The Picturesque Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is a beautiful and scenic island that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. The island offers lots of fun activities and places to visit. It is mostly pastoral with red soil, white sandy beaches, and scattered communities throughout the province.

PEI is known as “The Garden of the Gulf” and is located along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, north of Nova Scotia and east of New Brunswick. The body of water between these three provinces is called the Northumberland Strait.

The length of the island is about 140 miles long and ranges in width from 2 to 40 miles. The Lady’s Slipper is the flower that represents this island that is the smallest province in Canada.It is also known for its red soil, famous potatoes, and the fictional character Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables books written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Island Culture & History

Prince Edward Island has delicious foods, many that come straight from the sea. These include oysters, mussels, lobster, potatoes, Cook’s Ice Cream, and something really yummy, chocolate covered potato chips.

Here are some quick facts about the maritime island:

In 1799, the Island was named Prince Edward after Queen Victoria’s father - Edward Duke of Kent.
Prince Edward Island is incredibly famous for its beaches.
In 2013, about 89,000 acres of potatoes were planted there.
PEI is in the Atlantic Time Zone.
The blue jay is the province's bird.
In 1997, the Confederation Bridge was completed and connected the Island to New Brunswick. It is the longest bridge in the world over ice-covered waters.
The very first settlers on the Island were Mi’Kmaq and have inhabited the area for the last 2,000 years.
It is very easy for someone to become a Canadian permanent resident in Prince Edward Island because they have what is called Express Entry. This means that successful candidates are usually approved in less than 6 months!

Tourist Appeal

There are lots of tourist attractions on the island that will give you a lifetime of memories to share with your family and friends. It is a province of outstanding beauty with its ocean coves, hills and beautiful forests.

Check out this list of go-to attractions:

Green Gables Heritage Place
Cavendish Beach
Government House
Avonlea Village
Wood Islands
Victoria Park
Sandspit Cavendish Beach
Shining Waters Family Fun Park
Anne of Green Gables Museum at Silver Bush
Point Prim Lighthouse
Acadian Museum
Kings Castle Provincial Park
Spinnakers Landing
Top Notch Charters
Jurassic Bart’s Dinosaur Museum and Petting Farm
Ripley’s Believe It or Not

Prince Edward Island is definitely a tourist's dream vacation destination. With the numerous attractions you won’t be at a loss for something to do. There are also many festivals that take place there depending on when you go. Different seasons hold a different type of festival. Some of these are:

Jack Frost Festival
The PEI Setting Day Culinary Festival
King’s Playhouse Summer Festival
The Charlottetown Festival
Victoria Playhouse Festival
Highland Storm
Summerside Lobster Carnival
PEI Marathon
Old Home Week PEI’S Family Fun Fair

This list just touches on some of the events. Learn more about the festivities and signature events at the Provinces’ tourism site.

Prince Edward Island is a popular destination to make family vacation memories. But it’s also a gem of our country that has its own unique way of life that adds to the overall charm of Canada.

Get some worksheets and more learning bits about PEI at the DLTK Kidzone.