TEN DAYS TO SEE N.S.
 

My wife and I are planning a 10 day driving trip of N.S. in Sept. We are both 75 and my wife is in a wheelchair due to Parkinson Disease. We are great travelers and love to "smell the flowers and watch the surf ". I'm a good "pusher" so we do some walking where the trails are fairly flat and stop at most senic turnoffs to enjoy the magistry of this planet. Would love help in planning these 10 days as to direction and overnite stops ! We are flying in and out of Halifax and have been in Halifax sereral imes so was planning on arr. Halifax around 11AM on day #1 and driving to Pictou for nites #1 & 2. After that I'm open for suggestions for one or two nite stops and do day trips from these stops. We can't hike nor kayak naturaly ,but great sight seers and will enjoy the customs and traditions of the regions. Any ideas will be most welcomed and appreciated. We will fly out of Halifax on day 10 ;Sept. 18th. around 2PM (14:00] !D.L.D.

If you enjoy watching the surf, Lawrence Beach is where many surfers go to catch the waves. Also along the southshore, I believe Shelburne has a nice boardwalk; on the way there from Halifax, Chester, Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg and Liverpool are pictureque towns.

Lunenburg is a UNESCO site. Lots of services and unique shops. If you go be sure to head to the golf course (everyone does this - the golf course doesn't mind) on the other side of the waterway and look back at the town.

When in Pictou, check out Carvers Coffeehouse.

The Lookout in the Valley has wonderful sweeping views.

You can see the difference in tide levels from the "other" side of the Bay of Fundy. In places like Economy one can see the tide recede for what seems like miles. (For us it was quite the sight to see locals drive their vehicles onto the mudflats left behind and go clamming until the tide flowed in again.) You can watch this from the parking lot/pullouts, maybe a nice place for a picnic?

If you see any listings for church lobster suppers, they're great.

I tried to list things that would match your requirements, but I haven't travelled with a wheelchair before so pls call ahead to avoid any disappointment. (=

If you haven't done so already, you might want to order NS Doers and Dreamers Guide - it's their official tourism guide - free and you can do it online. It is an excellent tourbook and has everything you will need to plan your trip, including maps and wheelchair accessible icons. As the tourist season gets into full swing, their tourism website will also list activities/events/festivals happening so you can do a search and see if there's anything that interests you/your wife.

I applaud you for your travelling spirit- enjoy-la!

As well as the lobster suppers, we had a great time one night playing bingo with the locals at the firehall! Everyone was so lovely and friendly and we were even 'announced' by the bingo caller as special guests.

I'll add Mahone Bay to klam's list. It's a very nice town too.

The suggestions above are great. I would also add a walk on the Fisherman's Cove boardwalk in Eastern Passage (which is just across the bridge from Halifax, on the Dartmouth side). You will get gorgeous views and will have a nice, flat stroll. If you are hungry, the fish and chips are Wharf Wraps are huge and the coffee and pastries at Sea Gulps are great...so is the company!

We loved staying at Keltic Lodge and driving the beautiful Cabot Trail.

Another way to appreciate the tides is to drive the small country roads north of Wolfville, up to Blomidon. Beautiful country up there.

I find that September is a great time to visit the Annapolis Valley. Its many orchards make the harvest time very pleasant there. The town of Annapolis Royal is so beautiful, I would definitely make an overnight stop there. It has a lot to offer as for lodging, with its many victorian homes. There is a small farmers market on Saturday mornings. We really enjoyed the historical gardens (we were there in mid-September, they were still interesting then). Fort Anne, right in the centre of town, and Port Royal, outside of Annapolis Royal, are worth a visit if you like history. Nearby Digby is famous for its whale-watching.

The Cabot Trail is also a must-see scenic drive. If you go, you will probably drive through the town of Cheticamp. In this town, the Cooperative artisanale is a good stop to shop for crafts and taste some typically acadian meals. In Baddeck, the Alexander Graham Bell museum is extremely well done, worth the visit. For celtic culture, make sure to stop at the Gaelic College's craft shop.

I am sure you will have a beautiful time in Nova Scotia.

Mmmmm....Digby scallops! Malpeque oysters! Lobster!

I am just this minute back from the South Shore area (Mahone Bay and Lunenburg specifically). I am doing a mental review of the streets for wheelchair accessibility and I think you will do fine with some exceptions. Lunenburg's is built on hills but the harbour is all on the flat with MUCH to see and the Museum is wheelchair accessible. The streets are on a grid and the main streets will be fine, but you will need those muscles for the sidestreets as they are steep (but worth it esp to get to St. John's Anglican Church which is "w a").

Mahone Bay is all on the flat, with good broad sidewalks and very charming.

Have a wonderful time!

Hi DALBEC1JU1,
Depending on just how much driving you'd like to do and what types of sights you'd like to see NS has a lot to offer. You're going as far as Pictou, have you thought of going a little farther and visiting Sherbrooke Village?
http://museum.gov.ns.ca/sv/index.php
If you'd rather more scenic driving than actual "sites" the cabot trail is beautiful, it's actually in Cabe Breton (1 1/2 to 2 hrs from Pictou). I would suggest 2 days to do the trail. http://novascotia.com/en/home/planat...l/default.aspx

Even though we live in NS, we are always referring to this website for ideas for daytrips/weekends, it's a great resource:
http://www.novascotia.com

Good luck!