PEI is, by far, Canada's smallest province -- it's only about 254km (120 miles) long from tip to tip, which is amazing -- and that keeps your transit down to a minimum. With one or two smart bases, you can easily explore the whole thing in a week. However, traffic on island roads -- slowed by farm tractors, shutterbugs, leisurely drivers, terrain, and odd twists and turns along the route -- tends to be quite a bit slower than you'd expect. So don't count on the sort of speedy travel you can enjoy on a fast Nova Scotia two-lane. Just kick back and enjoy the scenery; you'll get there. Eventually.
Visitor Information for Prince Edward Island
PEI has a Visitor Information Centre at each entry point to the province. Charlottetown has one at the waterfront at 6 Prince Street (tel. 902/368-4444) where cruise ships dock. People arriving via Confederation Bridge can exit directly to Gateway Village (tel. 902/437-8570), as you come off the bridge. The Visitor’s Centre is a worthwhile stop for asking questions and learning more about Canada’s longest bridge. The Gateway features a number of retail shops, food, a liquor store, and a park to let the kids or dog stretch their legs. If you’re a photography buff, take the side road back toward the bridge, through Borden-Carleton; the little park at the lighthouse offers scenic viewpoints. The road ends where the former ferry linking the island to the New Brunswick mainland used to dock year-round.Visitor Information Centres at Wood Islands (tel. 902/962-7411) and Souris (tel. 902/687-7030) at 95 Main St. (both are open June–Sept) welcome those arriving by ferry. There are also welcome centers in Cavendish, on the Summerside waterfront, in St. Peters, and West Prince.
When to Go to Prince Edward Island
PEI's peak tourism season is brief, running 6 or 7 weeks from June through September. If you plan to visit outside those months, expect many restaurants and attractions to be closed, especially outside the main tourist destinations.
Where to Stay on Prince Edward Island
For a mix of rural and urban (or perhaps “semi-urban” since there are no big cities on PEI), consider basing yourself in Charlottetown, from which you can make day trips around the island. If you prefer a beach or countryside vacation, there is no shortage of very nice small resorts, cottages, campgrounds and other accommodations in PEI’s rural regions.
Getting to Prince Edward Island
If you're coming by car, as the vast majority do, you'll either arrive by ferry or drive onto the island via the big Confederation Bridge (tel. 888/437-6565 or 902/437-7300), which opened with great fanfare in 1997. (On the island, you'll also sometimes hear this bridge referred to as the "fixed link," a reference to the guarantee Canada made back in 1873 to provide a permanent link from the mainland. These people have long memories!) Whatever you call it, though, the dramatic 13km (8-mile) bridge is open 24 hours a day and takes 10 to 12 minutes to cross. Unless you're high up in a van, a truck, or an RV, however, your views are mostly obstructed by the concrete barriers that form the guardrails along both sides.
The round-trip bridge toll is C$50.25 for passenger cars (more for vehicles with more than two axles; C$20 for motorcycles); the toll is collected when you leave the island, not when you enter it. Cash and all major credit cards are accepted at the toll plaza. Cyclists and backpackers can cross the bridge in the shuttle van provided, which charges C$4.75 per pedestrian or C$9.50 per cyclist.
By Bus -- Maritime Bus (tel. 800/575-1807) takes passengers from many locations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to several PEI points daily. The trip from Halifax takes about 4 hours and costs around C$59 one-way (adult). Check the website or call for details.
By Ferry -- For those arriving from Halifax, Cape Breton Island, or other points east, Northumberland Ferries Limited (tel. 877/762-7245) provides seasonal service between Caribou, Nova Scotia (just north of Pictou), and Woods Island, PEI. Ferries with a 220-car capacity run from May to mid-December. During peak season (May to mid-Oct), ferries depart each port approximately every 1.5 to 2 hours throughout the day, with the last ferry departing as late as 8pm or 9:30pm in midsummer, depending on which direction you are traveling. The crossing takes about 75 minutes. Reservations are recommended during the peak summer months. Early morning ferries tend to be less crowded. Fares are C$91 for a regular-sized car (more for large campers and RVs) and C$23 for each adult passenger on foot (C$20 for seniors and students, C$16 for youth aged 6-13, and free for kids 5 and under). Tip: No matter how you arrive on the island, the fare is only collected when you leave, no matter how you arrived. If you take the ferry onto the island and then drive off, you pay the cheaper bridge toll only; if you drive on and take the ferry off,you pay the higher ferry toll only. It’s entirely your choice.
A second ferry runs from Souris, PEI, and takes automobiles to Îles de la Madeleine, Québec; however, you must return to PEI on the same ferry if traveling by car, because there is no other link to the mainland that takes vehicles. It’s a 5-hour crossing that runs year-round with daily crossings in July and August. A one-way crossing costs C$59.10 for adults from mid-June to mid-Sept, C$47.75 seniors, $C29.75 children, C$110.15 for a regular vehicle, C$55.10 for motorcycles, and C$20.80 for bicycles. Reservations are recommended and crossing times are on Atlantic time.
By Air -- The island’s main airport, Charlottetown Airport (call sign YYG), is located within the city of Charlottetown, just minutes from downtown. Air Canada (tel/ 888/422-7533); WestJet (tel. 877/929-8646); Porter (tel. 888/619-8622); and Flair Air (tel. 833/711-2333) connect Charlottetown with Halifax, Ottawa, Montréal, and Toronto.A taxi ride into Charlottetown from the airport costs a flat fee of C$20 for a single or C$15 for a shared cab. (Cabs also run to other parts of the island; rates are charged per kilometer.) There are also limousine firms and several chain car rental outfits in the terminal.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
