Itinerary help for NB/PEI/CB/NS
 

I need advice from my fellow Fodorites. I am planning a 15-17 day driving trip to Acadia National Park, New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton.

I need help with the driving itinerary, points of interest, any additional stops we should make along the way, & where to stay.
Our interests are the outdoor natural beauty, easy hikes. We are also interested in the celtic culture of the area & not interested in museums. We will be traveling mid August. We have never been to the Canadian Maritimes.

This is my preliminary itinerary:

Drive NY to Bar Harbor for 3 night stay
Acadia NP

Bar Harbor to New Brunswick 1-2 nights
St. John
Dickson Falls Trail
Hopewell Rocks

New Brunswick area to Nova Scotia. 2 nights? What town should we stay in?
Halifax (must see areas?)
Peggy’s Cove
Mahone Bay
Lunenberg

Lunenberg to Cape Breton 3-4 nights. What town to stay in or move each night?)
Ceilidh trail
Celtic Music Center
Port Hood beaches
Cabot trail
Baddeck
Highland Village Living Museum In Iona
Fortress of Louisbourg

Cape Breton to PEI

PEI - 3 nights (what town as home base or we can move each night)
Summer side
PEI National Park
Charlottestown
Victoria

Confederation Bridge to start our journey back to NY with possible stop in Kennebunkport

OR

This order:

Bar Harbor to PEI
PEI to Cape Breton
Cape Breton to Halifax area
Lunenburg to Digby
Ferry from Digby to St John

I realize I am posing a lot of questions, but I have found Fodorites assistance immeasurable on previous trips.

Many thanks for any suggestions you might make.

Well lemme see...

If that were me, I would give three nights to "Halifax", then make it a day trip down south, perhaps saving Peggy's Cove for dinner on the way back...

and make Cape Breton a firm "3 nights"... the first of which would be Baddeck... and then you might opt for Ingonish or Pleasant Bay (??) for another night, or two.


An early start on a day trip from Halifax to Lunenberg could get you there in 90 minutes or so, and you should be able to see plenty while still allowing yourself time to get back and sit down for dinner at Peggy's Cove before dark.

IF not, you can take a lunch or dinner quick-trip from Halifax to Peggy's Cove the next day.


As to PEI... it just isn't that big... so it won't matter toooooooo much where you stay (although maybe it wouldn't hurt to map your farthest destination FROM the bridge for one convenient night and/OR make your last night there nearer TO the bridge, for optimizing your later schedule regarding the trip back to NY.) The rolling hills of PEI countryside are sorta refreshing to drive around, but you probably need not stay a night in every corner of PEI.

Do not skimp on Hopewell Cape (make a priority of seeing it at low tide, even IF you never see it at high tide) (lol - bring a photo of high tide there, taken/swiped from the internet, and that may suffice).

Hope this helps.