Need info on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick please.

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TumbleOak

Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Posts
8
Location
Pacific, MO. Summer 08 in Bangor ME
Hello all, we are summering in Maine and have 8 free days soon. We are thinking about going up to Cape Breton. Some locals have said they prefer Prince Edward island.  How about you ? Does anyone have any input about special places to see ?  We will be towing our 5th wheel and starting from Bangor, ME.  Also any new info on border crossing including bringing our dog with us.  Thanks !
 
Take a look at some current trip reports in our Trip reports, journals and logs message board. Also, try using the Advanced search link above to search on "Cape Breton" and separately on "PEI".

We have some information on northern border crossings in the RVing in Canada area of our library. (Click the Library button above.)
 
Donna and I are sitting at our cottage in Shediac NB, along with our daughter, her husband and 2 kids, who's pop up is sitting unused in the back yard.  It was their intention to leave Wednesday, spend a few days in northern NB and then go onto the Gaspe part of Quebec.  Unfortunately the weather has changed, and it has been wet and cool, not great beach weather for 2 or 4 year olds.  All that to say, if you're looking for a beach vacation, I wouldn't recommend PEI, and most activities on PEI are really centered around the beach.  NB and NS on the other hand have a lot of other things to offer.  However, before offering suggestions, are you looking for kids activities, historical places, museums, coastline, ???  Throw out a few questions, and I & other locals, along with many forum members will offer suggestions.
 
Ok, from Bangor, you go up the 1-95 and across the border.
From there you have to make a choice
Turn left to the wild and beautiful Gaspe coast (see the Brewer's recent blog)
Turn right into southern New Brunswick aiming for PEI or Nova Scotia/Cape Breton

OK you turned right-----first night's stop--Mactaquac Campground. Govt owned and run. Pristine. Beach and supervised swimming. Beautiful golf course. Houseboats for hire by the hour.
Next day visit King's Landing Historical Settlement, about five miles away. Great for adults and kids. Oxen, blacksmith's shop, fabulous water driven sawmill, period houses with period furniture, horse and cart rides etc etc. First class and still ok in the rain.
Or take the hydro electric dam tour. Great for adults of both sexes and instructive for children. Pretty. Mostly indoors if it's raining. Or go into Fredericton and do the Science East centre. Kids love it.

Then off to PEI which is a half day drive. It's safer to get bookings before you go but you should be ok this year since tourism is down. I disagree that it's not good for children in the rain, since there are countless attractions from go-karting to the ever-popular Anne of Green Gables site if your kids have read the book.

Based on my experience of last year with four kids (not my own) from 10 to 15 (boredom to bedlam and beyond), I would not try to go as far as Cape Breton. It's a long long way from the border (Google maps can tell you better than I) and is mainly a driving and scenery experience which children seem mostly UNDERwhelmed by. (Are we there yet??)
Fort Louisberg is a great attraction but I think it's closer to Europe than Bangor Me.

JMHO
disclosure-I live five miles from Mactaquac Park.  I love the hydrodam tour and Science East. 506-363-3319
 
Go to the "Library" section (button near top of screen and near the middle) then the "Trip Reports" near the bottom library list.  There are 19 trip reports in the "Trip Reports" section and at least two of them have information on trips to that area.  See: Brewer's Maritimes trip 2008 and our Len & Jo's Northeastern Canada trip reports there.  There are also photos in the "Photos" section.
 
  Thanks for the responses so far, I haven't had a chance yet to read through everything but will real soon.  I will recheck the trip reports.....I had seen an old one in there.  Just got (home) to Bangor.  Had to load up and drive home in the rain.  The forecast for the next 7 days is more rain, everyday.  FYI, it is just the two of us, no little ones except for the dog.  Does it always rain this much "downeast" .

