NS, PEI and the Bay of Fundy all in 2weeks?
Dec 14th, 2010, 08:58 AM
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NS, PEI and the Bay of Fundy all in 2weeks?
Travelling in the month of September and need some ideas on how to plan to see a little more than the highlights! I have been reading on here and there are so many great ideas! I am interested in staying in B&B's, visiting local crafters, history museums, Listening to the music and taking in the spectacular views. My dilemma is not knowing how to start this road trip and how long to allow in each spot and with so many choices of places to stay how does one decide? I would like to not be on the move everyday to a new "camp" but rather base somewhere for a few nights here and there. Any suggestions? I'm also thinking it would be fun to avoid some of the tourist "traps" if there is such a thing and explore some of the off beaten track. Any ideas? Suggestions for good food and great lodging? Thanks.....
Dec 14th, 2010, 01:07 PM
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Depending on which side of the Bay of Fundy... something like this would work.
Fly into Halifax, and from here explore North-East along th Atlantic coast, returning to Halifax at night. Several nights.
Then drive along the south- west, and spend a couple of night in Yarmouth or Digby. This gives you a chance to see old fishing villages and the NS side of the Bay opf Fundy. Several nights.
Drive to PEI. Pretty long drive from Yarmouth, less of a drive from Digby. Go into New Brunswick and explore around Sackville, and take the bridge to PEI. Charlottetown is probablyt ehbest bet for several nights.
Ferry back to Nova Scotia, and drive to Baddeck. A couple of nights there, and back to Halifax and fly away.
Last summer the CanadianLiberal politicalparty met there for a few days, and journalists I know thought Baddeck was a great place to relax and wait until the politicians came out of the meeting rooms.
The "one place for several days idea" would work well in Halifax, Charlottetown, and Baddeck, biut for the Yarmouth - Digby - PEI segment I'd pick a new place along the route eachnight.
BAK
Fly into Halifax, and from here explore North-East along th Atlantic coast, returning to Halifax at night. Several nights.
Then drive along the south- west, and spend a couple of night in Yarmouth or Digby. This gives you a chance to see old fishing villages and the NS side of the Bay opf Fundy. Several nights.
Drive to PEI. Pretty long drive from Yarmouth, less of a drive from Digby. Go into New Brunswick and explore around Sackville, and take the bridge to PEI. Charlottetown is probablyt ehbest bet for several nights.
Ferry back to Nova Scotia, and drive to Baddeck. A couple of nights there, and back to Halifax and fly away.
Last summer the CanadianLiberal politicalparty met there for a few days, and journalists I know thought Baddeck was a great place to relax and wait until the politicians came out of the meeting rooms.
The "one place for several days idea" would work well in Halifax, Charlottetown, and Baddeck, biut for the Yarmouth - Digby - PEI segment I'd pick a new place along the route eachnight.
BAK
Dec 14th, 2010, 03:21 PM
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My plan is to fly into Halifax and start there for about 3 nights and then begin the journey from there. I am looking at a rental car to move around. I'm really interested in spending some time in some of the little quaint B&B's that are out there as well. Someone (on another forum) suggested placing a map on a big piece of cardboard and pinning the places they would like to visit, I think I will give that a go as it might help with an itinerary. Thanks for the tips, look forward to hearing more! As I have no idea what the relative distance between places is, the idea of staying in different places might turn out to be a fun thing!
Dec 15th, 2010, 05:13 AM
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We visited the Maitime prov.in 2009 so here was our tour;
sept; 8+9 halifax
= 10 lunenburg
= 11 annapolis royal
= 12 truro
= 13 alma
= 14+15 saint john
= 16 st andrews
= 17 fredericton
= 18 miramichi-newcastle
= 19+20 charlottetown
= 21 summerside
= 22 baddeck
= 23 cheticamp
= 24+25 ingonish
= 26+27 louisbourg
= 28 antigonish
= 29 sherbrooke-halifax and back to belgium.
