The 10 Best Prince Edward Island Beaches
Located just off the Canadian mainland, and connected by the 8 mile long Confederation Bridge is Prince Edward Island (PEI). Overflowing with charm from a bygone era the island is the setting for Anne of Green Gables, the world-famous novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
A landscape of rolling hills dotted with quaint villages and coastal towns it is easy to see why PEI is often referred to as "the Garden Province". And with over 1,000 miles of coastline the island is widely considered the beach capital of Canada. Fringed with sandy stretches ranging in colour from white to gold to pink to red the beaches on PEI face into the sheltered waters of the Gulf of St Lawrence.
If you were considering visiting any of the beaches on Prince Edward Island then it probably goes without saying you should do so in the summer. You may be pleasantly suprised at the temperatures with the sea hitting a very tolerable 20°C (68°F) and the air temperature often nudging 30°C (85°F) in August.
The list below includes PEI's best beaches so choose the one that best fits your mood or make it a road trip and visit them all.
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1. Cavendish Beach
CP Hoffman Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Named after the nearby community in Prince Edward Island, Cavendish Beach is a glorious 8 km stretch of clean golden sand fronting the sparkling clean waters of the Gulf of St Lawrence. It is warmed by the Gulf Stream, although at 15°C it's still pretty cold.
The beach is within the Prince Edward Island National Park. Avid readers will know that Cavendish Beach is the home of the fictional character Anne… read more »
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2. Jacques-Cartier Beach
Fralambert Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Taking its name from the famous explorer, Jacques Cartier Beach is in a sheltered bay at the northeastern tip of Prince Edward Island. It is about 5 km east of Alberton and is signposted from the PE-12W. The green grass runs right down to the sandstone rocks lining the shore.
Popular for swimming in summer, this stunning beach has a seasonal lifeguard on duty. There's a campground with good amenities including… read more »
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3. Brackley Beach
Martin Cathrae Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Brackley Beach's claim to fame is that it is the only beach on Prince Edward Island with a drive-in movie theatre!
Situated on the north shore it is about 10 km from the community of Brackley. The area was named after the clerk of the PEI Council who drowned in the bay in 1776.
The beach became particularly popular in the late 19th century and it was incorporated into the PEI National… read more »
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4. Singing Sands
William Matheson Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Imagine walking along the beach and hearing strange musical tones. You might think you're going a little crazy, but actually the Singing Sands are the source of this extraordinary phenomenon.
The grains of sand actually squeak or "sing" when you drag your feet or rustle the sand with your hands. It's actually the high content of silica and quartz in the dry sand particles that rub together and create the "music",… read more »
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5. Greenwich Beach
Andrea Schaffer Great for:- Swimming
Greenwich Beach (pronounced the British way as Gren-itch) is at the heart of Prince Edwards Island National Park, yet surprisingly it's the least frequented.
Access is tucked away about 45 minutes' drive from Charlottetown and is visitors need to drive around the scenic St Peters Bay to reach it.
The long sandy beach is edged by gently lapping waves so a sun hat will be more use than a surfboard. There are… read more »
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6. Argyle Shore
Andrea Schaffer Open from mid-June to mid-September, Argyle Shore is a day-use park on the central south coast of Prince Edward Island within the Red Sands Shore Touring Region. Overlooking the Northumberland Strait, the beautiful terracotta sand beach is backed by sandstone cliffs with waterfalls after rain.
It is adjacent to Argyle Shore Provincial Park. It is unsupervised but has some good amenities for families including a playground, picnic tables, showers and flush… read more »
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7. Panmure Island Beach
Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Panmure Island Beach is a long white sandy beach paradise backed by undulating sand dunes overlooking vast ocean vistas. It is one of the most beautiful beaches on Prince Edward Island.
Located on its own 800-acre barrier island in Panmure Island Provincial Park, access to the beach is along a one-kilometre-long artificial causeway from PEI. Built in the 1960s, it runs along the top of a spit with sheltered St Mary's… read more »
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8. Cedar Dunes
Nicole Bratt Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Cedar Dunes Provincial Park has a superb sandy beach in the West Point area of Northwest Prince Edward Island. It gets its name from the Eastern White Cedars that grow in the dunes - a rare occurrence.
The terracotta sandy beach stretches for miles and offers plenty of amenities including organised activities. There's a convenient parking area and a beach mat leads over the sand dunes to the beach and water.
Families… read more »
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9. Blooming Point Beach
Larry Located on the north coast of Prince Edward Island, Blooming Point Beach is a stunning white sandy beach edged with rolling dunes. It extends along a natural sand spit that partially blocks the entrance to Tracadie Bay.
The beach is fairly hard to find and consequently is beautifully quiet and peaceful. Access is from Route 218 (little more than a dirt road) at the end of Macdonald Street where parking is… read more »
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10. Stanhope Beach
© Howard Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Located on PEI's north shore Stanhope Beach is one of the quieter beaches on the island despite its abundant charms. Just under 25 kilometres from the main settlement of Charlottetown, the beach here comprises a generous strip of near-white sand (with a hint of pink) backed by low grassy dunes.
Stanhope Beach is actually the name of the park which contains three beaches within its several kilometres of beachfront. The adjoining… read more »
