10 Days in Nova Scotia
Mar 26th, 2017, 09:56 AM
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10 Days in Nova Scotia
My adult children and I are driving to Nova Scotia from near Toronto Ontario. We plan on a 12 day vacation total. (includes ~ 16 hrs driving there and 16 hrs driving back) . We will likely be going either July or August. We want to see as much as we can of the province and get a "feel" for the various places. Places on our MUST see/do list include:
Shubenacadie River rafting
Bay of Fundy tides
Annapolis valley
Cabot Trail (I have a friend lives near Sydney and we can stay there for a few days)
Lunenburg
If time permits we'd also like to experience Pictou area and Northumberland Strait. We've heard the water is warm and the beaches are lovely,
I know this covers a large area of the province but would appreciate suggestions for best route and time required for the various areas. We plan to camp, motel, b&b. Do we need to pre-book accomodations?
We like nature, hiking, sightseeing, local culture, good food !
Thank you for any and all suggestions!
Pauline
Shubenacadie River rafting
Bay of Fundy tides
Annapolis valley
Cabot Trail (I have a friend lives near Sydney and we can stay there for a few days)
Lunenburg
If time permits we'd also like to experience Pictou area and Northumberland Strait. We've heard the water is warm and the beaches are lovely,
I know this covers a large area of the province but would appreciate suggestions for best route and time required for the various areas. We plan to camp, motel, b&b. Do we need to pre-book accomodations?
We like nature, hiking, sightseeing, local culture, good food !
Thank you for any and all suggestions!
Pauline
Mar 26th, 2017, 10:03 PM
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Hi Pauline, I am a long way from being a local, (closer to Sydney Australia than Sydney NS!) but we visited this fantastic part of the world in 2011 and absolutely loved it!
Just some quick highlights from me:
if you are interested in wine they had a burgeoning wine scene back then, must be even better now -some lovely vineyards - Domaine de Grand Pré springs to mind (the duck was gorgeous)
loved loved loved Peggy's Cove and surrounds (stay nearby so you can go before or after the buses)
Lunenburg was great
Cabot Trail sensational...
You might find my TR has some more tips if you can wade through it to NS
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...nd-a-moose.cfm
Have a wonderful time, we can't wait to go back.
ozgirl
Just some quick highlights from me:
if you are interested in wine they had a burgeoning wine scene back then, must be even better now -some lovely vineyards - Domaine de Grand Pré springs to mind (the duck was gorgeous)
loved loved loved Peggy's Cove and surrounds (stay nearby so you can go before or after the buses)
Lunenburg was great
Cabot Trail sensational...
You might find my TR has some more tips if you can wade through it to NS
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...nd-a-moose.cfm
Have a wonderful time, we can't wait to go back.
ozgirl
Mar 27th, 2017, 04:42 AM
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I won’t offer advice on your itinerary as it’s been a few years since I’ve been to NS and my geographic memory is hazy. However I do suggest you take a look online for availability of accommodation in the areas you are interested in. It seems half the nation is travelling this year to celebrate our 150th and you may be out of luck in the more popular areas otherwise.
If northwestmale doesn’t chime in on this thread do a search for his posts. He gives very detailed information, especially regarding the Bay of Sunday tides.
If northwestmale doesn’t chime in on this thread do a search for his posts. He gives very detailed information, especially regarding the Bay of Sunday tides.
Mar 27th, 2017, 07:19 PM
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Hold on a minute... I'm trying to think of something funny to write in reference to the <I>Bay of Sunday</i>.
To begin, I agree with your general guesstimate about 16 hours each way... I used <b>Moncton, New Brunswick</b>, from Toronto... since from Moncton, you duck down to see <b>Hopewell Cape</b> as a major priority to begin it all.
It might merit mention that travel times within NS are often a far cry from what they were on the way there, with open roads.
Luckily you will stumble near to Pictou and somewhat near to the Shubenacadie locale while simply meandering around the province.
If anyone among you are into hiking, the hike to <b>Cape Split</b> is a 5-hour round trip along reasonable trails (it's probably much better now than what I remember years ago, as the land has since been purchased by the government) which leaves you out on a windy bluff, overlooking the Bay of Fundy with the end of <b>Cape Split</b> down below and sometimes cut-off by the rising tides.
