Atlantic Canada honeymoon - what must we see?

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Off topic MQS, but does the piper still stand at the NB/NS border during the summer?

Not that I've ever noticed. Perhaps it's a holiday, long weekend thing if they still do that?

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

Looks good. I can tell you Newfoundland is awesome. I say there is only one Newfoundlander I ever met that I didn't like (for the record Bob Cole is an ***hole). You'll love it over there.

Do you need recommendations of places to stay? I can recommend a couple cabins in Ingonish (there's also the Keltic Lodge there), the hotels around Sydney (we used the Cambridge Suites for our wedding hotel and have a room booked there for New Year's, although the Hamptons seems nice as well, and Holiday Inn is nice for a Holiday Inn). There's also the Birches in Ben Eion which is awesome (about 30-40 minutes outside of Sydney) it's next to a golf course on the Bras d'Or Lakes. It's an inn so only 12 rooms (I think) and a 5 star restaurant. Or if you prefer I can tell you the best park benches to sleep on.

Ok so I came across quite a few of those names in my research.

One place I looked at on Bras d'Or Lakes was this Green Highlander Lodge. They had a fly fishing guide booked into the lodge so I figured that might be a good place to stay one night and get my fishing fix in. Any opinions on that place? Or the town of Baddeck in general?

Also the GF had someone tell her about this Castle Moffett.. it looks mighty touristy to me. She says its a castle! Looking online it appears to be a hotel built to look like a castle.. and mighty pricey. I need to convince her its not a good spot for us so give me some dirt :P

Since we have 3.5 ish days, first day drive to Bras, do our fishing/one night. Next day drive to Sydney/one night. Then the last day we would spend touring around the Ingonish area/one night and then back to Halifax. Hit kind of all all three sides, abbreviated I know but still should at least give us some experience there. Somewhere in there is an extra night so I need to figure out which place needs the most time.. or just spread that night out for somewhere inbetween those stops.

Also, I need to find some time to buy you a beer for all your help. Or ten.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

Not that I've ever noticed. Perhaps it's a holiday, long weekend thing if they still do that?

Yeah it was during Tourist season

Doesn't look like it is done anymore

http://bagpipervancouver.com/http:/b...ca-a-bagpiper/

Same really.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by MJK

Good God, how did they get such a huge TV into that room?

[10W30]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Alright so did some more research and heres the rough sketch of what I've got so far, looking for positive input on my plans and recommendations for stops I should make. Stay away or don't come to my province are not acceptable answers!

Day 1 (Monday) Land in Halifax, early morning flight approximately 7-8 hours should put us there with about half the day left, including time change.
Day 2 rent car, start the Great Cape Breton tour!
Day 2-4 touring Cape Breton. Right now I am planning to start by going up the NW coast, working our way down to Sydney, then ultimately back to Halifax.
Day 5-6 Arrive in Halifax, spending the weekend here (see how I timed that?)
Day 7 (Sunday) drive down to Lunenberg for the day/spend the night.
Day 8 Back up to Halifax and fly out to western Newfoundland
Day 9-11 spend touring the west coast of Newfoundland
Day 12 Drive to St. Johns (Friday)
Day 13 Spend the day in St. Johns (again, a weekend, great timing amirite?)
Day 14 Fly home/hating life cause we have to leave this beautiful part of the world.

She's tight, but I was able to convince the wife (can I call her that already? I can't say fiance without sounding like a jerkoff, future wife?) to drop PEI so we could spend more time touring Cape Breton/West coast of NFLD. We will have to hit PEI and NB the next time. We really want to hit both Halifax and St. Johns, this gives us 2 uninterupted days in Halifax on the weekend and 1.5 days in St. Johns again on the weekend. Probably not enough time but otherwise we have to cut a lot of the scenic stuff out.. so I figured 1-2 days on the weekend is probably better than 3 during the week.

I was hesitant to land in Newfoundland as recent interactions with some newfies really turned me off of the place, but then I thought, they can't all be basement dwelling virgins with their panties in a knot, so lets give er a go!

The next step is to start looking into activities, and I have been able to find a few good fishing outposts so far, but any recommendations from personal experiences would be awesome.

We are definitely going to work in a night at the Train Station, thanks again Jimmy for that great recommendation.

