Trip to Nova Scotia anyone been?

RollingBnB
RollingBnB Member Posts: 322
in Camping & Travel
Thinking of going next year, when is the best time of year, Spring or Fall? Was it worth it?
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Alan & Patty
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Someday...interested in hearing answers. 
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    We took a three week trip during the fall and drove through St. John, New Brunswick (witnessed the Bay of Fundy tides), took a ferry over to Nova Scotia and visited Halifax (Peggy's Cove, cemetary with Titanic victims) and flew over to New Foundland.  We enjoyed the trip very much and stopped in Acadia on our return.  We did not make it up to Cape Bretton, but that will be for another trip.  New Foundland was very cool in that there were waterfalls everywhere as there is little soil and we were there during a lot of rain.  I think spring or fall would be great for Nova Scotia, but the time to visit New Foundland is July or August.  I think we were the only tourists in New Foundland at the time as we had the restaurants to ourselves - literally.  Some day I will return- just not outside of tourist season!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • RollingBnB
    RollingBnB Member Posts: 322
    SAM, did you camp or hotel it? 3 weeks seem quick, it take me 2 weeks just to get there.
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    Hotel.  We drove from Ohio and rented a car in New Foundland.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • KBaggins1
    KBaggins1 Member Posts: 135
    Best time for all the Atlantic provinces is July or August. You can get heavy fog any time of year but the shoulder months can be worse for fog. We have taken 2 trips to Nova Scotia and both times in July and weather was great. Lunenburg is a great place to camp, full service camping right in town on top of the hill. Schubies Campground in Dartmouth is close to a bus stop that takes you to a ferry station to get you to downtown Halifax. Also has a beach on a freshwater lake and access to hiking and biking trails. Louisbourg also has an oceanfront full service campground right in town. Cape Breton has lots of campgrounds spread all around the Cabot trail. That is as far as we have gone so far but we will be going back. 
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  • ClaudeA
    ClaudeA Member Posts: 54
    If you're crossing into Canada from Maine I would suggest Fundy National Park for a night or 3.  The little town of Alma is cute and a great place to witness the amazing tides. You can also go to the Hopewell Rocks where the flower pot rocks are.
    As far as best time,  we went in July one year and got lots of rain, once in early Sept. and it was beautiful weather.  In the Maritimes weather is quite unpredictable.
    In Nova Scotia we went around the province in Sept. and stuck to all the little hwys along the coast and it was beautiful scenery as well as weather that time, lots of cute little towns.
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    Interesting responses. There seems to be more comments about New Brunswick and Newfoundland than Nova Scotia. That might be a sign...  ;-)

    In 2013, we did a two-week road trip (not camping, but staying in cabins and small inns) up New Brunswick's Fundy Coast in, across Nova Scotia's north shore and Cape Breton Highlands, over and up to the tippy-top of Newfoundland, and then back again by the same general route. This was late May/early June. It was cool and often foggy, but pleasant. Since it was very early season for them, things were just starting to open and crowds were thin.

    Nova Scotia itself doesn't seem to offer many "E-ticket" rides. Cape Breton is the crown jewel--the Highlands are pretty, but sparse. Louisbourg and the Miner's Museum in Glace Bay are recommended attractions. If you are willing to forgo a night of camping, the caboose "motel" on the north shore is really cool. We opted to skip the lower part of Nova Scotia, as there wasn't much on paper drawing us to that area. Instead, we opted to continue up to...

    ...Newfoundland, which is even more sparse, but its remoteness ups the excitement factor a bit. Getting there requires a six-hour ride across the Cabot Strait. Highlights include Gros Morne NP and L'Anse aux Meadows. If you go, be aware that Newfoundland is BIG--more than one person has been deceived by the small scale at which atlas maps are rendered! Time didn't allow us to drive from the west coast to St. John's, but I'd like to return and see that area another time.

    Closer to the States is New Brunswick and the Fundy Coast others have mentioned. Fundy NP is low key and offers beautiful hikes for all levels of skill and ambition. Hopewell Rocks and Cape Enrage are not part of the park, but they are nearby. We returned to Fundy NP for a week of camping last year in June, and are headed up again with friends this July.

    Scenic biking on Cape Breton's east coast, NS...


    Scenic paddling on Gros Morne's fjord lakes, NL...

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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    We drove tho Newfoundland one September, a number of years ago. It was a struggle to find a hotel/motel anywhere outside the cities, but B & B's were all the rage. As @SAM found, we were the only tourists out there, it seemed they had to start the grill up when we went into any restaurant.
    St John's in Newfoundland is a sweet little city, and Trinity NF is fascinating (whale studies).
    The high speed ferry from Bar Harbour ME is pretty amazing at @ 50mph.
    Newfoundland is very sparsely populated, almost like the little towns in the Rockies.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
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  • TabberJohn
    TabberJohn Member Posts: 588
    edited May 2017
    The high-speed ferry service (The CAT) from Bar Harbor ended a few years back, but Portland and Yarmouth are stops: http://www.ferries.ca/thecat/
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    One other thing we found about New Foundland, we could not get fresh seafood.  They said that they freeze it offshore as the boats can stay out longer.  I think we ate fresh fish at only 1 restaurant.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Michigan_Mike
    Michigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,858

    SAM said:

    One other thing we found about New Foundland, we could not get fresh seafood.  They said that they freeze it offshore as the boats can stay out longer.  I think we ate fresh fish at only 1 restaurant.


