Canada's Gorgeous East Coast Park Is A Shoreside Haven With Stunning Campsites, Ocean Views, And A Sandy Beach

Canada's Maritime provinces — New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island — are renowned for their coastal delights, be they historic lighthouses, fishing towns, or wind-swept sandy beaches with unparalleled ocean views. Despite being the smallest Canadian province, Prince Edward Island (PEI) has multi-dimensional appeal; from dramatic red sand beaches to lore connected to the cinematic and literary stories of Anne of Green Gables. Given their names and similar appeal to travelers, it's easy to confuse Prince Edward Island with Prince Edward County, one of Canada's most scenic escapes, with stunning beaches, shops, and world-class wine. However, they're distinct locations hundreds of miles apart.

A great example of the maritime attractions the province is known and beloved for, Cedar Dunes Provincial Park makes for an excellent day trip and a scenic place to pitch your tent overnight. The park owes its name to two of its main characteristics: fertile sand dunes adorned with Atlantic plants, and Eastern white cedar trees — rare at this latitude, yet abundant thanks to the sandy and nutritious soil. 

Cedar Dunes Provincial Park is located on the southwestern tip of the island, right along the Northumberland Strait, and directly facing the New Brunswick coastline. The park is also relatively close to the provincial capital, Charlottetown, only about 82 miles away. Those who want to spend a weekend enjoying Cedar Dunes' ocean views and crimson beach can do so at the scenic campground right on site.

Cedar Dunes Provincial Park boasts 91 acres in total, and several miles of red sand beach; the latter is a popular pick for peaceful shoreline walks, ocean swimming, beach combing, and scenic photographic settings. Still, the star of Cedar Dunes is the West Point Lighthouse. In fact, the provincial park was created around the lighthouse, which is the tallest on the island at 69 feet . Built in 1875, West Point is mostly recognized for its unique, square tapered shape and its black and white, horizontal stripes. It is also known for having the only inn inside a lighthouse across Canada. Visitors who want to see some of the park's best views can climb the 72 steps to the Lantern Deck at the top – an ideal place to watch the sunset.

Perhaps one of the most eye-catching aspects of the park is the rust-colored sand that characterizes its beach and sandstone cliffs. The sand's red hues stem from the levels of oxidized iron (essentially rust) within it, and can vary from a soft rosy tint to deep crimson, depending on the concentration. Another characteristic feature of the park is its grassy dunes. Visitors can stroll among them, following what early Scottish settlers used to call "fairy walks", naturally occurring pathways between the mounds. Visitors can observe a wide variety of vegetation growing on these inland dunes surrounding the lighthouse, including plant species like the white-flowered false Solomon's seal, but are encouraged not to climb on the dunes to preserve their delicate biodiversity.

Another perk of Cedar Dunes Provincial Park is its campground with ocean vistas located right on site. The campsite is open seasonally from June to September, and offers unserviced sites, as well as two-way and three-way serviced hook-up stations. Guests highlight the rustic conditions of the campground and scenic sea views, but they also recommend checking individual site sizes in advance. This pet-friendly campground comes equipped with essential facilities, including restrooms, kitchen shelters, a playground, and a laundromat service. While Canada is home to magnificent beaches perfect for a scenic coastal escape, not all of them have campsites located mere steps away from the sand like this one. 

For those who prefer overnighting within four walls, the West Point Lighthouse itself has lodgings for guests. The inn is open seasonally, usually from May to October. The soft sand beach wrapping around the lighthouse is also supervised during the day seasonally, but visitors are encouraged to check updates for lifeguards on duty, as well as safety reports, directly on the park's website.

The island's first numbered highway, Route 2 (also known as Veteran's Memorial Highway), connects Cedar Dunes Provincial Park to the capital, Charlottetown, in under two hours. The capital itself is worth visiting for its storybook atmosphere and charming family-friendly events. Route 2 also links to the island's Central Coastal Drive, a 157-mile-long scenic route touching on Prince Edward Island's main natural and cultural attractions.