East coast driving vacation

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chansen

chansen

Had a point all along
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We're thinking of packing up in the truck and driving east later this month, for about a week or two. Wife wants to see whales. Son wants to see military stuff, because boy. Basically, we're completely open to suggestions. Any recommendations? Food? Places to stay?
 
It's been too long since I've been down there but here's some brainstorming:

If your son likes military stuff, the Halifax citadel and Louisbourg, the old French fort in Cape Breton, are must sees.

Mahone Bay, NS used to boast about its chowder but not sure if that's still true. We had it c. 1992 and it was pretty good.

If boy likes ships, there's Lunenburg for the Bluenose II but you need to check the website to make sure it's in port since it travels a lot.

Seeing the Fundy tides from either side is probably another must. We've only seen them from the NS side.

The Cabot Trail around Cape Breton Island is a nice drive but it's all scenery so might bore the boy. But there's Louisbourg for him.

We had a nice night in a B&B inn on the North Shore of PEI on our honeymoon but for a family vacation, there's other things that are probable more interesting. Anyone in your family an Anne fan?

Are you going over to The Rock or just the Maritime provinces? We still haven't been to Nfld. and if we were going, I would consult my little brother since he and his wife love the place. Of course, you can try reaching out to John for his thoughts.
 
I don't think we're going as far as the rock. Not planning anything further at the moment, at least.
 
Two of my friends just got back from a trip down east.
The one went solo, spent time on her own writing, and then her husband joined her. They have a roadtrek
The other went with her husband for a month. They towed a trailer.

Both couples had a great time.

I'm not sure if there interests would be your interests, but, i can reach out if others didn't.
 
Nah, don't bother others. I've sent our daughter down that rabbit hole as well. Just seeing if anything stands out to people here, of which I may not have been previously aware.
 
We've been a few times.
Flew into Newfoundland, rented a vehicle and camped. Family when the boys were 12 & 8
Flew in, rented a car and my sister and i took my mom on a loop from Moncton, up to Cabot trail, back through pei.
Drove down and spent time in tatamagouche area with mom and my son
Flew into NFL's, rented a car with a friend and spent time in city and twillingate.
Husband and i many years ago camped in Gaspe and Nova Scotia.

Whale watching around digby is good
 
Cabot Trail and Louisburg are both great. Peggy's Cove is worth seeing too.

We also spent time in PEI and enjoyed it.
 
chansen said:
We're thinking of packing up in the truck and driving east later this month, for about a week or two. Wife wants to see whales. Son wants to see military stuff, because boy. Basically, we're completely open to suggestions. Any recommendations? Food? Places to stay?
Click to expand...
Best seafood chowder at Shaw’s landing, in Dover on the road to Peggy’s cove but still a couple of km before it ( coming from Halifax).
Brier Island by Digby for Whale watching ( you have to take two ferries to get there. Have a little hike to the balancing rock while you go there
Balancing Rock Trail - Tourism Nova Scotia
On the trail there there is this area with wild cabbage - I was there when it was blooming, ( not sure which month), it was quite a weird sight.
Louisburg definitely. Will take a day to discover.
Busker festival Halifax Busker Festival - Tourism Nova Scotia
But you might have that also where you live.
Peggy’s cove- they have a guard there now, but all they can do is yell at people when they do risky stuff on the dark rocks that can be swept over by rogue waves. I personally would not go there during tourist season because I don’t want to see a tragedy happen. “ All I can do is call the coast guard to retrieve the body” is what the guard told me last time I was there and two idiots staged themselves “ fishing” from the rocks- the one doing the video close to falling in.
To see the tides, go off the Hwy 101 at Wolfville and drive up to the Lookoff. Make sure to check the tide table so that you can see the empty Bay of Fundy.
Wolfville has a free bike rental at the harbour for the day. The rail trail goes all along the valley.
Watch the surfers at Lawrencetown beach and if you are there on a Saturday, continue on this road to Hope for Wildlife- a wildlife rescue station.

Visiting Hope For wildlife — Hope For Wildlife

Hope for Wildlife will be open to the public every Saturday beginning April 2nd from 12pm-3pm.
www.hopeforwildlife.net www.hopeforwildlife.net
Lunenburg, where the Bluenose usually is , is just interesting by itself.
There is the Folk Harbour festival ( no need to buy tickets in advance, can always get day passes, however, finding overnight in that time should be difficult)
folkharbour.ca

Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival

A celebration of folk tradition, community, and unforgettable live performances in historic Lunenburg, NS August 6-9, 2026
folkharbour.ca folkharbour.ca
There is also the Lunenburg fork arts festival, which is fun to see, but you need to get up early if you want to buy anything, I was told people line up very early to get in for that. It also has an auction during the day.
www.nsfolkartfestival.com

Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival

Welcome to the best four hours of fun in the province! This is the only place to find the top folk artists from Nova Scotia all in one place and for one afternoon only.
www.nsfolkartfestival.com www.nsfolkartfestival.com
When in the Annapolis Valley, look for U-picks and farmer’s markets. Should be raspberry and/ or blueberry time later on.
 
