Charlottetown 
Credit: Point Prim Lighthouse, PEI
The first mode of transportation for early settlers on Prince Edward Island was the sea, and lighthouses guided ships in the night keeping them safe and sound. There are 63 Island lighthouses standing tall including many colonial lighthouses built before 1873; 35 lighthouses are still actively used today, and some of the massive wooden structures are national historic sites. Visitors travel from all over the world to tour these white and red structures which make for breathtaking photo backdrops and panoramic views of the land and sea surrounding Prince Edward Island. Here is a list of 25 lighthouses that we think are a great visit.
*Arranged in no particular order.*
1. Souris East Lighthouse
The Souris East Lighthouse was constructed in 1879. The square pyramidal tower was build for only $630 at the time, was painted white and was served by keeper Angus McDonald. A fixed-white light was installed in the lantern room at 85 feet above the water and could be spotted from all points seaward. The Souris East Lighthouse is the one and only that allows visitors on its balcony. There’s also a collection of seaglass displayed on the second floor.
Phone: (902)687-7209
Address: 134 Breakwater St, Souris
Website
2. Point Prim Lighthouse
The Point Prim Lighthouse is the first and oldest lighthouse on PEI. Built in 1845, it is one of few round brick lighthouses in Canada. As Charlottetown evolved, so did the demand for merchandise. With this growing demand for sea trade, the number of shipwreck disasters at sea also grew. Merchants and ship owners were concerned about safety, and so the demand for a guiding beacon into the Charlottetown Harbour peaked. It was agreed that Point Prim would be the best place for a lighthouse in order to help navigate the Northumberland Strait.
Phone: (902) 659-2768
Address: 2147 Point Prim Rd, Belfast
Website
3. Covehead Harbour Lighthouse
In 1879, the Covehead Harbour Lighthouse was constructed to serve the entrance into the harbour in Queen’s County. The structure’s fog horn, maintained by the local harbour authority today, points due north and still sounds for three seconds when needed. In honour of the Yankee Gale wreck of 3 October 1851 which claimed 74 ships and 150 lives, a plaque is located on the side of the lighthouse.
Address: 1430-1530 Gulf Shore Parkway, York
Website
4. New London Rear Range Lighthouse
The New London Lighthouse was first lit in October 1876. The structure is a narrow, two-story build standing 43.6 feet tall. The light in this lighthouse remains active today, and it was used as a summer home and rental space from 1960-2000 before the Canadian Coast Guard discontinued private leases of lighthouses on the Island. The New London Lighthouse was designated a heritage place n 2012, and was awarded a Provincial Designated Heritage Place plaque.
Address: 821 Cape Rd, Kensington
Website
5. Big Tignish Lighthouse
Built in 1881, the Big Tignish Lighthouse was taken out of general use in 1997. The charming structure began to fall into disrepair, but in 2009 it was relocated to Fishermen’s Haven Community Park and was given new life after a renovation and fresh coat of paint.
Address: Tignish Run, Tignish
Website
6. Cape Egmont Lighthouse
The Cape Egmont Lighthouse was built in 1884 and is still in use to this day. The pyramidal structure stands over 40 feet tall and overlooks the Fishing Cove Harbour. This lighthouse serves as a very important guide for fishers and marine workers along the South Shore, and happens to be the only coastal light along the coast between West Point and Seacow Head.
Address: 161 Phare Du Cap Egmont Rd, Wellington
Website
7. Panmure Island Lighthouse
Credit: Panmure Island Lighthouse, PEI
The Panmure Island Lighthouse was the first wooden lighthouse built on PEI. Constructed in 1853, it was build to serve and guide heavy shipping in the eastern end of the province. Over the years, it has been refurbished back to its original state. It has been designated a historical site and offers tours to the very top of the structure featuring panoramic views of the ocean. A gift shop, the Sand & Sea Gift Shop, is located on the lower level of the lighthouse filled with a variety of locally-made gift items and souvenirs.
Phone: (902) 969-9380
Address: 62 Lighthouse Rd, Montague
Website
8. St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse
The St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse was constructed in 1878 but has been relocated several times over the course of its existence. This tapered, wooden tower featuring a hexagonal lantern demonstrates the portable nature of its structure and illustrates the Island’s ever-changing coastlines. Now located on the North Shore of the province, it sits at the entrance of the St. Peters Bay. The lighthouse was designated as a heritage site due to its architectural and historical integrity and community values.