We had a fantastic time, great weather, many roads in N.Scotia are in a very bad state but we made it without breaking an axle.The people of the maritimes are the friendliest ones we met on our tours in the US and Canada.The tour above is about 3500 km.Paul
sept; 8+9 halifax
= 10 lunenburg
= 11 annapolis royal
= 12 truro
= 13 alma
= 14+15 saint john
= 16 st andrews
= 17 fredericton
= 18 miramichi-newcastle
= 19+20 charlottetown
= 21 summerside
= 22 baddeck
= 23 cheticamp
= 24+25 ingonish
= 26+27 louisbourg
= 28 antigonish
= 29 sherbrooke-halifax and back to belgium.
We had a fantastic time, great weather, many roads in N.Scotia are in a very bad state but we made it without breaking an axle.The people of the maritimes are the friendliest ones we met on our tours in the US and Canada.The tour above is about 3500 km.Paul
Dec 18th, 2010, 02:24 PM
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmph... 2 weeks, 13 nights...
Well, lets start by finding suitable "base" camps, perhaps 4 of them:
Baddeck is a no-brainer for perhaps the most important one
Halifax area makes sense as another
Charlottetown, probably...
and the other, should likely be somewhere within hailing distance of "Hopewell Cape", NB.
Despite my having just now critiqued Moncton on another thread, I might still suggest that as a spot to land for a couple of nights, just so you can watch the tidal bore and, most importantly, so you can make an easy run down to Hopewell Cape.
In a perfect world you could just do Hopewell Cape on a day trip, and not spend so much time in that area. But in this case the moon has to align ideally for just a journey - because it is tied to the TIDES. Getting there at low tide is the most important move, but to be in the area at high tide affords important contrast.
IF you were to awaken in Charlottetown and drive to Hopewell Cape, it would be 2 1/2 to 3 hours... then another 3 hours toward Halifax... and that could certainly fill a busy day without having to drop anchor in/near Moncton at night.
Heck, maybe 4 nights in Baddeck, 5 in Halifax, 2 in Charlottetown, and 2 at the northwestern extreme of PEI ???
... or maybe 2 in Summerside, PEI, providing for even more convenient getaway toward Hopewell Cape at a decent hour.
Mapping it out:
Night 1 somewhere near Halifax, after flying in
Night 2 Baddeck, NS (after 4-hr drive from Halifax)
Night 3 Baddeck
Night 4 Baddeck
Night 5 Baddeck
Night 6 Charlottetown, PEI (Ferry from Pictou??)
Night 7 Charlottetown
Night 8 Summerside, PEI
Night 9 Summerside
Night 10 Halifax (after 136-min. drive to Hopewell Cape... then a 3-hour drive to Halifax)
Night 11 Halifax
Night 12 Halifax
Night 13 Halifax
FROM Halifax you can do day trips to Lunenburg, Peggy's Cove and perhaps toward Wolfville.
IF TIME ALLOWS... when enroute from Hopewell Cape back to Halifax, I like the path on Hwy #2 via Parrsboro, NS to Truro, vs. the faster and bigger highway.
Well, lets start by finding suitable "base" camps, perhaps 4 of them:
Baddeck is a no-brainer for perhaps the most important one
Halifax area makes sense as another
Charlottetown, probably...
and the other, should likely be somewhere within hailing distance of "Hopewell Cape", NB.
Despite my having just now critiqued Moncton on another thread, I might still suggest that as a spot to land for a couple of nights, just so you can watch the tidal bore and, most importantly, so you can make an easy run down to Hopewell Cape.
In a perfect world you could just do Hopewell Cape on a day trip, and not spend so much time in that area. But in this case the moon has to align ideally for just a journey - because it is tied to the TIDES. Getting there at low tide is the most important move, but to be in the area at high tide affords important contrast.
IF you were to awaken in Charlottetown and drive to Hopewell Cape, it would be 2 1/2 to 3 hours... then another 3 hours toward Halifax... and that could certainly fill a busy day without having to drop anchor in/near Moncton at night.
Heck, maybe 4 nights in Baddeck, 5 in Halifax, 2 in Charlottetown, and 2 at the northwestern extreme of PEI ???
... or maybe 2 in Summerside, PEI, providing for even more convenient getaway toward Hopewell Cape at a decent hour.
