Are the Atlantic Provinces worth a family vacation? Would kids be bored there?

We are comtemplating a 10 day trip flying into Halifax. Must see Cape Breton and PEI. WOuld like to see Bay of Fundy and south NS coast. Is all of this possible in 7 days? The last 3 days of the trip I want to go to Quebec City and fly home from there?

Does anyone know about the train between Halifax and Quebec City? Fun? Is driving better? The car rental is running $1000 per week right now which is just too costly.

Is the Gaspe better than Cape Breton?

ABSOLUTLEY UNEQUIVOCALLY!!!!!!!
Worth the time and great for families.

How old are your kids?
PEI is the best place for kids, Cape Breton would be a close second.
The train is out of the question (hugely expensive and inconvenient)
Rent a car. There are some not too expensive cottages in PEI (Cavendish by the Sea for example) that are on the ocean. You can take the kids down to the shore any time and collect shells and wander and there is nothing better.
At night in Cavendish you can take them to the boardwalk for ice cream at Cows and if even the little amusement parks (Sandspit) can keep them entertained and the view from the top of the ferris wheel is second to none.

ok, I now have some concrete information. We are flying into Quebec City early afternoon. Plan to spend three nights there.

One way car rentals are extremely expensive for a full week so I booked a one-way rental for one day - still $200 for that one day but I will beeline it to Halifax in one day then turn around and book a week rental for $160. Total rental price is $400 as opposed to $1000 by doing it this way.

Once in Halifax I plan on driving either up to PEI or to Ignomish for three nights. Then I will drive to the other for 2/3 nights. And finally spend 1/2 nights in or near Halifax with a side trip to Peggy Cove.

Is this ok or too much?

Quebec City/Montreal and the outer regions of the province deserve more than 3 days. I would recommend you do either this area or the Atlantic Provinces, not both.

How old are your kids? Halifax - you could spend several days here with lots to do. PEI - definitely the beaches, amusement parks, etc. would take a few days. The kids would enjoy Hopewell Rocks, Moncton there is Crystal Palace and the beach in Shediac is awesome. Cape Breton - depending on their ages - Fortress Louisbourg, Miners Museum, hiking.

yeah, I'm torn b/c I've dreamed of going to both places but I'm beginning to rethink the idea of both.

Opinions will all depend, of course, on varying tastes and interests. I have visited Atlantic Canada 6 times, and often stop enroute in Quebec City. I have also travelled to Quebec City separately. I find I enjoy a stay of 2 to 3 nights maximum in QC. If seeing Montreal and/or other points in Quebec appeals to you, more time would be warranted.

However, as much as I really like QC, I think Nova Scotia is one of the best vacation destinations in North America. Halifax is a exceptionally nice small city with a vibrant waterfront district. Cape Breton Island is simply spectacular - the Cabot Trail is one of the top scenic drives anywhere, especially through the CP Highlands National Park. Ingonish is a good base for exploring & day-tripping the NP - beaches for the kids, nature trails, wildlife viewing, beautiful scenery, and you can visit Baddeck from here if you want.
The Lightouse Route south of Halifax has many beautiful sandy beaches (although water here is often cold - but doesn't usually deter young ones from wading in the shallows). Also picturesque harbours and villages. As mentioned, PEI is also known for beaches. I'm not sure how much you could fit into 7 days. I think Ingonish warrants at least 3 nights (and could easily spend a week in Cape Breton) although, maybe in a pinch, 2 nights can give you a "taste". From a base in Halifax, you could daytrip some of the Lighthouse Route sites and beaches. This might allow you to fit in a couple of nights in PEI also (although that's a lot of moving around in a short time). Bay of Fundy will be difficult to fit in - maybe a quick stop enroute between QC and NS at Hopewell Rocks (although it's a long drive as it is between the two). And I feel Bay of F is best appreciated when you can stay long enough to see the dramatic contrast between low and high tides, although you might enjoy a quick stop at Hopewell Rocks anyway. Other option is day trip out of Halifax up to the Fundy Shore. It will be a busy week, with quite a lot of driving - but the "scenic drives" are a major reason for going to NS in the first place. Take your time, make lots of stops, and you should have fun. Oh - when are you planning to visit?

Well, I'm confused.

