For years, we have been going to PEI in the summer, and this year is no exception.
If you’ve been following this blog, or any of m y online accounts, you know that PEI holds a dear place in my heart. It’s become the most fantastic travel spot for our family each summer.
We’ve been visiting since my youngest was 2 years old, so from a family travel perspective we’ve learned quite a few things along the way.
It’s become one of our most loved trips to plan, primarily because we feel like locals when we go now.
Every year, I’m asked about our trips to PEI and I highly encourage other families to make vacation plans to visit PEI as well. The memories will last a lifetime.
What to do in PEI with kids
Most people ask me what we ‘do’ on PEI while there with the kids. The answer is a bit confusing because we do nothing and everything all at once.
We spend a lot of time on the beach, we eat fantastically, we explore, we find new places, we try new things, we watch the sunrise and sunset over the ocean water, the play, we laugh and ultimately we spend time together, just the four of us, that our responsibility-filled lives don’t usually allow for, at least not in the same way.
Every year, we seem to find a new local spot to hang out. But more and more, we just sit back and enjoy our time in the gorgeous space we have.
One thing I recommend is to lean into what the kids love themselves. My son loves history so we usually find spots that have historic stories to share (Charlottetown is the perfect place for this).
My daughter, meanwhile, becomes a little mermaid when we head East so we look for new beaches or build into swimming time for her throughout the weeks.
These activities may change as they grow, but there’s always something to do.
Mostly, we spend a lot of time at our cottage making memories, playing games, reading, swimming and challenging each other to epic soccer tournaments and pop-fly 500 games.
I do recommend a few places when people ask about visiting the Island. Keep reading for some suggestions.
There are so many beaches to choose from, and those visits usually depend on where we will be and the weather, but a few to look into are Thunder Cove, Brackley Beach, Basin Head, the Argyle Shore, and North Rustico.
I also always recommend you find some lighthouses to explore. There’s a map that you can get on the Island that shows you where they all are. These make for amazing photos, history lessons, and a great way to see a lot of the province.
PEI Vacation Planning: Want more information about PEI?
Here are some posts I’ve written to help you make your own plans.
Visiting the PEI Bottle Houses
Greenwich National Park (why we love it and recommend visiting there)
Where to eat in PEI
Day trip: Visiting Victoria By The Sea
Visiting the Beach Goats in PEI
There’s so much to see and do on the Island. It’s historical significance is being celebrated against the backdrop of green lands and glorious beaches. We are pretty excited about heading back each year.
Where to stay when visiting PEI
Want to spend the afternoon looking at cottages? Check out the Tourism PEI website to start. We’ve also used Home Away and Rentalo in our searches.
There are many parts of the Island to stay on. We stay on the southern shore because we love the tide coming in and out, the red sand, the shallow (warmer) waters, and the bird life.
But that area may not be for everyone.
Another spot we love is East (Panmure Island, Souris if you go further North East).
Location based on Beach
I always recommend you think about the following before deciding where to go
a) the beach you want to be on
b) how close to the nearest larger City you want to be (Charlottetown or Summerside for example)
You need to decide if you what type of beach you want to be on first (regular, sandy style beach, or the red sand and extreme tides?) and that should help. The closer you are to open water, the better the breeze typically which has helped us greatly with bugs and not having air conditioning.
We typically would recommend you look for properties near or on the Straight or Coasts with open water because the Bays can sometimes not get enough breeze which means it can be really hot and really bug invested. The same for inland rentals.
What’s the weather like in PEI?
The weather on the Island can vary in the summer months, but typically we deal with warm, summer weather and the nights tend to cool.
Some years have been much warmer than others but the cooler mornings and evenings only add to the attraction. We love sitting on the deck with our coffee and a sweater to start the day.
It can rain, which will affect your beach time, but there are plenty of indoor activities and plans to make on rain days. But of course, we always hope for sunny weather! Also, just because the weather calls for rain doesn’t mean it will last all day. Sometimes the showers are short!
If you rent a cottage, like we do, you’ll find warm days are cooled slightly if you are near the open water and there’s a breeze.
Here’s more information about the PEI weather in the summer.
Getting to PEI
We live in Ottawa and it’s about a 14 hour drive from Ottawa to PEI. We drive and stay over for one night on the way before taking possession of the cottage rental.
In previous years, we have stayed in Saint John and Fredericton and other places along the way.
The plan is typically to drive the furthers on the first day, and then have a leisurely morning the second day.
We usually drive to Fredericton and stop for a picnic lunch in La Pocatiere, QC. This is about a six and a half hour drive. We pack our own lunch (although there is fast food nearby) and we can stretch our legs.
When the tides are right, you could consider a stop at Hopewell Rocks (this is such an amazing area). We’ve done this on the way to PEI and on the way home from PEI before.
On the drive home, we drive it all in one day.
PEI also has an airport, so you could fly into Charlottetown and rent a car to get around the Island as well.
