Red dirt, warm water, Anne of Green Gables, and why you must slow down — the practical essentials for a first trip to Canada's smallest province.
Prince Edward Island is Canada's smallest province and one of its most distinctive — a red-soiled, green-rolled, slow-paced island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. If it's your first visit, here are twelve things worth knowing.
1. It's small: PEI is 280 km long and you can drive its full length in a day. That's the point — slow down.
2. A car is essential: there's no island-wide transit. Rent at the airport or over the Confederation Bridge.
3. Getting there: drive the 13-km Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick (free to enter, toll to leave), take the ferry from Nova Scotia to Wood Islands, or fly to Charlottetown.
4. The red is real: the iron-rich soil turns everything — cliffs, roads, shoes — a deep rust red. It's not dirt; it's the island's signature.
5. Currency: Canadian dollars. Cards everywhere; carry cash for roadside lobster shacks and farm stands.
6. Language: English. PEI is unilingual English, with a small Acadian French community. No French needed.
7. Tipping: 15–18% at restaurants on the pre-tax total. HST (15%) is added automatically.
8. The season is short: the island's real season is June to September. Outside that, much closes and the weather turns cold.
9. The water is warm — for Canada. The Gulf of St. Lawrence around PEI hits 20°C in summer, making it some of the warmest swimming water in Atlantic Canada.
10. Anne of Green Gables is a religion here. The 1908 novel is PEI's biggest cultural export; you'll see Anne everything, and that's the charm.
11. Time zone: Atlantic (AST/ADT), one hour ahead of Eastern. Plan ferry and bridge times accordingly.
12. Embrace the slow. PEI rewards lingering — a two-hour lobster supper, a walk on an empty beach, a chat at a farm stand. Rush it and you'll miss what makes it special.
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