August 7-8, 2025 Charlottetown PEI

Thursday and Friday   August 7-8, 2025   Playing Tourists in Charlottetown

Thursday began with a long walk around the waterfront and up into town just to get a lay of the land.   Very cute town with a nice collection of older homes and thriving historic downtown.   It's the capital of PEI and the most populous town.  It's very tourist centric.   Up to 80 cruise ships stop here annually, mostly during the summer and fall foliage seasons. They say it's a madhouse when one is in town so glad we were without. Toured through St. Dunstan's Basilica.  Outstanding job with their downloadable narrative of all the church features and their symbolisms. Even got to hear a bit of a recital practice on their massive organ.  Interesting fact - they have a matching set of bells to the ones in St. Patricks' Cathedral in NYC. 

Bishops residence and Dioceses Office

Front entrance to St Dunstan's

Lots of angels, statues, columns.

Sanctuary lined with saints. Ceiling arches were fascinating

Not a replica, but the original boat, built in 1812 and used by the bishop to travel
 throughout PEI during all seasons.   Attached wheels in summer and sleds in winter

Went through a few art galleries, checked out some tourist shops and had an early dinner at Churchills Pub. Since our evening of theatre was thwarted in Summerside due to the power outage during that show we decided to hit one of the shows playing at the Confederation Center for the Arts Theatre.    Got tickets for Thursday night's performance of a locally produced musical comedy called Tell Tale Harbor. Well done and a fun evening. 

Playing tourists

Charlottetown's version of Charleston's Rainbow Row

Early start on Friday with a small group tour.  Van driver, us and two other people.  Made our way across the island to the more rugged Cavendish area on the Gulf of St. Lawrence with its tall and unique eroded cliffs and lighthouses. A few stops at select tourist spots.  

Lighthouse

and cliffs along Cavendish Beach

The Dunes was an interesting art shop featuring local artists, a cafe and gorgeous gardens.  The primary owner is a potter while his father was an architect who designed the unique building. Another stop at an old fish processing plant now converted to making preserves from locally sourced fruits. 

Architecturally interesting backside of The Dunes as viewed from the gardens

Our main reason for the trip was to see the Anne of Green Gables House and visitors center.  Kind of considered a "must do" thing when on PEI. Neither of us knew much of anything about these books but the first book's location is based on the farm and house where the author's (L.M. Montgomery) aunt and uncle lived.  It was across the road from where she grew up with her grandparents.  That farmhouse is now a museum you can tour, while the visitor center is primarily focused on the life and writings of L.M Montgomery.   

The Anne of Green Gables farmhouse

A young "Anne" on the right - red haired and pigtailed

The driver dropped us off back in town at the Beaconsfield Historic House.  A large well-preserved Victorian era house.  Some truly ornate tilework in the entrance foyer.   Formal areas had elaborate plaster ceiling molding and medallions.  Lots of the dark floral period correct wallpaper.  Even got to go up to the 4th floor widows walk.  Magnificent view of the harbor befitting the original owner's shipbuilding and merchant businesses.  

Oddly, the front facade isn't as nice as this side view facing the water

Entrance Hall

Orate plaster work and moldings

Looking down from the 2nd floor

Another Victorian home in the neighborhood

And one more home on the street

Got back to the boat and was asked if we would mind relocating the boat to the end of the dock.  Seems a rather large yacht was coming in.  Begrudgingly we did.   The yacht Tsalta (At Last backwards) is a 2004 130' Westport trideck. Absolutely massive compared to us.  Saw a crew of at least six assisting while they were docking.  Tender is a 33' center console with twin outboards.  Owner has car dealerships in the northeast and mid-Atlantic region.  

Tsalta slowly moving towards the dock. 
Felt like I was watching a live episode of Below Decks on Bravo TV

As You Wish getting an inferiority complex.
 Been a while since she wasn't the "Big Dog" in a marina

Finished the day with dinner at John Brown's Grille on Victoria Row.  More poutine for me and some fresh fish for Martha.  This road is closed off and a stage has local youths providing musical entertainment.  The entire street is lined with a 3-story fairly ornate brick building dating to the mid 1850's. Couldn't resist just one more stop for Cows Ice Cream walking back to the boat. Overall, a nice stop.  We could see traveling up here by car to further explore the island sometime in the future.

One section of the brick building making up Victoria Row