venkatesh_eng

Planning to take the CAT from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth Nova Scotia in later May/ early June. Going to be driving around in NS. Will be there for 5 (five) days only . What are the places to go ? Is PEI and Halifax around driving range and can it all be done in just 5 days ? Taking my R5, 100-500, RF800, 100 RF Macro, 5DIV, 16-35 f4. Interested in photographing birds, nature and landscapes like coastal sceneries. Also let me know places where to stay and food joints. Thank you.

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

Have many suggestions for you; how many places have you elected to visit so far?

venkatesh_eng

Still doing my research. But at least 5 places in those 5 days.

Xanadu Loc: Clay County FL

Landscapes and coastal scenery = Cape Breton.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

Peggy’s Cove.

Jack56 Loc: Florida

Lunenburg if you like maritime and nautical subjects.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Àgree Lunenberg. Btw Peggys Cove is overrun with people & photographers.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Lunenberg, but also do the Cabot Trail around Cape Breton. Very beautiful. I wouldn't push for PEI, although easier now with the bridge, but with only five days you really don't want to spend days driving. In order to enter Canada, make sure you have proof of COVID vaccination and complete the forms required online ("ArriveCan"). My understanding is that you only need COVID testing to return to the US if traveling by air, but make sure before you go that you check on the current requirements.

Lodging: if possible, two remarkable places to stay are the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish and the Normaway Inn in the Margaree Valley. The drive south from Margaree Harbor through the Margaree Valley was beautiful as I recall - although that was 40 years ago, so Lord knows how built up it might be now. Also - I think it is in Baddeck that there is an Alexander Graham Bell Museum - he used to spend the summers there. Worth a visit.

Sergey

Peggy's Cove - be prepared crowds walking (and staying there for long time) into your shots all the time, but it's beautiful. I didn't try this but I wonder if setting your camera on a tripod with big stopper for very long exposures and combining multiple shots can be an option ti fix this issue.

Cape Bretton is beautiful but it's quite a drive.

Halifax too.

zaidy

Yes, Cape Breton and Cabot trail, Peggy's Cove, etc. But in the neighboring New Brunswick is another interesting place for photographers: Hopewell Rock provincial park. Have o good and safe trip!

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

I would suggest you don't try to cram too many places into your 5 days. Lunenberg on Nova Scotia's south shore is a good place to visit, but if you want to go to Cape Breton as well, note that it takes about 4-1/2 hours to get there from Lunenberg. You could easily spend 5 days in Cape Breton and still not see everything.

FL Streetrodder

May I suggest looking at the tour itinerary of the Caravan Tours for the Maritime Provinces to get a good idea of places to visit. We took this tour with them swveral years ago and found that it was very well planned.

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

Jan Y. Loc: Thornhill, Ontario

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a province. Nova Scotia is another province and they’re not close

Use the suggestions and stay in NS. The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, The Bell Museum are all beautiful and they make for great photos.

Save PEI for another time. You won’t regret that trip at all

tasutherland Loc: Lunenburg, NS, Canada

Halifax is approximately 3 hours from Yarmouth, where the Cat docks, that's if you stay on the main highway. My favourite restaurant in Yarmouth is Rudders.

There are some interesting side trips on the way there; Shelburne is another not so well know historic town and the location setting for a new Disney movie this summer (Washington Black). Also Carters Beach in Port Mouton is stunning (see pic, taken in mid Summer), although it might be a little early in the season. Once past Liverpool, I suggest turning off the main highway towards Voglers Cove and follow the road along the coast although the first 10-15 miles there is not much to see.

Lunenburg has been mentioned and I've included a panorama I took last October (it is also where I happen to currently live). From there follow the coast to Halifax and it will take you through some amazing villages and hamlets, including Peggy's Cove. Lunenburg has a number of places; Fish Factory, Grand Banker (I recommend), Salt Shaker Deli and the Knot Pub. In nearby Mahone Bay, they have the Mug and Anchor and a new one recently opened and finally in the Village of Chester, the is the Fo'c'sle Tavern, the oldest pub in Nova Scotia.

Plan to spend a day around Halifax, the downtown has some point of interest, not to mention great restaurants. My favourite is the Henry House, located in the actual home of one of our Father's of Confederation.

I'm not all that familiar with Cape Breton although it is a long drive. The Cabot Trail has some of the best scenery in NS, plus there is the Fortress Louisbourg Historic Site. As an alternative, I recommend the Annapolis Valley, the area around Wolfville and Grand Pre is home to some amazing wineries. In fact the land was once covered in water and salt water marshes, reclaimed in the 1700's by the Acadian farmers. Grand Pre was one of the staging areas for the Grand Expulsion, when the British sent the Acadians away (many settled in Louisiana) in 1755. If you are not familiar, search the internet for the story of Evangeline.

These are just a few suggestions, but my final one is try not to do too much or you won't get to see and enjoy it. Not in 5 days. Yarmouth - Halifax - Annapolis Valley (extending to Digby and returning to Yartmouth via the French Shore) is a nice loop that you can do in 5 days and see plenty. If you haven't already, check out the government's tourism site: https://www.novascotia.com/things-to-do/attractions?f=lCsVht6Uf2

Night 1: Lunenburg
Night 2: Halifax
Night 3: Wolfville
Night 4: Digby

Good luck and enjoy your stay! If you have any questions, I think you can message me through this site.

Lunenburg Waterfront panorama


Carters Beach, Port Mouton, NS