Just to clarify on your landing in Halifax on day one with 1/2 day left. what time are we talking here? I realize after a 8 hour cross country flight all you might want to do is hit the hay, and that's fine, but if you arrive in NS at 2 or 3 in the afternoon, I would recommend renting your car right then, and hitting the road.
From the airport in the middle of nowhere, downtown Halifax is about 1/2 hour, and the train station inn is about 1 1/2 hours, so in theory you could get your wife in the caboose on the first night.
There are a few nice hotels right at the airport, but there is really nothing there at all. If you spend the first night in Tatamagouche its only a bit over 2 hours to the canso causeway and Cape Breton.
Just a thought as you may find yourself landing, checking into a hotel for the rest of the day and just waiting for tomorrow to come to "get started" while your internal vacation clock is ticking away.

I do agree with you cutting PEI out of the trip if you are strapped for time, and I love PEI, but you can pretty much "do it" in a day. I really enjoy Cape Breton. I know not many people picked up on your outdoorsy stuff, but I know you can rent a Yurt in Whycocomagh if that is the type of thing you want to try. (hmm, Day 1 honeymoon, sleep in a train, day 2, sleep in a hut, day 3...?)
You may also want to read up on Cape Breton Highlands national park to satisfy some of your outdoor adventuring. I would recommend Keji, but since you aren't heading that way it will have to be for another trip.

Sounds like an awesome time, I have lived here in NS almost all my life and have driven to Florida multiple times and have been all the way out to Vancouver, but never to Newfoundland... maybe this summer...

[GreenLantern]

Awesome thanks for the tips... that does actually make some sense just heading straight out towards CB. It isn't like we would have to drive far to get started, and removing ourselves from the city the first day would clear up more time in there towards the end, or more time in CB altogether. I like it.

I will look into these things you recommended, the hut seems pretty darn cool actually. We are definitely the out doors type, me more of a sleep on a rock type guy, she prefers running water but has learned to make due :P Baby steps.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

One place I looked at on Bras d'Or Lakes was this Green Highlander Lodge. They had a fly fishing guide booked into the lodge so I figured that might be a good place to stay one night and get my fishing fix in. Any opinions on that place? Or the town of Baddeck in general?

Also the GF had someone tell her about this Castle Moffett.. it looks mighty touristy to me. She says its a castle! Looking online it appears to be a hotel built to look like a castle.. and mighty pricey. I need to convince her its not a good spot for us so give me some dirt :P

Since we have 3.5 ish days, first day drive to Bras, do our fishing/one night. Next day drive to Sydney/one night. Then the last day we would spend touring around the Ingonish area/one night and then back to Halifax. Hit kind of all all three sides, abbreviated I know but still should at least give us some experience there. Somewhere in there is an extra night so I need to figure out which place needs the most time.. or just spread that night out for somewhere inbetween those stops.

Also, I need to find some time to buy you a beer for all your help. Or ten.

I'm not familiar with the Green Highlander Lodge, but I can ask around and see. In terms of asking me how Baddeck is in general... it's awesome. Small down, beautiful, it's one of the must see stops when visiting Cape Breton. Alexander Graham Bell lived in Baddeck and spent his final years there. There is a museum dedicated to him there (check it out) and a boat tour on a catamaran (http://www.amoebasailingtours.com/). My wife went on the boat cruise as part of her bachelorette party.

One place to look at in Baddeck to stay is the Invrary Inn http://www.capebretonresorts.com/our...nverary-resort I haven't stayed there, but it's the big resort there.

Castle Moffatt was built as a hotel if I'm not mistaken. The only castle that was on Cape Breton was Moxam's Castle which is essentially where the Days Inn in Sydney is now. The castle burnt down before I was born, and the Days Inn is in no way modeled after it, just happens to be the same location.

If I could make one addition to your possible itinerary, the Fortress of Louisbourg. It's basically a whole day to go through it properly. Afterwards supper at the Beggar's Banquet adds good food and continues the period appeal.

Fortress of Louisbourg: http://www.fortressoflouisbourg.ca/
Beggar's Banquet: http://www.louisbourgpointofview.com/beggars-banquet/

Also the Beggar's Banquet is at the Point of View Inn and Suites. They are nice, my wife and I stayed there a night after we got married (needed a getaway but didn't have the time to travel away).

That said, the Sydney Waterfront is a beautiful walk, especially at sunset. The Crown & Moose is a nice little pub in the Holiday Inn, and Governor's has one of the best patios of any restaurant/bar I've ever been in.

Time is a factor, naturally, I'm sure I could plan a three week vacation for you on Cape Breton alone.

Sorry for the late reply, but any questions let me know. Also I rarely refuse beer