PEI & Nova Scotia Honeymoon
 

My fiance and I are considering going to PEI and Nova Scotia for our honeymoon this September (17th - 22nd) and I am looking for any recommendations on what to see/do from those who have been there or live in this beautiful part of the country.

We are 25 years old and open to anything. We would like to play a few games of golf, take in a day at the spa, and do some hiking as well as take in the sites - I would love a local perspective on this!

Any recommendations on an itinerary and places to stay would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks so much!

I will be in PEI for my third visit this July. We are staying at Dalvay by the Sea. I fell in love with it two years ago and look forward to staying there. On my last trip I stayed at Kindred Spirits and the Inn at Bay Fortune. Loved them both.

Best wishes on your wedding.

Hi, I really endorse Nova Scotia as a honeymoon destination.

It isn't on the way to anywhere, so won't be constantly overrun by society moving about.

There is nature all around, and very pleasant weather. The pace of things most interesting in Nova Scotia moves slowly, and that seems just the ticket for honeymooners.

I'm familiar with Nova Scotia, but not so much familiar with what ""they"" (meaning 'society') say constitutes a pleasant honeymoon locale.

My first instinct about it would see you flying into Halifax and then driving to Cape Breton and finding some well-located hotel near/on the Cabot Trail for most of your time in NS.

IF flying to Halifax... perhaps the nights as follows:

17th Halifax area

18-19-20th Cabot Trail, in one locale.

21st-22nd Halifax area again

Enroute from northern Nova Scotia to Halifax, turn off at Truro and at least witness the impressive tides in the Bay of Fundy.

I'm not a hiker, per se, but I loved hiking to the end of "Cape Split"... (drive to Wolfville, then out as far as you can on the nearby cape, park the car and hike 2 1/2 hours each way to the end of "Cape Split"). Upon arrival you'll be out in the middle of the Bay of Fundy, with powerful sea water all around, in what can be quite a windy spot, with nearby cover from the wind.

I can't give specifics on golf, but such opportunities should be easy to research online.

I think it is a great idea for a honeymoon destination. (it seems more special for NOT being someplace that you might merely 'pass through' on the way to somewhere else in the future)

Northwest Male,

Thank you for your feedback! Do you think we could reasonably add a few days in PEI instead of returning back to Halifax? Have you been there?

Thanks,
Sandy

cmcfong,

Thank you for the hotel recommendations. What are your favorite things to do while in PEI?

Sandy

Hi, If you're interested in the Island try looking through their tourism website. http://www.gov.pe.ca/visitorsguide/i...number=1014593

There are many fine golf courses there, some are said to be the best in the world. I know that at Crowbush, the Inn at St. Peter's and Brudenell you can find both golf, fine dining and accommodation and most (but check) have on site spas as well.

One nice thing to do as well: there are no longer any trains running on the Island but the rail lines have been converted into bike trails - beautiful way to explore.

Are you flying into the area? if yes, I assume Halifax Airport?

Sandy, I love to hike and bike. The Confederation Trail on PEI is ideal for either. The beaches are gorgeous. The fresh seafood is wonderful. There is a spa near the Inn at Bay Fortune, but I haven't visited it. PEI and Nova Scotia (also returning there this summer) are wonderful destinations and the time of year you have selected is ideal!
I will be staying at Hillsdale House for the Nova Scotia portion of the trip. It does look lovely, but this will be my first stay with them so I cannot make a recommendation. In Halifax we are staying at Cambridge Suites, which doesn't look like a real honeymoon destination. There are several excellent resources on this board who will be able to give you some good ideas. Happy travels.

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Tanya, we haven't booked our flights yet but Halifax will likely be our starting point. We will be flying in and renting a car from there.

Hi, I have been to PEI... and because you are talking about a honeymoon, AND because you only have five-ish days total, I don't think that I would go at the same break-neck pace that (I myself might take-on if traveling alone in that area).

Maybe honeymoons have lost some of their tradition in modern times, but it still seems to ***matter*** much more than a 5-nights-at-5-different-hotels whirlwind tour usually does.

IF there is more to your PEI interest (like, say, you loved Anne of Green Gables book) then I can understand and upgrade the importance of going there.

IF you spend two days over on PEI, then you put yourself quite a way from Halifax when it comes time to fly home.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand of course, I'd say to anyone going over to PEI, that s/he should dart around the corner through Moncton and down to "Hopewell Cape" to see the "Flower Pot Rocks" (Google that term).

It is just never-ending once you get going.