Barry
 
We do have a maritime climate, and this year seems that several low pressure systems have stalled over the east coast from Boston to Newfoundland.  However, I'll take the cooler weather as opposed to the 100 F much of the mid to west North America seems to have had this summer.  Since there are no ankle biters along, you are open to go in any direction.  The next month to 45 days are about the best time to visit both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and a side trip to PEI offers much too.  There are many agricultural fairs, much of the push of the summer crowd has died down.  Unless you're really into planning, come on down, and explore.  Stop at one of the many tourist bureaus and just explore.  All 3 have good online tourist informaton, take a look, then ask anythingm you need to know.
 
re Rain.
This has been an outstanding year for rain, both in Me. and in the Maritimes.
It may be something to do with the North Pole icecap melting, but that reamains to be seen.
Personally I have never seen anything like it, and this is echo-ed by the road crews who are astonished by the downpours and by the amount of work they have had to do.
In my area, I was ASTOUNDED by the rain, which brought boulders down through farmer's fields, and has raised the water level close to spring flood levels.
But it seems to be settling now, with sun/cloud and water levels dropping.

It's time to come to the Maritimes.

Rankjo
 
We'll be leaving on the 13th.  Now I have to decide whether  to tow the trailer or stay in motels.  I'm leaning toward motels actually. This will be a long trip with someplace different most every night if we do Both Cape Breton and PEI. We can do the CAT on the way home for the cheaper price if we book now.  What do you guys think ?  Is this too much for 8 days.  It's about 1800 miles.  We do get bored pretty quickly so seeing new things is good for us.  I would like to do the hydrodam, but I doubt my wife would be interested. Cabot Trail is our real destination.  A friend mentioned a must do is the gravity hill in Moncton. 
 
If you get near Magnetic Hill with kids plan on being there for awhile; it is home of the largest theme park we have seen in Canada this trip. ;D ;D
 
TumbleOak said:
We'll be leaving on the 13th.  Now I have to decide whether  to tow the trailer or stay in motels.  I'm leaning toward motels actually. This will be a long trip with someplace different most every night if we do Both Cape Breton and PEI. We can do the CAT on the way home for the cheaper price if we book now.  What do you guys think ?  Is this too much for 8 days.  It's about 1800 miles.  We do get bored pretty quickly so seeing new things is good for us.  I would like to do the hydrodam, but I doubt my wife would be interested. Cabot Trail is our real destination.  A friend mentioned a must do is the gravity hill in Moncton. 

TumbleOak,
Only you can make the call if 1800 miles in 8 days will work.  Do you want to  come home having had any rest at all?  It may be a bit ambitious. On the other hand,  the sights are so much fun that they tend to be envigorating.  If you do motels you will not have to "back track"  back to a campgroud to get your rig which will make your long days more do-able.  I wish  that we had spent more than 1 day doing the Cabot Trail.  We could have stopped in more places along the way had that been the case.  Do stop in every visitor center however as each place recommends something different and every little jewel of information led us to a neat discovery!  Have fun and report to us how your trip went.  May you have sunny skies!!! 

Betty
In Halifax 
 
We are back from our 8 day, 1995 mile, 6 motel, trip.  We chose to drive our car and stay in motels because of the short trip length and wanting to drive to and site see so many places.  I would like to do this again with our 5th wheel but would need another week's time.  We ended up the first night in Moncton, nights 2 and 3 on PEI, 4, 5, and 6 on Cape Breton in two motels and the last night in Moncton again.  We did have trouble getting a room one night on PEI, almost everywhere was sold out and it was late. We ended up at the Delta.  It was the most I've ever paid for a room !  PEI was fun but we both loved the pure natural beauty of the Cabot Trail.  We ate chowder everyday. Yum.  The visitor centers are amazingly friendly and helpful.  The states could learn something from the Canadians here for sure.  Thanks for all of the advice given here, i appreciate it !!!
 
Barry and Dana,

Thanks for the report.  I'm so glad you had so much fun.  Our paths may have crossed on PEI someplace!  Don't we all wish we had just one more week in a place?  The Maritimes are fantastic!

Betty
 
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