What is there to see in the Maritimes?

[lucky1]

I have some aeroplan points that I have to burn up asap before they expire, and I was tossing the idea of heading out to the maritimes for short time (4-5 nights) in late August....Was thinking Halifax, but I really have no clue. Any suggestions from the more informed??

[brownie]

You could spend a day or two in Halifax walking around the waterfront, take a tour of Citadel Hill, go on a boat tour. Maybe rent a car and go out to Peggys Cove. Cape Breton is a good spot to go too. Whale watch tour would be nice. If your into Golf there's lots of great courses around.

[Table 5]

Cape Breton was just voted the number one island in North America (and 3rd in the world) to visit by Travel + Leisure....ahead of places like Vancouver Island and Hawaii. Ive sadly never been, but it sounds like something that might deserve your attention.

[loob job]

The Maritimes are my favourite place in the world. PEI (Charlottetown and Cavendish) are amazing places. Halifax is my fave city in the world, tons to do (Keiths Brewery Tour, waterfront, lots of old fashioned pubs, great music). Cape Breton is beautiful, Cabot Trail, and New Brunswick with the Bay of Fundy. Highly recommend going out there.

[HPLovecraft]

I'm from the Island. That is, the good one! PEI!

Visit Cape Breton and PEI if you want some amazing scenery and relaxing times. Visit Halifax if you want to be swarmed by groups of angry preteens that will beat you with sticks and tiny little fists of fury.

Never really understood why people went to the maritimes to visit Halifax (and I've lived there). Sure, it's a pretty big town for the maritimes, but if you wanted to go see a big city, you wouldn't go to the maritimes in the first place. It's all about the small town culture, the landscape, and the water over here.

[Puddy27]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Cape Breton was just voted the number one island in North America (and 3rd in the world) to visit by Travel + Leisure....ahead of places like Vancouver Island and Hawaii. Ive sadly never been, but it sounds like something that might deserve your attention.

I lived there most of my life up until 5 years ago. Some great golf courses (check fabulous foursome) online for the better ones. If your driving do the Cabot Trail as the scenery is awesome if that's your thing. Depending on what part you go to you can find tours on all sorts of different things. The Fortress of Louisbourg is an ok place to check out.

The hospitality is what makes Cape Breton what it is. Everywhere you go, everybody is extremely friendly and willing to help. The nightlife isn't booming as there is not much there but if you know anyone you can find great parties (actually you don't have to know them to join lol). Halifax has decent enough nightlife for a short trip. Hope that helps and if you go...enjoy it.

[TimSJ]

Well you could see me and i would buy you a beer.

you should come out lots to see and many great people. I would hit CB and PEI for sure. We are actually heading to PEI for our annual family vacation next weekend. It really is a great place if the weather is nice.

If you are a golfer you can hit a lot of good courses driving around.

[North East Goon]

Two words for you Scallop burger!

[MacDaddy77]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

I'm from the Island. That is, the good one! PEI!

Visit Cape Breton and PEI if you want some amazing scenery and relaxing times. Visit Halifax if you want to be swarmed by groups of angry preteens that will beat you with sticks and tiny little fists of fury.

Never really understood why people went to the maritimes to visit Halifax (and I've lived there). Sure, it's a pretty big town for the maritimes, but if you wanted to go see a big city, you wouldn't go to the maritimes in the first place. It's all about the small town culture, the landscape, and the water over here.

I am also from the Right Island!!! (PEI)

I would stay only one day in Halifax. Like HP said it's really just another city.

My Suggestion for the best scenery would be to drive from Halifax with a quick stop for a picture a Peggys Cove to the South Shore, Lunenburg area (This is where the Bluenose was made).

I believe the fall Lobster season is just about ready to start in Sou West Nova!

Depending on how much time you are planning on spending in the area I would spend a day or two in the Lunenburg area and then book it to the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton.

Unfortunatly there are so many things to see that one week will not be enough. Like I said I am from the Maritimes and these are just a couple of my favorite places (scenic) to go.

If you would like some other ideas pm me! I spent the better part of 4 summers travelling around the Maritimes on my bike. I could go on and on!

[HalifaxDrunk]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

Never really understood why people went to the maritimes to visit Halifax (and I've lived there). Sure, it's a pretty big town for the maritimes, but if you wanted to go see a big city, you wouldn't go to the maritimes in the first place.

Ouch, a tad harsh!