Mapping it out:
Night 1 somewhere near Halifax, after flying in
Night 2 Baddeck, NS (after 4-hr drive from Halifax)
Night 3 Baddeck
Night 4 Baddeck
Night 5 Baddeck
Night 6 Charlottetown, PEI (Ferry from Pictou??)
Night 7 Charlottetown
Night 8 Summerside, PEI
Night 9 Summerside
Night 10 Halifax (after 136-min. drive to Hopewell Cape... then a 3-hour drive to Halifax)
Night 11 Halifax
Night 12 Halifax
Night 13 Halifax
FROM Halifax you can do day trips to Lunenburg, Peggy's Cove and perhaps toward Wolfville.
IF TIME ALLOWS... when enroute from Hopewell Cape back to Halifax, I like the path on Hwy #2 via Parrsboro, NS to Truro, vs. the faster and bigger highway.
Jan 10th, 2011, 01:43 PM
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Well I have been up to my elbows in travel guides and have some ideas! I now have a total of 28 days to visit this area and I am wondering about time frames. I'm thinking 12 days in PEI exploring and 12 days in NS and Cape Breton and the rest either at the beginning or end of the trip to be spent in Halifax. Is this to long in any one area or not long enough? I'm interested in lighthouses, seeing the Margaree Valley, Hopewell Rocks and listening to some great music. At this point I have looked at a few bed and breakfasts and wondered if anyone has some of their choices to share? As long as it's clean and tidy it doesn't have to be the cream of the crop. . . suggestions? Any itinary ideas?
Jan 11th, 2011, 03:16 AM
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Places not to be missed in Nova SCotia are (in my opinion of course): Area around Peggys Cove, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Hirtles Beach (Kingsburg), Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct, Annapolis Royal, Digby Neck (for whale watching), area around Parrsboro, Halls Harbour, Cabot Trail, Baddeck, Fortress of Louisbourg, Marine Drive (especially Sherbrooke Village, Taylor Head Park, Clam Bay), Halifax. I did not find PEI too interesting, 3-4 days will be ok. But others might disaggree on that.
Jan 12th, 2011, 12:48 PM
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I was gonna say...
If I had to spend 12 days on PEI I'd be able to ride a bicycle everywhere I went (and I haven't been on a bicycle in 20 years or so! {and am not inclined to get on one anytime soon} ).
I'd sorta be in heaven if I had anywhere near to 3-ish weeks to spend in Nova Scotia.
Interesting that KarenE's list there doesn't mention Pictou, as hers is a nice, extensive list.
So, 28 days...
Lets start (MY random allocation) with
2 or 3 days somewhere near Hopewell Cape/Moncton/Fundy N.P.
4 or 5 days in Halifax
3 or 4 days on PEI
5 or 6 days divided between a couple of different spots? on Cape Breton (most don't have as much time, so I tend to suggest Baddeck as a central base, but you can approach it differently) (perhaps part in the Sydney area, and the rest on/near the Cabot Trail)
maybe 2 nights in Pictou, NS
maybe 2 nights in the Lunenburg area
maybe 2 nights in Annapolis Royal
Somewhere make some time for viewing the impressive TIDES in the Bay of Fundy from the NS side (you already have Hopewell Cape scheduled)
With as much time as you have, I'd take the entire southwestern loop via Yarmouth, NS as well, and maybe even cut across the 'middle' via Hwy #8 or Hwy #10 as well.
Can't really tell your age, or who you're going with... but if possible, a healthy hike to "Cape Split" is an ambitious effort which entails perhaps a 5-hour round-trip hike that has you right out in the middle of the Bay of Fundy, high on a windy bluff at mid-point.
I'm NOT a true hiker but I did it with a change of socks and a bottle of juice in my pocket, in March, with snow on the ground... and I didn't even need the socks until returning to the car.
When you get to the end of Cape Split, you can amaze yourself over the fact that as much water flows between you and the opposite shore in a 24 hour period as flows through ALL of the rivers on earth put together during the same time frame.
(the "Caution" sign on the stairs down to Hopewell Cape is probably all the understanding you need about the awesome tides in the area. The water flowing around the Bay of Fundy is serious stuff.)
Finally, if you find yourself still unable to fill 28 days... you can always dare the Atlantic shoreline between Canso and Halifax, where one evening of driving can feel like "28 days" at times.
