Charlottetown
Understand
Climate
Get in
By plane
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address: 250 Maple Hills Ave.Has nonstop flights to Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, and New York (JFK). Prices are usually expensive between $500-1400 depending your origin. Charlottetown Airport is one of the most user-friendly airports. Clearly, some of this is due to infrequent flights and small aircraft. Check-ins usually take five minutes or less. The airport is small, accessible, and friendly just like the city itself!
- Air Canada/Air Canada Express (Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto)
- WestJet (Toronto)
- Sunwing Vacations (Puerto Plata)
By bus
Maritimebus is the only company for the area.
- from Moncton (NB), 2/day, $33.75, 3hr05min
- from Bathurst (NB), 1/day, $68.50, 8hr35min
- from Halifax (NS), 2/day (7:05PM, noon), $58.25 (+tax 15% + bridge $2.40 + fuel ~$70), 5hr20min with change at Amherst (depending on how full the bus is, you will usually switch to smaller bus from Amherst).
A few shuttle services are also available for similar prices.
By car
Drive across the Confederation Bridge or take a ferry from Caribou (Nova Scotia), ~11hr along the Trans-Canada Hwy from Montreal (Rivière-du-Loup, Edmundston, Fredericton, Moncton) or 3hr30min from Halifax.
Get around
Taxis are cheap. $10 gets you from the airport to downtown. $6-10 will get you anywhere around town. All taxis are flat rate by zone. None has any specific licensing information in them; not to worry though, taxi drivers are typically friendly, enjoy meeting tourists, and are honest above all else. Charlottetown is a small, very accessible city: you can walk almost anywhere downtown.
Most of downtown is also easy to walk through, a bit less in winter.
See
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phone: +1 902 894-3486address: 45 Great George StTourists welcomed between services.
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address: 165 Richmond Street, PE C1A 1J1This National Historic Site and has functioned as the provincial legislature since 1847, but is closed for renovations until 2020.
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Confederation Centre of the Arts
address: 145 Richmond StreetThe Confederation Centre is open year-round and showcases the best in the Canadian visual and performing arts. It houses several theaters, an art gallery, Mavor's Bistro and a gift shop. -
address: 2 Kent StreetThe Beaconsfield Historic House Museum is open year-round for tours. One of the Island's finest residences, built in 1877, the site offers a program of house tours and lectures, and special events in the Carriage House.
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address: Mt Edward RoadOnly outside can be visited. The Ardgowan estate contains the country cottage of William Henry Pope, one of the Fathers of Confederation. Pope hosted delegates and observers of the Charlottetown Conference of 1864 at his house. The building and grounds are restored to an 1860s appearance. The grounds are open to the public, while the building houses Parks Canada staff.
Do
Victoria ParkWalk around Victoria Park, one of Charlottetown's most beautiful and popular parks. The park has walking trails, a harbor-front boardwalk, three play structures and an outdoor pool and splash park.
Peake's Wharf Harbour and Seal Watching CruiseBook a Peake's Wharf Harbour and Seal Watching Cruise and relax while cruising Charlottetown's scenic and historic harbour.
Peake's QuayPeake's Quay is a wonderful shopping and dining area located right on the marina and is a short walk from downtown. There are many souvenir shops, activities, and restaurants.
Victoria RowWalk down picturesque Victoria Row for great shopping, drinks and dining. Victoria Row and Queen Street have excellent art galleries.
PEI Confederation TrailHiking and bicycling on rolled stone dust trail. From Ghiz Memorial Park at the corner of Grafton Street and Edward Street, the trail proceeds north out of the city and across the island for 470 km.
Anne of Green Gables the MusicalAnne of Green Gables the Musical runs from the end of June to the end of August. The musical is based on the novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. There are matinee and evening showings.
Buy
If you get off the beaten path, though, you'll find lots of great specialty shops just waiting for your business. Walks along Queen St. and University Ave. (among others) will yield wonderful surprises in terms of shopping selection.
Groceries are readily available from many major supermarkets within Charlottetown. Typical closing time is 10PM. Sunday store hours are generally noon to 5PM.
Eat
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Cedar's Eatery
address: 81 University AveGreat Lebanese food and reasonable prices. They have won many awards and have a great atmosphere. Shish Taouk, Falafel and other traditional dishes are prepared much more thoughtfully and are far tastier than the normal hole-in-the-wall Mediterranean joints in most cities. -
Brickhouse
address: 125 Sydney StRomantic meal, sophisticated atmosphere, and there is a well stocked bar upstairs called Marc's Studio. -
Gahan House
address: 126 Sydney StHome of Gahan Micro Brewery, with great fresh-brewed beer! A favourite is Iron Horse, but the others are all great. The nachos are a favourite with locals and the best value on the menu. Tourist dishes such as the fish and chips can be paltry and overpriced. -
The Merchantman Pub
address: 23 Queen St -
The Pilot House
address: 70 Grafton St -
Splendid Essence
address: 186 Prince StProvides shockingly inexpensive vegetarian meals. Serving a selection of fine Asian teas, dim sum treats like dumplings, and large bowls of noodles, vegetables and vegetarian "ham", you won't go hungry. The menu is small but every item on it is delicious and very reasonably priced. -
The Water Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound
address: 141 Water StOffers simple but well prepared seafood meals at exceptional prices. Start with an order of fresh Malpeque oysters, and then have a lobster roll, some lightly battered fish and chips, or even a 2-lb steamed lobster. -
phone: +1 902 628-6633address: 188 Great George StServes authentic Chinese cuisine; well-known for their Kung Pao Gar Ding, Hot & Sour soup, and friendly service.
