9 Beautiful Must-See Lighthouses on Prince Edward Island

There’s something about a lighthouse that I just can’t resist. Like many others, I’m drawn to these landmarks that dot our coastal areas for their physical beauty as well as their historical significance. Some are still active while others have been rendered obsolete by modern technology, but regardless, they remain important symbols of our country’s maritime history.

Prince Edward Island may be Canada’s smallest province but has the highest concentration of lighthouses in North America. There are 63 lighthouses and range lights on the island – that’s approximately one every 55km! Some are easy to access and some are a little harder to get to but worth the effort.

These are my 9 favourite lighthouses in PEI after 10 trips to the province – some we have returned to multiple times and some have been single visits. There, of course, still lighthouses on my bucket list including Panmure Island Lighthouse, Souris Historic Lighthouse, and Wood Islands Lighthouse that I hope to visit on a future trip.

PEI Lighthouse Society is a good source of information about the lighthouses on Prince Edward Island.

Read 25 Fun Things To Do in Prince Edward Island on Your Summer Vacation

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1. Point Prim Lighthouse

Point Prim Lighthouse had been on my lighthouse bucket list for some time and I finally checked it off when we were in Prince Edward Island last fall! Located on the east side of the island about 25 minutes from the Wood Islands Ferry, the lighthouse offers spectacular views of the Northumberland Strait. Point Prim is the oldest lighthouse on the island (built in 1845) as well as the only round brick lighthouse on the island.

There’s free parking available and it’s free to walk around outside the lighthouse, however, there’s an admission fee if you want to climb to the top of the lighthouse (with an optional guided tour included). it was so windy the day that we visited that we opted to keep two feet on the ground!

While you’re in the neighbourhood, be sure to stop in to Point Prim Chowder House just down the road for some of the best seafood on the island. Both dine-in and take-out are available but the tables inside generally need to be booked in advance.

2147 Point Prim Road, Belfast, PEI. Open seasonally.

2. West Point Lighthouse

The West Point Lighthouse, built in 1875, is a highlight of the North Cape Coastal Drive and one of the prettiest lighthouses I have ever seen. The distinctive black and white striped lighthouse is the tallest on the island (69 feet) and is a designated heritage building.

The lighthouse has a museum which holds one of the island’s best collections of lighthouse information and memorabilia. Visitors can also climb the 72 stairs (for a fee) to experience the views from the lantern deck of the lighthouse.

West Point is also Canada’s first inn in an active lighthouse. I discovered this when we visited a few years ago and immediately added a stay at the 4-star inn to my bucket list of luxurious and unique hotels in Canada. I was very excited to finally have the opportunity to sleep in a lighthouse when my husband and I stayed in the Tower Room for one night on our most recent trip to Prince Edward Island!

Located at 364 Cedar Dunes Park Road. Open seasonally – June to September.

3. Covehead Harbour Lighthouse

Covehead Harbour Lighthouse is a designated heritage and active lighthouse located on the sand dunes in Prince Edward Island National Park near the entrance to Covehead Bay. The current red and white square tapered tower featuring a maple leaf on the lantern was built in 1975 as a replacement for the original tower. A plaque on the lighthouse commemorates the Yankee Gale of 1851 which is considered the worst marine disaster in the history of the island.

Covehead Harbour may be one of the smallest lighthouses on the island but one of my favourite. We drive by every visit to PEI en route from Cavendish to Dalvay-by-the-Sea and I’ll never get tired of seeing it!

Gulf Shore Parkway, Prince Edward Island National Park

4. East Point Lighthouse

After 10 trips to Prince Edward Island, I finally made it to East Point Lighthouse on our most recent visit when we explored the eastern side of the island. East Point is known as Canada’s Confederation Lighthouse as it was built in 1867 – the same year that Canada was formed.

Guided tours are available to explore the five floors of the lighthouse up to the top of the tower (67 steps) where you can enjoy impressive views of the St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait. There is a craft shop next to the tower in the former Fog Alarm building selling books, music and crafts made by island artisans and there’s also a shop selling homemade ice cream if you need a little sustenance before hitting the road again.

404 Lighthouse Road, East Point, PEI. Open seasonally June – September 10am – 6pm. Pre-purchase of admission tickets is encouraged.

5. Victoria Range Light & Seaport Museum

Victoria-by-the-Sea is a charming, historic seaside village that should be on your Prince Edward Island itinerary and while you’re there you can stop by the Victoria Range Light and Seaport Museum. This is an operating light (built in 1879) which also houses the Victoria Seaport Museum exhibit Keepers Of The Light – a photo collection which traces Victoria’s seafaring history. After visiting the lighthouse and museum, pop over to Island Chocolates for some delicious handmade chocolates and coffee.

Located on the south shore of the island about halfway between Charlottetown and Summerside. Open seasonally July to September.

6. North Rustico Lighthouse

The North Rustico Lighthouse is a landmark in the picturesque harbour in the small fishing village of North Rustico. Built in 1876, this 35 foot high lighthouse is one of four remaining in Prince Edward Island with attached keeper’s dwellings. With the red clay shoreline and dramatic sea view, North Rustico is a great location for a walk on the beach to see this photogenic lighthouse even though it isn’t open to the public.

383 Harbourview Drive, North Rustico, PEI. Lighthouse is not open to the public.

7. North Cape Lighthouse

Located on the windy North Cape of Prince Edward Island, the North Cape Lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses in the province. The octagonal wood-framed tower topped by a red iron lantern which was built in 1865 is fenced for safety reasons and closed to the public, however, it’s located in a beautiful spot on the North Cape that is fun to explore.

Apart from seeing the lighthouse, visitors can walk down to the beach for a view of the longest natural rock reef in North America, admire the inuksuit along the rocky shoreline, and watch for sea lions sunning on the rocks. At low tide, it’s possible to walk on the reef and explore the tidal pools and at high tide you will see the waters of of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Northumberland Strait meeting. The North Cape Wind Energy Interpretive Centre is also worth a visit to learn more about wind energy in the province.

Located on Route 12, North Cape

Read 10 Things To Do on the North Cape Coastal Drive

8. New London Lighthouse

Built in 1876, the New London Lighthouse, located on the north shore with a beautiful view overlooking the entrance to New London Bay, is another of the four remaining lighthouses on the island with attached keeper’s dwellings. It’s also known for being one of the few lighthouses to have had a female light keeper for a time.

I have only visited the New London Lighthouse once because it’s a little more out of the way than some (but not as hard to get to as others). To get to the lighthouse you will need to leave your car and walk part of the way but it’s definitely worth the hike even though you can’t get up close to the lighthouse.

821 Cape Road. Tower is not open to the public.

9. Cape Tryon Lighthouse

Cape Tryon Lighthouse is a traditional red and white lighthouse located near the edge of a breathtaking red sandstone cliff along the northern coast of Prince Edward Island just north of French River.

Built in 1967, this is the second Cape Tryon lighthouse. The original lighthouse, built in 1905, was the inspiration for the Four Winds Lighthouse in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel Anne’s House of Dreams and today the lighthouse is owned by the L.M. Montgomery Land Trust which strives to preserve the scenic, agricultural coastal lands on the north shore of Prince Edward Island.

I have only visited this lighthouse once as well as it is a little off the beaten path but the stunning views are worth it! It’s a bit of a bumpy road and then you need to park and walk about a kilometre on a dirt path through farm fields to get to the lighthouse. The lighthouse is located on private property but it’s okay to walk in on the public road to view it. The lighthouse was badly in need of a paint job when we visited but was still stunning!

Cape Tryon Road, French River. Tower not open to visitors.