Prince Edward Island with children – 8 fantastic experiences in Canada’s smallest province

We are writing in 2026, when a Swiss family visited Prince Edward Island with children. What a wonderful time that was. Our trip to Canada’s smallest province was very spontaneous. The journey itself was a real highlight. We arrived in Halifax and on the way to Prince Edward Island, or PEI as the Canadians fondly call it and as we have gotten used to over time…uhmm…now I can’t find a connection in this sentence anymore. So let’s get to the point first. 🤷

Our very first night in Canada was spent in the picturesque harbor town of Pictou in Nova Scotia, and the next day we took the ferry across. What reminded us a little of home was actually exactly the same, only a little bigger. The ferry is bigger, the cars are bigger, the islands are much bigger than Malta and Gozo.

And that’s how it should continue in the coming days. Highlight after highlight, and we learn so much new about it. For the first time, I’m learning about the indigenous peoples, as I had never even researched Canada before. After reading this post, you will already know so much more and be better prepared. Therefore, I wish you lots of fun while reading and if you have any questions about Canada and our trip, feel free to contact me.

01. Arrival and accommodation on Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is, as mentioned, the smallest province of Canada, both in terms of area and in terms of population. There are 182’000 inhabitants here in 2026, and the island is about 18 times larger than Malta, or 85 times larger than Gozo. 😀 However, Gozo is 18 times more densely populated. I like these size comparisons.

There are two ways to get to Prince Edward Island from the mainland. You can drive over the Confederation Bridge, which connects New Brunswick and PEI, or take the ferry from Caribou in Nova Scotia. We decide to take the car ferry on the way there. It’s significantly closer and more convenient from Halifax. On the way back, we drive over the bridge, as we have planned the next stop in New Brunswick.

Important to know: The return trip is free of charge. You only pay for the return journey. So if you stay on PEI, the fun costs you 0 EUR! 💰 Otherwise, it costs about 20 CAD or 12 EUR for a car. (Price in 2026)

Our Airbnb is located in a small village in the county of Queens and is named Mermaid. That was super cool, because since then our kids no longer question the topic of mermaids. When we drove past the local cemetery, our little girl said: „Mommy, I was already doubting whether there are really mermaids.“ So that’s finally over now. 🧜

The little town is very idyllic, quiet, and surrounded by forests, like almost every place in Canada. The capital, Charlottetown, is only 10 to 15 minutes away by car. Therefore, Mermaid is an ideal starting point for tours and day trips. By that time, I had not yet realized how many kilometers I was covering here every day. 10 to 15 minutes by car is a walk in the park for Canadian standards.

Mermaid has proven to be perfect for all the excursions we have undertaken on Prince Edward Island. Therefore, I can wholeheartedly recommend the town.

02. Charlottetown – Where Canada was founded

Yes, you read that right. In Charlottetown, the idea of Canada as we know it today was actually developed. The whole thing came to fruition in 1864. The city itself is charming and picturesque, located right on the ocean, and the people are all super friendly.

There are about 40’000 people living here, which makes the city very manageable. In Gozo, where we currently reside, there are actually fewer people living there. We explore the city center, where you don’t need a car. Everything is very compact. Nevertheless, it seems as if everything is there that you might need. Above all, there are countless charming shops here, some of which have pretty souvenirs that are locally produced. Restaurants and cafés have also not been spared.

Mainly, we stroll through the city in good weather and admire the wonderful colorful houses. I eat the best oysters here in a restaurant. They are Irish Point Oysters and they come from the northern part of Prince Edward Island, about 20 minutes away from the capital Charlottetown. Since they are available all year round, they are 100% fresh and soooo tender. I love oysters, but I usually only eat one or two. However, I could have eaten more of the Irish Point oysters.

Culinarially, our entire stay in Atlantic Canada was great, but especially the few days on Prince Edward Island. Besides oysters, we also ate a lot of delicious lobster and of course the Seafood Chowder. This is a creamy seafood soup. Depending on the region, there is more mussels or fish or lobster.

