Family of four with two kids - ages 8 & 10. Looking to go to NS in August dates flexible. Any suggestions of where to stay? Must see attractions/activities? How long should we stay? We will be driving from Philadelphia area with at least two overnight stops on the way.

need more details to be useful. how long do you have? i'd recommend 2-3 weeks on nova scotia/cape breton. what do you like to do? beach, museums, hikes (how long, how strenuous). how many hours a day are you comfortable driving and how often do you want to move around. base yourself in 2 places a week each or are you comfortable moving every night? 2 nights? what's your budget for accommodations - how many rooms - do you want a kitchenette? get the nova scotia tourism book doer and dreamers...it's great.

Well, for starters, I guess I'd attempt <b>Portland, Maine</b> and maybe the <I><b>Fredericton/Moncton</b>, NB</I> area for the nights enroute.

Getting yourself reasonably close by that 2nd night lets you consider Fundy National Park and <b>Hopewell Cape, NB</b> on the path in, before you hit NS. Upon arrival you should probably head up north, to Cape Breton, and drive the Cabot Trail.

Indeed we need more info from you, but that as a backbone can't hurt. Maybe on the way home you add variety with Augusta and Boston as overnight stops (shrug).

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the lack of information I am at the baby stages in planning. We will be driving from Philadelphia PA (USA) to Eastport Maine (family) so need to determine best routes to get there from Eastport on the way in on the way out we have more route flexibility. I am thinking 2 weeks max for the entire road trip. Allowing - 1 night between Philadelphia and Eastport - 1 night in Eastport then another night(or two) on the return trip home. Not interested in Boston this time. We will be driving a lot just to get to Eastport so may want to scale back a few days when in NS.

OK starting to get an idea of how long driving will be - yikes. Considering a drive from Eastport Maine to St John Canada to take a ferry over to NS. Need to determine the best place to stay. We won't want to drive too much each day 9 couple of hours) and would like to stay at each place for a 2 night minimum...gives us 3 or 4 locations on NS. Have to figure out the top things to see/do knowing that we can't possibly do it all in a week. Kids can hike a couple of miles and they love to see any kind of wild life - don't need to fish getting feet wet is OK don't expect to swim imagine it is way too cold. Like the idea of staying in villages versus remote locations.

Deep breath:

I... <b>so can't see the <I>Ferry</I> idea</b> being very useful to you. You'd find yourself in <I>Digby</I>, which is away from most of what you should <I>prioritize</I> in the area.

But OK, say you're in <I>Eastport, Maine:</I>


Can you maybe make 195 miles to Moncton, NB the first day?

Second day, you time the tides, and round-trip to Hopewell Cape, before driving east from there (Moncton to Truro is 106 miles) where you stay in Truro.

Then its 161 miles from Truro to Baddeck, NS, where you stay for two nights <b>???</b>

In <I>my</I> perfect world you make the circuit of the Cabot Trail on the middle day (it's about 185 miles from Baddeck to Baddeck).

Next day, 133 miles from Baddeck to Pictou, NS (pleasant town, and different than what you will have seen).

Next day, it's 145 miles to Moncton, NB again.


Were it me, with kids, I <I>know I'd want them to witness the <b>TIDES</B> in the Bay of Fundy</I>... but in all honesty, <I><b>IF</b> you happen to have bicycle-riders in the group</I>, perhaps going to PEI and riding bicycles in a very bicycle-friendly environment could be <I>easier</I> than is a break-neck pace around NS.

The NS scenery is likely better than what you'll find on PEI, but the PEI thing would let you stay in one spot for X days.

Also investigate what you as a group could do if you just went to Halifax for a few days.

I'm just throwing ideas out there at this point.

NorthWestMale I can hear your frustration - I get it do the tides and North part of NS - make that a priority. Taking it into consideration. Have to get the husband involved since we will split the driving. I am sure we will be in the general area again as we have family in Eastport, Maine so I have to prioritize most important things to do and realize we can see other sights in a future trip. I will flush out some plans a repost when I have a better sketch of our plans. Thanks so much!

Hi again,

I'm not truly frustrated - I just... <I>wish there was a way to map <b>everything</b> in suitably</I>.

<b>And let me admit the harsh realities of TIDE-watching</b>:

<I>One would need to somehow fritter away <b>six hours</b> (between high and low) to gain the full effect (for herself or her kids)</I>.

I do <b>not</b>, generally, recommend this (for even I can appreciate the value of <I>six hours</I> ). Instead, <b>timing</b> one's travels to take advantage of any later nearby brush with the same area, <b>when the tides are opposite</b> is a grand goal.

Thankfully <b>all of the tide info</b> is precisely predictable well ahead of time, and you can vaguely plan your path accordingly. Indeed the scenery of NS is a better reason for visiting than are the tides, but I'm quite certain I'd never have gone there had it not been for a life-long fascination with a picture I saw (of a large boat in NS tied to a dock and sitting on dry sand dozens of feet below the dock) in the Guiness Book of World Records before I was ten.

Perhaps a photo like this one might draw interest from your kids:

http://www.thefamilytravelfiles.com/...llRocksLow.jpg

and also:

http://ourrvadventures.files.wordpre...y-boats-bg.jpg

http://flastrawberry.com/wp-content/...otia-Boats.jpg

The first time I saw the following "Welcome" sign, I had to stop on the side of the busy highway to take a photo:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2LUwfYxoxJ...tia+sign+2.JPG


Oh, and let me point out that we might get 'criss-crossed' here if continuing to exchange thoughts on two threads. (this might serve best to remind me to look at the other one in case you've responded there).


