7 Day Trip to PEI and Cape Breton Islands with Vegetarian Options
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7 Day Trip to PEI and Cape Breton Islands with Vegetarian Options
We are planning a 7 day trip to PEI and Cape Breton Islands this August. We will be flying into Bangor ME, and flying back from there. We will have full 7 days and nights in between.
Having briefly read through earlier posts on this topic and inputs from @NorthwestMale and others, I have arrived at this rough plan. It would be great if I can get a reality check to see if these are doable and also if I missed anything/alternate suggestions are welcome.
Day 1
Leave Bangor, ME for St John, NB early in the morning
Saint John City Market
Irving Nature Park
Fundy National Park
Hopewell Hills / Hopewell Cape? – These seems like 2 different locations, which one to choose?
Rest in Moncton
Day 2
Tidal Bore
Charlottetown
Cavendish Area and Beach
Day 3
PEI and take the ferry to Pictou
Baddeck, Cabot Trail
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Day 4
Baddeck, Cabot Trail
Ingonish /Middle Head Trail (Ingonish)
Day 5
Cape Breton Island, Drive to Truro, and reach Halifax by evening/night.
Day 6
Halifax Area /Peggys Cove
Day 7
Mahone Bay/ Lunenburg and head back to Bangor, ME
Need a couple of suggestions on top of this -
1. We were wondering and hoping if we can find some good places to eat, along the route that offer vegetarian choices?
2. What is a good place to go whale watching along this route?
3. Considering the above, suggestions of where (Town) to stay on each night will be appreciated.
Please let me know for any additional details/questions.
Best Regards
Having briefly read through earlier posts on this topic and inputs from @NorthwestMale and others, I have arrived at this rough plan. It would be great if I can get a reality check to see if these are doable and also if I missed anything/alternate suggestions are welcome.
Day 1
Leave Bangor, ME for St John, NB early in the morning
Saint John City Market
Irving Nature Park
Fundy National Park
Hopewell Hills / Hopewell Cape? – These seems like 2 different locations, which one to choose?
Rest in Moncton
Day 2
Tidal Bore
Charlottetown
Cavendish Area and Beach
Day 3
PEI and take the ferry to Pictou
Baddeck, Cabot Trail
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Day 4
Baddeck, Cabot Trail
Ingonish /Middle Head Trail (Ingonish)
Day 5
Cape Breton Island, Drive to Truro, and reach Halifax by evening/night.
Day 6
Halifax Area /Peggys Cove
Day 7
Mahone Bay/ Lunenburg and head back to Bangor, ME
Need a couple of suggestions on top of this -
1. We were wondering and hoping if we can find some good places to eat, along the route that offer vegetarian choices?
2. What is a good place to go whale watching along this route?
3. Considering the above, suggestions of where (Town) to stay on each night will be appreciated.
Please let me know for any additional details/questions.
Best Regards
#2
That's a lot of destinations in 7 days - I would seriously consider dropping at least one of them - i.e. either Saint John, PEI (you're really only driving thru it), Cape Breton or Halifax and south.
#3
Places to stay - we enjoyed these 3 places on a trip last year to the area
Charlottetown - Ocean Peek B&B
https://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/oce...al&type=total&
Baddeck - Worn Door Step
http://www.worndoorstep.baddeck.com/
Lunenberg/Mahone Bay area - Atlantic View
http://www.atlanticview.ca/
Charlottetown - Ocean Peek B&B
https://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/oce...al&type=total&
Baddeck - Worn Door Step
http://www.worndoorstep.baddeck.com/
Lunenberg/Mahone Bay area - Atlantic View
http://www.atlanticview.ca/
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VAResident,
I agree with ElizabethS. From my experience, it's too much. I feel tired just looking at it; it's like you're whizzing through, almost leaving yourself no time to actually enjoy anything. I'd remove either PEI or Lunenburg/Mahone Bay, as much as I love each of these areas. The Tidal Bore in Moncton can be dropped, especially if you're going to the Hopewell Rocks right before to see the Fundy Tides.
Best wishes, Daniel
I agree with ElizabethS. From my experience, it's too much. I feel tired just looking at it; it's like you're whizzing through, almost leaving yourself no time to actually enjoy anything. I'd remove either PEI or Lunenburg/Mahone Bay, as much as I love each of these areas. The Tidal Bore in Moncton can be dropped, especially if you're going to the Hopewell Rocks right before to see the Fundy Tides.
Best wishes, Daniel
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@Elizabeth_S and @Danial_Williams, thank you so much for your inputs.
I may be able to add a day to this itinerary, a day and half at the max. Do you guys think I can make it work with an extra day?
As you suggest, I would rather take the time and 'smell the roses' than speed through the itinerary.
I may be able to add a day to this itinerary, a day and half at the max. Do you guys think I can make it work with an extra day?
As you suggest, I would rather take the time and 'smell the roses' than speed through the itinerary.
