Local Attractions.
Have as much fun off the boat, as you do in it.
What to do on dry land
The smallest province in Canada, Prince Edward Island is famous for red sand beaches, red soil, potatoes, lobster and Anne of Green Gables. We may be know for those things, but we also have much, much more. Explore what we have to offer on Prince Edward Island.
Basin Head.
Basin Head Provincial Park was named the top beach in Canada in 2015 by the Globe and Mail. Nicknamed, The Singing Sands, because if run your feet through its sand, it will actually sing! Really, we’re not kidding. Though it seems magical, the singing is the result of the high silica content in the sand making it squeak underfoot when heated by the sun. And there’s plenty of sun! A narrow channel running to a small inland pond divides Basin Head Beach. Depending on the tide, water in the channel can be fast moving, posing a hazard to swimmers. During the swimming season, a lifeguard is posted at the channel to keep those braver swimmers safe.
This beach is one of Prince Edward Island’s provincial parks and comes with a take out restaurant, bathrooms, shops and a Fisheries Museum. Basin Head Provincial Park is home to a rare type of Irish Moss that can only be found within the area. That’s pretty rare! Because of the moss, Basin Head watershed was established as a Marine Protected Area.
Its the choice beach for any local teenager during the summer. Most younger Bruce’s learned how to swim by being thrown off that bridge!
Souris.
As you drive into Souris across the causeway and into our seaside town, the Souris Beach Gateway Park welcomes visitors entering. This beach is well known as a great source for discovering sea glass, clam digging and swimming. It also provides wonderful water vistas of the town of Souris and the harbour. The small shops are highlighted by the Flavour Shack, (owned by world-renowned Chef Michael Smith) , the Lobster Shack and Poke Shack , all feature fresh flavours and local seafoods. . With additional shops offering, gifts, ice cream and more, this day park is a great place to spend the day. Showers and washroom facilities are also on site.
Once you enter the town, you will notice our 19th century buildings, many of which house local artisans, restaurants, shops and Souris’ Historic Lighthouse was built in 1880, and stands 14.3 meters above the cliff on Knight Point overlooking the town.
Charlottetown.
Charlottetown has a Victorian-era charm and a surprising small-town feel. The Confederation Centre of the Arts is the city's major cultural hub with an art gallery, museum, and theaters, where the Anne of Green Gables musical is performed each summer. Across the street from the center sits Province House National Historic Site, which hosted the Charlottetown Conference in 1864 to discuss confederation. PEI didn't actually join the union until 1873.
A highlight for visitors is the pretty Victoria Row, a traffic-free street of well-kept Victorian buildings, south of the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Many of these former homes now house boutiques and restaurants. A lovely pathway fronts the harbor and leads out to Victoria Park, the location of historic fortifications at Prince Edward Battery. You can get a good orientation of this charming city from a double decker bus, on the one-hour City Highlights Bus Tour of Charlottetown. You'll see all the major sights: Province House, Beaconsfield, Historic Great George Street, The Lieutenant Governor's House, Victoria Park, and charming residential areas, with commentary from your local guide.
Golf.
Prince Edward Island is one of the world’s great golf destinations. We offer an array of courses that rank among the best in Canada and Souris is close to Prince Edward Island’s top 3: Brudenell, Crowbush and Dundarave. Experience for yourself our countless miles of beaches, genuine welcoming people, world famous seafood and more golf courses per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
Confederation Trail.
When Prince Edward Island’s railway was abandoned in 1989 Islanders were quick to notice a unique opportunity. The idea of a tip-to-tip shared use walking and cycling trail in the summer and a snowmobile trail in the winter was born. With beautiful rolling hill scenery, quaint villages and broad bay seascapes, the Confederation Trail is Prince Edward Island’s portion of the Trans Canada Trail.
Anne of Green Gables.
