Canada's Quiet Beach In Prince Edward Island Has Scenic Boardwalks And Copper-Colored Sand

When most people think of Canada, they may begin to picture mountains, lakes, and snow. Yet in such a large country, some of the most scenic escapes can be found along Canada's East Coast. Cavendish Beach, located on Prince Edward Island, tells a completely different story from those mountains. The sand here has a beautiful unique copper color; instead of crowded shores, you'll find quiet wooden boardwalks through the dunes. It's calm, a little bit hidden, and ideal if you just want to slow down, listen to the soothing waves, and take it all in. Cavendish Beach might not be loud or flashy, but that's exactly what makes it so memorable for those that visit.

Listed as one of the 51 most beautiful places in the world as per an article published by Time Out, Cavendish Beach provides visitors with breathtaking Atlantic views that Prince Edward Island is famed for. One TripAdvisor user recalls the landscapes during their visit, saying, "Copper colored sand with huge natural sand dunes make this place so picturesque." With its sweeping, unspoiled coastline of rugged red sandstone, plus plenty of boardwalks and trails to wander, Cavendish Beach offers visitors an easygoing escape for a relaxed day with family and friends.

Cavendish Beach stretches along the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence within Prince Edward Island National Park, in Cavendish. The locale is part of the Green Gables Shores, named after the beloved Canadian classic "Anne of Green Gables" by L. M. Montgomery. Visitors can reach the beach via Graham's Lane, which intersects with Cavendish Road (Route 6), where a public parking lot is available. For those seeking a peaceful seaside retreat from city life, Cavendish Beach is just a short 27-mile drive from Charlottetown, the province's capital.

While Charlottetown is known for being a storybook town filled with charming family-friendly events, Cavendish Beach offers a chance to step outside and take in the natural beauty of Canada's East Coast. Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to sweeping ocean vistas at every turn. With numerous scenic boardwalks perfect for leisurely shoreline walks, there are plenty of places to pause and take in the views. Prince Edward Island is also the country's only province without bears, so you can explore its natural landscapes with complete peace of mind.

To bask in the natural surroundings that Cavendish Beach has to offer, the Cavendish Dunelands and Beach trail is an easy mile and a half long out-and-back trail. Visitors enjoy a laid-back stroll through verdant landscapes that give way to sand dunes and a wooden boardwalk snaking over MacNeil's Pond, leading toward the dramatic coastal scenery. One traveler left an AllTrails review praising the  trail's natural beauty, calling it a "very nice route, with the option of going to the beach. The Dunelands looked like something out of a movie."

Cavendish Beach also plays host to a second wooden boardwalk with stunning views along its sands. The beach boardwalk offers a long, flat, easy walk out over the dunes toward the shore. Along the way, you'll find handy amenities like washrooms, a snack bar (open June to September), and picnic spots. At the end, there are stairs as well as a multi-level ramp down to the beach. In the busier months, an accessibility path with mats extends from the boardwalk onto the beach for those with mobility issues. There are also special buoyancy wheelchairs (to be reserved in advance), which make cooling down in the water during hot summer days accessible for everyone visiting Cavendish Beach.

Rust-red sandstone cliffs rise dramatically above the shoreline, their layered textures glowing warmly against the cool blues of the water and sky. With sands as red as Anne of Green Gables' hair, Cavendish Beach owes its striking landscape to iron oxidation, which is a natural process that occurs when iron in the soil reacts with oxygen. The beautiful scenery proves that the region  is truly home to one of Canada's most stunning beaches for sun, sand, and epic scenery. In a TripAdvisor review, one user remarked that "the red sand cliffs are a sight."

Hiking enthusiasts looking to challenge themselves can attempt the scenic Island Walk. The entire hike is true to its name as it quite literally goes around the entire province, spanning a staggering 435 miles. Luckily, you won't need to make the long haul because the Cavendish Beach portion of the Island Walk is just 15 miles long. While still no easy feat by any means, the Cavendish Beach stretch, commonly referred to as Section 16 – 17, offers hikers stunning views of the red sandstone cliffs that jut out of the water with unique formations like the "peephole" that draws photographers from all over.

Parks Canada has cleverly launched a fun and interactive way for visitors to Cavendish Beach to help monitor coastal erosion over the years. The Coastie Initiative is a fun play-on-words for when you take a picture of the coastline and upload it using their #CoastiePEINP hashtag. Parks Canada has even installed phone cradles (essentially a fixed tripod of sorts) to allow travelers to snap that postcard perfect shot that will also help determine erosion levels. Photos can be uploaded via the QR codes on site, or by visiting the coastiecanada.ca website.