Best of the Canadian Maritimes

Welcome to Nova Scotia! Your adventure starts today in Halifax. There is a welcome meeting at 5 pm to meet your local leader and other travelers. Halifax is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and the capital of Nova Scotia. It is a major business center known for its maritime history and the Citadel, a star-shaped fort built in the 1850s. After the meeting, go on an orientation walk with your leader to learn about the area. You might want to join the group for a welcome dinner to get to know everyone.

Included activities:

• Halifax - Leader-led orientation walk

Today, visit Lunenburg on the South Shore, one of two towns in North America listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Join a guided walk through Mahone Bay and Blue Rocks, once a fishing village, now popular with artists and photographers. You'll get some free time to look around the old town center, a National Historic Site. Since Lunenburg used to run rum during Prohibition, try some local brews. In the late afternoon, head back to Halifax, and maybe meet up for dinner later.

Included Activities:

• Lunenburg - Guided walking tour
• Lunenburg - Mahone Bay & Blue Rocks

Your travel time today is approximately 2.5 hours

Take a trip to famous Peggy’s Cove, a picturesque fishing village that is one of the most photographed places in all of Canada – for good reason! Experience rocky outcrops, the crashing Atlantic, colorful fishing boats, and the famous red-tipped lighthouse, as you would expect on Maritimes postcards. Follow your local leader along the Peggy’s Cove Rock Walk, meandering along the barren coastline that glaciers created some 12,000 years ago. Grab lunch in the village (your own expense) – perhaps a creamy seafood chowder or fresh lobster roll. This afternoon, you can choose to visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration or the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to learn some local history.

Included Activities:

• Peggy’s Cove – Rock Walk

Drive from Halifax to Baddeck, making a stop at the Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Center. Located in the heart of Millbrook First Nation's development, it tells the story of the Millbrook Mi’kmaq and their vital role in the Maritimes. Don’t miss the gift shop with beautiful traditional arts and crafts. On arrival in Baddeck, relax and settle into your hotel.

Included Activities:

• Millbrook - Mi'kmac Cultural & Heritage Centre
• Baddeck - Celtic music ceilidh

Your travel time today is approximately 4 hours.

Today, you drive along the Cabot Trail for a leisurely hike within Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The Skyline Trail is the park’s signature hike, leading to spectacular sweeping views over the sea. After completing your hike, continue your journey with a truly local experience at an oyster hatchery in South Harbour. Gain hands-on knowledge as you discover how oysters grow, then try your hand at shucking them. Of course, you also have the chance to enjoy the fruits of your labor by tasting fresh, locally grown oysters. If it’s a nice day for driving, your leader takes you further along the Cabot Trail—a four-hour drive with plenty of beautiful stops along the way. Enjoy a picnic lunch while out on the trail before returning to Baddeck for the night.

Included Activities:

• Cape Breton Highlands National Park – Hike
• Cape Breton Island - Oyster experience

Your travel time today is approximately 5 hours.

If you're an early riser, start the day with a visit to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site to gain insight into the life and work of the inventor, scientist, and teacher best known for inventing the telephone. Then, drive from Baddeck to Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island and the country's smallest provincial capital. Arrive in the late afternoon and explore downtown on foot. Stroll along the picturesque harbour, wander through leafy parks, or admire Victorian-era streets lined with gabled houses. Tonight, join your group for an included dinner and toast to your adventure.

Included Activities:

• Charlottetown - Leader-led orientation walk

Your travel time today is approximately 5 hours.

Attend a 10 am orientation meeting, welcoming new travelers for the next leg of your journey. Head out with your leader for a walking tour of the town. Conclude with a tasting at Upstreet Brewing, a B Corp business crafting classic, seasonal, and experimental craft beers. Enjoy a free afternoon before regrouping in the evening for a special dinner. Head along Points East Coastal Drive (about 45 minutes) for a traditional lobster and mussel boil on a local fisherman's private property.

Included Activities:

• Points East Coastal Drive – Mussel and Lobster Shore Boil
• Charlottetown-Leader Lead Walking Tour

Your travel time today is approximately 1.5 hours.

Drive from Charlottetown to the Greenwich section of Prince Edward Island National Park. This area features a rare parabolic dune system and miles of pristine white sand beaches along the famous Points East Coastal Drive. Explore small towns, beaches, and wildlife unique to PEI. Walk the dune trail, dip your toes in the surf, and observe rare coastal plant species and seabirds. Then, check out Skmaqn-Port la Joye-Fort Amherst National Historic Site for some views of Charlottetown's harbor. This spot marks the first permanent European settlement on the island. After that, head to a local, family-run winery for a tasting of their top wines.

Included Activities:

• Prince Edward Island National Park
• Saint Catherines - Winery visit and tasting
• Skmaqn-Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst National Historic Site

Your travel time today is approximately 2 hours.

This morning, visit Cavendish, where L.M. Montgomery drew inspiration for "Anne of Green Gables." Explore Green Gables Heritage Place on a walking tour (with a focus on Anne, of course!). After, you stop for an optional lunch at Cape Tyron Lighthouse before continuing to Lennox Island. Here, you explore Lennox Island First Nation to meet a Mi'kmaq guide for a cultural center and St. Anne church tour. Immerse yourself in Mi'kmaq culture and history, learning the traditional way of preparing bannock at a campfire. Settle in with a cup of tea and absorb stories about life on Lennox Island. Check out the Bottle Houses, a village made of thousands of bottles. Spend the night in the coastal city of Summerside.

Included Activities:

• Cavendish – Bottle House Leader Led Tour
• Cavendish – Green Gables Heritage Place
• Lennox Island First Nation Experience

Your travel time today is approximately 2 hours.

Enjoy a free morning exploring Summerside on your own. Check out local museums, galleries, and cultural centers, or wander through historic home neighborhoods. Get your sea legs ready! Cruise Shediac Bay on a working lobster boat with local fishers today. Experience a hands-on lobster fishing demonstration and savor a freshly caught lunch on board. After lunch, drive to Moncton and settle into your hotel for the night.

Included Activities:

• Shediac – Lobster Boat Cruise with Dinner

Your travel time today is approximately 1.5 hours.

Cross over into New Brunswick and head to the postcard-perfect Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. Arrive for low tide and join a naturalist guide for a walk onto the sea floor, getting up close to the towering sandstone formations known as the Hopewell Rocks, or Flowerpot Rocks. When the tide comes in, waters in the bay can reach up to 16 meters, so your local leader ensures you make the most of your visit. In the afternoon, make a quick detour to spectacular Cap Enrage with its charming lighthouse before continuing to explore Fundy National Park. Then, take a short drive to the historic seaport city of Saint John, where you'll stay for the night.

Included Activities:

• Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park - Walk
• Bay of Fundy - Cap Enrage

Your travel time today is approximately 3.5 hours.

Your tour ends today, and you are free to leave at your leisure. Alternatively, if you prefer, stick around and explore the city of Saint John and more of the Maritimes on your own.