Question on Travel from Maritimes
 

I posted this on the US board, but figure someone here may have some ideas.

I'm in the very early stages of planning a trip to PEI and Nova Scotia. I think we'll drive from Toronto through Quebec on our way there. Coming back, I'm considering the CAT which goes from NS to either Portland or Bar Harbor. We'd probably want to spend 2 nights in 1 of those places (with a day to explore), then continue back home to Toronto. Drive is definitely shorter from Portland, but I know very little about either place. Any preferences?

Thanks!

Bar Harbor is quaint and beautiful--with Acadia National Park just next door. The harbour is magnificent. It is very touristy in the summer. Portland is a pleasant city--good for walking. You might also consider staying near Yarmouth, NS--one suggestion, Trout Point Lodge.

I think Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park is the best part of any trip from Toronto to the maritimes.

And I've done this by car probably a dozen times.

BAK

Thanks for the replies.

I think we've given up on the idea of the CAT because it really is quite expensive. I think we'll drive from Cape Breton to St. John, spend the night there and then go on to Portland. Or maybe we could drive from Cape Breton to Bar Harbor - but I think that's a long day. I'm going on distances from triptickets on CAA, so early stages yet.

Sometimes people drive past the interesting stuff in order to get someplace on a fixed schedule.

Cape Breton is a pretty big place, so where you are starting from makes a difference in where you can get to in a day.

That said, lower Cape Breton to New Brunswick, through Sackville, vover to Moncton, down to Hopewell Rocks, and then finishing up in St. Andrews would be a long day.

Next day into Maine, visit Bar Harbor town and Acadia National Park, and then drive downt he coast to somewhere like Boothbay Harbor.

From there, through Portland and, if you spend a long, long day, you could get back to Canada.

I'm not sure where you are straing from and need to end up at -- home.

BAK

We've spent time in St. Andrews on a previous trip. I thought we'd probably get as far as St. John when we leave Cape Breton (probably Baddeck). I've also been to St. John (on business, a few times), but that seemed like a suitable distance to drive, even if it is a bit far.

Portland to downtown Toronto seems like a very long drive, and probably more than what we want to do. So I will probably be looking to stay somewhere between the 2 places.

One thought is to give yourself some extra time to get through the border crossing at Calais going from Canada into the US. We usually take the CAT from Bar Harbour when going to NS, but we did drive back once and had to wait about 90 minutes to get through the border crossing. I do suppose it all depends on traffic and timing, but it's best to plan for a longer delay than otherwise. Perhaps there's a website somewhere which gives updated waiting times at Calais?

You asked. Us border wait times website:

http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/