MatadorU Assignment #1: A Few Unexpected Things To Do on PEI

Prince Edward Island is touted by guidebooks, websites, and tourism pamphlets as the idyllic home of Anne of Green Gables. Rolling green pastures, white sandy beaches, and red-clay cliffs jutting into the Gulf of St. Lawrence fill the post-card stands at every store in town. A family-friendly destination that attracts over one million visitors each summer, PEI is also home to a burgeoning year-round, increasingly diverse crowd. Until a few years ago, things on this little island were pretty homogenous—not too many people from away, no ethnic dining, and certainly not much in terms of cultural events. Here’s just a sample of a few of the wonderfully unexpected things you can do during your visit to the island.

Curry Night at Churchill Arms

A traditional British pub in every sense of the word, Churchill Arms is a local favorite, especially on Curry Night. Every Wednesday, the restaurant dishes out piping hot bowls of British curries—Butter chicken, Madras, and Korma—plated along side fresh cut fries , steamed rice, and naan. The tight quarters and dark wood give the pub a cozy, intimate feel which keeps islanders coming back week after week. The best part? It’s two-for-one. Buy one, get one free.

**Best time of year: Fall & Winter

Exploring Dixon Road

 The Dunk River winds it way through the community of Breadalbane, a 20 minute drive west from Charlottetown. This tiny community of less than 200, is home to a thriving cultural scene. Artists, organic farmers, musicians, potters, and the like have made a name for themselves here. Dixon Road serves as the main thoroughfare and has become synonymous with such epic events as Funk the Dunk, Fool Moon Taboganing Parties, and merry-making of every imaginable kind. Local musicians can regularly be heard at “The Dunk,” an icon of sorts created by Hal Mills. Partaking in a Dixon Road party has become a rite of passage for many islanders, especially for those who are “from away.”

** Best time of year: Year Round

All Dirt Roads Lead to the Beach

Camping on PEI can mean a lot of different things, but for those who are looking for seclusion, pristine beaches, and a plethora of drift wood to stoke your bonfire, steer yourself down any dirt road on the north shore, and you’ll likely find your very own piece of sand perfect for sleeping under the stars.  

The north shore is famous for its miles and miles of silky white sandy beaches and clear blue, slightly frigid waters.  During the peak summer months of July and August, the north shore beaches are packed with sunworshippers, but come sundown, families head home, making way for a night of starry skies, a silence that is interuppted only by the lapping of waves, and the twinkling of bioluminesence dancing in the sea.  

• My Pick:  St. Peter’s Harbor trumps the list of great camping on the north shore and is located at the end of Lighthouse Road about 25 minutes north-east of Charlottetown.

**Best time of year: late June-early September