03. Island Hill Farm | Where dreams come true

When exploring Prince Edward Island with children, it is of course important that there are also some highlights for the kids. The Island Hill Farm is such a highlight. Located just 15 minutes from Charlottetown and 25 minutes from Mermaid, the farm offers not only many local delicacies and homemade ice cream, but also a visit to the farm animals.

We pay a few euros for admission and are then allowed to stay on the farm all day. Everything is lovingly decorated and more reminiscent of a farm school, with signs hanging on every animal, every device, and in every barn that bring us closer to farm life with interesting facts and stories. I always like to call this Worldschooling, because our kids always learn so much on trips like this.

But it’s no coincidence that this farm stands out. Farmer Flory Sanderson, who moved to Prince Edward Island at the age of 15, made this farm accessible to the public. She met her husband Robbie, a cattle and potato farmer, on the island and received a goat from him in 2011. Two years later, she opened the farm to visitors and realized her dream.

We met Flory in person and spent a few minutes talking with her. She actually now has almost 200 goats, which are milked twice a day. Until a few years ago, she even did the milking herself with a staff. But now there are milking machines, she tells us. The milk is mainly used to make goat milk soap, which is naturally available on the farm.

Another highlight was the history lesson, which is aimed at all the kids. About 10 children sat in a large circle and listened attentively to the storyteller. The story was about a donkey who found all kinds of friends. A great transition to the Hofese Gavin, who can perform a very special feat. When there is enough audience, he can do a side role in the dust on command. That is unusual for a donkey, and after about 5 minutes of patiently listening, he seems ready for it. We all clap enthusiastically and Gavin seems visibly happy.

We continue with the rabbits, which the kids are allowed to hold on their arms. I find the alpacas more interesting and try not to be spit on. A nice lady from the farm team shows me the alpacas, to which I am allowed to get closer. We are allowed to go into all the stables, directly to the animals. That is very well done and we really like it.

We end this exciting visit to the farm with a big bowl of ice cream and still enjoy the last rays of sunshine for today. If you want to visit the farm, please always check the website beforehand. There you will find information about whether the farm is closed or not, and you can also find the exact admission prices there. Then your visit to Prince Edward Island with children is guaranteed to be a hit.

Here are a few details and information about Island Hill Farm:

04. Lennox Island | A Visit to the Mi’kmaq First Nation

I find other peoples and cultures incredibly exciting. Especially when they are ancient, indigenous peoples like the Mi’kmaq. I want to focus more on the people who live on Lennox Island here, but there are several tribes in Canada in the Atlantic region that are now, thank God, allowed to live here peacefully.

The Mi’kmaq on Lennox Island have lived here for about 12,000 years. They were the first inhabitants of Prince Edward Island. Lennox Island, the small island in the northwest of PEI (Prince Edward Island), is affectionately called L’nui Mnikuk by the locals 🙂. 450 people live here and another about 600 on the mainland (with that being Prince Edward Island). They simply refer to the neighboring island as the mainland.

We visited the Lennox Island Mi’kmaq Cultural Centre, which is relatively small but also very nicely and elaborately decorated. We received a free tour from a Mi’kmaq lady who not only told us the history of their people, but also their own. This was particularly exciting, as the Mi’kmaq still live their own culture and traditions today.

A very difficult chapter in the lives of the Mi’kmaq are the so-called Residential Schools. For over 100 years, indigenous children in Canada were separated from their families and sent to boarding schools. These schools were run by the state and the children were not allowed to speak their own language or practice their own culture. Around 150,000 children were affected. Because the last Residential School was not closed until 1996, it remains a current issue. The mother and also grandmother of the woman who gave us the tour were both in these schools.

Fortunately, the Mi’kmaq live in peace today and have their own schools, even right on Lennox Island. The people there looked very happy to us. Unfortunately, we only met a few of them. If you can plan the trip earlier, be sure to check if there are workshops or festivals. It was an exciting trip for the kids as well, as they „apparently“ studied this natural life in tents and in the forest very enthusiastically. 🙂

05. Haunted Mansion | The ultimate horror experience

Something quite different and rather unusual for us. But that's fine. Haunted Mansion It was recommended to us everywhere, so we simply drove to Kensington and took a look at it. Between potato fields and colorful houses stands a gloomy and dark property, perched on a hillock.