Sounds like a great idea chansen! Definitely plan for 2 weeks. Its a couple of days drive to get to Nova Scotia & lots to see along the way too. We stayed overnight on the south shore roughly across from Quebec City. Pack picnic lunches & save yourself from fast food and long lines at the highway rest stops - most have great picnic tables. Take your frisbee or soccer balls for some run around time at breaks.

Joggins Fossil Cliffs is pretty interesting - but check the tide table - gotta go when tide's out. Seeler first told me about it & we visited some years ago. The visitor centre runs free guided tours.

Burntcoat Head Prov Park - again, on bay of Fundy so check tide times - you can walk a looong way out - but keep a good eye for incoming tide - it advances quickly - Fundy has the world's highest tides after all. It is possible to book tix for a dinner served at long tables 'on the ocean floor' sometimes.

The fishing communities - Digby for example, have wharves you can walk out & see the boats up close & personal. Might be of 'boy' interest. Also had good seafood there! And you can catch a ferry (fun if kiddo hasn't done big car ferry before) from Digby across to New Brunswick to shorten your drive homeward - good highway.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Peggy's Cove - you've already seen it on dozens of calendars!

Halifax has a big interesting graveyard where many from the Titanic are buried. Nice restored waterfront; big military shipyards - you can see these best from a harbour boat tour - We did that with church youth group years ago & they were amazed to see submarines, ships in dry dock etc. I think there's a big Maritime Museum on the waterfront too - prob some stuff there abt the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

There is that 'magnetic hill' near Moncton/Fundy too - might be a 'boy & cynical dad weird science thing' :-)

Does 'military' include history type stuff? If so, here's a link We visited Grand Pre - pretty astounding history. Good gift shop too!

There are also good wineries in NS - most have good restaurants too for a delicious lunch on a patio - maybe not 'boy' taste.

Being summer, there will prob be lots of local events popping up - leave time to stop in & enjoy local music & culture.
Enjoy!!
 
You asked about where to stay. We usually prefer somewhere with a suite, kitchen etc. In Wolfville we stayed at Roselawn Lodgings - just on the edge of town. Suite was clean & updated, had a good pool, basketball & tennis courts, laundry.

Also stayed a few nights in a good cabin in the woods at the Tidal Bore Rafting Resort - now that Bore rafting probably an adventure you & your boy would enjoy! We just watched LOL!! But I can totally see you doing the mud slide & rocking around on the raft!

We stayed in a b&b in Lunenburg (pretty town, even tho Hurricane Dorian arrived while we were there - that was an unplanned adventure!). Also a b&b in Digby overlooking the harbour.

Once you get to Nova Scotia it's nice to kinda decide what area(s) you want to see & do things, then book a few days in somewhere & take day trips - we definitely prefer that to moving every day.
 
When we were in PEI, church groups were hosting lobster dinners. Very nice and not too expensive. And there was homemade pie!
 
paradox3 said:
When we were in PEI, church groups were hosting lobster dinners. Very nice and not too expensive. And there was homemade pie!
Click to expand...
Mrs. M lived not far from a seafood market in Halifax so we did our own lobster dinners. :giggle: Even adapted the dip she used for crab back in Shanghai for lobster (instead of butter, in other words).
 
There are many adaptions ... disturbing those wishing all to be identical ... a vast colony of algae ... in my work we found this to be an excellent place to grow filamentous bacilli ... often aggressive ... some can even break down things you'd expect to be stable. I once had a scholar say there were agents for all sorts of problems, paradox and enigma beyond the ability of mortal ... there piety that are stone-like ... like reverence for the formless ... like free energy! Some search for stores of this immaterial ... other's eek rest as primal searchers for logo (s) and iconic irregularities in the vast extent ... enclosing the squeaks of time ... that wheel out there is dry ... arid ... thus many dehydrated spirits ... looking for a drink of whatever condenses ... spiritual rendering? Mystical functions and process ...

The stuff we don't know is huge ... however great will will express the worst ... there is requirement for a place to poke it ... thus the dirt, mire and fertile humor ... obnoxious to the perfectionist? Clear for the oncoming jolt ...
 
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