Nova Scotia and PEI
Mar 22nd, 2009, 06:16 PM
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Nova Scotia and PEI
My husband and I are thinking of visiting Nova Scotia and PEI this summer. I've started making a list of things to do/see, but I'd appreciate any recommendations of things to see or not to see. We love history, learning what makes a place different from the place down the road, moderate hiking, local music. Thanks!
Mar 24th, 2009, 08:40 AM
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Heartily endorse the South Shore of Nova Scotia for the historical, scenery and hiking aspect. I can esp. suggest Lunenburg (World Heritage site), Chester and Mahone Bay...also Peggy's Cove. Halifax is a must-see for the history buff...it is the equivalent of Ricker's (sp.?)Island for so many new Canadians, THE port of entry.
You really MUST get yourself a copy of the Do'er and Dreamer's Guide for 2009 (just came out this month). It is available from the Nova Scotia Tourism website.
You really MUST get yourself a copy of the Do'er and Dreamer's Guide for 2009 (just came out this month). It is available from the Nova Scotia Tourism website.
Mar 24th, 2009, 03:07 PM
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I have ordered the Doers and Dreamers Guide (I have the 2006 version). This trip may not happen this year as airfare to Halifax is very high when we want to go, but the research wob't go to waste.
Mar 24th, 2009, 05:33 PM
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Abram,
Because there is so much driving involved in visiting Nova Scotia ideally, you really should consider flying into other cities and then renting a car there.
IF you live in the U.S. then perhaps Portland, Maine would fit the bill. It is a pleasant enough drive up through New Brunswick (St. John, Moncton, Hopewell Cape {which you wanna see anyway} and it might not add too much inconvenience to your entire journey (provided gas prices aren't what they were last year).
Also, not 10 minutes ago I learned of a website called Yapta.com which will track airfares for you, and notify you when the price of the trip is something near to what you wish to pay.
Don't give up hope - just try to be innovative.
Because there is so much driving involved in visiting Nova Scotia ideally, you really should consider flying into other cities and then renting a car there.
IF you live in the U.S. then perhaps Portland, Maine would fit the bill. It is a pleasant enough drive up through New Brunswick (St. John, Moncton, Hopewell Cape {which you wanna see anyway} and it might not add too much inconvenience to your entire journey (provided gas prices aren't what they were last year).
Also, not 10 minutes ago I learned of a website called Yapta.com which will track airfares for you, and notify you when the price of the trip is something near to what you wish to pay.
Don't give up hope - just try to be innovative.
Mar 25th, 2009, 01:31 PM
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It is a drive of 530 miles from Portland, ME to Truro, NS, which is the point at which you might turn north toward Cape Breton anyway.
If the difference between having your NS vacation and not having it can be altered by signing on to fly to and from Portland, Maine, it just might be worth it.
Particularly because a Nova Scotia vacation requires plenty of driving anyway, so you'll be darting all around no matter what.
This way you could cover Hopewell Cape on the way into NS, and it wouldn't be an additional 220 miles each way to see that.
Halifax is fine, but it is NOT a necessity for a visit to NS. I once spent 4 or 5 nights in Halifax, at the same hotel, between various day trips. I enjoyed the place quite a lot, but my favorite aspects of NS are elsewhere.
IF, like many, you have a week for vacation, and, say, you flew to and fro on consecutive Saturdays:
If able to reach Portland by a reasonable hour on the Saturday, you could cover half the trip and perhaps get near Fredricton, NB by nightfall.
Sunday you'd get up and get to Moncton, then time your side-trip to Hopewell Cape with the low tide, before driving into Nova Scotia and perhaps toward Cape Breton first.
Wildly guessing:
Sat night Woodstock, NB / Fredericton, NB area
Sun. night Springhill, NS / Truro, NS / Pictou, NS area
Mon/Tues nights Baddeck, Cape Breton, NS area
Weds night maybe Pictou, NS area
Thurs night maybe Moncton, NB area
Fri. night maybe Bangor, Maine, on the way back
Saturday - fly home out of Portland, ME
Sure it is ambitious... but NS is the sort of place where the sights you see from the car ARE the highlights.
IF it means having a chance to go, when you otherwise wouldn't because of airfare costs, then you really could improvise and fly to Portland IF the numbers were more reasonable. (of course gas prices, and which way they trend, will dictate some of this too)
If the difference between having your NS vacation and not having it can be altered by signing on to fly to and from Portland, Maine, it just might be worth it.
Particularly because a Nova Scotia vacation requires plenty of driving anyway, so you'll be darting all around no matter what.
This way you could cover Hopewell Cape on the way into NS, and it wouldn't be an additional 220 miles each way to see that.
Halifax is fine, but it is NOT a necessity for a visit to NS. I once spent 4 or 5 nights in Halifax, at the same hotel, between various day trips. I enjoyed the place quite a lot, but my favorite aspects of NS are elsewhere.
IF, like many, you have a week for vacation, and, say, you flew to and fro on consecutive Saturdays:
If able to reach Portland by a reasonable hour on the Saturday, you could cover half the trip and perhaps get near Fredricton, NB by nightfall.
Sunday you'd get up and get to Moncton, then time your side-trip to Hopewell Cape with the low tide, before driving into Nova Scotia and perhaps toward Cape Breton first.
Wildly guessing:
Sat night Woodstock, NB / Fredericton, NB area
Sun. night Springhill, NS / Truro, NS / Pictou, NS area
Mon/Tues nights Baddeck, Cape Breton, NS area
Weds night maybe Pictou, NS area
Thurs night maybe Moncton, NB area
Fri. night maybe Bangor, Maine, on the way back
Saturday - fly home out of Portland, ME
Sure it is ambitious... but NS is the sort of place where the sights you see from the car ARE the highlights.
IF it means having a chance to go, when you otherwise wouldn't because of airfare costs, then you really could improvise and fly to Portland IF the numbers were more reasonable. (of course gas prices, and which way they trend, will dictate some of this too)
Mar 25th, 2009, 08:14 PM
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I'd rather not go than do it badly; NS will still be there next year and the year after that. That trip sounds like waaay too much driving to me--530 miles just to get to NS--ugh!! Four days in NS is not enough, your trip doesn't include PEI, and I don't care to see Bangor, Moncton, Woodstock or Fredericton. Adding two extra travel days just to get to/from Portland is NOT an option for us.
Mar 26th, 2009, 07:09 AM
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Abram...stick with your 'later, but leisurely plan'...Nova Scotia is multi-varied in itself, and I am not nearly so dismissive of either Halifax itself or the South Shore or Fundy-side of the mainland area if Nova Scotia. You could easily spend 2 weeks (with a weekend in between for PEI)without killing yourself with driving. We will all still be here in 2010!
Mar 26th, 2009, 02:42 PM
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LJ, thanks for your response. Everyone likes a different type of vacation--but I know what we like. NorthwestMale's might be right for him, but not for us.
Travel planning got a little challenging this year because we took a 10 day trip to Germany to meet our new granddaughter and play with our older one--and help their parents. It was fabulous, but it ate up a chunk of my husband's vacation time--and his got cut by two weeks the last time the company was sold. We'll find fun things to do, I'm sure--maybe some long weekends.
Travel planning got a little challenging this year because we took a 10 day trip to Germany to meet our new granddaughter and play with our older one--and help their parents. It was fabulous, but it ate up a chunk of my husband's vacation time--and his got cut by two weeks the last time the company was sold. We'll find fun things to do, I'm sure--maybe some long weekends.
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