I think that Cape Breton, NS and especially the Cabot Trail is/are beautiful enough to make for lasting memories. Furthermore, the mighty FOG in the area might make you glad that you had all of 3 days up north, and perhaps even added time to barter with depending...

I understand that this is youuuuuuuur big event to plan... and would help you with detailed info no matter what YOU decide. I've posted lots of Nova Scotia-related stuff on this board, so just click on my name and read back a few (years).

Hope we can help you have a great honeymoon.

Assuming you arrive on the 17th and depart on the 22nd, it doesn't give you much time to explore too many places. I would opt for either just doing PEI or spend the time in Halifax and do a couple of day trips. The other option would be to do the Cabot Trail for 3 days - great golfing, scenery, hiking.

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if you could please take a look over our proposed itinerary for NS/PEI and let me know if this is realistic or too ambitious? We've added an extra day as well. Thx!

Monday, Sept 17
Arrive Halifax

Tuesday, Sept 18
Halifax

Wednesday, Sept 19
Drive to PEI
Enroute we'd like to stop and see the Bay of Fundy but we won’t have time to spend an entire day at Hopewell Rocks. Therefore, I would appreciate any recommendations of places along the Fundy shore worth stopping at to see the tide. It looks like low tide that day will be around noon.

Thursday, Sept 20
PEI

Friday, Sept 21
Drive to Cape Breton via Pictou ferry

Saturday, Sept 22
Cape Breton

Sunday, Sept 23
Cape Breton

Monday, Sept 24
Drive back to Halifax and fly home

Thoughts? Any recommendations for places to stay along the way (especially in Cape Breton) would be greatly appreciated!

Caveat: my DH and I lived in PEI for 2 1/2 years and travelled frequently to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Your itinerary is a bit tight, but doable if you really want to see all. I agree with the others that one week is just not enough to do both PEI and Cape Breton/NS. You'll only get a taste of everything and you probably won't relax all that much due to the driving (e.g. it's about a 4-5 drive from Halifax to Charlottetown). And speaking from experience, the worst thing on your honeymoon is not relaxing because you're travelling around everywhere and bound to a schedule. If you're leaving soon after the wedding, you'll be exhausted from all the festivities and you'll need rest.

We are also heading to PEI and Cape Breton for our vacation (driving from Ottawa) and we're taking a total of 2 weeks, spending 5 days in each place and the rest driving.

If it were me, I'd choose either PEI or Cape Breton, with a day or two in Halifax.

That's my honest opinion :)

I totally agree with the above post - spend either your time in PEI or CB - but don't try to do both unless you simply like to keep moving and not relax. In regards to Hopewell Rocks - a bit out of the way to PEI. The other alternative would be to travel the Glooscap Trail from Truro to Parrsboro and then cut across to Amherst and the Confederation Bridge. The Glooscap Trail will provide you with the opportunity to see the low tides.

Hi, another agreement with pavfec and Tanya. Too much moving around for a short honeymoon.

Hiya,

First of all, you wouldn't want to "spend an entire day at Hopewell Rocks". Part of the pain of that destination is that it is best experienced at two different points (high and low tide) which are six hours apart.

In a perfect world you pass through one day at low tide, and then, somehow, just happen to be near on another day at high tide.

My first instinct is to have you stay the first night in Halifax, and then set out the next day (rather than waiting a day) toward PEI.

I enjoy the drive between Truro and Parrsboro along the bay shore, but it is NOT especially a place for tide experiences. For you, I'd still go that way enroute from Halifax to PEI.

I guess your time to be impressed by the tides in the area shall be limited to parking at the beach at low tide, and walking clear to H*** and gone to get to the water's edge. If lucky you'll see an ocean-going boat sitting on the sand at low tide while tied to a dock 30 feet above it.

Halifax to Truro is about an hour on a quick freeway, then you'd turn off and maybe drive 40-45mph from Truro to Parrsboro and then up from there.

Note: the timing of the tides at Hopewell Cape totally sucks on that Tuesday evening, so I wouldn't bother going down that way when going toward PEI. (and since you're coming back a different way, perhaps Hopewell Cape is out for you)

So Weds. you wake up on PEI... spend all day sightseeing then stay overnight on PEI again on Weds night, with another day of sightseeing to follow.

IF you can get away on Thursday evening (meaning "off the island" and on your way toward the next destination)... then you can get a jump on getting to Cape Breton.

So say you stay in Pictou, or Antigonish, or somewhere on that Thursday night.

