Anne of Green Gables Would Approve: What to Do in Charlottetown for 7 Days Without Writing a Single Dramatic Monologue

Your Hour-By-Hour Blueprint: What To Do In Charlottetown For 7 Days Without Once Uttering “Eh?”

Planning what to do in Charlottetown for 7 days requires strategic thinking worthy of a confederation-forming delegate. This maritime capital punches well above its weight class in terms of activities, attractions, and the sheer number of ways lobster can be incorporated into a menu. The following week-long blueprint ensures visitors experience both the historical significance and contemporary charm without falling into tourist traps or, worse, running out of things to do by Tuesday afternoon.

Day 1: Historical Immersion With A Side Of Butter Tarts

Begin your Charlottetown adventure with a morning orientation walking tour of the historic district surrounding Great George Street. Here, Victorian-era buildings stand preserved in architectural amber, their painted facades creating the distinct impression you’ve wandered onto a movie set. The cobblestone streets practically groan under the weight of their own historical significance.

By mid-morning, make your way to Province House National Historic Site (free admission), the hallowed ground where Canada’s founding fathers gathered in 1864 while likely complaining about the weather. The guided tour takes about 30 minutes, leaving you ample time to appreciate how a country of 38 million people was conceptualized in a building smaller than most suburban high schools.

For lunch, the Water Prince Corner Shop ($20-30) serves lobster rolls containing actual lobster instead of mysterious “seafood blend” – a concept that will revolutionize the worldview of many American tourists. The cramped quarters and no-nonsense service are part of the authentic experience, so embrace the maritime tradition of bumping elbows with strangers while cracking crustaceans.

Spend the afternoon browsing the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market, where potato-based everything (chips, vodka, soap, commemorative paperweights) showcases PEI’s agricultural pride that borders on obsession. Cap the day with dinner at Sims Corner Steakhouse ($35-55), where the perfectly pretentious service subtly reminds Americans this is technically still part of the British Commonwealth.

Day 2: Harbor Life And Maritime Musings

Morning brings a visit to Beaconsfield Historic House ($10), a Victorian mansion where guests can glimpse how the wealthy lived before Netflix and indoor plumbing. The grandeur is impressive, though the tour guides kindly refrain from mentioning that the average life expectancy was about 47 years regardless of how many servants one employed.

By midday, stroll along Victoria Row with its brick streets and al fresco dining that feels like someone transplanted a European café scene minus the cigarette smoke and existential conversations. The shops sell artisanal crafts at prices that suggest each item was personally blessed by Anne of Green Gables herself.

The afternoon calls for Peake’s Wharf exploration, watching fishing boats while resisting the urge to ask if anyone’s seen a mermaid lately. For $30, a harbor cruise offers views of the city skyline that can be fully photographed in approximately 45 seconds due to Charlottetown’s compact size – though the captain will stretch the journey to a full hour with fascinating tales of maritime disasters and the occasional seal sighting.

End with dinner at Lobster on the Wharf ($30-45) where “ocean to table” means exactly that – often with less than 24 hours between the lobster’s unfortunate capture and its arrival on your plate, slathered in butter and accompanied by a bib that will absolutely be necessary regardless of your usual dining dexterity.

Day 3: Anne’s Legacy (Without The Braids)

No comprehensive list of what to do in Charlottetown for 7 days would be complete without paying homage to PEI’s most famous fictional resident. A 35-minute drive brings you to Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish ($8.50 admission), where literature fanatics can be spotted wiping away tears at the sight of a fictional character’s home. The perfectly preserved farmhouse with its iconic green gables looks exactly as readers imagined, which is either a testament to L.M. Montgomery’s descriptive powers or proof that the site has been meticulously adjusted to match the books.

Nearby Avonlea Village walks the fine line between charming and tourist trap with surprising grace. The recreation of the setting from Montgomery’s novels features actors in period costume who never break character, even when asked directions to the nearest restroom or whether they accept credit cards.

Lunch at the PEI Preserve Company ($15-25) turns jam-tasting into an unexpectedly competitive sport among visitors. Watch as perfectly normal adults develop strong opinions about the superiority of strawberry rhubarb over blueberry lavender, often purchasing jars in quantities suggesting they’re preparing for a preserve-specific apocalypse.

The afternoon brings a visit to Cavendish Beach with its famous red sand that inevitably finds its way into every crevice of clothing, cameras, and dignity. Return to Charlottetown for dinner at John Brown Richmond Street Grille ($25-40) where farm-to-table isn’t a trend but simply what they’ve always done, long before Brooklyn hipsters made it Instagram-worthy.

Day 4: Coastal Exploration And Red Dirt Roads

Rent a car ($50/day) and drive along the scenic North Shore coastal route, where the island meets the Gulf of St. Lawrence with dramatic red cliffs that could double as Mars in a low-budget sci-fi film. The winding roads pass through fishing villages where time appears to have stopped sometime around 1973.

Thunder Cove Beach offers the famous “teacup rock” formation – nature’s version of pottery that somehow survives Atlantic storms that would flatten most man-made structures. It’s the perfect spot for photos that will make your Instagram followers believe you’ve discovered an unnamed planet rather than visited Canada.

For lunch, grab picnic supplies from Receiver Coffee Company ($12-18) and eat on a clifftop while contemplating how many Instagram posts feature this exact view, captioned with vague inspirational quotes about journeys and destinations.

The afternoon leads to Greenwich section of PEI National Park ($8.50 park pass) with its floating boardwalk over sand dunes that makes everyone feel momentarily like Moses. The interpretive center explains the ecological significance of the area, though most visitors are too busy trying to capture the perfect boardwalk selfie to absorb the information.

