In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Charlottetown
Give Charlottetown 2 nights on foot: the compact old town, Victoria Row and the waterfront fill a full day, and you need a car or a tour for the beaches.
Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island and the birthplace of Canadian Confederation, a walkable small city of about 36,000 people. Two nights covers the historic core, the arts centre and the food; add a third if you want the national park beaches at Brackley or Cavendish, which need a car. Summer is short and busy, winter is cold and quiet.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, many seasonal businesses closed)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–150 excl. bed · Mid C$150–260 excl. bed · High C$260+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3–6 |
| Lobster roll | C$20–30 |
| Fish and chips | C$18–28 |
| Draught beer in a pub | C$7–10 |
| Ice cream cone at Cows | C$5–8 |
| Taxi around downtown | C$6–10 (check) |
| Anne of Green Gables the Musical ticket | From C$20 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YYG · Charlottetown Airport
- 250 Maple Hills Ave, about 6 km north of downtown; nonstop flights from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton; taxi to downtown about $10 (check)250 Maple Hills Ave, about 3.7 mi north of downtown; nonstop flights from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton; taxi to downtown about $10 (check)
Typical fares
- Taxi airport → downtown
- about C$10 (check)
- Taxi around town
- C$6–10, flat rate by zone (check)
- Maritime Bus Charlottetown → Borden
- about 55 min (check)
Get around
Downtown is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes; Victoria Park is a 15-minute walk from Province House. T3 Transit runs city buses. Taxis are flat-rate by zone, roughly $6–10 around town and about $10 from the airport (check). Kari is the local ride-hailing option. A car is needed for the beaches and the Confederation Trail beyond the city.
See and do
Known for
- Birthplace of Confederation (1864 conference)
- Province House National Historic Site
- Victoria Row and the waterfront
- Anne of Green Gables the Musical
- Malpeque oysters and lobster
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Brackley Beach-Stanhope | Drive Route 15 north, about 20–25 min | About 30 min |
| Cavendish | Drive Route 6 west, about 35–40 min | About 45 min |
| North Rustico-New Glasgow | Drive Route 6, about 30–35 min | About 40 min |
| Summerside | Drive Route 1A west, about 55 min; Maritime Bus with a transfer in Borden, about 1 h 15 min | 1–1.5 h |
| Montague | Drive Route 3 east, about 50 min | About 1 h |
| Kensington | Drive Route 2 west, about 40 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Old town / Great George Street
- Walk to Province House, Victoria Row, the arts centre and the waterfront; best for a car-free stay.
- Waterfront / Peake's Quay
- Marina, restaurants and harbour views; a few minutes on foot from the old town.
- University Avenue / West Royalty
- Chain hotels, big-box stores and the mall; you need a car or taxi for the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Please | Please |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Province House is closed for renovations until early 2026: check before you plan around it.
- Many restaurants and tours are seasonal; outside Jun–Sep hours shrink or close.
- Winter brings snow and ice underfoot; downtown walking is harder Dec–Mar.
- Anne of Green Gables the Musical runs late Jun–late Aug only: book ahead.
Charlottetown is a low-crime, easy-going small city; the real issues are winter ice, seasonal closures and drinking and driving on rural roads. 911 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Charlottetown yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Birthplace of Confederation (1864 conference)
- Province House National Historic Site
- Victoria Row and the waterfront
- Anne of Green Gables the Musical
- Malpeque oysters and lobster
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Discover Charlottetown: www.discovercharlottetown.com/
- City of Charlottetown: charlottetown.ca/
- Charlottetown Airport (YYG): flyyyg.com/
- T3 Transit: www.t3transit.ca/
- Parks Canada — Province House: www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/pe/provincehouse
- Wikivoyage: Charlottetown, revision 5236487 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5236487
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Charlottetown
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance911
No embassies in Charlottetown; the US consulate-general is in Halifax and most embassies are in Ottawa.
English is the working language; French is an official language but rarely needed here.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/charlottetown). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.