Summer vacation planning to PEI is so much fun! Enjoy!
Have you been to PEI? Going to summer? Let me know below!
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We are heading to Moncton for a family wedding this summer and are debating driving or flying. However, after reading this post, now I want to check out PEI while we’re there, as it’s not far to add on to the trip. And if we’re going to be adding destinations, driving makes SO much more sense.
Do you drive or do you fly? Did you drive when your kids were little? Our fear is the LONG haul with a will be 20 month old who doesn’t currently love long car rides and just the three of us.
I would love road trip tips’n’tricks for toddlers! 🙂
hi Sarah! We have always driven – but in fairness, we’ve done long travelling (8+ hours a day) since the kids were born. Now that they are older we drive straight home – it’s about 14 hours. But typically, on the way down (and once upon a time, on the way home) we would break it up – so drive 7 hours day one, stop (in Edmunston for example) and then drive the rest of the time home/there. It’s doable! I have a few road trip posts I’ll dig out, but stop with the little one as needed for changing, playing and feedings and while it will take you a bit longer than others, it’s doable. New toys in the car, fave songs are musts.
If you are going to Moncton and want the freedom to explore (Saint John is gorgeous too!) then driving is pretty great.
I’ve never been to PEI but would love to go someday!
I hope you can go someday! It’s beautiful!
SUPER! I will be following closely as a PEI vacation is what we hope for in a year or two! Thanks.
We went last summer and LOVED it, and totally valued your tips and advice. It was amazing how many of the signers in our cottage’s guest book were from Ottawa – more than half. Clearly there’s a fondness among Ottawans for the island!
Looking forward to reading your upcoming tips – it will bring back some great memories and maybe inspire us to go again someday.
So glad you had a great time!!
We are planning a family trip to PEI , We’ve rented an RV fully equipped, now that we have the RV and are leaving on August 16th from Toronto what are the must see places . We have teenagers who are heading off to university next year so we have to keep them entertained they all love the water so beaches and lighthouse. We will need to know location of RV parks . I know we need to take the ferry across the island but how does that work with an RV. Please help!
WOW! What a very exciting sounding trip! Unfortunately I can’t help with RV parks – here’s the PEI tourism on camping so maybe there’s something there http://www.tourismpei.com/camping If you are on Twitter or Facebook, their social media team is quite active and helpful too.
As for things to see, on the way try to swing by and walk the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks, NB is the tide cooperates. It’s wonderful. On PEI, the lighthouses have a map and guide that you can follow to make it easier to find them – my young kids loved it, I imagine older ones will appreciate them as well – and maybe be adventurous enough to walk to the top of all of them!
Charlottetown is loaded with activities this year because it’s the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference. Check out Founder’s Hall for a taste of history, and the downtown water area. There are activities every day – if you can take in a live theatre/dance performance it’s fun!
check out http://pei2014.ca/ for more ideas!
Have fun!!!!
also – we cross at Confederation Bridge, not the ferry. Something to consider too!
We’re officially booked now! Had to change from south shore to Murray Harbour area, but I am so looking forward to reading your posts over the next little while as we plan our trip.
🙂
oh we love travelling that way! there is a restaurant called Brehauts that has the most amazing homemade pie and clam strip bite things!!!! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brehauts-Restaurant/119758614722086
We spend as much of the summer as possible in eastern PEI (I grew up there) – I usually fly one way from Ottawa with the kids and then dh drives out for as long as he can. Last year the kids and I were there for almost 7 weeks (!). So many things to do … have fun planning!!!
Hello, I came across your blog today and I am planning a trip to PEI with my family. We have children ages 6 and 9. As a starting point what area or beach would you recommend for our family?
hi!!! A good starting point is to decide which type of beach you like – red sands (high/low tide extremes, wet sand) or a more traditional sandy beach with water levels that are consistent. Then decide how close to a major centre like Charlottetown you’d like to be. We love being on the water, so if that’s a priority, you can narrow the search down that way. We used Home Away in the beginning when searching accommodation to see pictures, reviews and more! Happy planning!!!
Hello,
My other half and his parents want to see Stompin Toms Barn. None of us have ever been there (N.S. yes). We are headed out in Sept of 2018. I like to see the community and off the road type of sightseeing. What do you suggest?
Thank you,
Tina
hi There! Driving around the Island offers many opportunities to explore small towns and interesting places. When we first started visiting, we really enjoyed finding lighthouses to see and explore. There are maps that show you where some of the oldest lighthouses are, and that would be a great place to start!! The PEI Tourism website is really helpful for paths to take. Have fun!
Thanks. Your blog is extremely helpful. We have never been to PEI and surrounding areas. We are planning a family road trip. We are a family of 5 with three early teen agers. Your suggestions regarding where to stay and what to watch on our way to PEI are appreciated. Thanks
We are far away, we have traveled 18 hours with the 5-year-old boy but it’s worth it is very beautiful. Have fun!