People & Places
Canadian Maritimes worth visiting
Emigrant and Halifax B&B owner June Spindloe explains how to make the most of the many wonders of Maritime Canada
The Maritimes consist of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, which are all popular tourist destinations in their own right. What is common among all these places is the stunning rugged scenery, the culture and the friendliness of the people known as 'Maritimers'. One mistake that many of our visitors make when staying at our B&B in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is that they don't allow enough travelling time. If you are arriving from the UK it is only a five to six hour trip by plane but don't expect to pick up a hire car and get to The Cabot Trail by supper time. In order to plan a worthwhile holiday, you need a minimum of two weeks, and ideally at least three or four to visit all of the Maritimes; distances can be deceiving.
There are no shortage of interesting places to visit in the Maritimes, the most popular destinations being The Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island (the home of Anne of Green Gables) and, of course, Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, which is steeped in history as the first British town founded in Canada in 1749. There is a considerable amount of driving involved anywhere when travelling around the Maritimes so its advisable to rent as comfortable a vehicle as you can afford. Besides car travel there are options for the more adventurous to use RVs, Via Rail or hop on a bus from Halifax to Prince Edward Island. I'd advise you to do as much research as you can prior to travelling and leave time to enjoy the areas you think will be of the most interest to you instead of making the mistake of trying to drive from one place to another just to complete the itinerary you made sitting back at home on the sofa.
If your two passions are travel and golf then look no further as Nova Scotia and PEI are Canada's second-best golfing destinations, Cape Breton's Highland Links, Glen Arbour and Bell Bay courses being some of the most sought after, with diverse challenging courses and spectacular scenery. There are many travel companies that specialise in arranging complete golfing packages, including booking Teeing off times. Hiking along the Cabot Trail, named after the explorer John Cabot, is pretty well a must for anyone who enjoys trails ranging from short family walks to spectacular hiking expeditions. All of the local Visitor Information Centres and provincial parks will supply you with more detailed hiking maps. The Cabot Trail itself is only 185 miles in length but it will take a good eight hours to drive the loop properly. The highlight is the drive through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a roller coaster ride over mountains. Visitors in the fall will be stunned by the autumnal colours and scenic grandeur, whilst visitors in summer will experience sandy beaches, fantastic seafood, and Scottish traditions where Gaelic Folklore comes alive at the many Ceilidhs.
Be prepared for a lot more people being around in the summer months and book ahead of time for accommodations, also take cash with you for smaller stores and bed and breakfasts that don't run businesses all year and have no credit card facilities; there are also very few 'cash point'. Prince Edward Island also known as 'Spud Island', is from end to end 180 miles by car and is connected to the mainland by the Confederation Bridge. The bridge joins the province of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick and forms part of the Trans Canada Highway-making travelling to and from either province simple and convenient. The bridge also links you to a multitude of festivals and events, activities, and places to visit.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of the novel Anne of Green Gables by author Lucy Maud Montgomery and each year tens of thousands of people from around the world come to Prince Edward Island to see the place where she wrote her novel. Halifax is full of tourists in the summer. A popular destination, it has over 300 restaurants to choose from, running the full range from affordable fast food to interesting ethnic and, of course, fine dining. Don't go home without trying lobster or famous Digby scallops. When visiting any of our Maritime provinces, rain gear, layered clothing, sunglasses and binoculars are a must at any time of year. We haven't be able to visit all the places we'd like to in the Maritimes yet, but we still feel like tourists on those sunny days when we go downtown and stroll along the longest boardwalk in the world through shops, restaurants and tall ships: There's never a dull moment.
You can email June Spindloe with your questions.
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Discovering New Brunswick
Our move to New Brunswick
Saint John: A surprising city
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