CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island

Located centrally on the underside of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown is the capital of the province, and this town of 40,000 people played an instrumental role in the history of Canada forming as a nation. The city was named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, who was Prince Edwards mother.

Cruise ships dock at the base of the picturesque Old Charlottetown district, which makes for a great day to explore on foot, as you can wander around the relatively flat streets filled with a vast array of eateries highlighting the regions produce, especially seafood. The tree lined streets also give way to important architectural landmarks, such as Province House National Historic Site, Government House, and St. Dunstan’s Basilica, just to name a few.

For those wanting to experience more of what this beautiful island has on offer, the options are plentiful. Trips along the northern coastline through the Prince Edward Island National Park are popular for the greenery and seeing the famous red sand beaches in places like Cavendish and Brackley Beach, and whilst there, arts enthusiasts will enjoy the Dunes Studio Gallery and Cafe. Golf and Cycling are popular activities on the island, and those lighthouse lovers wont be let down either, with many options to choose from, most notably the Point Prim lighthouse, to the south-east of Charlottetown.

However the islands number one attraction is, and perhaps always will be, it’s connection to the freckled, red pig-tailed little girl famous the world over as ‘Anne’ from Anne of Green Gables, where visitors flock to have the opportunity to step back in time to 1908 to relive some of the pages of Lucy Maud Montgomerys classic novel.

Memorabilia is found all over the island, and visitors can stop by the Anne of Green Gables Museum at Park Corner, along the islands northern coastline. Depending on the time of year you visit, there is often an Anne of Green Gables play taking place at the Confederation Center of the Arts in downtown Charlottetown, where for a few months of the season the show has matinee performances which time in nicely for cruise ship visits.