Best places to stop between Boston and Nova Scotia
May 2nd, 2009, 04:30 PM
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Best places to stop between Boston and Nova Scotia
My husband and I (and our dog) are spending 3 days in Antigonish for the Highland Games. We plan to drive to Antigonish from Boston over the course of 4 days. We're looking for suggestions on the best towns to stay overnight in along the way. We would not want to make a stopover sooner than Portland, Maine. We'd like to drive the most scenic routes and do some hiking along the way. Thanks.
May 3rd, 2009, 12:25 PM
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St. Andrews New Brunswick, not far from the Maine border, is a nice small town - charming and pretty with bistros, shops, cafes etc - many overlooking the harbor. But you have to get off I95 and take the smaller highways to get there(which may be OK, especially as you're looking for scenic drives).
For hiking and some very interesting scenery - somewhere in the Fundy National Park area (e.g. Alma) or the Hopewell Rocks area (e.g. Moncton) would be good. These are some of the best places to view the dramatic Fundy tides - although it's best if you are in one spot long enough to see the difference between low and high tides to really appreciate this phenomena.
Some of the best scenery and hiking however is just a little beyond your final destination - in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Part of The Cabot Trail runs through this - considered one of the top scenic drives in North America. Lots of small and long hikes and nature walks within the park and scenery varies from soaring headlands to rugged coastlines to stretches of undeveloped beach, with lots of forest and a number of quaint towns and villages.
One of the other popular scenic routes of Nova Scotia is also a bit out of your way but just in case you decide to take more time, the Lighthouse Route southwest of Halifax is very nice - through historic towns, colourful fishing villages and a number of beaches - most very picturesque and many practically deserted (great for quiet strolls and picnics). Halifax itself is in fact is a wonderful small city with a lively and historic Harbor district.
For hiking and some very interesting scenery - somewhere in the Fundy National Park area (e.g. Alma) or the Hopewell Rocks area (e.g. Moncton) would be good. These are some of the best places to view the dramatic Fundy tides - although it's best if you are in one spot long enough to see the difference between low and high tides to really appreciate this phenomena.
Some of the best scenery and hiking however is just a little beyond your final destination - in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Part of The Cabot Trail runs through this - considered one of the top scenic drives in North America. Lots of small and long hikes and nature walks within the park and scenery varies from soaring headlands to rugged coastlines to stretches of undeveloped beach, with lots of forest and a number of quaint towns and villages.
One of the other popular scenic routes of Nova Scotia is also a bit out of your way but just in case you decide to take more time, the Lighthouse Route southwest of Halifax is very nice - through historic towns, colourful fishing villages and a number of beaches - most very picturesque and many practically deserted (great for quiet strolls and picnics). Halifax itself is in fact is a wonderful small city with a lively and historic Harbor district.
May 3rd, 2009, 01:46 PM
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I've driven between Boston and NS a couple of times each way, sometimes with one overnight stop along the way and other times straight through.
If affording myself four days to make a one-way trip, I think I'd leave I-95 at either Augusta or Bangor and drive through Ellsworth and on toward the rinky-dink point of entry at Calais. Then I'd spend a night in/near Saint John, and possibly two, IF you can find any outdoor activities around there which suit your interests.
Then I'd continue northeast to Sussex before taking hwy #114 through Fundy NP (important hint: time it so you can see "Hopewell Rocks" (Google "Flower Pot Rocks") at LOW tide).
Ideally you would want to see the rocks both at high tide and at low tide, just to see the difference with your own eyes. In practice, it takes six hours to get from one extreme to the other, and it is hard to occupy six hours of your time and still be conveniently located to go back to the rocks at high tide.
Then, perhaps your next night should be in Pictou, after a day where your path includes Moncton-Amherst-Parrsboro-Truro.
If convenient, be sure to find a spot to view the low tide in the Minas Basin and maybe watch a river turn around and run UP-stream when the tide comes in. (Moncton, NB has a river with a good spot for viewing the 'tidal bore')
When driving back, you can go faster on the Truro-Moncton-Fredericton-Woodstock-Bangor path to save time.
Hope this helps a bit.
If affording myself four days to make a one-way trip, I think I'd leave I-95 at either Augusta or Bangor and drive through Ellsworth and on toward the rinky-dink point of entry at Calais. Then I'd spend a night in/near Saint John, and possibly two, IF you can find any outdoor activities around there which suit your interests.
Then I'd continue northeast to Sussex before taking hwy #114 through Fundy NP (important hint: time it so you can see "Hopewell Rocks" (Google "Flower Pot Rocks") at LOW tide).
Ideally you would want to see the rocks both at high tide and at low tide, just to see the difference with your own eyes. In practice, it takes six hours to get from one extreme to the other, and it is hard to occupy six hours of your time and still be conveniently located to go back to the rocks at high tide.
Then, perhaps your next night should be in Pictou, after a day where your path includes Moncton-Amherst-Parrsboro-Truro.
If convenient, be sure to find a spot to view the low tide in the Minas Basin and maybe watch a river turn around and run UP-stream when the tide comes in. (Moncton, NB has a river with a good spot for viewing the 'tidal bore')
When driving back, you can go faster on the Truro-Moncton-Fredericton-Woodstock-Bangor path to save time.
Hope this helps a bit.
May 3rd, 2009, 06:04 PM
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I think Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, is one of the great places of the world. You might consider staying overnight in Bar Harbor soyou can get up early and watch the sun rise over the ocean from Acadia.
Lincolnville Maine used to have a restaurant between the highway and the ocean
where you could buy reasonably priced lobster, watch it being cooked, and eat it outdoors -- probably a dog-friendly place.
BAK
Lincolnville Maine used to have a restaurant between the highway and the ocean
where you could buy reasonably priced lobster, watch it being cooked, and eat it outdoors -- probably a dog-friendly place.
BAK
May 6th, 2009, 05:12 PM
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Added hint... if I were you, I would browse the following TIDE TABLE link, and print out all high tide and low tide times for a few key spots along your path.
http://www.lau.chs-shc.gc.ca/cgi-bin...gion=5&zone=30
Definitely print Hopewell Cape and maaaaaaaaybe Burntcoat Head, along with one more.
Also, tryyyyyyyyyy to have the times of the "Tidal Bore" at Moncton, NB with you before you depart on your trip.
This is next to nothing in the way of preparing a sheet of paper with written data covering all 6 days of your journey, BUT IF you are into scheduling Hopewell Cape or some other tide-related sightseeing, it will help immensely to HAVE THE INFO WITH YOU in the glove box. Sometimes the low and high tides just don't jibe well with daylight hours, and you'll want to know that much too.
Hope this helps.
http://www.lau.chs-shc.gc.ca/cgi-bin...gion=5&zone=30
Definitely print Hopewell Cape and maaaaaaaaybe Burntcoat Head, along with one more.
Also, tryyyyyyyyyy to have the times of the "Tidal Bore" at Moncton, NB with you before you depart on your trip.
This is next to nothing in the way of preparing a sheet of paper with written data covering all 6 days of your journey, BUT IF you are into scheduling Hopewell Cape or some other tide-related sightseeing, it will help immensely to HAVE THE INFO WITH YOU in the glove box. Sometimes the low and high tides just don't jibe well with daylight hours, and you'll want to know that much too.
Hope this helps.
