Itinerary-At-A-Glance
Location: Cape Breton, N.S. and Prince Edward Island
Timeline: Sunday, Oct. 1st – Sunday, Oct. 8th, 2023
For the third year in a row, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary with a week of exploring the provinces of Canada. Past trips have taken us to Newfoundland and Vancouver Island. This year, we chose Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, with a short visit to Halifax and to spend several days at each of Cape Breton National Park and Prince Edward Island National Park.
As in past years, our game plan was to stay in lodgings which emphasize comfort and style, enjoy fine dining that highlights the produce of the region, and hike/sightsee whatever is most noteworthy in and around the national parks. You may recall that one of my goals is to visit a national park in every Canadian province and territory, so this year’s trip ticked the box of two of Canada’s smallest provinces.
What’s Special Around Halifax
Walking: A hilly harbor city – in a similar but smaller vein as San Francisco — offers outstanding public spaces with the potential for a pedestrian workout. Stroll through the Public Gardens, Point Pleasant Park and The Citadel.
Harbour Sightseeing: The wharf is touristy, but the 12-minute ferry to Dartmouth Village across the harbor offers wonderful views, particularly at dusk. Dartmouth has the province’s top-rated bar, an inexpensive, accessible Nordic spa, and a laid-back vibe.
Coast Sightseeing: The coastline south of Halifax is very scenic. While tourists flock to Peggy’s Cove for its iconic lighthouse overlooks, Prospect Village offers a less frenetic but equally bucolic experience.
Lodging and Dining Options
It’s all about the shellfish, particularly lobsters and oysters. If you think New England has the best, you haven’t visited Atlantic Canada. It would be a travesty to visit Halifax and skip its shellfish.
There is a broad range of lodging options on and off the waterfront, and as the city has come into its own, there are some upscale options.
Here’s What We Enjoyed:
Muir Hotel, the Autograph Collection: located downtown on the waterfront, is arguably the best in town. The hotel has a refined, modern style decorated with a serene, cool color palette. Excellent service. We particularly appreciated the complimentary bottle of sparkling wine for our anniversary. Its restaurant, The Drift, is one of the best in town – the ambience at dinnertime is best after sundown.
Bar Sofia: located on the backside of the Muir, with a lively, casual evening energy to accompany the fun and festive Latin cuisine. Shared plates and cocktails are its strength.
Dear Friend: winner of the “Best Bar in Nova Scotia” award. Serving awesome oysters with creative cocktails in a cozy, warm bar.
What’s Special Around Cape Breton
Hiking: short, easy hikes to spectacular ocean and highland forest panoramas. The 26 trails in Cape Breton National Park are evenly split between those on the east (Atlantic) side and those on the west (Gulf of St. Lawrence) side. Both sides are equally stunning, particularly beautiful in fall foliage season. This park has trails that deliver mega visual bang for little effort—recently voted Best National Park in Canada.
Driving: the Cabot Trail is an internationally famous scenic route, recently named Best Scenic Drive in Canada, with numerous roadside overlooks. It’s a 3-hour drive without stops, but make a day of it!
Historic Sites and Local Culture: First Nations, Acadian and Celtic traditions; Fortress of Louisbourg (North America’s largest historical reconstruction); Alexander Graham Bell museum; Glenora Distillery (first single malt in North America). The list goes on…
Arts & Crafts: the natural beauty of Cape Breton has attracted many artisans whose studios and galleries populate the Cabot Trail. Woodworkers, glass blowers, potters, painters, sculptors, weavers, hookers (of rugs, that is).
Lodging and Dining Options
The northernmost section of the Cape, where the national park is located, is rustic. There are reduced services – gas stations, for example, are few and far between — and fewer alternatives for upscale lodging and dining. Some planning is an excellent idea.
Here’s What We Enjoyed:
Kelic Lodge: opened in 1940, the historic restore is now operated by Parks Canada and offers a variety of lodging and dining alternatives. Perched on Middle Head peninsula, the property is best known for its Highlands Links Golf Course, considered one of North America’s best.
Glenora Inn and Distillery: North America’s first single malt distillery also offers excellent accommodations and fine dining. There’s an hour-long distillery tour with a free sample of the 10-year.
What’s Special Around P.E.I.
Beaches: beautiful beaches offering warmer and more swimmable water than most of New England! Summer is the season here, though early fall is much less crowded, balmy and no less bucolic. Naturally, the national park, dotting the north shore of PEI, offers some of the best beaches and swimming. Hiking is primarily about walks to and along the water.
Shellfish: renowned for all manner of shellfish, with oysters and mussels as the mega-stars of the stars. It is worth selecting restaurants offering the freshest, best-prepared shellfish, as it doesn’t get any better than this.
Lodging and Dining Options
Here’s What We Enjoyed:
The Inn at Bay Fortune: is located in the northeast part of PEI, about 25 minutes from the Greenwich segment of PEI National Park. Terrific accommodations, dining and service – a truly 5-star property. Do not miss the outstanding 5-hour Fireworks Feast (including Farm Tour and Oyster Hour) offered nightly from mid-May to mid-October.
