Explore Charlottetown through its cultural and historical highlights, from the conference history of downtown to historic gardens, a cobblestone street, and live performances. When choosing a hotel, start by considering whether you’re most interested in history, live entertainment, or walks.
History from different perspectives
Province House National Historic Site is located in downtown Charlottetown. It was the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference; the discussions held there contributed to the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Province House is also recognized as an outstanding example of neoclassical architecture. Here, political history and a defining architectural heritage come together.
Beaconsfield Historic House offers a different perspective: the house was built in 1877 for wealthy shipbuilder and merchant James Peake. While Province House is associated with a conference and its significance to Canada, Beaconsfield offers a look at a 19th-century building and its original connection to Peake. The Bog offers another perspective on social history. This Charlottetown neighbourhood was home to a large Black population in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Victoria Row also invites you to explore history in the cityscape. This cobblestone street is in Charlottetown and offers visitors a way to engage with the city’s history. Each historic site offers a different perspective: a political conference, a house, a neighbourhood, and a street each represent distinct aspects of Charlottetown.
Stages, gardens, and outdoor trails
The Confederation Centre of the Arts and the Confederation Centre Art Gallery together occupy an entire block in the heart of downtown. The block is bounded by Grafton Street, Queen Street, and Richmond Street / Victoria Row. The Confederation Centre of the Arts offers live performances in theatre, dance, music, and comedy year-round. Specific schedules vary; access arrangements for the building may also change during renovations. The performances and gallery thus complement the historic offerings with art and live entertainment.
For time outdoors, consider two different places. At Victoria Park, visitors can enjoy the peaceful forest trails; operational details may vary. At Ardgowan, visitors can stroll through carefully maintained historic gardens, though conditions on site may change. The park’s forest trails and the gardens’ historic character offer two different ways to spend time outdoors in Charlottetown.
If you’d rather explore on foot or by bicycle, you can discover the Confederation Trail. The trail has branches that run through the heart of Charlottetown and is best explored on foot or by bicycle. Trail conditions and services may vary. The trail is therefore a distinct option for getting active, while Victoria Park and Ardgowan offer other ways to enjoy the outdoors.
A distinct regional perspective on Queens County
Beyond Charlottetown, the broader destination of Queens County offers additional historical perspectives. Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst National Historic Site of Canada is recognized for its role from 1720 to 1770 as a seat of government and a port of entry for settlers arriving on Prince Edward Island. Also in Queens County, St. Elizabeth’s Anglican Church was built in 1848 from timber felled on the property. It is a Gothic country church on a hill overlooking farmland. These regional examples broaden the perspective on Charlottetown with distinct themes from the history and landscape of Queens County.
If you choose Charlottetown as your accommodation search destination, you can plan your stay around the cultural highlights that interest you most: conference and architectural history, a visit to the theatre and arts scene, or time on trails and in gardens. The city offers different points of interest without implying a particular order for your visits.
Discover more destinations: Cambridge
Return to the main travel overview: Prince Edward Island.
