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Ask most Islanders and
they will tell you that Charlottetown is unique.
What makes it so special, you might wonder.
Small and compact, with a skyline that doesn’t
even top the local church spire, it nestles
along the scenic harbour front like some city
from the past. The first time people see it,
they often want to giggle. City, they think
- it hardly qualifies as a town! Therein,
of course, lies its charm, its uniqueness,
its indefinable quality that lures people
back time and time again.
With the size of a large town, yet the status
of a capital city, Charlottetown offers small
town friendliness and a relaxed atmosphere
with a cosmopolitan flair. Charlottetown combines
all the charm of a hometown with the excitement
of a large city. Where else can you explore
a city completely by foot, yet choose from
a number of cultural events for your evening’s
entertainment. Enjoy quiet streetscapes, easy
parking, unlimited opportunities for walking
and a pleasant, unhurried air. Discover shops
and art galleries to visit, seaside restaurants
to indulge in, local music and live theatre,
and a variety of old-world inns. Plus the
city’s location in the heart of PEI
makes it an ideal base to explore the rest
of Prince Edward Island.
Charlottetown has progressively evolved into
an increasingly dynamic city without sacrificing
its historic charm, relaxed quality of life,
or unique character that define it so well.
In recent years, al fresco dining, waterfront
development, outdoor festivals, and an architectural
integrity to new construction have all contributed
to making the city more interesting. The city
is a perfect blend of urban excitement and
country living, of cultured sophistication
and Island mystique. Not only is Charlottetown
a place you will want to visit again and again,
it makes you want to live here.
Links:
What You Need to Know?
Charlottetown –
Where Past Meets Present
Charlottetown’s
Dynamic Historic Waterfront
A City of Arts and Entertainment
Outdoor Adventure
Culinary Delights &
Affordable Shopping
What
You Need to Know About Charlottetown
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Charlottetown |
Charlottetown
is the Birthplace of Canada and
the Home of Anne of Green Gables
– The Musical™, the
longest running musical in Canada.
Population: 35,000 |
| Getting
here is part of the experience.
From New Brunswick, take the Confederation
Bridge, one of the world’s
longest bridges), take a mini-cruise
with Northumberland Ferries from
Nova Scotia or travel by air.
Air Canada, WestJet and Northwest
Airlines offer regular scheduled
service to Charlottetown. Several
major cruises make Charlottetown
a regular scheduled stop so consider
arriving by sea! |
|
The Hillsborough River surrounds
the city and has been designated
a Canadian Heritage River. |
| Major
stores (including provincial liquor
stores) are closed on Sundays.
Many of the boutique shops in
the tourism districts are open
on Sundays for visitors to enjoy.
|
| The
legal drinking age is 19. |
 Spring
is comfortable. Late May and
early June are alive with colour and
temperatures range from 8 to
22 degrees C (46 to 71 degrees F).
Summer is hot, but rarely humid.
Daytime temperatures are usually
in the 20s (70s) and can go as
high as 32 degrees C (90 degrees
F). Autumn is clear and bright.
Temperatures range from 8 to 22
degrees C (46 to 71 degrees F).
Winter is crisp and clean. Temperatures
usually range from -3 to -11
degrees C (26 to 11 degrees F). |
Where
Past Meets Present
 A visit to Charlottetown
is a bit like stepping back into the past.
As the site of the Charlottetown Conference
in 1864, the city holds a prestigious place
in Canadian history, as the Birthplace of
Canada. Province House National Historic Site
of Canada, where the Fathers of Confederation
gathered, still stands impressively in the
centre of town, while narrow streets radiate
out, each lined with buildings that date back
over 150 years. Few cities in North America
can so clearly bring the past alive. In summer,
tall shade trees grace many of the streets
and flowers abound in well-kept gardens, while
in winter, the history packed city glows with
delicate white fairy lights. Each building
boasts its own unique architecture, much of
which dates back to the city’s original
construction. The sense of colour is vivid,
a far cry from the monotonous, uniform grays
and browns that typify many modern cities
today. You could spend an entire day just
feasting your eyes on the colourful, painted
wooden buildings, walking the quiet back streets,
and tracing the city’s graceful passage
of time.
- For history buffs, a number of sites around
the city offer more than a glimpse into the
past. Visit Province House National Historic
Site of Canada and you will see where Canadian
history was made. Founders’ Hall –
Canada’s Birthplace Pavilion, housed
in one of the recently renovated wharf buildings
on the waterfront, in an interactive museum
devoted to Charlottetown’s historical
background from past to present. Or visit
Beaconsfield Historic House, the meticulously
preserved home of shipping magnate James Peake
Jr, and gain an insider’s view of how
the very rich once lived. Other sites of historic
interest include the many impressive homes
and buildings, Great George Street National
Historic District and Victoria Park.
