AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Tucked along the Gulf Shore Parkway East between Brackley and Dalvay, Shaws Beach is one of Prince Edward Island National Park's smaller, lower-key stretches of shoreline. Where the big beach complexes draw the crowds, this is a place for a quiet dune-backed walk, pale sand and open water views across Brackley Bay, with far fewer people around.↗↗
It suits travellers who want the national park's classic white-sand-and-dune scenery without the full-day beach-busy atmosphere: bring a little to do, expect to walk along the shore, and time your visit for an empty morning or the warm light before sunset.↗
A quieter slice of the Brackley-Dalvay coast
Shaws Beach belongs to the Brackley-Dalvay section of Prince Edward Island National Park, the string of beaches that lines the island's north shore directly above Charlottetown. Compared with well-serviced neighbours such as Brackley Beach and Stanhope, Shaws is a small, simple access point: a parking area by the parkway, a flight of stairs down to the sand, and not much else. That minimal setup is exactly its appeal.