Are you flying from somewhere to Quebec city,a nd driving to Halifax? Flying to Halifax? Flying from Halifax to Quebec City?

Anyway, ten days:

Day one, Fly to Quebec City. When you areeive really matters where you can go and what you can see that day.

STay there that night, and see the city.

Day two, drive to Moncton, down the New Brunswick coast, with is way more intresting when driving than the St. John River Valley through Fredericton.

Day 3. Take the kids to Parlee Beach, just the other side of Shedica, spend most of the day there, and then drive to Charlottetown for the night.

Day four. Drive up to Cavendish, enjoy the beach, and take the ferry back to the mainland, in Nova Scotia.

BEACH NOTE; some maritme water is wonderful, more of less. Still colder than Florida, but fine in the summer. Other maritime water is freezing, and you'll be looking for ice bergs. Parlee Beach and Cavendish are the good beaches.

Day five. Drive to Halifax, by heading to the ATlantic coast and following the coast to the city. Stay for the nights of day five and day six in Halifax, with a side trip to Peggy's Cove.

Day seven; drive down the coast, around the tip, and up through the Annapolis Valley. You might keep going to the same hotel in Moncton, if you liked it.

Day eight; Drive to Fundy National Park, then to St. John, and up to Fredericton. STay the night.

Day nine; drive to Quebec City along the boring route, but stop in a couple of the small towns along the south shore of the St. Lawrence. St. Jean Port Joli is famous for wood cutters.

The night of day nine is back in Quebec City.

Day ten. See the parts of QC you missed upon arrival, get the car retunrened, get to the airport early, etc., and go home.

YOU WILL HAVE MISSED -- Cape Breton, probably the Hiopewell Rocks although you could stop on the way to Funday, missed a lobster supper in PEI, and not spent hours in various parks. But the kids will have enjoyed the two best beaches, and you'll have had a ferry ride, the long bridge drive to PEI, see lobster boats and fishing docks, and a lot of trees plus a fair bit of coastline.

I've driven from Toronto to Moncton a dozen times. It's longer than you think, and boring if you don't stop and enjoy what you are whizzing by.

Skip Quebec City, and you add Cape Breton, and you slow down everywhere else. Or add a couple of days.

BAK

Wow, thanks for the wealth of information and advice.

To answer some questions:
As it stands right now we are going next June. Have tickets on hold to fly into Quebec City and out of Halifax from another city. Oneway rental car rates from QC to Halifax are extremely expensive which is why I planned to make that drive in one long day to only incur a one day rental rate. I would drop the car off the next day and re-rent another car in Halifax and turn it back in at Halifax for the return flight home. This would save hundreds of $$$.

My plan, although fluid, was to fly into QC (early afternoon), spend two nights. I would pick the rental car up sometime around the morning of the 3rd day and drive all day to halifax to return the car and pick up another car (overnight in Halifax). It's not ideal to drive past PEI to return a car to halifax but it saves hundreds of dollars.

From there I would drive up to baddeck or somewhere near Cape breton for 3 nights, ferry over to PEI for three nights. Then drive onto halifax for another 2 nights and day trip to Lunenberg, etc.

I have begun to have second thoughts. I really want to see QC but don't know that it is worth all the extra driving and increased running.

Now I am contemplating flying into and out of halifax, and doing a giant loop. Driving north to Cape Breton, on to PEI, down to Fundy, and loop around Digby to Lunenberg, Peggys Cove etc.

What do you think?

Thanks for all the help!

Staying in the maritimes makes a lot more sense to me.

Driving time example: I left Moncton one morning about 10, driove fast, barely stiopped, and got to QC early evening. Checked into a hotel, went to the old city for dinner. Add three more hours to think of this as a Halifax-Quebec City trip.

Me? I'd rather go to Cape Breton than Quebec City, but then again, I've been to QC a dozen times.

TRAIN; train fares get high, but there is a train through Quebec City, late in the evening I beieve, that you'd sleep on -- an adventure for kids -- and arrive in Halifax the next afternoon.

Look for VIA Rail, and the train is The Ocean.

BAK

BAK

yeah, i checked into the train also. I have just rescheduled my tickets to fly into and out of halifax.

I have 11 nights around Cape Breton, Halifax, and PEI. Accomodations suggestions under $100 per night?