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Ah good question! We were thinking about exploring the Canadian East Coast for a while and had heard that PEI and Cape Breton Islands were beautiful. It is also a good gateway from the hot DC summer.
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VAResident--
A day would help; I think what exhausted me though most was your plan to do interesting things and ALSO travel for many hours on the same day. Such as Day 7: Lunenburg/Mahone Bay and then back to Bangor. You won't be enjoying either Mahone Bay or Lunenburg because you'll be looking at that watch and all those hours on the road ahead of you.
Here's a potential plan which is a bit more "smell the roses", but keeping with the spirit of what you want to do.
Day 1 Bangor ME to Saint John NB. This way you can just enjoy Saint John, without feeling you're rushing onward. You could possibly stop in St. Andrew's.
Day 2 Saint John to PEI, stopping in Hopewell Rocks on the way.
Day 3 Spend a second night at same hotel in PEI. Explore PEI from this base...Charlottetown, Cavendish (Anne of Green Gables), Brackley Beach, Victoria-by-the-Sea, whatever catches your fancy.
Day 4 Ferry from Wood Islands to Pictou. Travel to Cape Breton (maybe Baddeck NS? Explore Baddeck.) This is a long-ish day of travel, so best not to over-plan things.
Day 5. Cabot Trail, end in Ingonish, Cheticamp, maybe same hotel in Baddeck again, so you're not always packing & unpacking, up to you.
Day 6. Cape Breton town to Halifax. A non-negligible drive. Stroll Halifax in the evening.
Day 7. Peggy's Cove & Lunenburg OR Halifax & Peggy's Cove. Spend night at same hotel in Halifax as Day 6 or Lunenburg.
Day 8. Drive Halifax (Lunenburg) to Bangor. Long day driving with border crossing, best not to plan too much.
This plan drops Moncton. I have spent time in Moncton as a consequence of waiting for trains to Montreal after PEI visits. As ElizabethS and my Monctonian friends say only half-jokingly, the Tidal Bore is known as the "Total Bore". Expecting nothing of it and since I had a morning & afternoon in Moncton anyway when I went, I found it fun in a sort of campy way, but zero expectations were key. I've had fun in and like charmingly bilingual Moncton, but I think it's ok to bypass it to focus on your twin goals of PEI/Cape Breton.
A day would help; I think what exhausted me though most was your plan to do interesting things and ALSO travel for many hours on the same day. Such as Day 7: Lunenburg/Mahone Bay and then back to Bangor. You won't be enjoying either Mahone Bay or Lunenburg because you'll be looking at that watch and all those hours on the road ahead of you.
Here's a potential plan which is a bit more "smell the roses", but keeping with the spirit of what you want to do.
Day 1 Bangor ME to Saint John NB. This way you can just enjoy Saint John, without feeling you're rushing onward. You could possibly stop in St. Andrew's.
Day 2 Saint John to PEI, stopping in Hopewell Rocks on the way.
Day 3 Spend a second night at same hotel in PEI. Explore PEI from this base...Charlottetown, Cavendish (Anne of Green Gables), Brackley Beach, Victoria-by-the-Sea, whatever catches your fancy.
Day 4 Ferry from Wood Islands to Pictou. Travel to Cape Breton (maybe Baddeck NS? Explore Baddeck.) This is a long-ish day of travel, so best not to over-plan things.
Day 5. Cabot Trail, end in Ingonish, Cheticamp, maybe same hotel in Baddeck again, so you're not always packing & unpacking, up to you.
Day 6. Cape Breton town to Halifax. A non-negligible drive. Stroll Halifax in the evening.
Day 7. Peggy's Cove & Lunenburg OR Halifax & Peggy's Cove. Spend night at same hotel in Halifax as Day 6 or Lunenburg.
Day 8. Drive Halifax (Lunenburg) to Bangor. Long day driving with border crossing, best not to plan too much.
This plan drops Moncton. I have spent time in Moncton as a consequence of waiting for trains to Montreal after PEI visits. As ElizabethS and my Monctonian friends say only half-jokingly, the Tidal Bore is known as the "Total Bore". Expecting nothing of it and since I had a morning & afternoon in Moncton anyway when I went, I found it fun in a sort of campy way, but zero expectations were key. I've had fun in and like charmingly bilingual Moncton, but I think it's ok to bypass it to focus on your twin goals of PEI/Cape Breton.
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@Daniel_Williams, your plan looks good. I will heed to your advice and drop Moncton. Thanks so much for your time.
Any other insider tips, please keep 'em coming.
I shall provide an update during the trip if possible, or once we are back to let you guys know how things went.
Thanks again for all your suggestions.
Best Regards.
Any other insider tips, please keep 'em coming.
I shall provide an update during the trip if possible, or once we are back to let you guys know how things went.
Thanks again for all your suggestions.
Best Regards.
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Daniel_Williams/Elizabeth_S,
In looking at the route again, I was wondering if it helps to complete the Halifax areas first and then go on to Cape Breton Island and finally to PEI?
