rootcher

Thanks for all your help so far. My husband and I have added a day to our trip so we can stay two night in PEI. We are staying 3 nights in Halifax and I want to do day trips during this time. I would love some suggestions (I know we can go to Pictou-1.5 hours from halifax. Is Cape Breton totally unreasonable???)
6/28 - Arrive in evening to Saint John, NB, spend the night at the Hyatt.
6/29 - Tour Saint John and discover other areas while driving to Halifax. Spend night in Halifax (Marriott)
6/30 - Explore Halifax and immediate areas, spend night in Halifax
7/1 - Day Trip (maybe to Pictou - any suggestions??) Last night in Halifax
7/2 - Drive to PEI via Bay of Fundy - Stay at Inn at Fortune Bay
7/3 - Explore PEI - suggestions???
7/4 - We will be returning to the halifax area and have a 1:00 flight on the 5th. I thought we could stay somewhere about an hour from Halifax as we drive back from PEI. I don't have any idea where to stay. Any suggestions?

Thanks for all your help and thanks for helping me learn to navigate this system!!!

Sandy

wow

I wld skip PEI & concentrate on NS. Cape Breton Island is absolutely spectacular but you have left no time for it! You cannot do it on a "daty trip" from Halifax. Instead of doing a day trip from Halifax to Pictou on July 1st ( July 1st is a Holiday in Canada),I wld head for Cape Breton.You cld drive Halifax to Baddeck in about 4 hours. Stay in Baddeck that night(Inverary Inn). Next day(July 2) start the Cabot Trail(clockwise direction). Drive to Ingonish and stay that night @ Keltic Lodge. Stay in "The Main Lodge" & have dinner in the Main Dining room that night. While in Ingonish, go to the beach, hike, enjoy the pool @ Keltic Lodge. Next morning(July 3), after a wonderful breakfast in the main lodge, continue along the Cabot Trail. End up back in Baddeck. Stay n Baddeck that night( July 3) Then next day (July 4) head back toward Halifax exploring along the way. July 5: Leave Halifax- 1:00PM flight. Only problem is that it may be too late for you to get reservations @ Inverary Inn & Keltic Lodge.

laverendrye

If you haven't made your hotel reservations yet, here's another suggestion. It will allow you two nights in PEI and more time in Nova Scotia. You may not have time for Cape Breton, but save that for another visit.

6/28 Arrive Saint John

6/29 Leave Saint John, follow the Fundy coast, including the Hopewell Rocks, and proceed to PEI via the Confederation Bridge. Stay in the Charlottetown area.

6/30 Tour PEI. Overnight at the Inn at Bay Fortune.

7/1 Leave PEI via the Wood Island Caribou ferry. Visit Pictou en route to Halifax

7/2 Pictou to Halifax

7/3 to 7/5 Halifax.

From Halifax, I recommend a day trip along the coast to Lunenburg, through Mahone Bay and Chester. You might also include Peggy's Cove, but it gets very crowded. Blue Rocks near Lunenburg is just as picturesque, with far fewer visitors.

The International Tattoo wll be taking place in Halifac during your visit. Don't miss it.

RubyMc

I too am heading for the Maritimes in early July and we have already bought our tickets for the Tattoo, so are sure glad to hear the rave reviews. One thing I would say is to remember to enjoy any place you go, and that you can only do so much with the time you have and your style of travelling. There will always be places you have to miss. We missed Cape Breton the last time we were in Nova Scotia, so will do that this time. thanks for the suggestions.

jodej

rootcher, having done a couple of trips to Eastern Canada, laverendrye's itinerary makes the most sense. Otherwise you will be crisscrossing over the same areas.

rootcher

thanks for all your help. Here's my problem. We have to be in Halifax the days that I wrote because we are staying with friends there and they made this part of the arrangements. So...working with those dates, should I stop somewhere that first night after Halifax (like in Charlottetown although this is just an hour from the Inn at Bay Fortune) or drive straight and stay at Pictou my last night in Canada before my flight the next morning?

Thanks,

Sandy

zztop

As tempting as it is to try and see everything, it's usually too rushed for me. On our first trip we visited Nova Scotia. If you haven't ordered one of their tourist books yet, do so. It is the most amazing free planning book that I have ever seen. Go to www.novascotia.com You can order it from there. They even have a tollfree # for all of your reservations. Once you see all of the things that there is to do and see in N.S., you may change your mind. If you can make it to Lunenburg, DO SO! Go to www.ovenspark.com We spent the day here. There are the MOST AMAZING sea caves that you can walk into. I don't think many people know about it. They were spectacular. Definately off the beaten path (most good things are) but a must see! Save Cape Breton and PEI. We did those on a 2nd trip. You won't regret it.

wow

Rootcher,Your last question is confusing....Can you post it again using dates instead of "the first night after Halifax"? Your "first night after Halifax" wld be July 2 but your "last night in Canada" wld be July 4th b/c you leave on July 5th on a 1:00PM flight. So, I do not know what you are asking!

rootcher

Sorry for the confusion. Basically, we will be staying in Halifax for the 29,30 and 1. My husband and I then have 3 more nights to either travel to PEI, stay in NS or possibly go to Cape Breton Island. So far, I have had good luck with inquiring regarding last minute reservations. I haven't tried checking any reservations in Cape Breton though. So...that's the dilemna. My husband leaves tomorrow for business and I would like to narrow this down and firm up our reservations. Thanks again for your help!!!

Sandy

wow

"....stay in NS or possibly go to Cape Breton Island"....Cape Breton is in NS.
Still don't know what your question is!
You know how I feel about being that close & missing Cape Breton!

ltt

either do pei or cape breton. you can't do both.
pictou is by the ferry that goes to pei so if you are wanting to see pictou (which i love), you don't have to make it a separate day trip. drive from halifax to pictour and either get on the ferry for pei or carry onto cape breton. personally, if you only have two nights, i'd recommend pei over cape breton. i think to enjoy it you need 3-4 nights in cape breton.

rootcher

THank you ltt. I decided to go to PEI since we only have a couple days. We will go to Pictou on the way to PEI or take another way and come back via Pictou and spend the night there and drive the distance to the airport the next day.

Thank you all for your help.

Sandy

wow

Too late now for the OP but for anybody who does a "Search" & reads this,I meant to say you shd do the Cabot Trail in a counter-clockwise direction.(not clockwise from Baddeck)