Summerside

Summerside is the second-largest city on Prince Edward Island.

Understand

Spinnakers' Landing, Harbour Dr

This article covers a large rural area comprising most of western PEI, centred on Summerside (pop 14,750) as the second-largest community on the island.

Summerside was host to a Royal Canadian Air Force base from 1942-1991; the land is now an industrial park and the airfield used only for general aviation.

Get in

• From the Trans-Canada Highway, take PEI route 10 for 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest from the Confederation Bridge (at Borden) to Route 11 and Summerside.
• From Charlottetown, Summerside is 60 km (37 mi) west on Route 2.

Get around

• Courtesy Cab, 15 Spring St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Old Town Taxi, 89 Water St, ☎ [phone]. 

See

• Eptek Art and Culture Centre, 130 Heather Moyse Dr, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Tu-F 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM; Jul-Aug: open until 5PM. Regional history and art gallery, including permanent collection of paintings by late Island artist Georgie Read Barton. 
• International Fox Museum, 33 Summer St. Jul-Aug: daily 10AM-4:45PM. Prince Edward Island fox farming history museum on the first level of the former Summerside Armoury (1911-1992) describes the growth, decline and legacy of the rare Silver Black Fox, once farmed commercially; Gallery 33 seasonal exhibit space upstairs. By donation. 
• Wyatt Historic House Museum, 85 Spring St, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Jul-Aug: open daily. 1867 heritage house with thousands of artefacts collected and used by the Wyatt family. 
• Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island (Le Musée acadien de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard), 23 Main Drive East, Highway 2, Miscouche (8 km west of Summerside), ☎ [phone]. Jul Aug: daily 9:30AM-5PM; Sep-Jun: M-F 9:30AM-5PM, Su 1PM-4PM. Photographs, storyboards and a 15-min film that explain the history of Acadians in PEI. Adult $4.50, student $3.50, family $12.50. (updated Jan 2019)

Do

Events

• Summerside Lobster Carnival. Parade and events, second week of July. 

Buy

• Summerside Farmers Market, 250 Water St (Holman Building, lower level), ☎ [phone]. Sa 9AM-1PM. Artisan and craft products, farm produce, bakery and prepared foods. 

Eat

• Breakwater Bar & Grill, 110 Water St., ☎ [phone]. 
• FiveEleven West, 511 Notre Dame St (Credit Union Place), ☎ [phone]. Full-service casual, catering, pub menu available for lunch & dinner. Bar with extensive wine, beer & custom cocktail menu. 
• Michael's Pizzeria, 311 Market St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• OpenEats, 221 Water St, ☎ [phone]. 
• PEI Lobster House, 370 Water St, ☎ [phone]. $12-20. 
• Skip's Fish n Chips, 561 Notre Dame St, ☎ [phone]. Tu-Sa 11:30AM–7PM, closed Su M. Seafood restaurant, table service. 

Dinner theatre

• Brothers 2 Restaurant, 618 Water St E. Dinner theatre. 
• Feast Dinner Theatre, 618 Water St E, ☎ [phone]. 

Drink

• The Big Mug, 271 Water St, ☎ [phone]. Open from noon; closes Su 8PM, M Tu midnight, W-Sa 2AM. Sports bar with pub food. 

Sleep

• Causeway Bay Hotel, 311 Market St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. $100. 
• Lakeview Summerside Resort, 195 Harbour Drive. Crown & Anchor Tavern on-site, restaurant, indoor pool, sauna. 
• Summerside Inn, 98 Summer St, ☎ [phone]. Historic B&B house; each room has A/C, ensuite bath, flatscreen IPTV, flat-rate long-distance phone. $120-140. 
• Summerside Motel & Cottages, 500 Read Dr, ☎ [phone]. 24 rooms; housekeeping cottages and efficiency units available. Wi-fi in motel portion. CATV, A/C, phone, coffee makers and fridges in rooms; coin laundrette, pay phones, BBQs, trailer hook-ups and playground on-site. Bicycles available. 

Connect

Nearby

Miscouche

An Acadian village 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Summerside on Route 2 or 11.

• Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island, Route 2, Miscouche, ☎ [phone]. Sep-Jun: M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su 1PM-4PM; Jul-Aug: daily 9:30AM-7PM. Historical museum with a genealogical research/documentation centre retracing Acadian history after 1720; art gallery adjacent. $5.25. 

Kensington

About 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Summerside on Route 2.

• Anne of Green Gables Museum at Silverbush, 4542 Route 20, Park Corner, ☎ [phone]. Jul-Aug: 9AM-5PM; Victoria Day (late May)-Jun and Sep-Thanksgiving (mid-Oct): 11AM-4PM. This historic house, the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery novels Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat, is a museum housing editions of the author's books, personal correspondence and family heirlooms. Wedding venue (her 1911 wedding was held in the drawing room), flower gardens, souvenir shop, playground, carriage rides. $6, children $2. 

O'Leary

About 60 km (37 mi) northwest on Route 2, in the westernmost part of the province.

• Canadian Potato Museum, 1 Heritage Lane, O’Leary, ☎ [phone]. May 15-Oct 15: daily 09:30-17:30. Interactive Potato Hall of Fame and an array of farming tools and equipment on display; canteen menu includes potato maple-butter tarts, potato fudge and even a potato hot dog. $9.50. (updated Dec 2017)
• West Point Lighthouse Museum, 364 Cedar Dunes Park Rd, West Point, ☎ [phone]. Seasonal (Victoria Day-Thanksgiving). A formerly-manned light house (built in 1875, automated in 1963) serves as an observation platform, restaurant and inn at Cedar Dunes Provincial Park. 

Wellington

About 20 km (12 mi) west on Route 2.

• Our Lady of Mont-Carmel church, Route 11, Wellington, ☎ [phone]. Acadian brick church (1896) overlooking Northumberland Strait just east of Cap-Egmont. 

Go next

• Cavendish and Rustico Harbour
• Charlottetown