10 days in The Maritimes

Old Feb 8th, 2015, 06:25 PM
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10 days in The Maritimes

We are a family of 4 from Tucson AZ. My husband and I have planned a summer vacation flying into Maine, renting a car, and driving through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. We are driving into Canada on July 21st from Bangor, ME and have a fluid schedule other than we need to be in Moncton on July 25th and back in Bangor the night of July 31st. Besides Moncton, we want to see Halifax and all of PEI. Anyone have a must see city/area/attraction that kids would enjoy?
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Old Feb 9th, 2015, 11:05 AM
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Most families travelling to PEI with kids target the Anne of Green Gables attractions and nearby sections of PEI National Park with its extensive beaches (Cavendish area).

In New Brunswick, the Fundy Tides are a famous and spectacular dramatic natural attraction. I think they're best seen at Alma/Fundy National Park or Hopewell Rocks, but in order to get a full appreciation, you really should see both the high and low tide. If you can't, go for Low (tide schedules are available online). I like staying in Alma for a couple of nights to enjoy the spectacle and visit the National Park.

Halifax is a very nice medium-sized city. The main attraction is the Halifax Harbour waterfront with its boardwalk, museums, restaurants and boat tours. You can use Halifax as a base for day trips to charming scenic historic Lunenburg (A UNESCO World Heritage Site) combined with a photo stop at famous and photogenic little Peggy's Cove. Or travel a little farther down this Lighthouse Route/South Shore for quaint fishing villages, coastal scenery and lighthouses.

Most spectacular is Cape Breton Island (joined to mainland by a short causeway you drive over) - especially the famous and spectacular Cabot Trail through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, one of North America's top scenic drives. There are whale-watching tours from several villages in the north part of the Trail/Park.
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Old Feb 13th, 2015, 07:31 AM
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well 10 days is not a lot of time to try to cover 3 provinces and having to be in moncton on the 25th sort of in the middle, limits you. i would look at the priorities. obviously new brunswick has to stay on the list. what are you wanting out of halifax? just to see the city? if so then 2 nights would be fine. i would cut out halifax or pei. then you could do july 21-25 in new brunswick and the remaining days in a small part of nova scotia OR pei. if you try to do all you mentioned, your vacation will be seen from inside the car.
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Old Feb 13th, 2015, 12:54 PM
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I'll just second mat54 adding comments.
PEI and Anne's house: enjoyment may depend on story nostalgia. Just walking through the house wasn't that interesting...but you do get a short buggy ride.

Bay of Fundy: yes Fundy Tides are worth seeing. But we also had a wonderful whale watch out of St. Andrews. Also Reversing Falls out of Saint John.

Halifax has the Citadel fortress and historic harbor. Yes, Peggy's Cove fishing village is nice...don't miss the unique rock carving.

Cape Breton Island...we had lunch in Mariner at Aulds Cove. Good stop at Alexander Graham Bell Museum. Cabot Trail has stunning coastline.

Also to see: Evangeline Trail, Campobello Island.
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...-provinces.cfm
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Old Feb 13th, 2015, 05:18 PM
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Hi, I just want to approve, generically, of your destination for vacation.

I would recommend the cute little passenger ferry that goes from Halifax to Dartmouth (take a round-trip from Halifax Harbour).

Do not miss Hopewell Cape, which will be convenient to Moncton.

I have answered many posts on Nova Scotia here over the years, so maybe if you click on my name you can find some thought-provoking reading.

If the group is into hiking, then perhaps look into the 5-hour round-trip hike that is Cape Split, NS.

A day trip from Halifax to Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg is a good idea too.

It may just be fun to tog around in a wide area that is quite relaxed for it not being on the way to anywhere, and with that you might make your own fun on a daily basis.

I recommend strongly that you go to this website: http://bayoffundytourism.com/tides/times/

and print the tide times for at least 3 or 4 spots on the Bay of Fundy for the entire 10-day window of your trip, to keep in the glove box as you tour the area.

Do that for the Tidal Bore at Moncton as well... kinda noteworthy that a river turns around and runs upstream at a predicted moment, but seeing is believing...
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