Friday you drive northward to whatever destination you select for a 3-night stay.

Then HOPEfully your flight out on Monday is late enough to give you time for a 4-hour, 220-MILE drive from, say, Baddeck to Halifax.

This suggestion doesn't get you to Hopewell Cape, which really is unique, and it doesn't even leave you any time for exploring Halifax.

While a cutesy city and the largest in its area, I think that a honeymoon in Nova Scotia need not include too much depth in Halifax.

That first night there you can walk along Spring Garden Road and eat at some random spot, and then walk around the kinda-sorta-smallish downtown area before getting to bed for your long days ahead.

Oh, I just thought of something... if there is time, consider renting bicycles on PEI... because it is quite the awesome area for bicycling. (mentioned after re-reading your "we are 25 years old and open to anything")


If Hopewell Cape is of major interest, then you would consider doing your two destinations in REVERSE order to see if the tides are more cooperative then.

DO NOT go there at high tide if that is your only trip through. go to Google IMAGES and put "Flower Pot Rocks" in quotes to see photos of the area.

The area really is lovely, and I know that I would be quite (in love with myself) if I could have a honeymoon there, so it remains a very good idea.

My itinerary modifications do hurry you along a bit, but that also has the benefit of allowing for the POS-SI-BIL-I-TY of Nova Scotia FOG slowing down some of the trip.

I can't offer any particulars on romantic spots for the 3 nights in (most probably the Baddeck area, at the same abode) but I know others here at Fodors constantly have ideas for those (check other threads).

With regard to PEI... the island isn't THAT big, and doesn't have too many people, so you'd be surprised at how much territory you can cover in a day. Furthermore, since your departure route will take you to the southeast corner of the island, that gives you reason to see a bit of PEI that my trip didn't inspire me to see.

You can DO the trip you want... but I have such strong instincts that you'd do best to push yourself like crazy when BETWEEN spots, and then land at hotels for multiple nights when suitable.


Maybe an idea would be to plan and reserve nights 2, 3, and 4 near Baddeck & Cape Breton and then leave the rest for AD-Libbing while you're there ~ play it by ear and go to PEI if you want, and staying around if you want.

It'll be September in the Maritimes and lodging won't be especially crowded after Labo(u)r Day, so you won't likely need reservations, especially in a city like Charlottetown.

So this way, Friday you'd awaken near Cape Breton and could leave whenever you wanted. Guess you'd do best to take the ferry from Pictou toward PEI, saving a lot of driving and gas money vs. the bridge.

Eventually you might leave PEI on SUNDAY at some point, and if the tides are right (low tide at Hopewell Cape = 4:18pm, on Sunday, Sept 23) then you'd take the Confederation Bridge, then go toward Moncton, then down to Hopewell Cape, and would face a 3-hour drive of nearly 200 miles upon leaving Hopewell Cape. (30-45 minutes there, looking around and taking memorable pictures would be about all you'd need).

Say you left Hopewell Cape @ 5pm or so... you could go the long way cutting off at Amherst, NS down to Parrsboro and then along the bay to Truro. (Hopewell Cape to Parrsboro = about 95 miles and two hours)

Only trouble in that plan is scheduling a meal in there somewhere (perhaps in Moncton beFORE you go down to Hopewell Cape??).

All right, I'm through making guesses for this entry. (lets see how long it is now {pushes button} )

That late in September alot of things are closed in PEI -- it is a very short season.

I would not miss exploring more of Nova Scotia--including the southern half of the province. There are some great destination-type accommodations, including Trout Point Lodge and Queene Anne Inn. In Halifax, consider the Haliburton or Prince George Hotel.

As far as places to stay, I would agree with the Halliburton and Prince George in Halifax, also the Waverly. In Annapolis Royal, yes to the Queen Anne. In Cape Breton, Lantern Hill & Hollow is you want a private romantic cottage on the beach or Keltic Lodge is you want more old world luxury (great highlands links golf and an Aveda Spa). Both of these are in the Ingonish area. And, for the very best honeymoon suite, check out the Attic Suite at the Mariner King Inn in Lunenburg.....another destination you should consider.

But no matter where you go or stay, always tell them that you're on your honeymoon when making the reservation. You'll probably always get some sort of "freebie" like a room upgrade, champagne, etc.

September is the very best month weather-wise in Nova Scotia. You'll have a great time where ever you stay. And congratulations on your upcoming marriage!

Thank you everyone for your feedback! We really appreciate it!