dbourget

Hi all,

My husband and I (early 50s) will be in NS from Sept 2 through 12th. We'll fly in and out of Halifax and rent a car. We like to golf, sightsee, eat great food and do a little hiking. Here's our itinerary so far. Would like some advice, especially for the last few days.

Tues: fly into Halifax, staying at the Prince George; some sightseeing in Halifax
Wed: day trip to Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg; overnight at Prince George
Thurs: Marine Drive sightseeing; stopping at Sherbrooke Village; ending at Guysborough; staying at DesBarres Inn
Fri: Drive to Baddeck; golf at Bell Bay; overnight somewhere in Baddeck
Sat: Drive to Ingonish; golf at Highland Links; overnight at Seascape cottages
Sun: no plans (probably tour around, hike, relax); overnight at Seascape cottages
Mon: drive along Cabot Trail to Cheticamp; potentially golf at La Portage; not sure where to spend the night.....
Tues: not sure...potentially golf in West Bay at Dundee; end up in Pictou at Evening Sail B&B
Wed: not sure...stay again at Evening Sail B&B
Thurs: make our way back to Halifax;
Fri: depart from Halifax

So, I've got the Doers and Dreamers Guide. Not sure about the last few days. After leaving Ingonish, should we stay in Cheticamp overnight? Or should we push a bit further? Is Pictou a good place for a few nights to serve as a base to explore the Sunrise Trail area? or Antigonish? Would also like to get out on the water somewhere in a sailing boat (with someone else driving!) Should we do that in Baddeck? Pictou?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

irecommend

I like your itinerary as it is. I think you should leave the "unplanned" days as they are. Wait till you get there. Accomodations should be readily available and if it rains or something you may choose to change things up.

The Fortress of Louisburg is something you have missed and I think it is worth seeing.

I think I would do the sailing in Baddeck.
There are also lots of beautiful hikes in Cape Breton and you can get pamphlets on them when you get there.

Mabou, Inverness and Margaree are also great stops in Cape Breton.

dbourget

Thanks very much for your thoughts. Having never been to NS I wasn't sure about loding availability that time of year, so was a little anxious about leaving that open. But based on your recommendation I'll relax a bit and wing it!

LJ

It is a good itinerary as is, but you could adjust slightly. You may find that there is enough to interest you in Halifax itself that you want to spend more time in town early in your trip (For example, 'Go North', a gallery tour of North End Halifax, is on during that time and it is GREAT!)

That said, you could use your time later in the trip, just prior to departure for a more leisurely exploration of the South Shore. You currently have less than 1 day to explore Peggy's Cove, Chester, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg. I think you will find this a very whirlwind trip to see a lot of incredibly interesting coastline and marvelous small towns. Also, Lunenburg has a good golf course.

dbourget

Thanks for your input LJ. The Lunenburg area certainly looks beautiful. I thought that perhaps 1 day would make me want more! I'll certainly consider moving things around a bit.

I'm getting excited!