Itinerary: Best of the Outdoors in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada
This 12-day itinerary is suited for outdoor enthusiasts with a love of nature. It is impossible to discuss adventures in the region without including Newfoundland, and so three days are spent on that island. If you have less time, plan on dedicating your next trip to Atlantic Canada to exploring the region’s largest province. In keeping with the theme, I’ve added accommodations recommendations that keep you close to nature, but if cabins and cottages aren’t your thing, you will find plenty of alternatives along the way.
Nova Scotia
Day 1: Eastern Shore
80 km (50 mi)/1 hour
Pick up your rental car in Halifax and head for the Eastern Shore. Try surfing at Lawrencetown Beach or sea kayaking at Tangier. Enjoy a beachside picnic at Taylor Head Provincial Park. Stay at Paddler’s Retreat Bed and Breakfast and rent a kayak for an evening jaunt around the bay.
Day 2: Cape Breton Island
360 km (225 mi)/4 hours
From the Eastern Shore, drive across Cape Breton Island, stopping for an outdoor lunch of steaming chowder at the Chowder House, and then spend the afternoon swimming and sunbathing at Ingonish Beach. Even if you don’t pay for a room with water views at Glenghorm Beach Resort, the ocean is just a short walk from your front door.
Day 3: Cabot Trail
300 km (185 mi)/5 hours, plus overnight ferry
Day 3 is spent in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. In the process of reaching the best hikes, you’ll drive the spectacular Cabot Trail. Leave the pavement behind on the Skyline Trail, a moderate hike that leads to a stunning headland with sweeping ocean views. For a less energetic option, plan on walking to Benjie’s Lake and spend the extra time exploring Black Brook Cove. Either way, when you finish with your exploration of the park, allow two hours to reach North Sydney for the overnight ferry to Port aux Basques.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Day 4: Gros Morne National Park
340 km (210 mi)/4 hours
The overnight ferry from North Sydney arrives in Newfoundland as the sun rises, which makes the early morning drive north to Gros Morne National Park even more enjoyable. In the afternoon, choose between exploring the Tablelands on foot and driving out to Trout River for rugged coastal scenery. Fresh seafood cooked on your barbecue at Mountain Range Cottages winds up this long day.
Day 5: Gros Morne National Park
80 km (50 mi)/1 hour
The boat tour on Western Brook Pond is an absolute must, but allow time to reach the dock, which is only accessible on foot through a low-slung forest. Stop in at the Discovery Centre to learn about the park’s geology and then hike to Green Gardens. Spend another night at Mountain Range Cottages.
Day 6: Northern Peninsula
340 km (210 mi)/4 hours, plus overnight ferry
Even the adventurous need a day off, and this is it. Personally, I’d spend the time driving up the Northern Peninsula (Port au Choix National Historic Site makes a solid day trip while still allowing plenty of time for scenic stops), but you could also stay within Gros Morne and tackle the summit of Gros Morne Mountain. Drive back
south to Port aux Basques and catch the evening ferry back to North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Prince Edward Island
Day 7: Island to Island
320 km (200 mi)/5 hours, including ferry
Hopefully you’ve not spent all night being entertained by the Celtic musicians in the onboard lounge, because the ferry docks at North Sydney just before dawn and the morning is spent driving to Caribou, where you board the ferry to Prince Edward Island. The fossil cliffs of Arisaig make a worthwhile detour en route to North Sydney. Once on the island, stop at Rossignol Estate Winery for a bottle of wine and continue to Murray Harbour’s Ocean Acres, where you can relax with a glass of Chardonnay on the screened porch of your cottage.
Day 8: Eastern Prince Edward Island
100 km (62 mi)/1 hour
Yes, you’ve seen the tourist brochures espousing the touristy wonders of Prince Edward Island, but on this visit you’re chasing a more nature-oriented experience. In this regard, spend the morning on a seal-watching trip departing from North Lake. Alternatively, just a short drive from your overnight accommodation at Murray Harbour, stroll along the singing sands of the beach below Basin Head, and walk through the sand-covered coastal forests of Prince Edward Island National Park before overnighting at Crowbush Cove.
New Brunswick
Day 9: Through New Brunswick
260 km (160 mi)/3 hours
Reserve an early tee time at the Links at Crowbush Cove. After lunch, strike out for the Confederation Bridge to New Brunswick and head to Sackville Waterfowl Park for its bird-watching opportunities. Walking through the “flowerpots” at Hopewell Rocks is tide-dependent, but you can always kayak as a high-tide alternative. Spend the night in Fundy National Park.
Day 10: New Brunswick’s Fundy Coast
220 km (136 mi)/2.5 hours
From Fundy National Park, drive down the Fundy Coast to Saint John, where walking the trails and strolling along the beach at Irving Nature Park gives you an idea of what the entire coastline would have looked like before European settlement. Continue along the coastline to St. Andrews. You’re staying in a seaside town, so you may as well take advantage of the delightful location by reserving a cottage at the Seaside Beach Resort.
Back to Nova Scotia
Day 11: Nova Scotia’s Fundy Coast
240 km (149 mi)/5 hours, including ferries
Drive back to Saint John from St. Andrews and catch the ferry across the Bay of Fundy. Drive out to Brier Island, via two short ferry trips, taking the time to hike to Balancing Rock en route. An afternoon whale-watching trip can be combined with an evening of bird-watching. Stay at Brier Island Lodge, and dine in-house.
Day 12: Return to Halifax
240 km (149 mi)/3 hours
The outdoor-oriented vacation is nearly over, but there’s one more activity to try on the drive between Brier Island and Halifax, and Atlantic Canada is the only place in the world you can do so—riding the tidal bore down the Shubenacadie River.
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