Sure Halifax is big for the Maritimes but by no means does it qualify for seeing a big city when you travel. Halifax still kind of has a small town feel to it.

I agree traveling the Cabot Trail through Cape Breton is spectacular and a must for vacationers, but I think if you come all this way and no doubt land in the Halifax airport why wouldn't you at least visit the city?

Here is a quick reference for visitors that my wife and I made up when we moved back home from Ontario.

Halifax:
Things to do:
-Harbour Hopper – nice tour of Halifax on an amphibious vehicle. You first take a driving tour then drive into the harbor for a quick water tour.
-Halifax Citadel Historic Site – if you are going to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site in Cape Breton then you can skip this spot.
-Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
-Pier 21 – the place where many immigrants came into Canada
-Walk along the Halifax boardwalk – Theodore Tugboat is there for tours, a tall ship the Mar II also does tours. A good spots for ice cream including a Cow’s Ice Cream outlet and a fish & chips shack.
Restaurants:
-Salty’s, Murphy's Restaurant, Waterfront Warehouse, Five Fisherman, Bish, Economy Shoe Shop, Mexico Lindo
-There are pubs everywhere downtown with great food. You must visit the Lower Deck Pub one night, it is a great NS experience. Other good ones include The Spilt Crow, The Old Triangle, Pógue Fadó, Your Father’s Moustache, Bubba Rays.
-Eat a donair – a unique beef, sweet sauce, pita bread thing, that was invented here. King of Donair is probably the most popular but they are available at any pizza place.

Lighthouse Route:
-Peggy’s Cove – famous lighthouse (about 30 mins from Halifax)- the Swiss air plane crash monument is there, good place to eat right beside the lighthouse.
-Take a drive along the south shore from Halifax to Chester – get off the highway in Chester and drive along the shore road to Lunenburg – it’s a beautiful drive. The towns of Chester, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg are so picturesque – Lunenburg is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are some beautiful inns and B&Bs there. The Bluenose II is docked here most of the year, but is out and about in the summer time. Here’s a link to it’s website for it’s sailing schedule - http://www.schoonerbluenose2.ca/

Evangeline Route:
A drive to Digby/Annapolis Royal is also beautiful, a good place to go whale watching. The Minas basin along this route is where you can see the world’s highest/lowest tides. Back towards Truro there are spots that offer river rafting of the tidal bore. Apparently it’s lots of fun.

Cape Breton: – keep an eye on the water for whales as you drive along the roads
-Drive the Cabot Trail –this would be the most important things to do in NS. There are many walking trails – however the best and it’s short is the Skyline Trail, don’t walk the whole loop, but walk to the view of the water and return the way you came in otherwise it’s a long walk back.
-Also along the Cabot Trail:

• Baddeck you will find the Alexander Graham Bell Historic Site. Baddeck also has an awesome restaurant called Bell Buoy, it is know to have some of the best seafood chowder around.

• Margaree River – famous fly fishing river – there some places there that equipment can be rented.

• Cheticamp – an Acadian village just before you enter the national park on the Cabot Trail, it is famous for its hooked rugs and this is a great place to go whale watching.

• Ingonish – stay at the Keltic Lodge – very beautiful and a nice beach

-Other things in Cape Breton:

• Glenora Distillery, in Glenville – the only place that makes single-malt whiskey, can do tours.

• Fortress Louisburg

Beaches
Boogie Boarding (about $15-20) on waves is a lot of fun.
A couple of beaches to mention

• Ingonish beach on the Cabot Trail,
• Various beaches along the Northumberland Strait - including Melmerby beach in Pictou County.
• Lawrencetown Beach & Martinique Beach near Dartmouth are known for surfing

[jacenta]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

I'm from the Island. That is, the good one! PEI!

Visit Cape Breton and PEI if you want some amazing scenery and relaxing times. Visit Halifax if you want to be swarmed by groups of angry preteens that will beat you with sticks and tiny little fists of fury.

Never really understood why people went to the maritimes to visit Halifax (and I've lived there). Sure, it's a pretty big town for the maritimes, but if you wanted to go see a big city, you wouldn't go to the maritimes in the first place. It's all about the small town culture, the landscape, and the water over here.

