mattiek

We have been to Vancouver, Alberta many times and are looking at going east. Have three kids 16, 13, 10. Any suggestions? Have heard about the Cape Brenton drive we all like that idea. Have 10-days. We live in Tennessee so we will be flying. If we do Novia Scotia is there enough kid friendly activities to please everyone. We all like hiking. Would love any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

UTour

If hiking's your bag, the Cabot Trail has lots of opportunities. Also, you can sample the original Cajun (Acadian) spirit in and around Cheticamp. Assuming you're going to be doing this in summer, there's whale watching tours as well (http://bit.ly/Google_Cape_Breton_whale_watching). Fort Louisbourg. Sighseeing in Halifax (Harbour Hopper might be the sort of immersive experience your kids'd like [pardon the atrocious pun]) . Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg.

You might also want to see if you could open-jaw your flight either arrive Sidney/depart Halifax or the other way around; save you a back-tracking 4 1/2 hour drive. FWIW, Air Canada and WestJet both serve Sydney although AC's Sydney-Toronto schedule looks a little better with a noonish departure.

HTH
u

LJ

Much to do in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton and also mainland NS. Halifax would be very appealing to kids as it is a college town with the youthful vibe that implies. There is a great harbour scene, lots of kid-friendly history venues (eg. Pier One, our equivalent of Rikers/Rykers? Island for immigrants) and a busker festival and all kinds of youth-oriented activities. Within an hour's drive of Halifax there are half a dozen great beaches, including surfing options.

mat54

Yes, as discussed, Cape Breton is spectacular. The Cabot Trail is considered one of North America's most scenic drives, particularly the section through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. There are excellent hiking trails - google Cape Breton Highlands National Park for their website with lots of info. Good opportunities to see moose, whale watching out of Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, Acadian and Celtic culture with some of the local pubs offering evening Fiddle music (some famous fiddlers come from Cape Breton). There are also some quite lovely and usually not too crowded beaches (on weekdays at least) - check out the Dingwall area, Ingonish and google search for off-the-beaten track beaches on the Ceilidh Trail (southwest part of the Island).

The mainland South Shore/Lighthouse Route southwest of Halifax is picturesque with charming historic towns and many little fishing villages, a number of lovely beaches (great for picnics and walks although cold water on this coast due to the currents here). Hiking opportunities include Kejimkujik National Park Seaside Adjunct.

You might consider taking a couple of days to visit one of the Bay of Fundy destinations to see these dramatic world's highest tides. I particularly like the Alma/Fundy National Park area of New Brunswick and nearby Hopewell Rocks also offers great views (try to see both tides in any one location, but if timing does not permit, try to aim for low tide). In Nova Scotia, the Advocate Harbour/Parrsboro area also has rugged tidal scenery and interesting geology.

NorthwestMale

I think NS and the Maritimes would be a fine choice, and that, with kids, one might even look into bike riding on PEI as well. Ten days should be enough to work with a round-trip to Halifax... then go up north for perhaps 2 or 3 nights on Cape Breton (Baddeck seems rather centrally located, and good for a base camp).

Then return to the south and drive toward Moncton, NB and down to Hopewell Cape, which you'll want to time for LOW tide:

http://www.bayoffundytourism.com/tides/times/

From there you could visit Fundy National Park, and then circle back/around and reach the bridge to PEI (a toll of $44.50 is collected in only ONE direction <b>{when you are leaving}</b>!! $44.50 NO typo).

A night or two on PEI and a day or two spent driving around the island, or <b>riding</b> around the island??

Then drive back across the bridge and back to Halifax for your remaining days/nights in the area. If you have the chance, take the route that includes Moncton, NB to Parrsboro, NS to Truro, NS... for the pleasant drive along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.

Somewhere in there maybe a day trip to <b>Cape Split, NS</b>, where the family can go on a 5-hour round-trip hike which lands you on a bluff out in the middle of the Bay of Fundy.

I've posted various itineraries for others, for visits to the Maritimes so if you want samples of them then click on my name and scroll down.