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Churchill Arms
address: 75 Queen StA cozy British pub and restaurant. Well known for their curries, everything is tasty and affordable. Portions can be quite large. -
Brits Fish and Chips
address: 41 University AveFamous for their fish and chips and their casual and friendly atmosphere. -
Chez Cora
address: 123 Queen StCasual restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Extensive breakfast menu. -
phone: +1 902 892-6969address: 150 Queen StCanada's most popular spot for ice cream! A trip to Cows is unlike any other ice cream experience. The smell of fresh made waffle cones will lure you in through the door, but you will stay for the apparel! Cows not only offers a bounty of creatively named (and delicious) ice cream flavours like "Gooey Mooey" or "Wowie Cowie", but the store sells t-shirts for women, men, and children that are humorous parodies of pop culture, such as "Cowy Potter and the Udder of the Phoenix".
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Peake's Quay Restaurant
address: 11 Great George StPeake's Quay Restaurant is located a few feet from the Charlottetown Waterfront with a full lunch and dinner menu. -
Lucy Maud Montgomery Dining Room
phone: +1 902 894-6868address: 4 Sydney StAt the Culinary Institute of Canada, a well respected school for chefs. The students prepare and serve meals under the tutelage of their instructors. The food is classically and competently prepared. The dining room has an excellent view over Charlottetown Harbour, though the institute's building is hopelessly municipal in appearance. Begins service at 6PM, reservations requested. -
Thai Food & Dimsum Place
address: 198 Kent StPretty authentic Thai food. Hot! But they ask you how hot you want it. Very tasty, made fresh, affordable. The interior of the place is very simple (your date will not be impressed) but the food is perfect. -
Maid Marians Place
address: 7 Ellis Rd, PE C1A 7X1Really the local place to eat. Cheap, old American cantina style but good food.
Drink
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Fishbones
address: 136 Richmond St.A seasonal bar and restaurant, located on Charlottetown's historic Victoria Row. Great atmosphere and more than reasonable prices. -
Baba's Lounge
address: 81 University Ave.A spot that many young locals go year-round. Generally the most reliable but is quite small. -
Olde Dublin Pub
address: 131 Sydney St.An authentic Irish pub. -
phone: +1-902-894-0543address: 41 Allen StreetLocal independent craft brewery that serves beer, mixed drinks and food. Kid-friendly until the late evening.
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phone: +1-902-894-5972address: 156 Great George StreetConvenient downtown bar that serves Upstreet beers as well as beers and ciders from local PEI cideries and breweries. Serves Cornish pastries from The Handpie Company as light snacks as well as chips from Covered Bridge Chip Company.
Sleep
In winter, many places are closing for the season.
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phone: +1 902 367-5749address: 60 Hillsborough StOnly hostel in Charlottetown. Single-sex dorms, co-ed dorms, and private rooms available. Free wifi and internet terminals. Open April to October.
Elmwood Heritage InnThe first 5-star Bed & Breakfast in Charlottetown, it is still one of the best. Innkeepers Jay and Carol are known to be some of the most helpful.
The Great GeorgeCharlottetown's historic boutique hotel. Probably the best location in all of Charlottetown. It is getting pricier over time, but it is probably still one of the best overall values in town. It is right in the middle of it all.
Fitzroy HallAnother well located bed & breakfast, it is typically well maintained.
The Shipwright InnHighly rated.
The Dundee ArmsAn inn with an attached motel. The Dundee has a nice pub frequented by locals.
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Fairholm National Historic Inn
address: 230 Prince StreetFairholm National Historic Inn is a designated National Historic Site and has large rooms with superb architectural detail, walking distance to theatre, restaurants, shopping and waterfront. -
address: 9 Grafton St.This hotel is in the most perfect spot in Charlottetown. Two blocks away from the city centre, and filled with staff members who are familiar with the city. It's rated #1 on Tripadvisor.
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address: 3 Grafton St.Great location, close to the city centre. Highly rated, and updated with new furniture. This spot is perfect for families, as it has many rooms with multiple beds. Ask for the Standard Rooms with 2 double beds and a sofa bed for families of 5. Great breakfast too!