- Charlottetown
provides a wonderful link between past and
present, a sense of continuity and the quality
of life that comes with it. Without sacrificing
any of the excitement and innovation of our
modern times, Charlottetown keeps one foot
firmly planted in the past. It’s architecture,
its friendliness and relaxed pace, its familiarity
and safety are all reminiscent of a gentler
era. Coupled with the vibrancy and diversity
of the present day, the city seems to combine
the best of both worlds. Whether you enjoy
visiting museums, just browsing through shops
or taking a guided historic walking tour with
a Father of Confederation, Charlottetown can’t
help but seduce you with its historic beauty,
its quiet confidence, it sense of heritage
and its undeniable charm.
Charlottetown’s
Dynamic Historic Waterfront
 Almost nowhere in Charlottetown
seems far from the sea. Walk down any street,
peer around a few corners, and you will most
likely catch a glimpse of the sun sparkling
on water, or reflecting off the brilliance
of ice. Frozen in winter and warmed by summer,
the lovely harbour seems to effortlessly incorporate
this small, intimate city. Water seems almost
synonymous with Charlottetown itself, with
the waterfront area one of its most pivotal
points, for it’s here that the city
in many ways defines itself. Very much an
active port, the dockside area is frequented
by everything from private yachts and gravel
laden barges to foreign freighters and cruise
ships that dwarf the Charlottetown skyline.
In summertime, boats ply the harbour, visitors
and residents alike stroll the boardwalks,
while the occasional festival sets the downtown
waterfront area on fire with excitement, music,
fireworks and carnival rides. In winter, ice
coats the harbour, snow clings to every surface,
and lights twinkle from the windows of cozy
homes and tempting restaurants.
- You can
do almost anything on Charlottetown’s
historic waterfront. Dine on seafood, shop
for souvenirs, eat homemade ice cream or take
a harbour cruise. From one season to another
you can watch Buskers perform, listen to local
musicians, take a solitary walk, or picnic
on a park bench. There’s always plenty
to see and do, yet no one ever seems to be
in a hurry. The luxury of time is an Island
quality, and nowhere reflects it better than
the dynamic, yet relaxing waterfront area.
- Representing
the heart of the waterfront area, Peake’s
Wharf and the adjacent area underwent a restoration
that signaled the beginning of Charlottetown’s
coastal face-lift. In what was once an area
of decay and neglect, shops sprang up, restaurants
with waterside views appeared, a public park
evolved, and a coastal boardwalk was built.
In summer, you can easily spend the better
part of a day here. Even in winter when things
quiet down, the beauty of the area prevails,
enticing you to enjoy the magical blending
of sea and snow as you explore the waterfront.
- Much
of the city’s waterfront is now linked
by a series of boardwalks, offering excellent
walking year round. This is one of the best
ways to explore, with the close proximity
of the city on one side of you, and the water
on the other. In the distance, scenic vistas
of farm fields and countryside entice you
to explore further a field. Like Charlottetown
itself, an exploration along the boardwalks
brings together the urban and the rural, the
land and the sea, the influences of man, and
the implacability of nature. Like a true Island
city, Charlottetown seems to perch gracefully
along the harbour shore, as though asking
for permission to be there.
A
City of Arts and Entertainment
 Charlottetown thrives on its arts and
culture. Theatre performances, dance events,
music concerts, literary readings, art
openings and craft shows all find their
place in the city’s busy schedule.
Almost any evening of the week throughout
the year you can have your pick of art
exhibit or poetry reading, live theatre
performance or traditional ceilidh. While
at first glance you might be misled by
the city’s compact size and lack
of crowds, there’s a wealth of art
and cultural events just waiting to be
sampled.
- Charlottetown’s
traditional claim to fame, the Festival
features seasonal performances of Anne
of Green Gables – The Musical™,
based on the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery
which put PEI on the map. After more than
forty years, the play continues to draw
record crowds, as do other shows like
Canada Rocks, a dynamic, high-energy tribute
to Canadian artists and their music.
- Music is very much a
part of the Maritime tradition, as reflected
by the sheer quantity of musical events
offered. Venues like the Mackenzie, Carrefour,
Benevolent Irish Society and the Arts
Guild provide an ongoing series of concerts,
with music that ranges from classical
to contemporary. While concerts and ceilidhs
are always plentiful throughout the summer,
in winter they take on an equally important
role, offering entertainment, fun and
even fundraising benefits for Island residents.
Once experienced, ceilidhs tend to be
addictive, luring visitors back to the
Island year after year in pursuit of this
uplifting musical experience.
- Charlottetown hosts an increasing number
of outdoor summer festivals that bring
culture right out into the streets. Whether
it’s a hi-tech stage on the waterfront,
with its technicolour lights and sophisticated
sound system, or a street tent hosting
an orgy of jazz and blues bands, music
aficionados will find enough outdoor entertainment
to last a lifetime.
- PEI is an Island of writers, poets,
artists and crafts people, with a variety
of art venues, craft shops and literary
events available year round. There are
numerous galleries, exhibits and openings
for art enthusiasts to enjoy, particularly
in and around the Confederation Centre
and Arts Guild. Crafts people are equally
plentiful, and their products found throughout
the city in many shops in the tourism
districts.
