hi. my husband and i are thinking about a trip to Nova Scotia at the very end of August, probably for 6 days, 5 nights. we would fly to Halifax and it seems that we would definitely have to rent a car.

does anyone have good suggestions on things to do - Cape Breton, PEI.... we love the outdoors, like to hike, bike so suggestions along those lines would be great. also, i would like some recommendations on reasonably priced hotels or B&Bs. thanks for your help!

erin

Hi there!

I love Nova Scotia and I can't imagine a more quaint, removed-from-the-hustle-and-bustle locale for a vacation for a couple.

Firstly, if you love the outdoors and like to hike, be SURE to do the hike to "Cape Split". You drive maybe an hour inland from Halifax... not far from Truro... then drive as far as you can out to a Cape that juts out into the middle of the bay, and then HIKE for 2 1/2 hours one way.

Upon arrival you're out in the middle of the Bay of Fundy, with the world's highest tides abuzz all around you, and it is very windy out on the end, but with sheltered areas for snacking and resting and viewing nature.

(that doesn't do justice to the place, but look it up on Google for more info)

IF you make a trek up north for the full circuit of Cape Breton, be SURE to allow (a whole empty day) just IN CASE the ever present dense FOG keeps the scenery from your view. Just stop somewhere and stay for the night and give the same path a go the next day.

The TIDES in the Bay of Fundy are just amazing... and if you like hiking and the like, you can go waaaaaaaay out hundreds of feet into the surf at low tide, and then watch later as that area is swallowed by the tides a couple/few hours later.

Halifax is a quaint city with a number of colleges to keep it youthful. I'd spend the first two nights in Halifax without yet getting a rental car, because you can walk most places, and take the little commuter ferry across the bay to Dartmouth, for a diversion. Then make your path to the north (Cape Breton) for a couple of days in the middle of your itinerary. Some of the coastal driving is quite scenic, and I am a fan of the drive along the northern shore of the Bay of Fundy (across the water from Cape Split).

FYI - as much water passes through the small gap between Cape Split and the opposite shore in an average day as flows through ALL OF THE RIVERS ON EARTH combined (in the same average day)

(side note: ) Your trip isn't quite long enough for this, but I'm told that bike riders LOVE "Prince Edward Island" for its relative flat terrain and countryside.

Hope this helps you a bit!

Just don't tell anyone in Haliffax that you think their city is quaint!

Quaint: "...marked by beauty or elegance..."

Now who in Halifax might want to question that description?

"Quaint: Strange or odd, in an interesting, pleasing or amusing way"--Gage Canadian Dictionary.

I think Haligonians would be pleased to be considered beautiful or elegant, but not strange or odd.

Why not just say that Halifax is a beautiful city?

Oh! For crying out loud! Put away your dictionary & relax! I loved your descriptions of Nova Scotia, Northwest Male! I know what you mean by "quaint". Your chioce of that word has to be read in the overall context of your description. And, "in context" there is nothing....absolutely nothing... to suggest that you meant there was anything "odd" about Halifax!

Well, maybe the widespread teen zeal over a tombstone about seven years ago was "odd about Halifax", but I think the locals admit as much...


"not without you, Jack, not without you"

NorthwestMale seemed to imply that Cape Split is near Truro. Rather, it is near Kentville. One can get from Truro to the Windsor-Kentville area by going along the Noel Shore, or back down toward Halifax and across from either Brookfield or Milford, without going back on the main highway down to Halifax and back up the main highway #101, but if going to Cape Split for its own sake from Hfx, would go up Hwy 101 rather than 102.

Hello!
Another marvelous hike in Nova Scotia is the walk to the "Seaside Adjunct" (techically a part of Kejimkujik National Park but it is located on the south coast of NS)Check for this online. "Keji" itself (not the adjunct part) is a great place for camping, biking, short, mid-length and wilderness hiking.

I know the province quite well and often see a few bits of unintended "mis-information" posted on this site, so be careful! check out distances, highway routes and such things on-line on our wonderful tourism sites. People speaking from memory often forget just how far things can be, or how much time the actual travel can take, especially when one allows for stopping to take pictures, a walk on our beaches or a moment to smell the roses!

Be sure to get a good highway map and then stay off the 100 series highways as much as possible!