The ferry at Isaacs Harbor is something else... and where else are you going to find a place called "Ecum Secum"???
Speaking of ferries, take a round-trip on the passenger ferry that goes from Halifax to Dartmouth... it's a cute little ride, and the views are pretty nice, even in the fog... oh and there WILL be fog somewhere on your trip...
If I had to spend 12 days on PEI I'd be able to ride a bicycle everywhere I went (and I haven't been on a bicycle in 20 years or so! {and am not inclined to get on one anytime soon} ).
I'd sorta be in heaven if I had anywhere near to 3-ish weeks to spend in Nova Scotia.
Interesting that KarenE's list there doesn't mention Pictou, as hers is a nice, extensive list.
So, 28 days...
Lets start (MY random allocation) with
2 or 3 days somewhere near Hopewell Cape/Moncton/Fundy N.P.
4 or 5 days in Halifax
3 or 4 days on PEI
5 or 6 days divided between a couple of different spots? on Cape Breton (most don't have as much time, so I tend to suggest Baddeck as a central base, but you can approach it differently) (perhaps part in the Sydney area, and the rest on/near the Cabot Trail)
maybe 2 nights in Pictou, NS
maybe 2 nights in the Lunenburg area
maybe 2 nights in Annapolis Royal
Somewhere make some time for viewing the impressive TIDES in the Bay of Fundy from the NS side (you already have Hopewell Cape scheduled)
With as much time as you have, I'd take the entire southwestern loop via Yarmouth, NS as well, and maybe even cut across the 'middle' via Hwy #8 or Hwy #10 as well.
Can't really tell your age, or who you're going with... but if possible, a healthy hike to "Cape Split" is an ambitious effort which entails perhaps a 5-hour round-trip hike that has you right out in the middle of the Bay of Fundy, high on a windy bluff at mid-point.
I'm NOT a true hiker but I did it with a change of socks and a bottle of juice in my pocket, in March, with snow on the ground... and I didn't even need the socks until returning to the car.
When you get to the end of Cape Split, you can amaze yourself over the fact that as much water flows between you and the opposite shore in a 24 hour period as flows through ALL of the rivers on earth put together during the same time frame.
(the "Caution" sign on the stairs down to Hopewell Cape is probably all the understanding you need about the awesome tides in the area. The water flowing around the Bay of Fundy is serious stuff.)
Finally, if you find yourself still unable to fill 28 days... you can always dare the Atlantic shoreline between Canso and Halifax, where one evening of driving can feel like "28 days" at times.
The ferry at Isaacs Harbor is something else... and where else are you going to find a place called "Ecum Secum"???
Speaking of ferries, take a round-trip on the passenger ferry that goes from Halifax to Dartmouth... it's a cute little ride, and the views are pretty nice, even in the fog... oh and there WILL be fog somewhere on your trip...
Jan 14th, 2011, 08:58 AM
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"Interesting that KarenE's list there doesn't mention Pictou, as hers is a nice, extensive list."
I didn´t forget Pictou. I do not like it too much because there is a large pulp and paper mill located on Abercrombie Point overlooking Pictou Harbour and the town of Pictou. Not only is it an eyesore but depending on the wind the whole town of Pictou really can smell awful! We could hardly breath when we were there - twice. We won´t go back, I think.
I didn´t forget Pictou. I do not like it too much because there is a large pulp and paper mill located on Abercrombie Point overlooking Pictou Harbour and the town of Pictou. Not only is it an eyesore but depending on the wind the whole town of Pictou really can smell awful! We could hardly breath when we were there - twice. We won´t go back, I think.
Jan 15th, 2011, 01:26 PM
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Hey, I like that it was pondered and omitted for a good reason.
I just wonder whether that serves to UN-rate Pictou for those traveling from distant lands, when so many people have nice things to say about the place.
(OK, perhaps NOT for overnighting... but a visit and a look around still seems worth it, especially for someone with a full 28 days to be in the area)
I just wonder whether that serves to UN-rate Pictou for those traveling from distant lands, when so many people have nice things to say about the place.
(OK, perhaps NOT for overnighting... but a visit and a look around still seems worth it, especially for someone with a full 28 days to be in the area)
