Charlottetown Audio Walking Tour: Learn at Your Own Pace

Walk Charlottetown on your schedule, not a tour group's

An audio walking tour of Charlottetown narrated by Josh, a sixth-generation Islander, covers the city's main attractions and lesser-known stories at whatever pace suits you. The route takes in St. Dunstan's Basilica, Great George Street, Province House and the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, Victoria Row, the former Black community of the Bog, and Beaconsfield. You control when you start, where you linger, and when you move on.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Charlottetown's history and landmarks

• Learn general PEI history and shipbuilding
• Walk Great George Street and hear stories
• Pass Great George Hotel and St. Dunstan’s Basilica
• Discover 1864 Charlottetown Conference at Province House
• Stroll Victoria Row and learn about Prohibition
• Learn about Charlottetown’s former Black Community
• Hear history of Beaconsfield and shipbuilder James Peake Jr

The Experience

You arrive in Charlottetown with a free afternoon or a morning before something else, and you want to understand the place without signing up for a group departure time. Download the Voice Map audio guide to your phone, put in your headphones, and start walking whenever you're ready. Josh, your narrator, is a sixth-generation Islander whose family has lived here since 1806, and he weaves family stories and local history into the route — shipbuilding on the waterfront, the Bank of PEI, Prohibition, the Great Car Ban — alongside the landmarks most visitors find on their own.

The route moves through the heart of the city: down to the waterfront to hear about PEI's shipbuilding past, then up Great George Street where you'll pass the Great George Hotel and St. Dunstan's Basilica (you can step inside if you want, or keep walking). You'll reach Province House, where the 1864 Charlottetown Conference happened — the meeting that led to Canada becoming a country — and then loop through Victoria Row, learning about the Prohibition era as you go. The tour also covers the history of Charlottetown's former Black community, the Bog, and Beaconsfield, where James Peake Jr. built ships. The whole route takes between one and two hours depending on how many stops you make and how long you stay at each one.

Because you're moving at your own pace with an audio guide instead of following a live narrator, you can replay a section if you missed it, stop for a coffee without holding anyone up, or skip ahead if a topic doesn't grip you. The route is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

Voice Map audio guide in English; access to stories about St. Dunstan's Basilica, Great George Street, Province House, Victoria Row, the Bog, and Beaconsfield.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for back problems

Operated by Tip to Tip Island Tours

Is this one for you?Solo travelers or families with children (minimum age 12) who want to explore Charlottetown without committing to a group departure time — you download the guide, walk when you're free, and stop as long as something interests you.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What's the difference between this audio tour and an in-person walking tour of Charlottetown?

The audio tour covers the same main attractions and stories — St. Dunstan's Basilica, Province House, Great George Street, Victoria Row — but you control the timing and pace. You start when you want, pause as long as you need, and move through the route on your own schedule instead of keeping up with a group and a fixed departure time.

Can I visit Beaconsfield House as part of this tour?

The tour covers Beaconsfield and its history regarding James Peake Jr., the shipbuilder, but entry to Beaconsfield House itself is not included. You can visit separately if you choose.

Who is the narrator, and what makes his perspective different?

Josh is a sixth-generation Islander whose family has lived on PEI since 1806. He tells stories tied to his own family history alongside the broader history of Charlottetown and the province — details you won't find in standard history books.

How long does the audio tour take to complete?

The tour takes between one and two hours depending on how long you spend at each stop and whether you replay sections. You set the pace, so the time is entirely up to you.

What topics does the tour cover beyond the main landmarks?

Along with St. Dunstan's Basilica and Province House, the tour covers PEI's shipbuilding heritage, the Bank of PEI, Prohibition, the Great Car Ban, the history of Charlottetown's former Black community in the Bog, and the story of Beaconsfield and James Peake Jr.

Is the tour route accessible for people using wheelchairs?

Yes, all areas and surfaces along the route are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.