Nova Scotia/PEI/Cape Brenton
 

Where do I begin? I am trying to plan a 7 night trip for my Mom and I in August. We are right now wavering between Yosemite/Monterey Penninsula (I have been to Monterey Penninsula before) and going to Nova Scotia (neither of us have been here) Opinions?

My Mom and I love natural beauty, quiet, relaxation, hiking, and comfortable hotels. Last year we did the Canadian Rockies and loved it!

Okay, so what are your suggestions for us if we were to do Nova Scotia? How would we fit it all in and in what order? I am thinking Halifax, PEI, and Cape Brenton. Is this too much in 7 nights? We would, obviously, have a car. And we like to stay in boutique hotels or charming inns.

Any help is much, much appreciated!!!!!!

Hi Jessicam40,

I've been planning a similar trip for this summer. I think you might find NS/PEI and Cape Breton too much for just 7 days, unless you really want to do a lot of driving. At least that's my feeling. But then I like a pretty quiet pace.

Others here will be able to give more specific recommendations for where to go, and you'll find quite a bit if you search the archives. But I can offer several websites I've been using to help you get started.
http://www.destination-ns.com/default.asp

http://destination-pei.com/default.asp

These sites will let you order the tourism guides for both Nova Scotia and PEI which will give you free maps, and lots of ideas.

Also, go to novascotia.com......it's the province'e official website. Great site. But the best trip planning guide to Nova Scotia is to order a copy of the Doer's and Dreamer's. It's the bible and lists everything to do, see and places to stay. And it's free!!!! You can order it right on NovaScotia.com

Thanks - I got the Doers and Dreamers guide already. Seems like it is mostly full of hotel information?

I am thinking of concentrating on Halifax area/Cape Brenton. I just really don't know where to begin. If I should just keep us in the cities - Halifax and Sydney and just drive out from those places on day-trips? Is that what people do?

Jessica, it's Cape Breton, not Brenton.

Sorry about the misspell. I type really fast and do not really pay attention to the specifics. Hope all that read my posting know that I am sorry.

Cape Breton.
Cape Breton.
got it. :)

i would limit the trip to the halifax area and cape breton. adding pei will be too rushed. i'd do 3 nights in halifax (city, peggy's cove, mahone bay) and 4 staying in baddeck, cape breton. good place to station yourself to see the area. in halifax, check out www.waverleyinn.com. i have booked myself in there for this summer so can't give you any first hand knowledge but it's apparently in a good location and it gets good reviews.

Thanks for your help with Nova Scotia.

I am still up-in-the-air about where we will go. I am deciding between Nova Scotia or Pacific Northwest - Seattle/Portland/Vancouver or Monterey Penninsula/Big Sur/Yosmite California

We can't decide where to go!!!!! We are in such limbo...all 3 sound like such great trips.

Hi - I've done trips to most of the place you mention: Yosemite-Monterey, Vancouver-Victoria and Nova-Scotia (and other Atlantic provinces) as well as Canadian Rockies. All are great, spectacular destinations. Personally I always tell people that the top 2 places they want to see in Canada are the Rockies and Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has such a wide mix of attractions, but without being quite as overdeveloped for tourism as most. Cape Breton is spectacular - You could stay 4 nights either in the Ingonish or Baddeck areas, take a couple of long lingering day-trip drives around the very awesome Cabot Trail driving route, do a little hiking on some of the many walking & nature trails, visit some of the quaint old-fashioned villages, spend some time enjoying Baddeck with it's picturesque yacht harbour and artsy shops, etc. etc.

Then stay your last 3 nights in downtown Halifax which is a really nice smallish city - great bustling and picturesque harbour area - boardwalk connects pubs, restaurants, hotels, market and museums. Historic buildings converted into shopping areas nearby. And more pubs - many featuring excellent live local Celtic musical entertainment. From Halifax you can do daytrips down the Lighthouse Route for some excellent coastal scenery and lots of quaint fishing villages. Make sure to visit Lunenberg - a lovely historic UNESCO site village with lots of shops and restaurants, as well as other spots mentioned in other posts. Some gorgeous beaches down this way too (although water can be frigid!)

Jessica,

I LIVE in the Pacific Northwest, and I have lived here all of my life, and although I know that people rave about the natural beauty around here, I'd send you to Nova Scotia in a second!

One thing that Nova Scotia doesn't really have, that Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver do, is the unfortunate reality that society is over-running them.

Nova Scotia isn't really on the way to anywhere (save for Newfoundland), and that keeps only the locals there for any length of time.

You did mountains last year so you don't need the major natural wonders that the Pacific Northwest has which Nova Scotia does not.

PEI is "different", but I don't really expect that it would be adding to an itinerary like yours. I just wrote to someone who would travel to PEI with her mom this summer, but that mom was BORN on PEI and the sentiments are different.

I think I'd opt out of PEI, and just do Halifax, Cape Breton, and the Bay of Fundy.

If you and mom are up for a hike of 2 1/2 hours each way, then consider "Cape Split", which would leave you on a cape out in the very middle of the Bay of Fundy, with the highest tides on earth in motion all around.

I did that a couple of years ago and I don't even hike!

Also, be sure to drive from Halifax out to Peggy's Cove for lunch or dinner (eat by the lighthouse, of course).