I spent the past week with family in Prince Edward Island, and this wasn’t a trip I could have planned on my own. On the surface, Prince Edward Island appears to be simple—think red roads, green fields, and lighthouses—but without insider knowledge, it requires assistance to navigate. And for that, I owe my sister and many of you a huge thank you. She did most of the research, looking at maps, blogs, and followers’ DMs to create a route that was both easy to explore and navigate. We took my daughter on the trip, tried not to overbook, and somehow came up with a Prince Edward Island itinerary for a week that felt… effortless. All of that is due to my sister! We stayed in a variety of locations on the island. We were able to get to beaches, national parks, and towns without having to spend hours in the car by traveling from Charlottetown to Cavendish and back. During peak season, lodging in PEI can be difficult to find, but we booked in April/May and were flexible. We looked into everything from old inns to seaside cottages to slightly chaotic multi-bedroom Airbnbs.
The entire itinerary for our trip to Prince Edward Island is provided below. I’m sharing what we did, what we loved, and what we’d recommend if you’re planning your own quiet, snack-filled, slow-moving week on the island. You can also use this map to find the addresses and locations.
Day 1: Arrival in Charlottetown
- Place to stay: Rodd Charlottetown
- Location: Charlottetown
- Vibe: This historic downtown hotel makes it easy to walk around and get used to the slower pace.
We flew in and met up with my sister, who arrived the day before! We stayed downtown for one night to get our bearings and reset before heading toward the coast. We were able to explore Charlottetown without having to immediately rent a car because of this. We did a short walking loop through the city (into some bookstores, of course)—just enough to stretch after travel and see what Charlottetown feels like: a bit coastal, a bit quiet, very charming, and very into lobster.
To be honest, we tried The Chip Shack’s lobster roll, which wasn’t great. After that, Bennett ate two plates of chicken strips while we played Sleeping Queens at Peakes Quay, where there was a good kids’ menu. The area was very enjoyable and full of vacationers. We had to wait a long time at COWS to get ice cream, which was worth it and soon became a nightly occurrence throughout the trip.
Day 2: Cavendish Transition and Charlottetown
- Wandering Accommodation: Red Island Getaway via VRBO Charlottetown, Avonlea Village, and Cavendish are the locations.
- Drive Time: ~45 minutes from Charlottetown to Cavendish
- Vibe: A day that felt a little bit like a movie, with little finds and rain.
We started the day with breakfast at The Cork and Cast on Victoria Row, where I had my first of many delicious Caesars (Canada’s version of a Bloody Mary but with a salty, briny twist). Order the fish cakes and breakfast sandwich. Then we wandered. We went through the city’s small craft fair, visited a few used bookstores, and came across one of our favorite trip mementos: a hand-carved rabbit driving a carrot-shaped car made by a local company called Woodypix. A rainbow trout was driven by a cat that my sister got. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Mrs. Peakes Fancy Goods, my favorite local gift shop, is where I got a fish bracelet that I love. We picked up my mother and sister-in-law from the airport and made our way toward Cavendish after making a few loops through the town and having a beer at the Olde Dublin Pub. We arrived at Piatto Pizzeria in Avonlea Village just as the sky opened and it poured all night—the timing was perfect. Avonlea Village is designed to look like Avonlea (a made-up town in the Anne of Green Gables series) and it is adorable, but it has many of the same shops you can find in Charlottetown. Avoid spoiling Avonlea by visiting Charlottetown’s gift shops! I wish I had seen them in Avonlea first before realizing they’re located in many places on the island.
We stayed in a VRBO in Stanley Bridge, close to Cavendish. It was adorable, quiet, close to the water, and exactly what we needed. Then we settled in: snacks, wine, and an obligatory rewatch of Anne of Green Gables while snacking on COW Chips and drinking raspberry cordial we picked up in Avonlea. as one would.