Outdoor
Activities
 Being an Island, PEI abounds with opportunities
for outdoor activities in any season,
all of them just waiting to be enjoyed.
Using Charlottetown as a base of operations
allows you to capitalize on the full Island
experience. Playing golf by day and seafood
dining by the sea at night. A leisurely
bicycle ride down the Confederation Trail
followed by a music or theatre event that
evening. Beach combing and country walks
ending with the comfort of a B&B on
a quiet city back street. Even within
the confines of the city itself, there
are multiple ways to enjoy the outdoor
pleasures of Island living.
- Charlottetown is a city for walkers.
There’s no need to ever set foot
in a car, as nearly everything is accessible
within a half hour walk of the city centre.
For the perfect coastal walking tour,
begin at the Historic Charlottetown Waterfront
and follow the blue line as it leads you
along the waterfront. Skirting around
the tall Prince Edward Hotel, it winds
past the marina, down a block of scenic
Water St., then picks up the first boardwalk
heading west along the shore. One more
little jog up a couple of lovely side
streets and you reach the second and larger
section of the boardwalk. This follows
the contours of Victoria Park and offers
some of the best vistas found on the Island,
a testimony to the loveliness of Charlottetown’s
harbour setting. At the end of the boardwalk,
just reverse the process, or wend your
way back through the tree-lined streets
of Brighton, the city’s most elegant
residential district.
- Beginning two blocks west
of the Visitor’s Centre on the waterfront,
the Confederation Trail offers opportunities
for exploring both on foot and by bicycle.
This is the ideal way to discover some
of the interior open spaces in the city
as it follows the old railroad route past
backyards, behind buildings, then out
into the open fields of the former Experimental
Farm. An easy half hour to forty-five
minutes walk will bring you to the Farmer’s
Market (open Saturdays year round), the
University of PEI, and the Charlottetown
Mall. Beyond that, the rural countryside
beckons, luring those with bicycles and
more time to explore. Even in winter,
the trail is always kept open for intrepid
walkers who enjoy snowy landscapes.
- Largest of Charlottetown’s many
parks, Victoria offers a variety of outdoor
activities. Tennis courts, a ball park,
grassy fields, a swimming pool, playground
and skateboard area are all available
in summer, while cross-country ski trails,
a skating pond, and walks are accessible
in winter. Islanders flock to this park
year round, strolling the boardwalk on
warm summer evenings and bundling themselves
against the cold for winter outings. Despite
it popularity, however, the park is never
crowded, and retains the feeling of pleasurable
isolation that comes with Island living.
Culinary
Delights & Affordable Shopping
 Whether you arrive in Charlottetown by
car, cruise ship, airplane or bus, you
will most likely find yourself stopping
off at the Visitor Centre on the Historic
Charlottetown Waterfront. With map in
hand, stroll west a block to Great George
St. and look around you. Huge shade trees
and colourful historic homes line the
sidewalks, Province House stands sentinel
at the top of the street, and Peake’s
Wharf beckons at the bottom. Standing
there, you are now within a five minute
walk of numerous shops, restaurants, historic
sites and sources of entertainment. Few
cities offer so much diversity in such
scenic, uncrowded, accessible surroundings.
It’s time to have fun!
- It doesn't ‘t take long to discover
that Charlottetown rates as one of the
most affordable cities in North America.
Where else can you shop daily, dine on
seafood and other local delights, and
take in some evening entertainment, all
without breaking the bank. Even large
families can enjoy the multiple pleasures
of PEI at reasonable cost. Sophistication
and quality, spontaneity and pleasure
can all be enjoyed to the fullest without
spending your life’s savings. Charlottetown
is a bargain-hunter’s dream, a city
where everything is available - at an
affordable price.
- Even those with an innate reluctance
for shopping will enjoy Charlottetown’s
many stores. There’s no need to
fight traffic, search for parking, or
cover major distances as you discover
everything from elegant clothing stores
to funky kiosks, from upscale galleries
to trendy boutiques. The two main shopping
districts are the downtown area and the
Charlottetown Mall on the outskirts of
town, but still easily accessed by car,
public bus, bicycle, or on foot. For a
fun downtown shopping excursion, stroll
through the shops at Peake’s Wharf
(open all summer), then up Queen St.,
venturing down Victoria Row (pedestrians
only). You might have to ask where the
large, indoor Confederation Court Mall
is (it’s cleverly hidden in the
centre of town), but once inside you’ll
find a diverse array of tempting stores.
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As varied as the city’s shops, Charlottetown’s
restaurants feature everything from seafood
to sushi. Dine overlooking the harbour,
or at one of the many street side spots.
In the warm summer months, Victoria Row
offers a choice of four al fresco dining
options, with live jazz music provided
nightly by local musicians. The ambiance
here is among the best, with a wide variety
of seafood and other dishes available,
served by candlelight under large umbrellas.
A number of pubs also offer a lively maritime
atmosphere, accompanied by delicious,
yet affordable meals. Better yet, come
in winter and you’ll soon find yourself
like the locals, addicted to the dining
pleasures of this seductive city.
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