RoadTrip Toronto- PEI
Feb 21st, 2017, 04:37 AM
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RoadTrip Toronto- PEI
Hi everyone, my husband and I are planning on a road trip at the end of April, early May from just outside Toronto to PEI, we want to travel one way through the US and one way through Canada, we want to see sights on the way and while we are in PEI as well as Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. We have approx. 2 weeks give or take. A little about ourselves, we are 28 years old and have not traveled out this way before. We love food, especially seafood and anything Nature. We hope to be able to bring our two dogs with us but this is not a requirement.
Any help is greatly appreciated, looking for tips on what route to take to site see, suggest on where to stop for food, and any landmarks or must not miss things while we are there! Thanks so much!
Any help is greatly appreciated, looking for tips on what route to take to site see, suggest on where to stop for food, and any landmarks or must not miss things while we are there! Thanks so much!
Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:54 PM
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Well, for starters, it's 1050 miles from Toronto to Charlottetown (1690 km)... and a seeming 17 hour drive going <I>direct</i>.
SO IF you went on the direct path, and drove 350/560 each day, it would require 6 total days of driving of your two-ish weeks.
I guess that the first question to ask is whether you've been to Montreal or Quebec (City) before???
IF not, then you probably <b>owe</b> it to yourselves to visit those for at least a night each.
Eventually, when trying to fit everything in, you might end up sacrificing in the area of making your return trip through the U.S., particularly if you've not previously been to Montreal, QC, or even Ottawa.
Obviously any of those three warrants more than a single night, but IF you pass through one or two of those, for a night, on the way east, then you can better optimize a return path that would take you through the same general area.
Another Canada-only option for your return would be to take the faster south-western path(Fredericton) through New Brunswick on the way east, and then the northeastern path through NB on the way back home.
But OK, lets say that some workable plan puts you in Charlottetown, PE <I>after the 4th day</i> and for the <b>4th night</b> of your trip. PEI is lots of shoreline, with gentle, rolling hills and rural areas. Given your time considerations, and other interests, I guess it makes the most sense to anticipate 2 nights on PEI.
Maybe the day in between them is spent exploring the northern and western reaches of the island. The whole thing is about 150 miles tip-to-tip, so it isn't exactly <I>vast</i>. Lots of places to be <I>alone with nature</i> with plenty of wide-open spaces.
After the 2nd night on PEI you can opt to take the ferry from PEI to Pictou, NS... from which point you can head for Baddeck, NS for what should be at least 2 nights. At the first sign of a clear day, you high-tail it for the <b>Cabot Trail</b> for a complete circuit before (maybe) returning to Baddeck for the next night.
A second day on <I>Cape Breton</i> can be spend exploring Sydney and Louisbourg.
<b>Halifax</b> makes plenty of sense for those new to the area but time will tell whether you can afford the luxury of <I>two nights</i> there.
You don't want it to be a complete <i>rush job</i> returning home.
OK, so let me lay this out:
Night 1: Montreal area (after 6 hours, 350 miles)
Night 2: Quebec (City) area (after 3 hours, 160 miles)
Night 3: Fredericton, NB area (after 6 hours, 370 miles)
Night 4: Charlottetown, PE (after 4 hours, 213 miles)
<b>ON the path from Fredericton to Charlottetown it is <U>important</u> to detour one way or another to get yourself to <U>Hopewell Cape, NB</u></b> at LOW tide!
There won't be much better <I>nature</i> than that, but if the timing of the tides isn't right, you should adjust something to <b>make it right</b> for yourselves.
You first plot the tide schedule at Hopewell Cape on that <I>day number 4</i> (on which you awaken in/near Fredericton)... and then go fast, or slow, depending upon when <b>low tide</b> is on that day.
You might dawdle and take the path through <I>Fundy National Park</i> and then down to the Fundy shore, and around to Hopewell Cape... OR you might go directly from Fredericton to Moncton and then down.
Just... <b>make it happen</b>... for Hopewell Cape <b>is NOT</b> the part you want to end up skipping because you used up all of your time.
(resuming)
night 5: Charlottetown area
Night 6: Baddeck, NS (after 5 hrs, 184 miles & a ferry ride)
Night 7: Baddeck, NS (after 5 1/2 hrs. 212 miles Cabot Trail)
Night 8: (some strategic spot on the way to Halifax ??) Antigonish? / Pictou?
* Maybe resist the temptation to take the coastal path between Port Hawkesbury and Halifax... it is <b>SLOW going</b>
Night 9: Halifax, NS
Night 10: Halifax, NS
Night 11: (maybe) Miramichi, NB (after 4 hrs 15 min, 250 miles)
Night 12: (maybe) Rimouski, QC (after 4 hrs 40 min, 240 miles)
Night 13: Montreal, QC (after 6 hours, 335 miles)
Night 14: Home (after 6 hours, 340 miles)
That should afford you perhaps a night, or even two, to wiggle around with, and at least it is DO-able, with some variety to be afforded.
Obviously you could <I>really <b>make tracks</b></i> and get to the general Maritimes area in a couple of looooooo-ong days... but don't forget, you'll have to walk the dogs periodically.
Hopefully this is a reasonable blue-print from which you can make alterations to suit yourselves.
SO IF you went on the direct path, and drove 350/560 each day, it would require 6 total days of driving of your two-ish weeks.
I guess that the first question to ask is whether you've been to Montreal or Quebec (City) before???
IF not, then you probably <b>owe</b> it to yourselves to visit those for at least a night each.
