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Charlottetown Harbour: Solar Boat Cruise & Heritage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.75 (253 reviews) 87% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/21

Duration1h 30m

GroupUp to 34

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Solar-powered silence, harbor history and Expo ‘67 stories in Charlottetown

You’ll glide silently across Charlottetown Harbour on North America’s largest solar-powered boat, listening to local stories and exploring Expo ‘67 relics onboard. See cannons at Victoria Park, waterfront mansions battling erosion, and St. Dunstan’s Basilica peeking over Peake’s Wharf—all with live commentary and some quirky trivia moments thrown in.

1h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Arrive 30 minutes before tour
Listen to captain's harbour history
Pass by Victoria Park and historic fort
See Charlottetown Harbour entrance and Fort Amherst
View Birthplace of Canada site
Observe multi-million dollar houses and shoreline protection
View Peake's Wharf and Cow's Ice Cream
Learn about St. Dunstan's Basilica
See Beaconsfield Historic House

The Experience

I didn’t really expect a boat to feel this quiet—like, almost too quiet at first. We’d barely left Peake’s Wharf in Charlottetown when our captain grinned and said, “No diesel smell, right?” He was right. The only thing I could smell was the salty air drifting in through the open hatches. There was this gentle hum from the solar panels above us, but mostly just water lapping against the hull. I kept looking around for someone to start an engine or something—it never happened.

Our guide (I think his name was Dave? Or maybe Dan—I’m terrible with names) started pointing out bits of history as we slid past Victoria Park. Cannons poking out over the grass, some old stone walls—he joked about how PEI’s idea of defense was “just enough to scare off anyone who can’t swim.” We drifted by these massive houses along the shoreline—one with a huge chunk of its yard basically falling into the sea. Dave explained shoreline erosion and how even million-dollar homes can’t always beat nature. It made me wonder what this place will look like in twenty years.

The trivia part caught me off guard (I got two questions wrong about Canadian provinces—don’t tell my dad). Someone won a tiny PEI flag for knowing about St. Dunstan’s Basilica, which you could see rising behind Peake’s Wharf. The basilica bells rang out just as we passed Cow’s Ice Cream (supposedly world-famous—I’ll have to try it next time). Inside the boat there were all these little pieces of Expo ‘67 memorabilia—menus, faded photos. I spent a while just poking around and thinking about how many people must’ve sat here before me, back when everything smelled like gasoline instead of sunlight and seaweed.

By the end I realized I’d barely noticed time passing at all—just slow water, soft voices, and that weird feeling you get when you’re seeing familiar places from a totally new angle. Still thinking about that silent glide under the sun, honestly.

What’s included

Your cruise includes GST tax coverage, complimentary WiFi so you can share photos instantly (if you want), access to clean restrooms onboard for comfort during your 1.5-hour journey through Charlottetown Harbour—all with live local commentary as you pass historic sites and modern waterfront homes before returning to shore.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Ride Solar