Nova Scotia trip
 

We are seniors planning a trip to Novia Scotia from Cleveland, OH. We are trying to cram a lot into 14 days.
AAA itinerary - with some adjustments from us:
Day 1 & 2 travel to Brunswick, ME
Day 3 - Acadia Natl Park on to St. Andrews
Day 4 - St. Andrews
Day 5 - St. Andrews to Halifax
Day 6 - Halifax to Port Hastings
Day 7 - Port Hastings to St. Ann
Day 8 - St. Ann to Cheticamp
Day 9 - Cheticamp to Caribou to Wood Islands (Charlottetown)
Day 10 - Charlottetown to Bangor
Days 11 - 13 working our way home.

Any suggestions for better route, longer stays in some places, best way to book lodging, etc. would be appreciated.

We leave 8/11!!

Thanks
Grandmacindy

I hope you have a wonderful time in our beautiful part of the world. I see that you will be going from Halifax to Port Hood and I am assuming spending the night there. Well just a suggestion why not drive an extra hour or so and go on into Baddeck which is near St. Ann and then the next day head on around the trail. In my opinion it is a waste of time staying in Port Hood as Baddeck is much nicer and go into the town and the Alexander Bell museum and see the beautiful Bras d'or Lakes. From Baddeck head onto up around the trail. We stayed at a place in Cheticamp (there was 5 of us and we had rented a house for just $115.00 we all had our own beds and if not mistaken it was 3 or bedrooms. We had booked a motel but the manager said we would be more comfortable in the house, that was very nice of him. If you are interested I will try and find the name of the Motel. All along the trail is beautiful and if you are going thru St. Ann and up to Cheticamp they say that is the most beautiful scenery then leaving from Baddeck the Big Red Barn exit although St. Ann isn't far down the road. What ever way I know you will love the country side and please have a safe and happy trip. I will be heading down that way in September.

Thanks for the info. It wasn't Port Hood - it was Port Hastings or Port Hawkesbury. We would then go along the east side to Louisbourg, Sydney, etc. Would it make sense to park in Baddeck for a couple of days and take day trips?

If you find the name of the motel that would be great - sounds like the manager was a good person.

Why Port Hastings? or, Port Hawkesbury?Agree totally w/ Cape Bretoner that you have to see the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island. When you leave Halifax, why not head for Baddeck ( about 4 hours). Stay in Baddeck that night. Next day begin the Cabot Trail. I like to do it "counter-clockwise" from Baddeck but if you do a search here you will see that opinion is divided on that. I also like to stay in Ingonish & explore the trails & beaches in that area. Then next day continue along the Cabot Trail down to Cheticamp & back to Baddeck. It really wld be an awful shame for you to be that close & not do The Cabot Trail which IMHO is the main reason to visit Cape Breton! ;) Have a great trip! Mid- August is a very nice time to be there.

Thanks,

Fully intend to do the Cabot Trail. That was part of the idea of staying in St Ann's and then moving on to Cheticamp. This gives us a couple of days to explore Cape Breton IS the way I read the maps. Sounds like you both suggest Baddeck over St. Ann??

Yes, it would make sense to stay in Baddeck and take day-trips to Louisbourg, Ingonish, the Cabot trail.

Do you have the Nova Scotia Government publication "Doers and Dreamers Guide"? It has a ton of details of everything, and lists all accommodations.

I would do St. Andrews, Halifax, Baddeck, maybe Cheticamp, PEI, maybe a stop along the Lighthouse Route (maybe Lunenburg) then take the ferry from Yarmouth to either Bar Harbour or Portland then home.

I was glad to see that others agreed with me on going into Baddeck, I would have felt very bad giving you the wrong advice. The name of the motel in Cheticamp is Fraser's Motel & Cottage 902-224-2411. Looking back it was $115.00 and that was including tax. If you go into Louisbourg prepare to spend the day and bring a sweater as the weather changes fast and you are off the ocean. I just loved it there. We stayed at a motel in Ingonish that was very nice and a lot cheaper than Keltic Lodge. It is Glenghorm Beach Resort. www.glenghormbeachresort.com it was a beautiful spot and you can walk down and sit on their lawn chairs and enjoy the view or swim. Oh yeah don't forget to try their fish platter, I live in Quebec and can't get it here so when I go home it seems that every restaurant I go I order the same thing.
Last year I went around the trail with 4 other lady friends and left the husbands home. It sounds like you will have a great trip. Have fun.

Thanks everyone so much. I do have Doer's and Dreamers (it is a bit overwhelming!) and I had advice from a native of Nova Scotia about what to see. It was what towns to stay in that was a problem and AAA was not that much help.

I should have found this forum earlier. You have been so much help. Looks like we will try for two nights in Baddeck. After Cape Breton, on to PEI. Our return route is determined by some US stops we want to make. (Have ancestors who settled in ME in the 1600's). I know we will have a great time.

How about one night in Baddeck & one in Ingonish? You can "look @ the sea" @ Glenghorm while your Husband plays golf @ The Highlands Golf Course...one of the most spectacular courses in the world! Even if you don't play golf, you may want to consider "going along for the ride" or walking if carts are not req'd. Also consider staying @ Keltic Lodge in Ongonish &/or having lunch/dinner there. It is located on a penisula that juts out into the Atlantic & is absolutely beautiful. You are surrounded by water.

Keltic Lodge in Ingonish