $25 ($18.94 USD) 6-pack tour gets you the facility tour, two tastings, a can of beer plus a six-pack of more beer.
Open 11 am-10pm, Monday-Saturday, tours on the hour from noon-8 pm. Open Sundays noon-5, with tours from 1-4. The restaurant is open from 4-10 Mon-Thurs, noon-close Friday-Sun.
SAGA SAILING ADVENTURES
To see the island from a different perspective, get out in Charlottetown Harbor for a two-and-a-half hour sail on the Saga with Captain Kurt! The Saga is a smooth Canadian sloop and the largest sailboat for charter on Prince Edward Island. View the countryside, the harbor wildlife, help with the sailing, or just sit back and relax. All the reviews for this are glowing!
Cost is $70 ($53.03 USD) for adults, $45 ($34.09 USD)for kids under 12. Cruises depart at 10 am, 1 pm, and 5 pm from the Charlottetown Yacht Club. Sails June-October.
IN THE WAKE OF ZHENG HE
For a totally different experience on the water, try a Chinese Junk Boat Tour, the only chartered Junk Boat in North America. You’ll get a dose of Chinese history, eat (and possibly help make) authentic Chinese snacks, and enjoy live Chinese music as you cruise.
You can take a one-and-a-half hour daytime cruise at 10 am, noon, or 2 pm with snacks, or a sunset dinner cruise lasting two-and-a-half hours with optional dinner at 6 pm (May 15-Aug 15) or 5 pm (Aug 15-Oct. 30.)
Cost is $60 ($45.46 USD) per person for daytime cruises and $75 ($43.19 USD) for evening sails, plus $20 ($15.15 USD) for an authentic Chinese dinner. Sailings from May 15-Oct 30.
SUGGESTED TOURING
I would eat a special breakfast on Victoria Row, take the 10:30 walking tour with the Confederation Players followed by some of the action around the theater and the Story of Confederation inside. Lunch somewhere in town, then the Beaconsfield House with a walk along the boardwalk. Then out to the PEI Brewery and COWS Creamery for shopping, tours, and dinner, then ending the day with a sail on the Saga from the Yacht Club. I really want to go sailing! And an evening sunset sail sounds amazing. Though with a 5 pm sail, maybe dinner would be easier afterward.
I’d be interested in the ghost tour and possibly a show at the Confederation Centre, but I’d be more interested in one of the musical concerts than either Anne or Jesus. So hopefully I could catch one of those on another night.
EVENTS
Of course, there are festivals in Charlottetown and across the island!
OLD HOME WEEK/PEI PROVINCIAL EXHIBITION
Charlottetown has hosted some version of Old Home Week since 1888! This country fair features musical performances, midway rides, and agricultural competitions including horse jumping and barrel racing. Kicking off at midnight is eastern Canada’s largest harness race, the Gold Cup & Saucer. And the Gold Cup & Saucer Parade with floats, brass bands, bagpipes, marching bands, clowns, vintage cars, and more! is arguably the biggest event of the week.
Old Home Week is August 9-18, 2018. A day pass is $12 ($9.09 USD) for adults, $7 ($5.30 USD) for kids 7-12, and 6 and under are FREE. A full-event pass is only $25 ($18.94 USD) for the week. Ride tickets for the midway rides cost $1.50 each with all rides costing 3 tickets or more. You can purchase discounted ticket books or pay $30 ($22.73 USD) for an all-rides bracelet ($20 ($15.15 USD) in advance.) Sunday and Tuesdays all rides are $2.
INDIAN RIVER FESTIVAL
The Indian River Festival isn’t a weeklong festival but refers to the summer season of wide-ranging musical performances held every year in St. Mary’s Church near Kensington. There are classical, singer-songwriter, folk, tango, and Russian artists–it’s close to being an international music event.
The season runs June-September, tickets cost $32 ($24.24 USD) each, or choose from one of a number of packages, from a $90 ($68.19 USD) trio package for three performances all the way up to $430 ($325.78 USD) for a pass to every performance.
PEI FALL FLAVOURS CULINARY FESTIVAL
The month-long PEI Fall Flavours Culinary Festival features over 60 events all across the island. There are almost-daily events like the Beacomber Clam Boil or the Taste of the Town walking food tour and special events like the Lobster Party on the Beach or the 3-day International Shellfish Festival or the Great Island Grilled Cheese Competition. Local and celebrity chefs participate and select restaurants will have special festival menus for the month.
August 31-September 30, costs vary per event from around $15 (Shellfish Fest) to over $100 (Clam Boil.)
JACK FROST CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL
For three days in the coldest of winter, Charlottetown celebrates with the Jack Frost Children’s Festival. The big draw here is the Outdoor Snow Kingdom with ice slides, tube slides, obstacle courses, sleigh rides, ice and snow sculptures, food vendors and more. An indoor playland features inflatables, photo ops, and a performance stage. The final night on Victoria Row features a big musical performance and fireworks!
February 15-17, 2019. Tickets for the weekend are $37.50 ($28.41 USD) ($32.50 ($24.62 USD) in advance). For the snow kingdom only it’s $21.25 ($16.10 USD), and for Sunday only it’s $11.25 ($8.52 USD). All options have family discounts.
Neat reenactment. We do that every year at tunnel hill 🙂