There is a picnic area just back from the bluff, and in a wind-protected-<b>ish</b> area.
I love the bonus that is your friend near Sydney, as that will afford you a view through the eyes of locals... as well as time to be sure you get to circle the Cabot Trail on the clearest of days.
Given all you've said, I don't think you need to rush to book any accommodations... as the friend near Sydney covers the most <i>remote-ish</i> area of your planning, and much of the rest of what you seek could be done on day trips from the Halifax area (as a worst-case scenario).
Better to remain <I>free</i> in terms of just when, in July or August, you will make this trip.
So I guess, "12 day total"... means you should decide if, say, you want to drive for 8 hours on each travel day on the path toward Moncton, New Brunswick. If that suits you, then the actual time <b>IN</b> the Maritimes is "8 days".
As such, you might awaken the first morning in Moncton and head for Hopewell Cape (if the tide times are right for low tide) (tiz POSSible you might have covered it the evening before, IF the tide schedule suited you).
Then, on the way <i>'in'</i>, maybe get to the Pictou area and look for your <I>warm water</i>... (spending a night nearby, IF that is your interest)... and then heading directly to your friend's place near Sydney.
Perhaps by then a couple of days in one spot will feel good.
Among the 8 nights, maybe they go like this:
1. Near Pictou (if interested)
2. Near Sydney
3. Near Sydney
4. Halifax (day trip to Lunenburg / Peggy's Cove)
5. Halifax
6. Annapolis Royal - Wolfville area
7. Annapolis Royal - Wolfville area
8. Maybe Fredericton, NB (for a quicker start on the home trip)
(so <b>my 8th night</b> is really <b>your 10th night</b>.. leaving ONE more night between there and home)
Maybe if you click on my name and read some other posts on the area, you will get some other ideas which suit you.
To begin, I agree with your general guesstimate about 16 hours each way... I used <b>Moncton, New Brunswick</b>, from Toronto... since from Moncton, you duck down to see <b>Hopewell Cape</b> as a major priority to begin it all.
It might merit mention that travel times within NS are often a far cry from what they were on the way there, with open roads.
Luckily you will stumble near to Pictou and somewhat near to the Shubenacadie locale while simply meandering around the province.
If anyone among you are into hiking, the hike to <b>Cape Split</b> is a 5-hour round trip along reasonable trails (it's probably much better now than what I remember years ago, as the land has since been purchased by the government) which leaves you out on a windy bluff, overlooking the Bay of Fundy with the end of <b>Cape Split</b> down below and sometimes cut-off by the rising tides.
There is a picnic area just back from the bluff, and in a wind-protected-<b>ish</b> area.
I love the bonus that is your friend near Sydney, as that will afford you a view through the eyes of locals... as well as time to be sure you get to circle the Cabot Trail on the clearest of days.
Given all you've said, I don't think you need to rush to book any accommodations... as the friend near Sydney covers the most <i>remote-ish</i> area of your planning, and much of the rest of what you seek could be done on day trips from the Halifax area (as a worst-case scenario).
Better to remain <I>free</i> in terms of just when, in July or August, you will make this trip.
So I guess, "12 day total"... means you should decide if, say, you want to drive for 8 hours on each travel day on the path toward Moncton, New Brunswick. If that suits you, then the actual time <b>IN</b> the Maritimes is "8 days".
As such, you might awaken the first morning in Moncton and head for Hopewell Cape (if the tide times are right for low tide) (tiz POSSible you might have covered it the evening before, IF the tide schedule suited you).
Then, on the way <i>'in'</i>, maybe get to the Pictou area and look for your <I>warm water</i>... (spending a night nearby, IF that is your interest)... and then heading directly to your friend's place near Sydney.
Perhaps by then a couple of days in one spot will feel good.
Among the 8 nights, maybe they go like this:
1. Near Pictou (if interested)
2. Near Sydney
3. Near Sydney
4. Halifax (day trip to Lunenburg / Peggy's Cove)
5. Halifax
6. Annapolis Royal - Wolfville area
7. Annapolis Royal - Wolfville area
8. Maybe Fredericton, NB (for a quicker start on the home trip)
(so <b>my 8th night</b> is really <b>your 10th night</b>.. leaving ONE more night between there and home)
Maybe if you click on my name and read some other posts on the area, you will get some other ideas which suit you.