This way, we travel only 6 hours from PEI to Bangor on the last day, instead of 7 hours from Halifax area to Bangor.
Let me know your thoughts...
In looking at the route again, I was wondering if it helps to complete the Halifax areas first and then go on to Cape Breton Island and finally to PEI?
This way, we travel only 6 hours from PEI to Bangor on the last day, instead of 7 hours from Halifax area to Bangor.
Let me know your thoughts...
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Daniel and Elizabeth,
Thank you both for you comments and suggestions, our trip to NS and PEI was wonderful. Here is what we did in 9 days.
Day 1. Bangor ME to Saint John NB - On the way, we stopped at Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrew's and Irving Nature Park.
Day 2. Saint John to PEI - Started with St John's City Market in the AM, with stopping in Fundy National Park and Hopewell Rocks on the way.
Spent the night in Farmhouse Inn and Cottage near Rustico. This place was wonderful.
Day 3. Explore PEI - North Rustico Beach, Cavendish Area and Beach.
Spent the night in Charlottetown.
Day 4. Explore PEI - Victoria Park, St. Dunstan's Basilica and Charlottetown shops. Point Prim Lighthouse and Wood Islands Lighthouse.
Took Ferry from Wood Islands to Pictou. Dinner at Gabrieau's Bistro in Antigonish and spent the night at the Cove Motel in Aulds Cove.
Day 5. Cabot Trail - Inverness, Cheticamp, and Pleasant Bay. It rained on this day, and hence we couldn't do much outdoor activities, but enjoyed the good views. Missed the sunset in Cheticamp, due to rain.
Spent the night in Bay Saint Lawrence.
Day 6. Cabot Trail - Sunrise at Cabot's landing Provincial Park. Zip lining near Neils Harbor. Neil's Harbor and Lighthouse Ice cream Parlor. Ice cream was OK, nothing to write home about.
Ingonish Area and Ingonish Beach. We missed doing the Middle Head Trail because of Zip lining...
Spent the night at Lynwood Inn in Baddeck.
Day 7. Baddeck Area and drive to Halifax - Usige Ban Falls and Alexander Graham Bell museum. Drive to Halifax.
Day 8. Halifax Area - Peggy's Cove, Point Pleasant Park, Downtown Halifax.
Day 9. Halifax Board walk and drive from Halifax to Bangor.
Thank you both for you comments and suggestions, our trip to NS and PEI was wonderful. Here is what we did in 9 days.
Day 1. Bangor ME to Saint John NB - On the way, we stopped at Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrew's and Irving Nature Park.
Day 2. Saint John to PEI - Started with St John's City Market in the AM, with stopping in Fundy National Park and Hopewell Rocks on the way.
Spent the night in Farmhouse Inn and Cottage near Rustico. This place was wonderful.
Day 3. Explore PEI - North Rustico Beach, Cavendish Area and Beach.
Spent the night in Charlottetown.
Day 4. Explore PEI - Victoria Park, St. Dunstan's Basilica and Charlottetown shops. Point Prim Lighthouse and Wood Islands Lighthouse.
Took Ferry from Wood Islands to Pictou. Dinner at Gabrieau's Bistro in Antigonish and spent the night at the Cove Motel in Aulds Cove.
Day 5. Cabot Trail - Inverness, Cheticamp, and Pleasant Bay. It rained on this day, and hence we couldn't do much outdoor activities, but enjoyed the good views. Missed the sunset in Cheticamp, due to rain.
Spent the night in Bay Saint Lawrence.
Day 6. Cabot Trail - Sunrise at Cabot's landing Provincial Park. Zip lining near Neils Harbor. Neil's Harbor and Lighthouse Ice cream Parlor. Ice cream was OK, nothing to write home about.
Ingonish Area and Ingonish Beach. We missed doing the Middle Head Trail because of Zip lining...
Spent the night at Lynwood Inn in Baddeck.
Day 7. Baddeck Area and drive to Halifax - Usige Ban Falls and Alexander Graham Bell museum. Drive to Halifax.
Day 8. Halifax Area - Peggy's Cove, Point Pleasant Park, Downtown Halifax.
Day 9. Halifax Board walk and drive from Halifax to Bangor.
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VAResident,
Thanks so much for reporting back. I'm pleased you went at the pace you did, a steady clip but not so fast that you didn't have time to appreciate things--admittedly faster than I take things in that part of the world, but I understand some people want more of an overview and to see as much as possible. For me, I linger more as I know I'll make it back living in not-as-far-away Quebec and having some close friends in PEI. So glad you had a wonderful time in Atlantic Canada!
Daniel
Thanks so much for reporting back. I'm pleased you went at the pace you did, a steady clip but not so fast that you didn't have time to appreciate things--admittedly faster than I take things in that part of the world, but I understand some people want more of an overview and to see as much as possible. For me, I linger more as I know I'll make it back living in not-as-far-away Quebec and having some close friends in PEI. So glad you had a wonderful time in Atlantic Canada!
Daniel