PS - I can not understate the value of <b>printing out various <I>tide times</I></b> for a few spots around the Bay of Fundy <b>for the entire window of your trip</b> and keeping the print-out in the glove box for on-the-road reference.

http://www.bayoffundytourism.com/tides/times/

Definitely Hopewell Cape, and perhaps Truro and a couple more?

(Wolfville, Annapolis Royal??)

It isn't like they are, say, movie showing times, which completely vary. The tides in those spots are <I>extremely related to one another</I>. Newcomers just benefit from the <I>comfort of precision</I> for points of particular interest.

NorthwestMale - Been watching the Bay of Fundy Travel Show for the past hour now - think we need to move I did book a room for 3 nights at the Keltic Lodge. My sketch of a plan right now is:

Bucks County, PA to Portland, Maine - 1 night
Portland, ME to Eastport, ME - 2 nights (family thing)
Eastport, ME via ferry to Letete then drive to Alma, NB - 1 Night (just trying to save some road miles to break it up a bit)
Alma, NB to whatever make sense in a 4 hour drive - 1 night
Mystery location to Keltic Loadge, Ingonish - 3 nights
Leaves 2 nights to plan before we head back to PA

It may make sense to do the Digby Ferry back to Eastport if we take my nephew with us (they will make us bring him back home)

Is the schedule looking any better?

Don't worry where you post I log on and check my topic posts so I will find it. Thanks so much for sharing the links and your enthusiasm for this remarkable part of the world.

It is faster to <I>drive</I> (around) from Eastport to St. George, NB than it is to take the ferry... But OK, maybe do that for the uniqueness of it on the way, and then <I>drive</I> around on the way back. (I don't know what customs/border routines on the boat will do to your travel time, so better learn the routine and how long it takes).

Good idea on Alma, NB. I remember when I came down the hill from Fundy NP and into Alma. It was low tide, and the water's edge was waaaaaaaaaaaay out there, and boats were tied to docks while sitting on the ocean floor.


My first <I>wild guess</I> at the <b>"Mystery Location"</b> might be Pictou, NS. It is a 3 1/2-hour drive from Alma, and surely you'd first want to stop at <b>Hopewell Cape</b> before heading on toward Pictou (where I'm sure at least SOMEbody will be wishing you were staying there another night).

OH, and one more bit of tide absurdity, IF it suits your timing when coming or going. <b>In MONCTON, NB</b> (and other spots around the area) you can be perched beside a river when, at certain <b>predictable times</b> twice a day, <I>the river turns AROUND and flows UP-stream because the tides are so powerful</I>. It is called the <I>"Tidal Bore"</I>.

As near as I can pinpoint, the Tidal Bore in Moncton begins <b>roughly</b> 1 hr 45 minutes <b>before 'high tide' as listed at <I>Hopewell Cape</I></b>.

The timing may not <I>quite</I> be right as you are leaving Hopewell Cape, but it very well could be something to target on the way back through later.


<I>Skipping ahead</I> to your return stops...

On the way back, you might try the peaceful bay shore path that is highway #2 westbound from Truro to Parrsboro, NS. From there you would drive up to Amherst, and again to Moncton and beyond.

Perhaps Truro (4 hrs 15 min from Ingonish) and Saint John, NB (4 hrs, 22 min from Truro, taking my long way <b>via Parrsboro</b might make sense for the two nights during your return.

I like something along these lines as the best use of the time you have available, and while <b>Halifax</b> (and the eastern shore destinations like Peggy's Cove, and Lunenburg) are worthwhile places to visit, I'm not too dismayed at your simply not having time to see them.

I'm just sharing thoughts, and hoping that something just <I>clicks</I> in the way of causing you to be sure of yourself and of your path.

Regarding the nephew, be sure to check all regulations relating to bringing somebody else's kid across international borders. It definitely makes sense to have a formal note giving you permission (from <I>both parents</I to have him with you. You just don't want to get somewhere and not have whatever they require for so doing.

Thanks again NWM - I just think there is too much great stuff to see to try and do the entire island in 10 days so happy with my decision to prioritize. I appreciate all of your advice - did not consider the parental notes for my nephew - will have to investigate that one - what a nightmare that could be.

Pictou was on my short list as was Tatamagouche. I like the idea of sleeping in a train car for the kids but makes the drive longer the next day.....I will keep you posted.

Thanks again I feel less overwhelmed and more exciting in planning this trip.

Just passing through here...


(tiny thoughts: )

I just <I>focused</I> on the ages of your kids... "8 & 10" are <I>ideal</I> for showing them <I>the highest tides on earth</I>. (old enough to understand most of the educational part, <b>and</b> still young enough to be in awe)


Also, you spoke of likely getting back to the Eastport, ME area in the future... <b>given what you've pieced together here, in the way of a trip</b>, <I>you have done a good job of leaving the Halifax-and-points-south area for future expeditions</I>.

Were you to criss-cross on this trip, then a future excursion would require excessive criss-crossing as well.

<I>(perhaps maybe in the future you might ferry to Digby, and then loop the south, or drive across to Halifax for 3 or 4 days, with side trips to Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove... and then possibly even ferrying from Pictou to PEI before driving back via the big (Confederation) Bridge and paying its <b>$44.50 toll</b</I>

So I think you're serving yourself well for now and for a future return if it comes together as presently projected.


And consider that most who visit the Maritimes tend to do so with the sense that <I>nothing else will draw them nearby {enough to visit} anytime soon, if ever</I>. If you have family in Eastport, then you are the exception.

NWM - Thanks again for your thoughtful suggestions and humorous approach. I will be sure to write a trip report if the planets stay aligned and all goes as planned and I will absolutely mention you as an inspirational resource.