The story of Jack from England is told, who built this property in 1890. In the basement, he even had the streets of London built to make him feel at home. He even ran a hotel there, in this mansion, and his guests were never seen again after check-in. It is of course a made-up story, but very creative and a bit creepy as well.

Speaking of creepy, on three floors there are very elaborately and tasteless (or tastefully, depending on your point of view) decorated rooms that create many moments of horror and disgust. The Haunted Mansion is intended as a family attraction. There is no age restriction. In fact, our 10-year-old daughter was more afraid than her younger sister. So it really comes down to the child. Our kids would do the tour again, they told us afterwards. Curiosity almost conquered fear.

Once you have climbed the three floors, which are indeed scary for us adults as well, there is relaxation in the garden outside. It had rained here, but that was quite fitting for the whole atmosphere. We still took a short drive, which took us through the grounds.

All in all, a very successful trip and a very suitable stop if you’re visiting Prince Edward Island with children. I can really recommend the Haunted Mansion, even if you might, like us, avoid these ghost and spirits-themed attractions.

06. Green Gables Shore | Anne, red beaches and an old railway station

Anne of Green Gables, That’s Heidi from Canada. We didn’t know her, but we now have the story in the form of a visit to the museum, the book, and the official musical. There’s no way to go wrong 😃. But it’s a heartwarming story and it’s set in the north of the island, in the beautiful little town of Cavendish and its immediate surroundings. Green Gables is Canada’s most famous farm house, which is why we also looked at it. Right after that, we got the book at a library in Charlottetown and visited the musical the day after in Charlottetown as well.

I have written a separate post for Anne of Green Gables. Read my post Anne on Green Gables, How the heartwarming story originated on Prince Edward Island and where you can find and visit the original locations.

Just a few minutes away from Cavendish is a beautiful beach. The North Rustico Beach. First, you drive along the cliffs above the sea. A stop here is worth it, because the view is magnificent. The cliffs are made of red stone and open up a view of the Atlantic Ocean. We spend an afternoon here on the beach and enjoy the sunshine. It’s July, the outside temperature is about 20 degrees Celsius. The sea has a feel of -10 degrees Celsius 🥶🧊 and yet the locals are happily splashing around and swimming.

We enjoy the cheerful atmosphere here on the beach and the kids are collecting seashells and driftwood while we sunbathe. This way, a beautiful day can end and the sound of the sea is nice to hear again. I even missed it a little, since we have already been away from Malta for almost three weeks.

If you are interested in railways and old railway stations, there is the old one next to the Haunted Mansion in Kensington. Kensington Station. In 1871, a railway line about 240 km long was built across the island. That’s right, the island is actually only 224 km long, but there were probably a few curves along the way. Unfortunately, in 1969, no one needed the railway line anymore, so the station was converted into a National Historic Site in 1976.

The locomotive 1762, which you can still see here, is a diesel locomotive and dates from 1960. It has been at this location since 1990. There is also a second, identical diesel locomotive, which you can find at the New Brunswick Railway Museum.

07. Conclusion | Prince Edward Island with children

Wow, what a great start to our Canadian trip. Visiting Prince Edward Island with the kids was already a highlight for us. We have no idea what will happen in the coming weeks and what we will experience, but spending the first week on Prince Edward Island was the right decision.

Not only were there really exciting and interesting things to do here, but the people here were incredibly kind and accommodating. The fact that we didn’t start with the largest province also slowly introduced us to the idea of Canada and was just right for us. Everything is far apart here, but it’s just a half-hour through the forest. In other provinces, we’ll be driving through the forests for up to 4 hours in the next few weeks.

With Anne of Green Gables we were able to get to know a wonderful cultural treasure and our kids also really enjoyed it. I can only recommend visiting Prince Edward Island with children. It is a stunning province, very compact for Canadian standards yet you can experience the real „Canadian Dream“ up close.

Impressions of Prince Edward Island with children

This time it was difficult to sort through so many photos and only manage to show about 100 of them. Have fun and I wish you many great inspirations for your next trip.