Itinerary

Arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia, pick up your hire car at the airport and check into your hotel.

The capital of Nova Scotia is famous for its waterfront, maritime heritage and one of the biggest natural harbours in the world, best admired along the boardwalk or on a cruise around the bay.

Explore Halifax’s historic attractions. The Citadel on a hill overlooking the harbour dates from the mid-18th century with a museum, military displays, changing of the guard, and the famous noon gun.

Other historic highlights of the city include the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic with 20,000 photographs and artifacts from the Titanic and the CSS Acadia on the museum’s wharf.

Continue to explore Halifax and its vicinity today. A popular excursion is a scenic cruise to Georges Island to explore the underground complex beneath Fort Charlotte.

Another great option is Peggy’s Cove, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the region in a pleasant fishing village under an hour’s drive from Halifax.

Halifax is renowned for its mouthwatering seafood, particularly lobster, with restaurants lining the waterfront, boutique shops in restored warehouses, and the Seaport Farmers’ Market.

Drive for an hour down the coast to Lunenburg this morning. Nova Scotia’s best-preserved colonial town is famous for its colourful buildings with an attractive harbour and some great restaurants.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town is among the oldest in the Maritimes with buildings painted lobster-red, pink, blue and green, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Explore the town’s historic heart and waterfront, working up an appetite to sample its restaurants.

Continue to explore Lunenburg today. Visit Bluenose II, a replica of the iconic vessel from the 1920s, often docked in port and available for sailing excursions.

The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic has exhibitions on the rum-running and whaling history of the area with two historic schooners docked beside the museum.

Connoisseurs of spirits can take a tour of the town’s Ironworks distillery with tasting aboard historic schooner Teresa E. Connor.

Enjoy Lunenburg’s food in the evening. Try the seafood chowder, Lunenburg sausage or Solomon Gundy (marinated herrings with sour cream).

Drive north this morning across Nova Scotia to Digby on the Bay of Fundy.

On the way to Digby, stop at Kejimkujik National Park, the only inland national park in the Maritimes. Pronounced Kehji-ma-koojik, the park is made up of 400 square kilometres of rivers and forests, ideal for hiking, cycling, kayaking and canoeing. There are some 15 hiking trails with wildlife including beavers, squirrels, deer and many species of birds.

Arrive in Digby on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world, attracting visitors for incredible river rafting and whale-watching.

The 530-km-long bay attracts 12 species of whales, including humpback, minke and finback, so it’s one of Canada’s best destinations for whale-watching. You can opt to either take a whale-watching trip from Digby or later in your tour from Saint John.

The nearby Annapolis Valley is a rich agricultural region, famous for its wine, beer and cider, so a gastronomic tour here is recommended. Another excursion from Digby is historic Fort Anne near Annapolis Royal, dating from the 17th century.

Take the ferry today across the Bay of Fundy from Digby to Saint John in the province of New Brunswick (ferry included).

The historic city of Saint John has streets lined with restored Victorian architecture, a famous city market and some quality breweries.

The power of the bay’s waters can be witnessed in the town itself at the Reversing Falls Rapids in Fallsview Park.

Explore New Brunswick’s unique geology on day trips from Saint John. The red sandstone St Martins Caves are best explored on a kayaking tour, while Fundy National Park has Acadian forest, beaches, waterfalls and trails for hiking and cycling.

Today choose between two wonderful experiences on the Bay of Fundy. If you didn’t go whale-watching in Digby, then a day trip to see humpback, minke and finback is highly recommended from Saint John.

For those seeking more adrenalin-filled adventures, take an amazing tidal bore rafting trip. The difference between high and low tide in the Bay of Fundy can be as much as 16 metres, the height of a four-storey building. Ride the waves of a water rollercoaster on the Shubenacadie River – an exhilarating and unique rafting experience.

This morning, head north-east to the town of Moncton. Admission to nearby Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park is included in your tour. Kayak around its distinctive sea stacks and walk on the ocean floor at low tide to take in the incredible contrasts.

Moncton is famous for its seemingly gravity-defying Magnetic Hill. Put your car in neutral and enjoy the experience of appearing to roll uphill in a unique optical illusion. The hill is home to one of the region’s best wineries so a wine-tasting tour here is recommended.

There are many excursions available from Moncton if you didn’t do them earlier in your tour – tidal bore rafting, whale-watching and exploring Fundy National Park.

Head to Prince Edward Island this morning. The journey itself is incredibly dramatic – 13km across the Confederation Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world.

Arrive in the island’s capital Charlottetown, known as the birthplace of Canada after the Confederation was negotiated here in 1864. Historical highlights include Saint Dunstan’s Basilica, Beaconsfield Historic House, Great George Street and Province House.

Take a cruise around the harbour then explore the colonial buildings and boutiques of pedestrianised Victoria Row. The island supplies North America with much of its seafood so a gastronomic tour is highly recommended.

Literary buffs can visit Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place in the nearby town of Cavendish, where author Lucy Maud Montgomery lived. The ideal way to complete your experience is to watch a production of Anne & Gilbert the Musical at one of Charlottetown’s theatres in the evening.

Take the ferry today from Wood Islands in the south of Prince Edward Island to Caribou in Nova Scotia (ferry included).

Then drive east for one of your journey’s highlights – Cape Breton Island, which frequently tops polls as one of the most beautiful islands in the Americas.

The island’s clifftops and highlands have wonderful trails for hikers, cyclists and motorists alike. Take one of the world’s most spectacular drives, the Cabot Trail, looping around the island. The drive can be done independently but we recommend taking a guided tour for the best insight and viewpoints.

Check into your hotel in Baddeck, which has a stunning riverside location. Don’t miss the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in town, where the great inventor lived for many years. Baddeck also has several lighthouses open to the public.

Continue to explore stunning Cape Breton Island. The brackish Bras d’Or Lake near Baddeck is a haven for sailing and kayaking.

Other highlights of the island include the 92-km Celtic Shores Coastal Trail from Port Hastings to Inverness, and panoramic views on the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

To delve into the French history of Cape Breton, visit the Fortress of Louisbourg on the south-east coast, the largest historical reconstruction in North America. The site recreates the life of French settlers in the early 18th century.

Drive south-west through Nova Scotia back to Halifax today. Visit any historical city attractions you didn’t see earlier in your tour, take a cruise around the bay or just relax on the waterfront with some delicious seafood.

Drop off your hire car at Halifax Airport and take your flight home as your tour of the Maritimes comes to an end.