44 Things to Do This Winter in Charlottetown

1. Book yourself a staycation to experience the magic of Charlottetown when she’s dressed in her wintery best. Many of our lovely accommodation partners have special winter packages on and are excited to make all your staycation dreams come true.
2.  Plan a night out around the downtown with friends or a date – try one resto for apps, another for your mains, and then hop to a final destination for dessert or a nightcap.
3. Check out a Sugar Shack or two during the Ice City Festival (Jan 27 – Mar 5) for a Canadian classic – maple sugar sticks. Plus fire pit gatherings, seasonal and hand-held food & beverages along with entertainment and more. Stay tuned here for 2023 dates & locations.
4. Grab your skates and hit one of the city’s outdoor skating rinks, including the new & improved rink outside Founder’s Food Hall.
5. Feed your inner bookworm at The Bookmark  in the Confederation Court Mall, The Bookman on Queen Street, or the all-new Charlottetown Library Learning Centre on Queen Street.
6. Grab a pint of local brew at The Gahan House and enjoy live, acoustic music by local talents every Wednesday & Thursday starting at 8pm. More of a wine lover? Don’t fret – split a bottle with a fellow wine lover during Wine Wednesdays at Marc’s Lounge.
7. Get a workout in and do some sightseeing at the same time with nordic (cross-country) or downhill skiing! Within city limits, the Confederation Trail offers groomed trails perfect for a short, easy ski, or head out to Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park where you can rent traditional downhill skis, cross-country skis or skate skis, and enjoy gorgeous trails that take you through peaceful forests and fields.
8. Create a masterpiece at East Coast Art Party.  For 19+ art parties, enjoy a drink from the bar service available.

9. Have a games night, paint pottery, and enjoy delicious snacks & shakes at The Hive + Honeycomb.
10. Participate in Flow In The Snow on Saturdays & Sundays at 11:30am outside of Founders’ Food Hall & Market. Discover all-new ways to move and stretch out those winter kinks. It’s FREE and family-friendly!
11. Embrace the charm of the great outdoors by enjoying a hot drink in one of the many red Adirondack chairs on patios throughout Charlottetown.
12. Head to the Old Triangle on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons for their Traditional Tunes session led by Island musicians with mad fiddle skills. They also have live music most Fridays and Saturday nights!
13. Keep an eye on the Confederation Centre of the Arts, The Guild, and Trailside’s social media and websites for their fabulous live entertainment including comedy, music, and more.
14. Feed your inner foodie during Downtown Charlottetown Inc’s WinterDine Festival, which sees chefs around the city whipping up delicious and unique three-course menus (from mid January to early February, seven days/week).
15. Pop your headphones on, shuffle your favourite playlist, and take a refreshing stroll along the waterfront boardwalk. Make it a date with your person (bonus points if your person = your pup).
16. Catch an indie movie or classic film at City Cinema, the city’s independent theatre. #Protip – The concessions are very reasonably priced, it’s licensed, and the popcorn is a MUST!

17. Eat, drink and BOWL at The Alley – be sure to make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment.
18. Make a toast to the East Coast with a culinary or craft beverage tour through PEI|TASTING|TOURS.
19. Go for a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the woods with Emerald Isle Carriage Tours or Great Northern Adventures. During the Ice City Festival (Jan 27 – Mar 5), enjoy $5 horse & wagon rides every Saturday & Sunday! More details HERE.
20. Plan an impromptu pub crawl and check out local hot spots with impressive selections like Craft Beer Corner, Hop Yard, Merchantman Pub, John Brown Richmond Street Grille, PEI Brewing Company, Upstreet Craft Brewing, and Red Island Cider.
21. Work on your swing at All About Golf located in the Confederation Court Mall or the golf simulator at Charlottetown Beer Garden.
22. Sip a coffee or hot chocolate, and people-watch at one of our numerous cafés downtown.
23. Climb to new heights on the Red Rock Climbing Wall in Stratford.
24. Head to Red Shores Racetrack and Casino and try your hand at a game of Texas Hold ‘Em poker or check out the live and simulcast horse racing and cheer on your favourites!
25. Get your trivia on! During the winter, Charlottetown transforms into a trivia town, with several bars and pubs hosting trivia throughout the week. Check out The Buzz for trivia listings or inquire at individual spots including Hunter’s Ale House, Churchill Arms, Upstreet, The Old Triangle, and the PEI Brewing Company.

