1. FOR ADVENTURE TRAVELLERS: Pedal, paddle or pound pavement
Rent a bike, and pedal out of the city along the Confederation Trail, which runs for hundreds of kilometres along the abandoned tracks of the Prince Edward Island Railway. A new cycling map of Charlottetown will also guide you through the city and out into the country. For bike rentals from Smooth Cycle, call (800) 310-6550; for a cycling map, call (800) 955-1864.

A seaside city, Charlottetown boasts lots of nooks and crannies to tour by kayak. Paddle past lighthouses and along the red cliffs that hug the harbour, and then swoop in on cannon-lined Victoria Park and Fanningbank, the majestic home of the province’s lieutenant-governor. Outside Expeditions: (800) 207-3899.

And for no-cost sightseeing, trek along the Charlottetown boardwalk, which stretches almost five kilometres along the waterfront, with the harbour entrance on one side and historic and cultural sites, including Beaconsfield Historic House, an enduring symbol of Victorian elegance, on the other.

2. FOR FAMILY TRAVELLERS: Sand, surf and sustenance
Hit the beach right on the waterfront for the SandLand sculptures between June 29 and Oct. 15, where the family can admire more than 20 impressive creations, some towering over four metres, made from almost a million kilograms of island sand. (www.sandland.ca) Or trade in the family car for the high-riding Harbour Hippo, an amphibious vehicle that will take your clan on a 55-minute run through the city, including an entertaining splash in the harbour. (www.harbourhippo.com)

Victoria Row, which shuts out motorists in the summer, is also a great spot for the family to soak up the sun, listen to live music and dine outside on everything from oysters on the half shell to thin-crust pizza. Mom and Dad might want to pop into The bestofpei Store, where more than 250 of the island’s finest artisans offer up hooked rugs, wood carvings, leather furniture and much more.

3. FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS: Swing, smile and slurp
For a quick round of golf, head across the little bridge that connects the city to the suburb of Stratford to play on the well-groomed but tricky greens at the Fox Meadow Country Club, where it is not uncommon to see a fox run away with a ball. A 30-minute drive east of Charlottetown will take the avid golfer to The Links at Crowbush Cove, consistently ranked among the top 10 golf courses in Canada. Book ahead. (www.golfpei.com)

Nightlife options are as diverse as taking in the venerable Anne of Green Gables: The Musical at the Confederation Centre of the Arts or roaring over the far-raunchierthan- redhead affair of local improv performers Sketch-22. Enjoy the up-and-coming talent in the confines of Baba’s Lounge and the loud summer cheer at The Olde Dublin Pub.

And to truly drink in the local flavour while networking, drop into The Gahan House, where beers are brewed on-site. Sir John A’s Honey Wheat Ale is the obvious choice: you can’t go wrong with a drink named after that intoxicating first prime minister of Canada in the birthplace of Confederation.

top