Charlottetown Travel Guide
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It's not hard to figure out why early settlers put the province's political and cultural capital where they did: It's on a point of land between two rivers and within a large protected harbor. For ship captains plying the seas, this quiet harbor with ample anchorage and wharf space must have been a welcome sight. Of course, travelers rarely arrive by water these days (unless a cruise ship is in port), but the city's harborside location translates into a lovely setting for one of Atlantic Canada's most graceful and relaxed cities.
Named after Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III, Charlottetown is home to some 40,000 people -- nearly one of every three islanders. Within Canada, the city is famous for hosting the 1864 conference that 3 years later led to the creation of the independent Dominion of Canada. For this reason, you're never far from the word confederation, which graces buildings, malls, and bridges. (In a historic twist, PEI itself actually declined to join the new confederation until 1873.)
Today, the downtown has a brisk and busy feel to it, with a pleasing mix of modern and Victorian commercial buildings, as well as government and cultural centers. Outside the business core, you'll find leafy streets and large, elegant homes dating from various eras, with the most dramatic from the late 19th century. Charlottetown is also blessed with a number of pocket parks, which provide a quiet respite amid the gentle clamor. Charlottetown's only charmless place? The outlying suburbs off Route 2, where you'll find traffic and strip malls of the sort that seem to be proliferating throughout North America.
Charlottetown is centrally located and serves admirably as a base for exploring the rest of the island (only the far western coast is a bit distant for relaxed day tripping). You can be touring Green Gables, relaxing on a north shore beach, or teeing off at Brudenell Provincial Park within 45 minutes of leaving Charlottetown. The capital has the island's best selection of inns and hotels, and a fine assortment of restaurants that ensure you can dine out every night for a week and still be pleasantly surprised. As for scheduling time for exploring the city itself -- I'd suggest saving it for a rainy day. And you don't really need much more than a day to take in all the highlights.
