TheDoogster

We are driving from St. Louis and plan on a 4-6 week trip. We have just retired and are planning a trip for this August. We are in our late 60's, but so far have not had to limit our excursions too much...at least not yet. This past October we did the 240 mile "Katy Trail" bike trip in Missouri. We are bringing our bikes along so are hoping to do a little riding also. 2 to 4 nights of camping are a possibility . We're looking for some hiking, quaint fishing villages along with some fishing ourselves, coastlines...staying away, for the most part, from real touristy places. We've noticed that places to be sure to see are esp. Arcadia Nat'l Park in Maine and Bay of Fundy and Cape Breton.
Any route suggestions, places to stay (B&B's are always nice), things to be sure to do and see.
Thanks so much for any suggestions. We're starting from scratch.
Judi & Mike

Kirkesgaard

You could take the SeaCat Ferry from Acadia to Nova Scotia. There is a nice motel (Midtown) I think right there, as you will be arriving in the evening.

Go out to Peggy's Cove and ideally stay the night in one of the towns around there. Watch the sun go down at the lighthouse, potentially have dinner there. We stayed in a cabin one town away from the lighthouse, would have to look up the actual name.

In Maine, consider spending time at Moosehead Lake. You did not say what time of year you were planning to go. We were there in the fall and it was beautiful.

Also consider including Prince Edward Island on your way back from Nova Scotia to the states.

jannieween

Prince Edward Island has made bike trails from all it's old railway tracks if you like biking.

Daniel_Williams

Hi thedoogster,

I will second jannieween's suggestion to go to Prince Edward Island if you like cycling (since you're bringing your bikes). While there are hillier routes on PEI, the Confederation Trail (runs from one end of the island to the other, however I just biked near Charlottetown where I stayed) is fantastic, well-marked and reasonably flat.

Have a great trip whatever you decide to do! Daniel

mat54

The Fundy Tides are spectacular and are best appreciated at Alma/Fundy National Park and Hopewell Rocks, both in New Brunswick. Alma offers limited but a few nice accommodations with views. Also look into the Fundy Trail Parkway for bicycling.

You will want to plan a few days to enjoy Cape Breton and especially to drive the spectacular Cabot Trail, particularly the section through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The most popular towns to stay in, all quite small, are Cheticamp, Ingonish area, and Baddeck (all detailed in recent threads on this topic).

The South Shore (or "Lighthouse Route") southwest of Halifax is also extremely nice - historic towns (e.g. Lunenburg), photogenic seaside hamlets (e.g. Peggy's Cove) and many other quaint, charming and historic villages.

Atlantic Canada is a relatively lightly populated part of the North America and while not exactly off the beaten path (any more!), it tends to be less crowded with tourists than many other desinations of similar beauty and appeal.

dandygirl

While seeing lakes in Maine is a magical experience, depending on your route, in Southern Maine is Sebago Lake.
It's a beautiful lake, as is Long Lake next to it. It might be nice to head over to Portland which is a wonderful little city to explore with some great restaurants. Drive up the coast and see Camden, Georgetown/Five Islands, Blue Hill, and Bar Harbor which is on Mt. Desert Island where you will find Acadia Natl Park. Bar Harbor is fantastic, but could be a little crowded, but it's a don't miss spot. The park is breathtaking, and there certainly won't be any shortage of lobsters. Heading up into New Brunswick across the Calais Maine border look for a beautiful seaside town called St. Andrews by the Sea and the famous, old and stately Algonquin Hotel. Lovely botanical gardens, and a nice little charming downtown. Past St. Andrews is a little tiny town called Blacks Harbor and there is a ferry that will take you to Grand Manan Island. Very remote, very beautiful scenery, shorline, enjoy the cheapest lobster rolls in the world, and return same day on the ferry. Drive up to Nova Scotia and the towns mentioned above. In the Margaree Valley is great fishing and a wonderful fishing camp and cabin hotel is the
Normaway Inn. In Ingonish is The Keltic Lodge perched on a peninsula of rugged, rocky cliffs. There is a beautiful little beach called Black Brook to stop and have a picnic. In Cheticamp there are some nice little restaurants, and don't miss the butterscotch meringue pie. FABU! I think it is fun to check out the ferries and plan your trip around them. It's wonderful you have the time to take in such magnificent scenery and the people are the best!!

NorthwestMale

I'm glad somebody is still living some version of the old <I>American Dream</i> which was to <I>"retire"</i> and then travel the country (<I>in a motor home</i>, typically).

(which surely got boring semi-quick, but that's another story)

Anyway, the first thing I thought upon reading your post was <b>Prince Edward Island</b>, as others have said.

Are you really going all the way to Newfie??

Seems to me, that with "4 to 6 weeks" from St. Louis, you could have a grand experience including PEI, NB, and NS while doing each <i><b>right</b></i>.

With such a long path to and fro, obviously you could find lots of diversions in either direction. Maybe don't rush, and instead spend 3 or 4 days just riding bikes around PEI... and then 2 or 3 days in NB, and possibly a week in Nova Scotia.

... then come back and tell us about it, as we dream of those <I>life experiences made famous and supposedly enviable long ago (and before gas was so expensive)</i>.

Come back for specifics when you have general plans about any of the various provinces there.