I think you are being a little too ambitious. I am from NB, and we took a family trip to Cape Breton when I was 15. It took us I think 8 hours to drive from Fredericton to Bedeck. We then took a whole week to enjoy Cape Breton. There is so much to do in that one spot. You have to decide I think between PEI and Cape Breton and Halifax. NB should not be overlooked either. You are basically talking about driving right through our amazing province. You said something about visiting Saint John (St. John's is in Newfoundland) I think on your itinerary it is out of your way, and frankly most New Brunswickers don't like Saint John because it is a very industrial city. Everyplace needs one and that is it for our province. I would suggest Fredericton. It is the capital city of New Brunswick and is very beautiful. The downtown area is amazing and very well kept. We are right on a river and have many old buildings and museums to explore. I would suggest a visit to Kings Landing which is just west of us on the Trans Canada Highway. It is also on your way to either PEI or NS. It is a villiage made of old houses from 1820 to 1905. They have an Inn where you can enjoy Period meals, and every house has people dressed in the era. The houses are all real and were put on the site before the Mactiqac dam was built, so the houses in the head pond would not be lost.

You will then have to drive through Moncton, and I would suggest a detour to Fundy National Park. We have the highest tides in the world. Also Hopewell rockes is another must. you can walk on the floor of the ocean and see the flowerpot rocks, that have been naturally formed from the tides, they are really neat. From here you either turn to PEI or go to NS.

Good luck

Melissa

We're planning to do something similar in September, but we're driving from Toronto. I've just started to research my trip and it almost seems overwhelming. Originally we planned to fly, so I thought we'd see Nova Scotia and PEI. Now with the drive ......

We've both been to Quebec City a few times and I'm often in Montreal, so we probably won't spend much time there. I wasn't originally thinking of New Brunswick, but now that I've started reading, we may want to spend some time there. I've heard that St. Andrews by the Sea is nice - anyone have experience there?

I'm also thinking that maybe we'll pass on PEI this time. It sounds pretty, but very very touristy with the whole Anne of Green Gables thing. Or am I wrong?

The only area where I have any good information is Nova Scotia. One sister lived there for a few years and the other has visited a few times. She recommends Lunenburg, Halifax and Annapolis Royal areas, as well as Cape Breton. (Sounds like most of the province!)

Hi Susan,

I actually lived in St. Andrews for 2 years (while in college). It is a beautiful town. They have many quant shops on Water Street. You can go whale watching, kayaking or walk around and enjoy the gardens and many shops. There is a bylaw in the town that there may not be chains such as McDonalds and so on, so the town keeps an old fashon feel to it. You should stay either at the Algonquin Hotel or one of the many B&B's

To all those planning their Maritime trips from Montreal or Toronto. If you feel you have enough time when you are driving through Quebec, I would recommend you take the old no. 2 highway from Levis to Riviere du Loup. It is very scenic as you are right along the St. Lawrence River, and you drive through some very old and picturesque Quebec towns and villages such as St Anne de la Pocatiere, and Kamouraska, where I used to spend all my summers as a youth.

Except for the area around Cavendish, PEI is not all that touristy. There are lots of opportunities to see the Island in its natural state. The newly opened Dunes National Park, East of Cavendish, near St Peters Bay is a beautiful deserted beach backed by high dunes with some interesting interpretive displays on beach, and dune ecology. They have converted the old railway bed in PEI to a hiking, and biking trail, and you can rent bikes in a variety of locations, and take a leisurely cruise through agricultural areas with some seascapes. I found the area around St Peters, and Morrell, to be particularly attractive. The opportunity to attend a Lobster supper in PEI should not be missed. Some are commercially run, and others are run by church parishes, and community groups; great if you like Lobster, and mussels, and fresh potatoe salad, etc. There is also a great beach near Montague called Panumre Island. I thought it was one of the nicest swimming beaches I have seen anywhere, and I have travelled to some great ones all over the world. PEI is a great summer tourist destination, and, in my humble opinion is the best place to go in the Maritimes for a summer holiday

Thanks for the info - it's giving me lots to think about!