Anne's author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, lived in Cavendish, and it became the mythical Avonlea of Anne's girlhood in her 1908 book that begins the series. The green-roofed farmhouse, Green Gables, and surrounding land belonged to Montgomery's uncle and she visited often as a child. It is now a National Historic Site. In New London, you can visit Lucy Maud Montgomery's birthplace and see her personal scrapbooks with some of her stories and poems. There's an Anne of Green Gables Museum at the Campbell Homestead in Park Corner with a collection of Montgomery memorabilia and carriage rides. Also the Confederation Center of the Arts puts on an Anne Musical every summer that the tourists love. As most locals, Troy and Jamie have never done anything Anne related, so dont ask them for any Anne related suggestions.
Victoria-by-the-Sea.
A tiny fishing village today, Victoria-by-the-Sea enchants with its waterfront fish shacks, colorful take-out stands, and small lighthouse. In the late 1800s, the scene was much busier, with three wharves supporting a steady stream of sailing ships, part of a thriving trade with Europe, the West Indies, and East Coast ports. Steamboats brought tourists for seaside vacations. Today, a theater, chocolate shop, fishing wharf, and Victoria Seaport Museum are favorite tourist attractions in the friendly community. The red sandstone cliffs along the Northumberland Strait coast are constantly eroding, which has resulted in expansive red-sand flats at low tide.
Bottle House.
More than 25,000 glass bottles form the walls and design features of the light-filled buildings known as The Bottle Houses. A quirky artist and builder, the late Édouard Arsenault used colored bottles to construct a six-gabled house, a hexagonal tavern, and a chapel furnished with pews and an altar. It's all built from glass and cement. This ultimate recycling project began in 1980, with bottles Arsenault and his daughter Réjeanne collected from a local restaurant, community dance halls, friends, and neighbors.
Our regional Tourism Association, Points East Coastal Drive, has an entire directory of all the Things to Do, Places to Stay, & Places to Eat in each small community of Eastern PEI. Check out their Things to Do section, choose a category you’re interested in, and discover all of what eastern PEI has to offer!
Restaurants.
These local establishments are all within the Souris > North Lake area.
21 Breakwater Restaurant & Second Side Bar .
Chef Pedro and staff create their wonderful food with thoughtfulness, creativity and simplicity which reflects on the menu. Serving lunch and dinner, 21 Breakwater & our Second Side bar offer indoor and outdoor seating options for travelers, locals, visitors and seasonal residents. If you want to make a reservation to ensure your table, please call 902-687-2556.
The Poke Shack
The Poké Shack is all about simple, tasty food. Do you like Rice?
Salad? Seafood? Chicken?
Then come try us! A different and healthy option for a quick meal. They have a location at North Lake & a ‘shack’ on Souris Beach. 902- 456-1074
STRAIT GOODS
Located in Fortune Bridge. This classic family-style, kid friendly restaurant is the phoenix that rose from the ashes of the “Bluefin Restaurant”. Daily Special, open 7am-7pm, its the local go-to morning breakfast place, with $1 wings and their signature Deep Fried Veggies. The locals swear by em . 902-687-3271
Eastern Express Food Truck.
Eastern Express Take-out offers burgers, chicken strips, fish & chips, clams, onion rings, variety of fries, hot dogs, & drinks. Eastern Express is a take-out food truck located on beautiful Souris Beach. 902-687-3040
The FireWorks Feast
The FIreWorks Feast is at Chef Michael Smith’s world famous Inn at Bay Fortune. The only 5-star dining establishment in the Souris area, it features a culinary farm, a 10 course meal in which every course is made on live fire. Epic and worth the cost. 902-687-3745.
Evergreen Cafe.
The Cafe features a a delicious variety of Heathy foods... Smoothies are the specialty, with custom made wraps and salad; Soups . Coffee/tea, baked snacks,and fresh popcorn.A nice line of Nutritional supplements, protein powders and more also available. 902-743-3330
Lobster Shack.
Amazing seafood takeout! Located in a “shack” on Souris Beach. They are part takeout and part seafood retail. Specialize in fresh and cooked Island lobster and Colville Bay Oysters. They serve lobster rolls, lobster platters and shucked oysters. 902-687-2222.
Pirates BoatHouse Cafe.
Located at North Lake Harbour this cafe has a small menu with fresh bites. Great lobster rolls, chowder and fish tacos! 902- 215-0160