Evening brings a return to Charlottetown for a show at the Confederation Centre of the Arts ($25-65). If “Anne of Green Gables: The Musical” is playing (and there’s roughly a85% chance it is), resistance is futile – see it and accept that escape from Anne is impossible on this island.

Day 5: Foodie Fanaticism

Begin with a morning visit to the Charlottetown culinary school for a cooking class ($75) where you’ll learn to properly crack a lobster without wearing most of it. The instructor will demonstrate with the casual efficiency of someone who has dismembered thousands of crustaceans, making you question your previous life choices that didn’t include professional shellfish disassembly.

COWs Ice Cream factory tour ($12) reveals why this frozen dairy consistently ranks among North America’s best. Sample flavors with pun names that would make your dad groan – “Wowie Cowie,” “Moo York Cheesecake,” and “Messie Bessie” – while pretending you’re not mentally calculating how many extra miles you’ll need to run to compensate.

Lunch at Terre Rouge ($20-30) showcases island ingredients prepared with techniques that would impress even your foodie friend who won’t shut up about that time they ate at Noma. The menu descriptions require a culinary dictionary, but the flavors speak a universal language of “this is worth every penny and potential food allergy.”

The afternoon brewery tour circuit includes PEI Brewing Company ($12) and Upstreet Craft Brewing (free), where local beers with names like “Do Gooder” and “Rhuby Social” reveal the island’s whimsical personality. By the third tasting flight, you’ll be convinced you understand the provincial tax structure and could probably live here year-round.

Dinner at The Gahan House ($25-40) serves pub fare elevated beyond the typical grease-and-regret formula of most brewpubs. Their beer-battered fish and chips uses haddock so fresh it was likely swimming that morning, accompanied by hand-cut fries that could make a French culinary school instructor weep with joy.

Day 6: Arts, Culture, And Shopping Without Breaking The Bank

The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (by donation) features Canadian artists whose work helps Americans realize their entire knowledge of Canadian art begins and ends with Group of Seven calendar images. The contemporary exhibits often challenge preconceptions about Canadian culture being merely polite landscapes and hockey scenes.

A shopping expedition to Victoria Row and Queen Street yields souvenirs that aren’t plastic lobsters, including local pottery, textiles, and art from shops like The Bookmark and Moonsnail Soapworks. The prices reflect the “artisanal” nature of everything, but at least these items won’t end up in a landfill by next Christmas.

Lunch at Cows Creamery (yes, again, but this time for their grilled cheese at $12-15) proves dairy excellence extends beyond ice cream. The sandwiches contain enough cheese to qualify as a calcium supplement, served alongside soup in bread bowls because apparently carbohydrates inside carbohydrates represents peak Canadian innovation.

The afternoon brings a visit to St. Dunstan’s Basilica (free), whose gothic architecture seems almost comically grandiose for an island this size. The stained glass and vaulted ceilings suggest a time when church architects were compensated by the height of their spires rather than practicality.

Evening entertainment at The Guild ($25-40) showcases local talent that often surprises visitors with its professional quality. The intimate venue serves drinks during performances, allowing audiences to enjoy both cultural enrichment and mild intoxication simultaneously.

Day 7: Island Farewell And Hidden Gems

Begin your final day with a visit to Point Prim Lighthouse ($7), PEI’s oldest lighthouse which has been guiding ships since 1845 with substantially fewer ghost stories than one might expect from such an old maritime structure. The cylindrical brick tower offers views worth the claustrophobic spiral staircase climb, though the gift shop’s collection of lighthouse-shaped objects raises existential questions about souvenir manufacturing.

Drive along the southern coastal route to Wood Islands, stopping at Rossignol Winery ($10 tasting) where fruit wines prove grapes aren’t the only game in town. The blueberry wine presents a particularly challenging conversation for wine snobs who must now confront their grape-based prejudices.

Lunch at Point Prim Chowder House ($15-25) provides a final seafood feast featuring chowder thick enough to use as mortar. The oceanfront setting ensures at least one dramatic hair-blowing-in-the-wind moment for your vacation photos.

Return to Charlottetown for last-minute shopping at Peake’s Quay and a final waterfront stroll, mentally calculating how many Anne of Green Gables themed items you’ve purchased despite your initial resistance. End with a dinner splurge at Sims Corner Steakhouse ($40-60) where the beef is so good it almost makes you forget you came to a seafood destination.

Where To Rest Your Lobster-Stuffed Self

Budget accommodations at The Arts Hotel ($120-150/night) offer clean rooms with questionable decorating choices but perfect location. The lobby art exhibition changes regularly, featuring local artists whose work ranges from breathtaking landscapes to perplexing interpretations of fishing culture.

Mid-range options include The Great George Hotel ($200-250/night), providing historically accurate accommodations without historically accurate plumbing issues. The heritage building has been updated just enough to include WiFi and shower pressure that exceeds a gentle drizzle.

For a luxury experience, Sydney Boutique Inn ($250-300/night) occupies a heritage building where Victorian elegance makes guests feel like temporary nobility. The four-poster beds and claw-foot tubs compensate for the slightly creaky floors that announce every midnight bathroom journey to your neighbors.

Airbnb options in the historic district ($150-200/night) cater to those who prefer to pretend they’re actually moving to PEI rather than just visiting. These accommodations often come with quirky owners who provide detailed instructions for composting and recycling systems more complex than nuclear fusion protocols.