I agree! I was born and raised on PEI but just spent the last 5 years living in Halifax. The only thing Halifax is really good for is the indie music scene, but if thats not really vacation material. PEI and Cape Breton are your best shot at a great time.
On PEI there is the most amazing beach that isnt really a tourist spot. Basin Head its called. The sand sings when you rub your feet in it. The beach is huge, there is a bridge you can jump off and the current takes your right back to the beach. Great times.
Also there are great places like the wax museum, the buffalo ranch, pamure island ect.

sigh* "come play on my island"

[CaptainCrunch]

What about the Louisberg fortress (sp>) and the miners museum.

And the chabot trail is a must drive.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I'm loving the love for Cape Breton!

Like TimSJ said come visit me and I'll buy you a beer. Only difference being everyone seems to be saying visit where I am :P

If you're into historical stuff, the Halifax Citadel is cool, but Fortress of Louisbourg is better. If you plan on visiting both GO TO THE CITADEL FIRST!!! I can't stress that enough, Citadel is neat and interesting. But Louisbourg is about 500 times bigger and has way more to see, do. They really go all out, Citadel will be a let down if you see Louisbourg first. The Bell Museum in Baddek is also really interesting. Our buddy Alex invented more than just the telephone, and if you take the tour there's a joke in the Cape Krusty episode of the Simpsons that becomes especially hilarious. If in Baddeck take the catamaran tour of the Bras d'Or Lakes. The Bras d'Or lakes are to die for, so beautiful.

Cabot Trail is a must if you like scenery. The mountains aren't as big as the rockies, but picture the mountains surrounded by ocean and if you go in August about 30 different shades of green everywhere you look. Stop in Ingonish and go to the beach. The beach has salt water on one side with amazing waves and fresh water on the other that's warm and calm.

If you like hiking the National Parks station will give you a map with about 25 different trails on it, from short to long, beginner to expert.

In Sydney itself, the boardwalk is a great stroll in the summer, as is Wentworth Park. There's a casino, a few pubs, neat little shops all downtown. Eagles training camp should be going on (or maybe even exibition games) so you can still get some hockey fix. Not to mention I live there, so PM me and I'll buy you a beer.

There are a number of historic sites in downtown Sydney, I think the historical society has a map and self guided walking tour.

I can show you the dark places of Sydney as well, some people like that sort of thing.

In Glace Bay there's the Miner's Museum. They actually take you down in an old coal mine, and go through the history of coal mining in Cape Breton, which is one of the foundations that helped build this country we now know as Canada.

Golf Golf Golf.

If you're a golfer. You have to golf the best course in the country. I'm not being biased, depening on the magazine you read it's litterally #1. Highlands Links. It's not an easy course, it's a long course, and it's a traditional links. You'll drive it down the fair way, it'll hit a hill in the middle of the fairway and roll back 30 yards. I'll put money there aren't many more sceneic courses in the world. Bell Bay isn't an overly difficult course but is a good course and over looks the Bras d'Or Lakes.

The Lakes in Ben Eoin should be open by then, it's brand new (ie not open as of last weekend when I drove by) so you might be a really good rate on green fees. There's also a 4 star Inn that's right next to it called "The Birches" not sure what the rates are, but I know it's super nice. If you stay there request the Patterson room, 'cause, well, it's my name LOL.

Any other questions, I've lived in Halifax too. I can let you know all about there but probably not as well as HD. Who's viewing this thread as I type. And shane_c who's also viewing the thread currentlyl is from Cape Breton also, he might have other ideas too.

Feel free to PM me with any questions. I've been all over the Maritimes. I love it here.

For those that say we've got great hospitality, thanks. We are pretty fataing awesome

[Jimmy Stang]

I spent a couple of weeks in the maritimes in 2003 for my honeymoon. Wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm actually itching to go back.

We spent a couple of days in Halifax which is a great city. We did the usual stuff like the Citadel, wondering around the city, going to a few pubs, etc.

We then drove south and took in some of the smaller towns along the way. Peggy's Cove was nice, of course, but there are a lot of cool things all the way around the coast. One highlight was a drive along "Digby Neck" on the Fundy coast. You need to take a couple of ferries to get all the way to the end, but there are some nice views and a couple of quaint little towns.

One thing about driving around Nova Scotia - there's often a choice for the coastal road or the inland road. Definitely take the coastal road. The main highways are obviously faster as they don't wind around the coast, but all you'll see are trees, trees, and more trees. I was actually surprised at how many trees there are in Nova Scotia. So if you're planning out a drive, make sure you estimate your times based on the scenic routes because that's where you'll find the towns and villages that the East coast is famous for.