    Best seafood is along the eastcoast of the US, especially if you enjoy Maine lobster....  Nummy!   I did find the same thing up in Nova Scotia (costly seafood) and although it was a fun trip and enhoyed visiting Halifax and driving the Cabot Trail and camping, I enjoyed the availability of fresh seafood in coastal Maine.   

    Halifax harbor has some history to it and I enjoyed the city and visiting the fort too.   I wouldn't mind going up that way again but it was a hike and traveling up the St Lawrence seaway area was an adventure and the scenery was breathtaking!   
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    edited May 2017
    Speaking of Nova Scotia and lobster...  While working our way up Cape Breton we stayed a night at the Markland "resort"--really a collection of beach cottages that was barely open for the season. The manager (once we hunted her down) said she could set us up with lobster for dinner if we wanted it.

    At the eleventh hour, we decided we did, and she rushed off with DW to the local dock where her brother-in-law sold us two ginormous crustaceans (probably topping five pounds total) for the whopping sum of $14. We cooked them that night in water scooped from the Atlantic. And opened them using pliers and other implements from the tool kit in the truck.

    It don't get any fresher--or cheaper--than that. Two thumbs up for the Markland!


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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    Oh yum!! 
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • RollingBnB
    RollingBnB Member Posts: 322
    Well, now I'm wondering if it's worth going that far. Not going for the food so if the scenery isn't all that spectacular, why go that far.
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    Alan & Patty
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  • gbell
    gbell Member Posts: 88
    Late Aug /early Sept (pre-T@B) camping in our Dodge caravan for 3 weeks, to  New Brunswick, saw the Bay of Fundy tides, then to Nova Scotia and Cape Bretton, just beautiful, and then the ferry to to New Foundland. New foundland is so unique and beautiful. I would love to go there again.  What fun it would be to take the T@B this time. Canada campgrounds are really really nice.  any of these area are worth the trip.
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  • Trailpixie
    Trailpixie Member Posts: 191
    Grand Manan island is a wonderful and quiet island at the bottom of the bay of fundy.  You get there on a ferry from Black's harbour. The Hole in the Wall campground has amazing sites at the top of bluffs overlooking the open bay.  

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  • Alan
    Alan Member Posts: 120
    We are hoping to head to the area late this summer/fall. The suggestions here are most welcome.
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  • RollingBnB
    RollingBnB Member Posts: 322

    Alan said:

    We are hoping to head to the area late this summer/fall. The suggestions here are most welcome.



    How far you going and from where?
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    Alan & Patty
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  • Burgman
    Burgman Member Posts: 7
    Good Morning Alan & Patty,  your choice of a trip  to the east coast is a good one! We live in New Brunswick and feel sure this will be a trip to remember. I think Aug or Sept would be excellent choices,some nice spots to visit if crossing into NB at Calais, would be St Andrews by the sea there is a CG right on the shore in town, when you get to SaintJohn which is Canada's oldest incorporated city, a visit to the city market is a must see, also the reversing Rapids where the tide causes the river to flow backwards,Fundy Park is our favorite camping spots. I would suggest reservations early if possible as it is very busy, Hopewell Rocks if you only have time for one visit do so at low tide so you can take in the full view. After leaving the Fundy Park you will travel to Moncton if your schedule permits I would suggest stopping in Shediac for a few days and camp along the shore to enjoy the warmest waters north of the Carolinas, then on to Prince Edward Island by bridge for a couple days after which you can take a ferry to NS and do the Cabot Trail  or head to Hfx and Peggy's cove .there is a lot to see and not being sure of your schedule I will restrain from more suggestions, you are coming at an excellent time with your dollar being on the high at the moment. We wish you a safe trip and a wonderful time enjoy our Maritime Hospitality.  RW & DJ
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  • Luckyj
    Luckyj Member Posts: 286
    We were there last september, I mean Nova Scotia.  We planned for 12 days, among those, 1 full day to get to Pitcou form Trois Pistoles Qc and one days to get back to Trois Pistoles from Halifax.  So that gave us 10 days that were way to short to vist NS.  We made it around Cape Breton Island, with at least one night in Meat-Cove (northern tip )

    my llan was to clear Nova-Scotia and be almost done when we would make it a following trip to NL with the full northern route via quebec and labrador, but we will have tomdo it again.

    Cape-breton Island, Louisbourg fortresse (they aslo have a local rhum call forterress), Halifax, Lunenbugh, all the shore roads you can drive is time allow.  You will have to choose.

    have a very fun trip.

    ah, forgot, we began our trip with the labor day weekend.  Only made advance reservation for first night at Pictou, every thing else was call the same day ahead.  Ocean water was still very warm, beaches and campground were almost empty and no bugs at all.

    we would go back at the same period if we can.  And dogs are very welcome all over NS.  Even a day care just 10 minutes north of Louisbourg.
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