North Rustico Beach

Prince Edward Island National Park

North Rustico Beach features a wide stretch of sand bordered by dunes and red cliffs on PEI’s north shore near the community of North Rustico. The beach offers opportunities for walking, wildlife observation, and coastal recreation in a natural setting. Known for its quieter atmosphere, it is a popular choice for visitors seeking a less crowded beach experience.

A red circle with a slash across in front of a silhouette of a dog. 

Domestic animals are prohibited on beaches between April 1 and October 15 annually.
See guidelines.

On this page

Aerial view of a sandy coastline with lush green fields and trees on the left and deep blue water on the right.

Beach offer

  • Offer available from early July to early September
  • Accessible beach facilities
    • accessible washrooms (upper parking lot only)
    • designated parking for those with limited mobility

A sandy beach surrounded by lush green trees and distant fields. A couple walks together in the distance along side deep blue water.

Description

  • North Rustico Beach is a quieter beach in PEI National Park and is a favourite for visitors looking for less crowds
  • The beach is soft white sand above the waterline and hard-packed sand below the waterline when the tide is out
  • Visitors looking for more accessible beach facilities or supervised swimming may wish to explore Brackley Beach, Cavendish Beach, Stanhope Beach, or Greenwich Beach.

Lower Beach Parking Lot (West End)

  • Located on Beach Lane, immediately right of the park entrance gate at Church Avenue and Gulf Shore Parkway West.
  • Includes accessible parking close to the beach
  • Beach access is a short walk over mostly level paved terrain
  • Access to the sand requires descending four stairs with a handrail
  • Visitors using the lower parking lot should expect a longer walk to the washroom facilities
  • The Gulf Shore Way West multi-use trail is located adjacent to the beach and provides access to scenic coastal views and active transportation routes

Upper Parking Area 

  • Located at the far end of Beach Lane (East) and closer to the North Rustico harbour area
  • Features mostly level gravel terrain and washroom facilities
  • Beach access requires crossing soft sand and descending a staircase with 19 steps and handrails.
  • Washrooms are located at the upper parking area

Image gallery

How to get there

Additional information

  • Call 902-672-6350 for more information
  • Beach wheelchairs are available at Cavendish Beach and Brackley Beach.  Reserve a beach wheelchair a minimum 2 days in advance by calling 902-566-7050 or emailing pnipe-peinp@pc.gc.ca.

A topographical map with several blue dots. Check PEINow for up to date surf conditions and parking availability (during peak season)
A green sign with text containing plover closure information is in front of sand dunes covered in grass with water in the distance. Respect the signs and fences set to protect Piping Plover nesting sites and the vegetation 
Dune recovery sign at Covehead lighthouse beach Respect signs and fences set to protect the sand dunes.
An image of a phone screen containing the Parks Canada app is overlayed on top of an image of two adults walking along a sandy shore on a sunny day. Download the free Parks Canada App

Related links

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