Embrace the beauty of the Maritimes on this comprehensive self drive-itinerary. Discover spectacular coastal scenery, charming fishing villages and the magnificent national parks of Kejimkujik, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton.
Your journey will take you through some of the most stunning areas of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Explore national parks, sample the local seafood and enjoy spectacular coastal drives as you make your way around Canada’s Maritime Provinces. Highlights will include the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lunenburg, the famous Hopewell Rocks, shaped by some of the world’s highest tides, and beautiful Prince Edward Island National Park and Island Walk. There is also time to drive the renowned Cabot Trail, a stunningly scenic drive around Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, backed by the Cape Breton Highlands.
This itinerary includes a mixture of accommodation from city hotels to boutique inns and picturesque resorts.
Itinerary
Your self-drive adventure begins with a scenic drive to the beautifully restored Victorian town and UNESCO World Heritage site, Lunenburg. Along the way make a stop at Peggy’s Cove’s, a picturesque lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic.
Cross the peninsula via Kejimkujik National Park, renowned for its hiking trails and scenic canoeing on its lakes and rivers. Here Park interpretive staff lead walking tours and talk about the natural history of the area, including the Mi’kmaq petoglyphs. Continue along to Annapolis Royal.
Today, depart Annapolis Royal and head to Digby, where you board the ferry to Saint John. Drive the dramatic and scenic route along the Fundy Coastal Drive. Arrive at the beautiful seaside town of St. Andrews, which will be your base for the next 2 nights.
Spend the day exploring the charming town of St Andrews, with its art studios and galleries, fine-dining restaurants and local cafes. Popular historic attractions here also include Kingsbrae Gardens and the Blockhouse National Site, or you may wish to venture out on the Bay of Fundy where you can join a whale watching trip or go sea kayaking.
Continue your journey east to Saint John where you can witness the Reversing Falls Rapids, a combination of whirlpools and rapids that are created as a result of the clashing tides of the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River.
Enjoy the scenic drive along the Bay of Fundy. Along the way you have the chance to visit Hopewell Rocks, where you can witness the power of the world’s highest tides and visit its Interpretive Centre to learn more about this tidal phenomenon. Take a drive through Fundy National Park before reaching Moncton.
Whilst in Moncton, be sure to stop at Magnetic Hill where you can put the car in neutral to experience the illusion of being pulled up hill by a ‘magnetic force.’ Continue on your journey to The Lobster Capital of the World, Shediac, known for its lobster fishing, processing plants, live-lobster tanks and the famous Lobster Festival. Then follow the Confederation Bridge, the longest bridge in Canada, to Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island.
Spend time exploring Charlottetown, where you can visit the Province House National Historic Site which recreates the history of meetings that led to the formation of Canada as a united country back in 1867.
Discover Prince Edward Island National Park on the island’s north shore. The park is home to Green Gables, the fictional home of Anne, the character created by Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery. Here you will also find prolific birdlife, scenic hiking trails, and rolling coastal landscapes, featuring salt marshes, sand dunes, headlands and deserted beaches.
Depart Charlottetown for the Wood Islands ferry crossing to Caribou. Just a short distance from the ferry port is Pictou where you can visit the Hector Heritage Quay, home to the full scale replica of Hector, the ship that is famous for being part of the migration of Scottish settlers in 1773. Continue to Cape Breton Island, a little piece of Scotland in North America where you will arrive in Baddeck, a lovely village overlooking the beautiful Bras d’Or Lakes.
Discover the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, a living museum and the largest historical reconstruction of a 1700’s French garrison town in North America. Costumed interpreters re-enact daily life from the French colonial period and guests can sample the food and even take part in a mock battle. Back in Baddeck, the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site is also well worth a visit, the museum is dedicated to the life and inventions of this fascinating man who spent his summers here on the shores of the Bras d’Or.
Allow a full day to drive the scenic Cabot Trail loop clockwise around Cape Breton Island to Ingonish, as you will want plenty of time to hike and take in the views. There are 26 beautiful hiking trails in Cape Breton National Park between Cheticamp and Ingonish, offering stunning views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cape Breton Highlands.
Today head south towards Canso Causeway, driving past the rugged coasts, tranquil bays and beaches of the Marine Drive Route. Be sure to visit the rural Nova Scotian communities en route, including Guysborough and Sherbrooke. Continue on to a natures lovers paradise, Liscomb Mills, where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings.
Take a leisurely drive, with time to stop at Musquodoboit Harbour and Valley, a haven for nature lovers, and Martinique Beach, the longest beach in the province. Your journey ends back in the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax.
Prices & departures
What's Included
-
Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
-
Car hire including unlimited mileage, 2nd driver, loss damage waiver and third-party liability
-
Historic Sites Pass with admission to the following: Alexander Graham Bell, Fort Anne, Fortress of Louisbourg, Grand-Pre, Halifax Citadel, Kejimkujik, Port Royal, Green Gables House, Prince Edward Island National Park, Carleton Martello Tower, Fort Beausejour, Monument Lefebvre, St Andrews Blockhouse
-
Ferry from Digby to Saint John & Woods Island to Caribou
-
24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
-
No surcharge guarantee
-
Full financial protection
From £2210 Excluding Flights
13 Nights
May-Sep
Prices are per person based upon 2 sharing, subject to availability. Your Travel Specialist will confirm the exact price based upon your tailored requirements, inclusions, and travel dates.
Make this trip yours
Every destination and itinerary you see here can be adapted to suit you – so reach for that bucket list and start imagining your next adventure here.
Doug
11
Species of whale seen
10
Kilometres ran in Longyearbyen
We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch.
Experts with real experience
-
Kieran
Travel Specialist
-
Phoebe
Travel Specialist
-
Rosie
Travel Specialist
-
Darren
Travel Specialist
-
Dawn
Head of Customer Experience
-
Freya
Travel Specialist
-
Lauren
Travel Specialist
-
Ben
Travel Specialist
-
Doug
Travel Specialist