Address: 302 Lighthouse Rd, Morell
Website
9. Seacow Head Lighthouse
Built in the summer of 1864, the Seacow Head Lighthouse is located in Fernwood, PEI and served as both a harbour light and a light for the Gulf. The historical structure is an 18-metre high octagonal lighthouse and is one of the oldest wooden-framed towers in Atlantic Canada. The lighthouse is no longer active, and a community group has recently taken over the cost of maintaining the structure. This particular lighthouse is somewhat famous as it was featured in many opening scenes of Road to Avonlea, a TV adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables books written by the Island’s beloved L.M. Montgomery.
Address: 858Q+9R Fernwood, Lot 26
Website
10. Port Borden Front Range Lighthouse
Located on the South Shore of PEI, the Port Borden Front Range Lighthouse was built in 1917 and overlooks the Northumberland Strait and the Borden Harbour. When the Confederation Bridge opened to the travelling public in 1997, the lighthouse was decommissioned. Standing over 42 feet tall, the wooden tower with its steep-sloped sides was relocated to the base of the Bridge and is now part of the Marine Rail Park in Borden.
Address: 228 Carleton St, Borden-Carleton
Website
11. East Point Lighthouse
Credit: The East Point Lighthouse
The East Point Lighthouse, also known as “Canada’s Confederation Lighthouse”, was built in 1867 and is still actively used today. This iconic Island landmark has served the eastern end of the province since its construction and spans five levels at 64 feet tall. The second floor of the lighthouse features local artifacts from early days of the building; the third floor showcases many portraits of the lighthouse’s keepers; the fourth floor demonstrates where weights were once used to turn the gears for the lantern, and the fifth floor lantern room offers a fantastic panoramic view of the surrounding beaches, tides and reefs, and the East Point Wind Farm. Visitors to the East Point Lighthouse can see where the tides of the Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence meet.
Phone: (902) 357-2718
Address: 404 Lighthouse Rd, Elmira
Website
12. Wrights Range Lighthouse
Located in Victoria by the Sea on the South Shore of PEI, the Wrights Range Lighthouse is the picture-perfect place for a photo backdrop. The square, tapered tower stands over 32 feet tall and is covered in cedar shingles. The lighthouse was built in the early 1900s and the light was only decommissioned in 2011.
Address: Beach Light Road, Victoria
Website
13. Cape Bear Lighthouse
The Cape Bear Lighthouse stands tall on the southeast coast of PEI just 25 kilometres from the Wood Island Ferry. The three-story structure was constructed in 1881 as a guide for fishermen and sailors passing in the Northumberland Strait. A tour of the lighthouse offers splendid views of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, and also lovely views of Island beaches and sandstone cliffs.
Phone: (902) 926-2917
Address: 42 Black Brook Rd, Murray Harbour
Website
14. Summerside Rear Range Lighthouse
Summerside experienced an economic boom after Joseph Pope relocated his shipbuilding business from Bedeque to Summerside to accommodate larger vessels. The Summerside Rear Range Lighthouse was established in 1895 and underwent many upgrades over the years and in 2007, the City of Summerside recognized the lighthouse as a place of historical significance and the structure was petitioned for ownership under the Parks Canada Heritage Lighthouse Program and remains in use to this day featuring a vertical red strip on its seaward side and displays a fixed green light.
Address: 14 Glovers Shore Rd, Summerside
Website
15. Summerside Front Range Lighthouse
The Summerside Front Range Lighthouse was constructed in 1913 to align with the Summerside Rear Range Lighthouse. This wooden tower remained active until 1961 before it was replaced and moved a short distance from MacCallum’s Point.
Website
16. North Rustico Lighthouse
Built in 1876, the North Rustico Lighthouse is a staple in the community standing at 41 feet tall. The structure was moved several times over the years and also underwent many updates and repairs. It is one of the few Island lighthouses that served as a summer vacation rental for years, and was recognized as a heritage place in October 2012 and was awarded a Provincial Designated Heritage Place plaque in 2013.
Address: 383 Harbourview Dr, New Glasgow
Website
17. Indian Head Lighthouse
Located at the entrance of the Summerside Harbour, the Indian Head Lighthouse boasts one of the most unique shapes of all Island lighthouses. Built in 1881, this lighthouse is still active today. From the concrete base to the lantern, the structure is completely octagonal. A vintage cross-braced railing surrounds the lantern, and the deck is completely encased by a wooden decorative cornice. Most of the planks that lead up to the ramps have been washed away by the tides, and when the tide is low it is hard to reach the ramps at all.