PEI was amazing. Cavendish beach ranks up there with one of the neatest I have ever been on. Lots of sand. There's a bunch of tacky touristy things nearby that you'd probably be better off avoiding (Anne of Green Gables stuff, Ripleys Believe it or Not, etc.) but as soon as you get onto the beach, the not-so-savoury tourist stuff is all forgotten.

There are also a load of little country roads on PEI that will get you pretty much anywhere you want to go. We had a great time criss-crossing the island on these little roads. It reminded me a lot of England, actually.

New Brunswick got the short end of the stick as we didn't have time to see more of it, except for the part leading to the bridge to PEI. We actually diverted to Moncton because my wife wanted to see magnetic hill. Not worth the diversion, but I'm sure that Moncton has a lot more to offer that we didn't have time for.

Cape Breton is another area that we didn't have time for, but on our next trip we're going to have to do it.

The final stop on our trip was a jaunt to Newfoundland. Highly recommended. I enjoyed the entire vacation, but the part that stands out the most for me is Newfoundland. I found the rest of the trip to be different and interesting but still quite Canadian. Newfoundland felt the least like Canada - and I mean that in the best possible way. The accents, the buildings in St. John's, the terrain, etc. It honestly felt like we were in another country. If you're using your air miles, I'd definitely recommend a quick trip to Newfoundland if you've never been.

Dammit - now I need to go back.

[MacDaddy77]

Originally Posted by jacenta

Basin Head its called. The sand sings when you rub your feet in it. The beach is huge, there is a bridge you can jump off and the current takes your right back to the beach. Great times.

Who are you???

I grew up on that beach!! There and Little Harbour

[LChoy]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

So apparently, we might be going to Halifax after all. I went back to an old thread and found these 2 great posts (Thanks HD and SUS!) on what to do while I'm there. We found some packages that quoted:

OCT 13 TORONTO 720A HALIFAX 1021A
OCT 16 HALIFAX 630P TORONTO 750P

OAK ISLAND RESORT & SPA:$613.04 INCLUDING TAXES PER PERSON(PRICE INCLUDES AIRFARE/HOTEL)

HALIFAX MARRIOTT HARBOURFRONT:$751.45 INCLUDING TAXES PER PERSON(PRICE INCLUDES AIRFARE/HOTEL)

RODD COLONY HARBOUR INN:$576.98 INCLUDING TAXES PER PERSON(PRICE INCLUDES AIRFARE/HOTEL)

Sorry to keep bumping the the thread, but just wondering if there were anymore suggestions regarding Halifax?

Thanks again for the posts so far

Sweet, I didn't want to start a new thread and my old thread got shifted to the 2nd page.
Thanks for all the ideas folks. In particular, can anyone suggest good places to stay in Halifax? It's neat that there are more B&Bs there than hotels

[DOK]

Originally Posted by loob job

The Maritimes are my favourite place in the world. PEI (Charlottetown and Cavendish) are amazing places. Halifax is my fave city in the world, tons to do (Keiths Brewery Tour, waterfront, lots of old fashioned pubs, great music). Cape Breton is beautiful, Cabot Trail, and New Brunswick with the Bay of Fundy. Highly recommend going out there.

I couldn't have said it better myself. If it wasn't for my family here, I'd live in Halifax in a heart beat.

There's also a naval museum that has a ton of info on the Titanic in addition to everything others have said. Halifax also has one of the highest rates of post secondary schools per capita, so it's a college town for sure. They are famous in that circle for pub crawls, there's routes scheduled out that certain schools follow etc.

[Jimmy Stang]

Oh yeah - as HD has mentioned, Lunenburg & Mahone Bay are a must.

And I'll also defend Halifax a little too - we spent a couple of days there and wished we could have stayed a little longer. I found the culture, food, etc. to be quite good and, although it is a big city by East Coast standards, there's still that Maritime vibe there. Lots going on, even at late hours.

We actually stumbled across a pub and, by chance, it wasn't too long before a full-on kitchen ceili broke out. I can still remember hearing the stomping from below as the bathrooms were in the lower level.

[flamesfever]

With the amount of time you have (4-5 nights) I would rent a car and drive the Cabot Trail. It's a beautiful drive.

[jacenta]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

Who are you???

I grew up on that beach!! There and Little Harbour

My father is a retired minister, used to be the pastor at Glad Tidings Tabernacle in Murray River. I was born on PEI and I've lived in Murray River, Murray Harbour, Vernon River, and Montague, went to MRHS, I went to Southren Kings Elementary for a few years too.