I'm a little confused as to the best route - it's hard to tell from the map:

Is this scenario the best?

Arriving in Yarmouth & do to Digby (Digby Neck) etc. to Annapolis Royal (night # 1); to Keji Park (night # 2); to Wolfville (night # 3); to Baddeck (night # 4); Cabot Trail to Cheticamp (night # 5); to Louisburg (night # 6); to Halifax (night #7) to Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay (night # 8) to Yarmouth ferry.

Or is it better to start on the Lighthouse Route to Halifax and to CBI from there returning to Yarmouth via northern route through New Glasgow or Truro to Wolfville and Digby area to Yarmouth.

Do we need to go thru Halifax both to and from CBI?

It looks like a really long drive from Wolfville to Baddeck. Is it too long for one day? Should we break this up?

Definitely want to do Digby area and Keji, Wolfville and of course CBI and Halifax (Peggy's Cove etc. area). Also want to do scenic route w/ stops when possible, rather than major highways.

Appreciate any and all advice! Thanks!

That is an extremely ambitious itinerary, and you will be in the car practically the whole trip. Nove Scotia is deceiving - it is bigger and slower to get around than it appears on a map.

You may want to skip Cape Breton all together if you are only there for one week.

I should of added, keep in mind it is a solid 5 hour drive from Halifax to Cape Breton - and that is just hauling through, no stopping to see other things.

Cape Breton Island would be the place I want to see - could leave out other areas to make it possible!!

Distance are pretty far, but traffic is also relatively light. So, you can cover a lot of grounds if you enjoy driving and looking out the car window. I do, and I enjoyed my 8-day trip from Rhode Island, through Maine and New Brunswick, all the way to CBI and stayed two nights in Halifax too.

However, not everybody live to travel the same way; if you aren't as crazy as I am about driving, then I'd concentrate on Halifax and Cape Breton Island.

Would you recommend breaking up the drive from Baddeck to Halifax? If so, where's a good place to stop for the night? Anything on the southern route (i.e. Marine Drive) since we'll be going to CBI from Wolfville or is it best to go thru New Glasgow and Truro again? What do you suggest?

If you are driving from Halifax to Baddeck, you really don't need to split up the drive. It would be approximately 3.5 hours of direct driving. The Pictou area is a lovely spot to visit. You may want to check out some of the B&B's or stay the night at the Pictou Lodge. Coming from Wolfville you can cut across the Rawdon Hills - a slower drive not on a main highway. You will come out at Subenacadie on the 104.

Tanya: Thanks for the suggestion. Think we'll do the Marine Drive from Baddeck to Halifax.

The Marine Drive is lovely but isolated. You may want to spend the night at Liscombe Lodge just outside of Sherbrooke.