Eventually, when trying to fit everything in, you might end up sacrificing in the area of making your return trip through the U.S., particularly if you've not previously been to Montreal, QC, or even Ottawa.
Obviously any of those three warrants more than a single night, but IF you pass through one or two of those, for a night, on the way east, then you can better optimize a return path that would take you through the same general area.
Another Canada-only option for your return would be to take the faster south-western path(Fredericton) through New Brunswick on the way east, and then the northeastern path through NB on the way back home.
But OK, lets say that some workable plan puts you in Charlottetown, PE <I>after the 4th day</i> and for the <b>4th night</b> of your trip. PEI is lots of shoreline, with gentle, rolling hills and rural areas. Given your time considerations, and other interests, I guess it makes the most sense to anticipate 2 nights on PEI.
Maybe the day in between them is spent exploring the northern and western reaches of the island. The whole thing is about 150 miles tip-to-tip, so it isn't exactly <I>vast</i>. Lots of places to be <I>alone with nature</i> with plenty of wide-open spaces.
After the 2nd night on PEI you can opt to take the ferry from PEI to Pictou, NS... from which point you can head for Baddeck, NS for what should be at least 2 nights. At the first sign of a clear day, you high-tail it for the <b>Cabot Trail</b> for a complete circuit before (maybe) returning to Baddeck for the next night.
A second day on <I>Cape Breton</i> can be spend exploring Sydney and Louisbourg.
<b>Halifax</b> makes plenty of sense for those new to the area but time will tell whether you can afford the luxury of <I>two nights</i> there.
You don't want it to be a complete <i>rush job</i> returning home.
OK, so let me lay this out:
Night 1: Montreal area (after 6 hours, 350 miles)
Night 2: Quebec (City) area (after 3 hours, 160 miles)
Night 3: Fredericton, NB area (after 6 hours, 370 miles)
Night 4: Charlottetown, PE (after 4 hours, 213 miles)
<b>ON the path from Fredericton to Charlottetown it is <U>important</u> to detour one way or another to get yourself to <U>Hopewell Cape, NB</u></b> at LOW tide!
There won't be much better <I>nature</i> than that, but if the timing of the tides isn't right, you should adjust something to <b>make it right</b> for yourselves.
You first plot the tide schedule at Hopewell Cape on that <I>day number 4</i> (on which you awaken in/near Fredericton)... and then go fast, or slow, depending upon when <b>low tide</b> is on that day.
You might dawdle and take the path through <I>Fundy National Park</i> and then down to the Fundy shore, and around to Hopewell Cape... OR you might go directly from Fredericton to Moncton and then down.
Just... <b>make it happen</b>... for Hopewell Cape <b>is NOT</b> the part you want to end up skipping because you used up all of your time.
(resuming)
night 5: Charlottetown area
Night 6: Baddeck, NS (after 5 hrs, 184 miles & a ferry ride)
Night 7: Baddeck, NS (after 5 1/2 hrs. 212 miles Cabot Trail)
Night 8: (some strategic spot on the way to Halifax ??) Antigonish? / Pictou?
* Maybe resist the temptation to take the coastal path between Port Hawkesbury and Halifax... it is <b>SLOW going</b>
Night 9: Halifax, NS
Night 10: Halifax, NS
Night 11: (maybe) Miramichi, NB (after 4 hrs 15 min, 250 miles)
Night 12: (maybe) Rimouski, QC (after 4 hrs 40 min, 240 miles)
Night 13: Montreal, QC (after 6 hours, 335 miles)
Night 14: Home (after 6 hours, 340 miles)
That should afford you perhaps a night, or even two, to wiggle around with, and at least it is DO-able, with some variety to be afforded.
Obviously you could <I>really <b>make tracks</b></i> and get to the general Maritimes area in a couple of looooooo-ong days... but don't forget, you'll have to walk the dogs periodically.
Hopefully this is a reasonable blue-print from which you can make alterations to suit yourselves.
Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:57 PM
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here is a place where you can get the TIDE TIMES for various spots in/near the Bay of Fundy.
You should print-out the times for Hopewell Cape, and a couple of other spots for the ENTIRE duration of time when you'll be in the area. (never know when opportunity will present itself to go and see a very low tide and take the dogs waaaaaaaaaaay out toward the surf)
http://bayoffundytourism.com/worlds-...t-tides/times/
You should print-out the times for Hopewell Cape, and a couple of other spots for the ENTIRE duration of time when you'll be in the area. (never know when opportunity will present itself to go and see a very low tide and take the dogs waaaaaaaaaaay out toward the surf)
http://bayoffundytourism.com/worlds-...t-tides/times/
Mar 22nd, 2017, 12:33 AM
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Hi there
My husband and i often drive the toronto to PEI stretch - we usually drive it straight trading off driving with a stop in quebec for a snooze at a rest stop. If we decide to stop, we usually aim for Riviere Du Loop and grab a local motel there.
Seafood at that time of year is available at restaurants in Charlottetown - it's not tourist season yet at that time so the beachy seasonal seafood restaurants are not open - or buy your own and cook it yourself if you have access to a kitchen in your accommodation.
My husband and i often drive the toronto to PEI stretch - we usually drive it straight trading off driving with a stop in quebec for a snooze at a rest stop. If we decide to stop, we usually aim for Riviere Du Loop and grab a local motel there.
Seafood at that time of year is available at restaurants in Charlottetown - it's not tourist season yet at that time so the beachy seasonal seafood restaurants are not open - or buy your own and cook it yourself if you have access to a kitchen in your accommodation.