Also, I keep hearing people talk about Moncton?? Know nothing about it - what is there? It seems like a name that keeps appearing but I haven't done a search yet on it.

Should I include Fundy for the kids? Or am I not missing much? I don't want to go out of the way if I don't have to. PEI, Cape Breton, and Lunenberg are all the "can't miss" places on my list.

Where is the best place to get a whale watch tour? Is this worthwhile? Guarantee whale sightings? Sea sick? How about the Blue Nose or some sailing ship?

Thanks again for all the help.

Moncton has the tidal bore... but were it not a place you just HAD to pass through/near as you got from NS to Hopewell Cape, it wouldn't get much attention at all.

It has really grown in just the past decade or so, but I can't recall much of anything about it aside from the tidal bore that really drew me there.

And yeah, while I can really relate to the urge to go to Quebec, that maddening one-way drive of which you speak (while wisely thought out) would be a tough one (650 miles almost if you stay in Canada via Riviere-du-Loup, and 520-ish if you go through Maine).

And to your cost estimates, you'd have to add the cost of gas on that one-way trip, AND the cost of backtracking.

I DO agree that you could make that trip in a 24-hour rental car day, but unfortunately the maritimes aren't exactly made for fast-and-direct travel.

And I'm guessing that Quebec-to-Halifax direct flights just don't happen (conveniently, if at all). There isn't anything wrong with a multi-destination plane ticket in this day of do-it-yourself booking.

Unfortunately you probably have to transfer planes (???) in some other city, which would slow you down.

Anyway, I think your kids will be quite content with much of the maritimes.

northwestmale - thanks. I've noticed your well detailed info on other threads and was wondering when you would comment. i have another thread entitled - Maritime route critique. This is my newest plan - I would appreciate any feedback.

Moncton, a fine city to be born in, as was I, but unless you want to go by my grandparent's old house, and see my grandfather's old office, and see what's built where my Aunt Gracie used to live... well, there's the tidal bore, well worth seeing if you happen to be there at the right time, and Magnetic Hill, which has a zoo and actually is fun for the kids -- you car rolls uphill there.

Otherwise, Moncton's main claim to fame is that it is the largest city, with the best hotels and motels, and the best restaurants, anywhere nearby.

So, a good place to stay on your way to other places. I think there's a good indoor waterslide, too.

And Nova SCotia used to have no Sunday shopping, so Moncton prospered on Sunday's, thanks to visitors from Nova Scotia.

Near Moncton is Hopewll Rocks (my grandmother was born near there), Funday Park, and, best of all, Shediac and Parlee Beach.

How old are the children?

BAK

just officially booked my air.

I traveled quite a bit and someone once asked me if I had a favorite country - "Canada", I said. And I've only been to the Rockies and West Coast. Finally I will get to Canada's east coast!

BAK, perhaps I'll stop by if you have friends or family willing to give me a free homecooked meal Otherwise I think I'll pass.

My boys are 4 and 11

What time in June are your travelling? June typically isn't a beach month. In July there are usually a large host of exhibitions and festivals happening around NS.

With the kids ages, there is lots for them to do in and around Halifax. Take the Harbour Hopper tour, explore Citadel Hill, there is a ship's playground on the waterfront, stop in the Freak Lunchbox for a candy experience, Discovery Centre, hand-cut french fries in front of the Library, take a ferry ride to Dartmouth, explore Peggy's Cove and go rock jumping, Lawrencetown beach to watch the surfers, Natural History Museum, skate park at the Commons.

They would definitely enjoy PEI especially the Cavendish area.

thank you - great information! We are going in early-mid June.

Dont go to Moncton.

But if you now are planning to hit Cape Breton and are not going to Quebec city, you really should go to the Fortress of Louisburg. This will give you a similar feel and is a great historic tour for the kids and you. Plan for about a half day or day there. Well worth it.

I see now on the other thread you have going that you dont want to go to the Fortress of Louisburg.
It is nothing like Saint Augustine (no comparison whatsoever). More similar to the the Quebec City feel of time and the programs they have for families are really good. I think if youve got kids, this would be a lot more interesting than the south shore of Nova Scotia which will be a lot of driving.

is there a site for the Fort to view activities?

My only issue with the Fort was from previous experience at fort de soto and the one at St. Augustine. Cool for an hour or two if you are there but I wouldn't go out a couple hours out of my way...