26. Get together for a friendly game of axe-throwing at Chuck Hatchets, your not-so-typical lounge in downtown Charlottetown.
27. Dine in a snow pod! The Charlottetown Beer Garden, John Brown Richmond St Grille and The Pilot House have unique outdoor dining options. Be sure to make a reservation in advance to avoid disappointment!
28. Challenge your friends and family to a dance battle or game of pool at the arcade + game centre inside Ponyboat Social Club.
29. Visit the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market on Saturdays for local goods, hot food, and lots of friendly chats with local vendors.
30. Build a snow family at Victoria Park or in one of the City squares! Share your artistic accomplishments with the world by snapping a pic and tagging #discovercharlottetown
31. Kill time by pursuing the extensive collection of vinyl records at Charlottetown’s beloved hub for the local music community, Back Alley Music. Keep the vintage hunt going at Green Eye Designs or Luxury Market Consignment.
32. Treat yourself to a spa day at Pure Spa or Grand Senses Spa.
33. Start planning the perfect spring getaway in the city around events such as the PEI Setting Day Culinary Festival (May 12-14), PEI Mutual Festival of Small Halls (Jun 9-18), Island Tides Yoga & Wellness Festival (Jun 22-25), and DiverseCity Festival (Jun 25).
34. Fatbike along 10km of groomed trails accessible via the nordic lodge at Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park, or with Meridian63° MTB.
35. Give your body a stretch and/or sweat it out with hot yoga classes and other group fitness classes at Modo Yoga, Charlottetown Yoga Space, or Infrared Fitness.

36. Take a dive off the deep end, climb the Tarzan rope, or wade your way into the leisure pool at the Bell Aliant Centre pool, located at the UPEI campus.
37. Treat your kitchen to a day off and enjoy your favourite brunch fixing at one of the many restaurants or cafe’s around town. Here’s a curated list of brunch & breakfast in Charlottetown, from us to you.
38. Art lovers and culture seekers will want to take some time to visit the Confederation Centre Art Gallery and/or The Guild’s Hilda Woolnough Gallery to make for a perfect morning or afternoon outing.
39. Get your fill of shopping in Charlottetown’s downtown core, which is filled with independent shops and artisan boutiques, as well as the Shops of Confederation Court Mall.
40. Pack a lunch, hop in the car and explore one or more of the Island’s coastal drives all dressed up in winter whites. Psssst – Kent Street Market, Farmacy + Fermentary, and Riverview Country Market are great for stocking up on road trip-friendly eats.
41. Take a stroll on foot to marvel at the gorgeous Victorian Homes, thoughtful pops of colour, and restored heritage buildings throughout the downtown core. Streets like West Street, Green Street, Pownal Street, and Prince and Hillsborough Streets, to name just a few, have lots of beautiful homes worth creeping.
42. Grab your camera (or your phone!) and take a self-guided walking tour while hunting for the various Eckhart the Mouse characters hidden throughout the downtown core! Your kiddies will delight in seeing these adorable mice decked out in their winter gear.
43. Hit up Founders’ Food Hall & Market, a waterfront oasis for food lovers and local art enthusiasts. Located in one of the city’s most stunning historic spaces, this urban market features several local food vendors serving up high-quality food & drink, including craft beer, locally-roasted coffee, vegan cuisine, wood-fired pizza, yummy burgers, and gourmet donuts.
44. Take advantage of complimentary snowshoes available to guests at many of our accommodation partners. Head out exploring the city after a snowfall or drive to the countryside and explore the many trails beyond the city limits. Check out our Snowshoes in the City Guide here.