Maritimes Explorer Eastern Canada Self-Drive Tour

At Landsby, we are specialists in creating unique experiences in Canada, due to a personal and direct relationship with our local partners. These packages provide a better value than booking a string of hotels separately on your own and allow for a more independent experience while providing peace of mind.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

• Fundy Coastal Drive
• Beautiful Peggy’s Cove
• Cape Breton Island & Cabot Trail
• Hopewell Rocks Highest Tides
• Fundy National Park
• Port City of Saint John
• Historic St. Andrews by-the-Sea
• Shediac Lobster Capital of The World
• Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
• Anne of Green Gables the Musical

DAY 1: HALIFAX ARRIVAL

Arrive in the port city of Halifax and transfer independently to your hotel. Halifax is a quintessential Maritime destination and cultural hub of Atlantic Canada, offering visitors a vast scope of things to do and places to explore. Allow yourself some time to explore the beautiful waterfront area.

DAY 2: HALIFAX > PEGGY’S COVE > HALIFAX

We suggest beginning your morning with a drive to beautiful Peggy’s Cove, and visit Canada’s most photographed lighthouse, perched atop granite boulders. It is worth visiting the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, located on top of a hill overlooking Halifax. You may explore the history of the fortress and the soldiers stationed there. Each day the Citadel comes alive with the sounds, displays and colour re-enactments of the kilted 78th Highlanders and the Royal Artillery. If later time allows, we recommend exploring Halifax’s Titanic connection and the many fine shops along the harbour front. Driving Distance: 61 MI / 99 KM

DAY 3: HALIFAX > BADDECK, CAPE BRETON

We recommend travelling to the northernmost part of Nova Scotia, cross over the Canso Causeway and enter beautiful Cape Breton Island. Continue on to Baddeck and visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. At this National museum, see one of the largest collections of his photographs and personal mementos. Explore the work of this creative genius through displays and one of the largest collections of his photographs and personal mementos (admission not included). Driving Distance: 309 MI / 497 KM

DAY 4: BADDECK, CAPE BRETON

We recommend enjoying a drive on the Cabot Trail, the East Coast’s answer to California’s Pacific Coast Highway. On this scenic drive see stunning seascapes of giant cliffs and high mountains as they tumble down into the ocean from high above. It is likely that you will spot wildlife as you make your way along with the Cabot Trail. On the eastern end, whales can often be seen from your car as you drive the high cliffs along the shore. Driving Distance: 208 MI / 335 KM

DAY 5: BADDECK, CAPE BRETON > CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (VIA CAR FERRY)

Return to mainland Nova Scotia and take the Northumberland Ferries Limited (free of charge) to Prince Edward Island then continue to Charlottetown. Driving Distance: 360 MI / 358 KM

DAY 6: CHARLOTTETOWN

Known as the Birthplace of Canada, you can visit a replica of the Confederation Chamber at The Confederation Centre of the Arts, Canada’s Memorial to the Fathers of Confederation. It is worth exploring Prince Edward Island, featuring carpets of bright green grass leading to bright-red cliffs. At Cap-Egmont we recommend viewing the amazing Bottle Houses; these are three buildings that are made out of more than 25,000 glass bottles. You may also visit the Anne of Green Gables House, immortalized in the famous Prince Edward Island-based novel of the same name. Charlottetown is the home of the longest-running seasonal musical in the world “Anne of Green Gables the Musical”.

DAY 7: CHARLOTTETOWN > HOPEWELL ROCKS > FUNDY NATIONAL PARK > CAPE ENRAGE > SAINT JOHN

Cross the Confederation Bridge into the province of New Brunswick to begin your exploration along the Fundy Coastal Drive, starting with the Hopewell Rocks, proudly boasting the best place to experience the highest tides in the world (up to 14 m / 48 ft.), where 160 billion tones of seawater flow, rising and falling twice a day, every day. Voted one of the Top 50 destinations to “discover, explore and experience” by Natural History Magazine, New Brunswick’s side of the Bay of Fundy is the unspoiled, serene adventure travel mecca of Atlantic Canada and home to one of the planet’s best collections of migratory whales and birds. Include visits to Hopewell Rocks with lunch, Cape Enrage, the village of Alma, and Fundy National Park. Arrive in the city of Saint John, Canada’s oldest incorporated city and the only city on the Bay of Fundy. Saint John has a Loyalist heritage that goes back centuries. Today, Saint John is a vibrant port city full of urban adventure on the edge of nature. Driving Distance: 249 MI, 400 KM

DAY 8: SAINT JOHN > ST. ANDREWS BY-THE-SEA

Start the day at the world-class New Brunswick Museum and experience the “Great Hall of Whales, “Birds of New Brunswick” and other captivating exhibits that tell the story of this intriguing maritime destination. Then meet the locals at the historic Saint John City Market, the oldest continuing farmer’s market in Canada (1876). This National Historic Site is a great place for lunch too! Historic Uptown Saint John is perfect for urban exploring on foot. Discover quaint alleyways, old-school pubs, and teeny tiny art galleries or stroll the waterfront – envisioning all the seafaring history that has unfolded there. Depart for nearby St. Andrews by-the-Sea, a celebrated Canadian seaside resort, founded in 1783 by the United Empire Loyalists. This coastal town representing one of the best-preserved examples of Colonial heritage in North America is a treasure trove of beautiful architecture, unparalleled scenery and rich marine life. Visit Huntsman Marine Science Centre/Fundy Discovery Aquarium and/or Atlantic Salmon Nature Centre. Driving Distance: 128 MI, 206 KM

DAY 9: ST. ANDREWS BY-THE-SEA

In the morning, depart from the town wharf to experience an exhilarating whale and wildlife excursion. Countless photo opportunities present themselves as the morning fog lifts off the Bay of Fundy. Lunch, leisure and shopping time in the National Historic District of Saint Andrews follows. Here you will find a variety of cafes and local pubs complete with the freshest seafood on every menu! This enchanting coastal hideaway has attracted royalty, celebrities and world travellers over the centuries... and now it’s your turn!

DAY 10: ST. ANDREWS BY-THE-SEA > HALIFAX

Enroute to Halifax, stop in the city of Moncton to experience the mysterious Magnetic Hill and have lunch at Magnetic Hill Wharf Village, drop into the Magnetic Hill Winery or try one of New Brunswick’s top experiences; Shediac Bay Cruises’ lobster educational cruise, located in the town of Shediac, known as “the lobster capital of the world”. A perfect way to bid farewell to your Canadian Maritime exploration! Driving Distance: 315 Miles / 500 Kilometers

DAY 11: HALIFAX DEPARTURE

Return your rental car in time for your return flight from Halifax Stanfield International Airport.