Why Honeymoon on Prince Edward Island
PEI is about simple pleasures done well. Beaches in Prince Edward Island National Park stretch for miles along the north shore, backed by sandstone cliffs and grassy dunes. Inland, quiet roads roll past farms, white churches and harbors stacked with lobster traps. The island is small enough that nothing is more than about two hours away.
For a couple, that means easy days with very little planning. Swim in the morning, eat oysters at lunch and catch the sunset from a red bluff. Food lovers will be happy here, since mussels, oysters and lobster are local staples rather than splurges. Readers of Anne of Green Gables can visit the farm that inspired the books, while a partner who would rather golf or cycle has plenty of options.
When to Go
Late June to mid-September is the honeymoon window. July and August bring the warmest weather, with highs typically in the mid-70s Fahrenheit and ocean temperatures that are pleasant by Canadian standards, especially on the north shore beaches. These months are also the busiest, so book inns and cottages early.
September is a sweet spot: fewer families, mild days and the Fall Flavours festival, which fills the month with chef dinners and oyster events. October brings fall color and harvest but cooler water and shorter hours.
From November to April many inns, restaurants and attractions close or cut back. Winter is cold and windy. The ferry from Nova Scotia does not run in the off season. June can be lovely yet unpredictable, with cool, foggy days.
Where to Stay
The north shore, between Cavendish and Brackley Beach, puts you closest to the national park beaches. Cottages, small inns and B&Bs line this stretch. Dalvay-by-the-Sea, a Victorian mansion operated as an inn inside the national park, is the romantic classic, with lawns running down toward the dunes.
On the eastern end of the island, the Inn at Bay Fortune is known for its FireWorks dinners cooked over a huge wood-fired hearth. It makes a memorable night or two on a road trip.
Charlottetown, the capital, has historic inns and boutique hotels within walking distance of the waterfront and restaurants. The Great George is a well-known option made from a row of restored heritage buildings. Many couples split their stay between the city and a beach base.
Romantic Things to Do
- Walk the beaches of Prince Edward Island National Park near Cavendish and Brackley, then stay for sunset on the red cliffs.
- Follow the floating boardwalk across the Greenwich dunes on the park's eastern section.
- Book an oyster tour on the water, where growers show you how to shuck and taste them straight from the bay.
- Cycle part of the Confederation Trail, a flat former railway line that runs across the island.
- Listen for the squeaky "singing sands" at Basin Head Provincial Park.
- Visit Green Gables Heritage Place, the farm that inspired L. M. Montgomery's novels.
- Drive the Points East Coastal Drive to East Point Lighthouse.
- Sit down to a community lobster supper with chowder, mussels and pie.
Getting There and Around
Charlottetown Airport (YYG) is small and handles flights from Canadian cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, with some routes running only in summer. There are no nonstop flights from the US, so plan one connection. Another option is Halifax Stanfield (YHZ), which has a few US nonstops; from there it is roughly a three-hour drive to the Confederation Bridge, which carries you onto the island in about 10 minutes.
In summer, a car ferry also links Caribou, Nova Scotia, with Wood Islands on PEI. A rental car is essentially required. Distances are short and roads are quiet, but public transport outside Charlottetown is minimal. Book your rental early for July and August, when cars on the island sell out.
Food and Drink
Seafood is the headline. PEI mussels and Malpeque oysters are exported around the world. You can eat both a few hours out of the water at casual shacks and fine restaurants alike. Lobster season on the north shore runs in spring and early summer, but lobster appears on menus all season.
The lobster supper is an island tradition: a long table, a whole lobster each, chowder, rolls, salads and a slice of pie, served in church halls and dedicated supper houses. Go hungry.
Charlottetown has a good small-city dining scene, plus craft breweries and a distillery or two nearby. Pick up potatoes and berries at farm stands. Don't skip a scoop from COWS, the island's famous ice cream maker.
Honeymoon Tips
Pack for changeable weather. Even in August, evenings by the water can need a sweater. Fog can roll in fast. Bring windbreakers for both of you if you plan to cycle or take a boat tour.
The national park charges a daily admission in summer; the pass covers beach parking. Lifeguards watch some beaches in July and August. Swim near them, since sandbars and changing tides create currents.
Book at least one dinner at a destination restaurant well ahead, especially the hearth dinners at Bay Fortune. Mosquitoes and biting flies can be annoying in the dunes at dusk, so bring repellent.
If you want more variety, combine PEI with Cape Breton Island's Cabot Trail or Halifax for a week-long Maritimes road trip.
