Why Charlottetown Is Worth Seeking Out
Location:📍Peake’s Wharf, Charlottetown Waterfront, PE
Best For: Independent cruise passengers, food lovers, casual photographers and travelers looking for a low-key day ashore
Time to Plan For: A few hours is plenty for exploring Peake’s Wharf and the waterfront, with extra time if you want to wander into downtown Charlottetown
Seasonal Note: Some of the waterfront shops and food stops around Peake’s Wharf operate seasonally, so check individual opening dates and hours if you’re visiting near the beginning or end of the cruise season.
⭐ Traveler’s Pick: Charlottetown is an easy, walkable cruise port for exploring independently and enjoying a relaxed taste of Prince Edward Island. Within minutes of leaving the cruise terminal, you can reach Peake’s Wharf for local potato fries, a lobster roll and COWS ice cream, then enjoy a stroll along the harbour or wander into downtown Charlottetown.
If you find yourself wanting a break from the excursion bus—and from trying to squeeze as many historic sites as possible into a single port day—Charlottetown makes that kind of port day easy.
You do you.
How to Get From the Cruise Terminal to Peake’s Wharf
Allow roughly 5–10 minutes to walk from the cruise terminal to Peake’s Wharf. Once you leave the cruise terminal, head toward town. One of the first landmarks you’ll come to is Lobster on the Wharf restaurant on Prince Street. Make your way around behind the restaurant toward the water, where you’ll pick up the wide red-brick path that runs along the waterfront through Confederation Landing Park.
From there, it’s easy. Keep the water on your left and stay on the wide waterfront path as it curves around the edge of the park. You’ll see narrower paths leading off into the park on your right, but you don’t need them—just keep following the water and you’ll walk straight into Peake’s Wharf.
No taxi, shuttle or complicated directions required.
Walk Around Peake’s Wharf for a Taste of PEI
CHOOSE WHAT SOUNDS GOOD TO YOU
You don’t need to eat your way through the entire wharf. PEI is famous for its seafood, but there’s another Island specialty you might not expect: potatoes. They’ve been grown here for centuries, and PEI’s fertile, sandy soil has helped turn the humble spud into one of the Island’s most important crops.
Add lobster, oysters and mussels from the surrounding waters—and a scoop of locally made COWS ice cream—and you’ve got a pretty good taste of PEI.
The wonderful thing about Peake’s Wharf is that you can check several of those classic Island flavors off your list within one small waterfront area, without wandering far from the cruise port or planning your whole day around where to eat.
GIVE THE LOCAL PEI POTATOES A TRY
The Chip Shack sits right on the waterfront at Peake’s Wharf, serving hand-cut fries made from local PEI potatoes. Owner Caron Prins has earned the nickname “Queen of Fries,” and her little waterfront shack even landed on Food Network Canada’s Big Food Bucket List.
Order the fries straight up, or make considerably less sensible decisions with one of the loaded versions. Then grab a picnic table by the water and enjoy them with the harbour in front of you.
TRY SOME PEI LOBSTER
Dave’s Lobster at Peake’s Wharf keeps things wonderfully simple: Atlantic Canadian lobster rolls and lobster grilled cheese, without committing to a full sit-down seafood meal.
If you can’t decide between the traditional cold lobster roll and the warm buttered version, order the Half-and-Half and try both. That’s what I did—and I’d happily do it again. Grab a seat outside and enjoy.
SAVE ROOM FOR COWS ICE CREAM
COWS Ice Cream started in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, in 1983 and has grown into one of the Island’s best-known treats. More than 30 flavors are now made in Charlottetown using PEI milk, with names like Wowie Cowie, Gooey Mooey and Chip Chip Hooray.
And Chip Chip Hooray includes chocolate-covered potato chips—because even ice cream gets the PEI potato treatment.
Get it in one of their handmade waffle cones and take it outside to enjoy along the waterfront.
I mean, Wowie Cowie. C’mon.
TRACK DOWN THE PEI MUSSELS, OYSTERS AND CRAFT BEER
Peake’s Quay Restaurant & Bar is the easy one-stop alternative. Grab a table on the waterfront deck and add a few more Island specialties to your tasting list with PEI mussels, PEI oysters and a PEI craft beer.
Then wander over to COWS for a scoop of Wowie Cowie afterward. Because some parts of the itinerary are non-negotiable.
BROWSE PEAKE’S WHARF OR KEEP EXPLORING
Once you’ve had a little taste of PEI, browse the shops around Peake’s Wharf or keep wandering along the waterfront. If time allows, head into downtown Charlottetown for a stroll along Victoria Row. If you’ve had enough exploring for one day, simply follow the waterfront back toward the cruise terminal.
More Atlantic Canada Cruise Ports You Can Explore Without an Excursion
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Sydney, Nova Scotia
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