blakejared

I too am planning a road trip to Nova Scotia and PEI and I have read a lot of the older threads.

I plan to explore Halifax and western Nova Scotia over four (or maybe five) days before driving to PEI (we have friends there and will stay 5 nights).

I'm having trouble deciding whether it is wise to use Halifax as a base. Some of the sites I want to visit are 2 hours away, so driving back and forth might be a misuse of gas and time, though it's convenient to leave luggage at the same place for 4-5 nights.

My main goal is to see historical sites. I was thinking
- Day 1: Halifax
- Day 2: Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg
- Day 3: Port Royal National Historic Site
- Day 4: Grand Pre National Historic Site

That was my original plan but then I realized I missed the Acadian shore/Shelburne area, so maybe that could be Day 5.

It seems like main highway leading out of Nova Scotia towards PEI would require heading back to Halifax, so the original thought of travelling along the coast might not work.

Is it better to stay in Halifax and drive out each day? Or is it better to stay at a different place every night? If so, where?

We'll have to leave New Brunswick for another trip, since

Day 6-10 will be PEI

My current plan for the rest of the trip is:

Day 11: Ferry to Nova Scotia, drive to Alexander Graham Bell site, stay at Baddeck (seems to be a good base, based on older threads - we will need to save the Cabot Trail for a future trip)
Day 12: Louisbourg (I've always wanted to visit but maybe I should cut out Cape Breton entirely and spend more time in SW Nova Scotia instead)
Day 13: Drive back to Halifax

I thought about going to PEI last and return the rental car there, but the price is several hundred dollars higher, so now I intend to return to Halifax to fly out.

Any advice about whether or not to use Halifax as a base would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

wanderingcanadian

You didn't say where you are travelling from? will you be jet lagged? Is Day 1 arrival day? I agree staying for more than 1 night in the same place reduces the amount of luggage moving. In this case returning to Halifax vastly increases the time spent driving, leaving less time to spend in the places you want to visit
How about this? the distance traveled is very little different than returning to Halifax every day, the big bonus you get to see all the places on your to do list, and have time available to make unplanned stops just to look at the scenery or anything else that catches your eye
Day 1-Halifax, stay overnight in Halifax
Day 2- Peggy's cove and Lunenburg about 97 km drive from Halifax, stay overnight somewhere south past Lunenburg
Day 3-drive the south shore, to the Yarmouth, Port Maitland area, sightsee and take your time, about 250 km, stay overnight
Day 4-drive to Port Royal about 123 km, visit Annapolis, stay overnight in area
Day 5- go to Grand Pre another 123 km, then keep going, drive via Burntcoat to Truro and stay in Truro overnight, about 145 km
Day 6- Drive to Caribou about 70 km take ferry to PEI
Day 6-10 PEI
Your day 11-13
Day 11: Ferry to Nova Scotia, drive to Alexander Graham Bell site, stay at Baddeck (seems to be a good base, based on older threads - we will need to save the Cabot Trail for a future trip)
Baddeck is a very nice small place, we have stayed there, about 220 km from Caribou, or take the long way and drive along the coast on Hwy 19 via Inverness.
Day 12: Louisbourg (I've always wanted to visit but maybe I should cut out Cape Breton entirely and spend more time in SW Nova Scotia instead)
it's only 110 km to Louisbourg, and its well worth a visit, drive back to Baddeck along the coast via Glace Bay
Day 13: Drive back to Halifax
I have driven from the Toronto area to Nova Scotia, done the Cabot Trail, PEI, New Brunswick, plus a separate drive and visit to New Brunswick for a wedding.
Fredericton and St John are quite interesting, the drive along the Tans Canada along the St John river is scenic, have not been to St Andrews, I have also driven up the New Brunswick east Coast to Miramichi and then west to Plaster Rock via Hwy 108, I would not do that drive again.
Hope that helps,

blakejared

Thank you for your help. That's a good point about jet lag. I'm flying in from the west coast, so maybe I will need to start with 2 nights in Halifax. I guess I might cut out the south shore, and just drive directly from Lunenburg towards Annapolis. I've been to Halifax (only the city, not the surrounding area) before but it was two decades ago so there will still be sights to see.