<<< PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Tourism

Prince Edward Island is a popular vacation resort, known for the rustic charm of its quiet villages, its white sandy beaches bathed by the warm waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and its excellent opportunities for trout fishing, deep-sea and tuna fishing, and other sports. In addition, a wide range of festivals celebrate the province’s culture and history. Visitors drawn by these attractions have made tourism one of the island’s leading sources of income despite the relatively short summer tourist season. Improved roads, a new bridge linking the island to the mainland, and the expansion of recreational facilities have also stimulated tourism.

On the northern shore is Prince Edward Island National Park, the only national park in the province. The park contains sand dunes, salt marshes, and red sandstone cliffs, and is also the site of Green Gables, one of the finest golf courses in Canada. A fairway passes the national historic site commemorating Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the classic Anne of Green Gables (1908) and other books set on the island. There are dozens of provincial parks on the island, many of which offer hiking trails and opportunities for viewing wildlife. The Confederation Trail, developed on abandoned railroad lines and encompassing 280 km (175 mi) of gently rolling terrain, is popular with hikers and bicyclists.

Charlottetown, the cultural center of Prince Edward Island, is home to many attractions, including theater companies, art galleries, and museums chronicling the island’s fishing and fur-raising industries. The Confederation Centre of the Arts, opened in 1964 to commemorate a meeting of Canada’s fathers of Confederation in 1864, houses several theaters, an art gallery and museum, a library, and restaurants. Founders’ Hall, an interactive museum opened on Charlottetown’s waterfront in 2001, offers an historical interpretation of the events leading to Confederation. Charlottetown is also a renowned center for horse racing.

Source: MSN Encarta: Online Encyclopedia