Address: Summerside, Lot 19
Website
18. Blockhouse Point Lighthouse
The second-oldest lighthouse in the province, the Blockhouse Point Lighthouse is located on the western side of the Charlottetown Harbour facing the Northumberland Strait in Rocky Point and was established in 1851. This area is a historic site and was a gathering spot for the Mi’kmaq community every summer season. The structure stands in its original form and has never been restored. The lighthouse is a wooden square with a two-story dwelling attached. It stands at over 42 feet tall and 56 feet above water level. Aside from serving as an important marine navigation guide, this old structure illustrates the historical nature of Old Charlottetown.
Address: 285 Blockhouse Rd, Rocky Point
Website
19. Brighton Beach Lighthouse
The Brighton Beach Lighthouse, located on York Lane in Brighton, was put into operation in 1890 to help mariners navigate the 30-foot channel through Hillsborough Bay into the Charlottetown Harbour. The structure features white-painted shingles with newer red decorative accents and a maple leaf on two sides of the lantern room. It is a heritage lighthouse and its as-built structural form is still intact to this day.
Address: 160 York Ln, Charlottetown
Website
20. North Cape Lighthouse
Located at the northwestern tip of Prince Edward Island stands the picturesque North Cape Lighthouse. Built in 1865, the octagonal tower is one of the oldest wooden lighthouses still standing in the Maritimes. It is also known as one of the most important light towers in PEI and has been relocated a handful of times due to cliff erosion. Because of its positioning at the tip of the province, there is a real romantic and enchanting feeling when visiting this lighthouse.
Address: Lot 1, Seacow Pond
Website
21. West Point Lighthouse Inn
Credit: West Point Lighthouse Inn & Museum
Perhaps one of the most charming of all Island lighthouses is the West Point Lighthouse located in Cedar Dunes Provincial Park. Constructed in 1875, it was the first of the Island’s square towers and it also an example of a second-generation style of lighthouses. As PEI’s tallest lighthouse, it stands a whopping 67 feet tall and features distinctive black and white stripes and gable roof. Operating as the Island’s only working lighthouse inn, the West Cape Lighthouse offers a spectacular backdrop of dunes and PEI’s classic red sands.
Phone: (902) 859-3605
Address: 364 Cedar Dunes Park Rd, O’Leary
Website
22. Annandale Back Range Lighthouse
Built in 1901, the Annandale Back Range Lighthouse is the tallest of Island lighthouses standing at over 65 feet tall. Located on private land and maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard, the interior of this structure is not divided into floors like most others. Instead, it features narrow, steep stairs with multiple small platforms. The light operates at night only.
Address: Annandale Harbour, Annandale
Website
23. Wood Islands Lighthouse
Credit: Wood Islands Lighthouse and Museum
Constructed in 1875, the Wood Islands Lighthouse is one of many historic lighthouses. Located on the southeastern shore of the province in Wood Islands, the lighthouse has been preserved over the years. The white-shingled tower is topped with a red iron lantern and features a 360 degree observation deck. Experience Island charm touring this lighthouse in the Interpretive Museum and the Nautical Craft Shop showcasing true Island craftsmanship and artistry.
Hours: 9:30 AM-6:00 PM
Phone: (902) 962-3110
Address: 173 Lighthouse Rd, Belle River
Website
24. Cape Tryon Lighthouse
Located on Cousins Shore in the northwestern part of the Island, the original Cape Tryon Lighthouse was put into operation in 1905 on the classic red sandstone cliffs. It was deactivated in 1969 and replaced by a second lighthouse which is still active to this day. From its lofty perch, the light guides fishers and mariners along the northern coast of Prince Edward Island. This lighthouse is loved by photographers from near and far and makes for some very unique drone shots.
Address: Cape Tryon Rd, French River
Website
25. Malpeque Outer Range Lighthouse
The Malpeque Front Range Light is a small, wooden tower with a lantern deck surrounding the top tower. Located on the Lighthouse Road in Malpeque, this 1897 structure was moved about 12 times due to the shifting channels and coastal erosion. The tower is painted white with red trim, and the lantern features a window facing the sea and also a red day mark painted downward from the window. This tower is easily accessible from the beach and attracts visitors from all over each summer season.
Address: 115 Lighthouse Rd, Kensington
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