Prince Edward Island Vacations

Overview

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is one of the Atlantic Provinces on the east coast of Canada that lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Northumberland Strait separates PEI from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The capital city of the province is Charlottetown. The island was named "Prince Edward" in honor of the father of Queen Victoria in 1799. It is also called "Garden Province" because half of the land is under cultivation. Being the smallest province, it has a small population too, but one that has a strong heritage.

Despite its isolation, or perhaps because of it, residents of Prince Edward Island enjoy visitors and welcome them with open arms. Natives often offer to share the produce they grow on the island, most famously the Prince Edward new potato, or the lobster they capture off the shore.

Activities & Attractions

The most prominent thing about Prince Edward Island is its expansive coastline. There are several bays and beaches here, the most popular of which are in the Prince Edward Island National Park. Green Gables House, Greenwich, North Rustico, Victoria Playhouse, Confederation Trail, Charlottetown, and Brackley Beach are some other spectacular sites to visit in Prince Edward Island. Visitors are also enraptured by the festivities of the local area in which several cultural elements are depicted.

The park's northern shore in Queen's County has several dunes and cliffs that are great for swimming. Kayaking, cycling, skiing, and cross-country skiing are the popular sporting activity here. The main venue for skiing is at Brookville Provincial Ski Park. PEI has over 625 miles of snowmobiling trails. There is a lot of golfing action too in its 26 courses.

Lodging

Prince Edward Island does not have many lodging facilities, but the limited numbers have everything that lodging has to offer. There are hotels that are cheap, yet really nice. Bed and breakfast inns, cottages, and even campgrounds are available to choose from and all of them can be considered as more than affordable.

Transportation

Until recently, transportation to and from Prince Edward Island was relatively expensive. A ferry had to transport all passengers and materials to the island that was not brought in by air. But, the Confederation Bridge that was opened in June 1997 facilitates the island residents to reach the mainland by road. The eight mile bridge was built to withstand harsh wind and weather conditions. The bridge, which takes just 12 minutes to cross, has helped boost the island's tourist traffic.

The island also has about 3,000 miles of paved roads. Airports in Charlottetown and Summer Side have regular scheduled services to the mainland. Seasonal ferry service is available between Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island and Caribou, Nova Scotia and between Magdalene Islands, Québec and Souris, Prince Edward Island.