21 Breakwater: 15-minute drive from the Inn, this is the best dining alternative to the Inn in the area. The limited menu is uniformly excellent.
Clockwise: Cabot Trail, Greenwich Dunes Trail, Selfie on the Cabot Trail, Anniversary Moment at the Fireworks Feast, Franey Trail and Halifax at sunset.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Getting to Halifax (Sunday, October 1)
- 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Fly into Halifax – app. 2.5 hours from Toronto or NYC, but an hour later time difference. Pick up luggage and rental car.
- 9:00-10:00 PM: Check into Muir Hotel
Day 2: Exploring Halifax and Environs (Monday, October 2)
- 7:30-10:00 AM: Explore Harborside and downtown Halifax, including the Wharf and Public Gardens.
- 10:00 AM-3:00 PM: Peggy’s Cove (45 min drive); lunch; Prospect Village and High Head Trail hike (30 min); return to Muir Hotel
- 4:00-6:00 PM: Ferry ride to Dartmouth for Nordic spa activities at Nature Folk Wellness Centre
- 6:00-7:00 PM: Dear Friend bar for cocktails and oysters.
- 7:00-7:30 PM: Return to Halifax
- 7:30-9:30 PM: Dinner at Bar Sofia
Day 3: On the Road to Cape Breton (Tuesday, October 3)
- 8:00-9:00 AM: Breakfast at The Drift (in The Muir) and checkout
- 9:00 AM-2:00 PM: Drive to Baddeck (4 hours)
- 2:00-3:00 PM: Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Pre-arranged two, private half-hour tours, White Glove and Marvelous Mrs. Mabel, to get greater insight into the inventor and his equally impressive wife.
- 3:00-5:00 PM: Ingonish Visitor Centre of Cape Breton National Park (75 min drive) and hike Freshwater Lake Lookout trail (30 minutes)
- 5:00-9:00 PM: Check in to Keltic Lodge and dinner at Arduaine
Day 4: Cape Breton National Park, Eastside Trails (Wednesday, October 4)
- 6:00-9:00 AM: Hike Middle Head Trail to watch sunrise at 7:04 am, and breakfast at Keltic Lodge.
- 9:00 AM-1:00 PM: Drive the Cabot Trail to Cape North, hike Jack Pine Trail (1 hour) and visit Arts North Gallery and other artisans.
- 1:00-2:30 PM: Lunch at Salty Rose’s Gallery and the Periwinkle Café in Ingonish.
- 3:00-6:00 PM: Hike the Franey Trail.
- 7:00-9:00 PM: Dinner at The Purple Thistle, Keltic Lodge.
Day 5: Cape Breton National Park, Westside Trails (Thursday, October 5)
- 8:00-10:30 AM: drive the Cabot Trail (west side), with scenic overlook stops
- 10:30 AM-12:00 PM: Hike the Skyline Trail (out & back to the viewpoint)
- 12:00-1:30 PM: Lunch at Freya and Thor Gallery & Café, Cheticamp.
- 1:30-4:00 PM: Hike the beach trails at Le Buttereau and Cap Rouge Campgrounds.
- 4:00-6:00 PM: Visit Ann Schroder studio in Mabou and check in at Glenora Inn and Distillery
- 7:00-10:00 PM: Dinner and music at Glenora’s Washback Pub; whisky drinking at its bar
Day 6: On the Road to PEI (Friday, October 6)
- 8:00-10:00 AM: Breakfast at Washback Pub and distillery tour
- 10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Drive to ferry (2 hrs.) at Caribou village.
- 1:45-3:00 PM: Take the ferry to Wood Island, PEI (75 mins), and drive to The Inn at Bay Fortune and check-in (30 mins)
- 6:00-9:00 PM: Dinner at 21 Breakwater, Souris village (15 mins)
Day 7: PEI National Park, Greenwich Segment (Saturday, October 7)
- 8:00-9:00 AM: Gourmet breakfast at The Inn at Bay Fortune.
- 9:30 AM-1:00 PM: Hike the Greenwich Dunes Trail and Tlaqatik Loop Trail.
- 1:00-2:00 PM: Lunch at Rick’s in St. Peter’s town
- 4:00-9:00 PM: The Fireworks Feast at The Inn at Bay Fortune
Day 8: PEI National Park, Brackley/Dalvay Segment (Sunday, October 8)
- 8:00-9:00 AM: Gourmet breakfast and check out.
- 9:00 AM-12:00 PM: Tour Dalvay-by-the Sea National Historic Site, and short hikes along Brackley Beaches.
- 12:00-2:00 PM: Drive to Charlottetown and lunch at Redwater Grill.
- 2:00-4:00 PM: Explore historic downtown Charlottetown, shops and galleries.
- 4:00-9:00 PM: Drive to the airport, return car, check-in and home!
