Cymbria, Prince Edward Island (near Rustico)
Stay Dates: Sunday, August 10 – Sunday, August 24, 2025
Site Type: Back-In, Full Hookups
Introduction
Prince Edward Island had a lot to live up to after New Brunswick, and Cymbria Campground turned out to be a great home base for two weeks of exploring. Spot 56 gave us space, decent privacy, and a central location on the island, making day trips easy in almost every direction. It is not fancy, but it does not need to be.
Here is our honest review.
The Site
Spot 56 is a back-in site, and it took a little extra care to line up. We had to back into the right instead of the left, and a few trees on one side limited how far we could cut the truck. Nothing dangerous, just a bit of a puzzle. Once we were in, the site opened up nicely, with plenty of room on the door side and in front of the trailer. The other side was tighter.
The ground was mostly level. We threw some blocks under the left side to even things out, and after that, no complaints. We had a picnic table, a fire ring, a little shade next to us, and a solid tree line behind the site for extra privacy. Overall, privacy was reasonable, not amazing, but enough that we did not feel like we were on top of our neighbors.
Hookups and Utilities
Full hookups here too: water, sewer, and electric, and everything worked fine the entire stay. No surprises, no outages, no drama.
There is a dump station on-site with reasonable access if you need it.
Bathhouses, Laundry, and Amenities
The bathhouses were large and well-placed, one near the front of the campground and another toward the back. The laundry room sits up front and has three washers and three dryers, which is a nice upgrade if you have ever waited on a single machine at another park.
There is a pool near the front and a playground in the middle of the campground. No camp store and no dog park, so plan your errands with that in mind.
Connectivity
Cell service was solid. No WiFi at the campground, but it wasn’t really an issue given how well our phones worked.
Location and Getting Around
This is one of the strongest points of Cymbria Campground. It sits fairly central on PEI, which made it easy to head out in any direction without a long haul.
There is a small grocery store not far down the road with basics, ice cream, sandwiches, and a gas station attached, good for quick runs. For a bigger shopping trip, a larger grocery store, a brewery, and several restaurants are about 15 minutes away. One heads up: not all gas stations up here sell beer, so if that is on your list, check ahead or find a liquor store instead.
Two Weeks on Prince Edward Island
We eased into the island with a grocery run at Sobeys, which had plenty of options but a layout that took some getting used to. Dinner that first day at On The Deck Eatery was a great welcome, especially the lobster biscuits. A quick stop at a nearby gift shop turned into a sweatshirt and a Christmas ornament, because apparently that is how vacations work now.
A motorcycle ride ahead of some rainy weather led us to Stoked Bakehouse, which partners with a local brewery. Good beer, good vibes, an easy stop for future grocery runs, too, since it sits near a small store with weekly basics.
Captains Cove Cafe was a standout meal. We ended up chatting with a couple of guys from North Carolina staying at the same campground, small world. The deck closes when it rains, and the whole place shuts down by 8, so keep that in mind if you are planning dinner there.
We took a slower day to regroup before a busy weekend, though Shaun’s haircut plans were derailed by the Gold Cup Parade in Charlottetown, which made getting anywhere on time nearly impossible. His original appointment fell through, but Tommy Guns Barber saved the day with a solid cut and beard trim. Sometimes a stressful morning just needs a good haircut to fix it.
Dinner that night at Fisherman’s Wharf Lobster Suppers was a highlight of the whole stay. You pick an entree, then get an unlimited salad bar with seafood chowder, mussels, and dessert. We left very full and very happy.
The weekend brought Old Home Week, complete with horse racing and a lumberjack competition, plus a quick grocery run squeezed in between events.
Sunday turned into a lighthouse tour. Cape Tryon Lighthouse required a long drive down some dirt roads, but the view made it worth it. We tried to swing by the Anne of Green Gables Museum, but it was closed. New London Lighthouse was a nice stop too, though the view was not quite as dramatic. Dinner that night at The Ship’s Company Pub & Galley in Cavendish was excellent, even on a chilly, rainy evening that reminded us how quickly the weather can change on this island. Bring a sweatshirt no matter what the forecast says.
A midweek almond milk run turned into a pizza and cheesy bread pickup at Stoked Bakehouse, and honestly, that might be the best kind of grocery emergency.
Original Richards gave us Shaun’s second favorite lobster roll of all time, plus fries that might be the real star of the meal. Fresh potatoes, cooked perfectly. We tried to hang out by the shore for photos afterward, but a 52-degree wind chill sent us packing pretty quickly.
Our final Saturday took us to the Canadian Potato Museum, a 90-minute drive that turned into a fun stop for $10 a person, including fries and a lobster-topped baked potato. From there we headed to West Point Lighthouse, where you can climb to the very top, and there is even an inn attached if you want to actually stay the night in a lighthouse. We wrapped up the day at COWS in Cavendish after hearing about it from Canadian friends for weeks. The ice cream lived up to the hype.
Atmosphere and Overall Vibe
Cymbria has a nice mix of family-friendly energy and rustic charm. Plenty of tent campers with kids running around and clearly having a great time. It stayed peaceful overall, with mosquitoes being the only real nuisance, and a burn ban in effect for most of our stay due to dry conditions.
Check-in was easy, if a little unconventional. You pull over on the grass to check in, and the office sign is so small you need to keep an eye out for it. Trash rules take some getting used to too. Clear trash bags are required, and separating trash is part of the deal, a little tedious but understandable once you see how well-kept the grounds are. No rugs on the grass either, which makes sense once you see how nice that grass actually is.
We only really interacted with staff during check-in and when the owner helped guide us to our site. No complaints there, just not a ton of staff interaction otherwise. We felt completely safe the entire stay, and noise was never an issue.
Cost and Reservations
We paid about $43 USD per night. Booking required filling out an online form and paying a deposit over the phone, then settling the remaining balance at check-in. Not fully online like some parks, but not difficult either.
Final Thoughts – Would We Stay Again?
Yes, easily. The price was fair, the location was central, and the food scene nearby turned out to be one of the best surprises of the whole PEI leg of the trip. If you are looking for a well-located, laid-back campground to use as a base for exploring Prince Edward Island, Cymbria Campground earns a strong recommendation.
If you found this review helpful, follow along for more honest campground reviews and travel stories from the road. Share this with someone planning a PEI trip, and let us know your favorite lighthouse in the comments!
