Acadian Adventure Fly Drive

Day 1 - Fly UK to Halifax

Arrive in Halifax and collect your car. The rest of the day is free to explore this true maritime city. First settled in 1749, Halifax today is Nova Scotia's capital and the largest city in Canada's Maritime Provinces.

Day 2 - Halifax Exploring

The day is free to explore the boutiques, pubs and cafes of Privateers Warehouse and the Historic Properties. Get a terrific view of the city from the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and visit York Redoubt National Historic Site, a 200-year-old fortification overlooking Halifax Harbour.

Day 3 - Halifax to Annapolis Royal (322kms)

Head south to Lunenburg, visiting Peggy’s Cove along the way. Peggy’s Cove is a small village with houses built right into the granite rock and a lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic. Old Town Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a lovingly restored Victorian town that begs you to wander and explore.  Make a stop at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, renowned for its hiking trails and incredible canoeing on wilderness lakes and rivers.  Arrive in Annapolis Royal, a quaint settlement housing Victorian mansions on the banks for the Bay of Fundy.

Day 4 - Whale Watching and Fishing Villages (200kms rtn)

Today drive 65 km along the Digby Neck to experience a whale watching excursion in the nutrient rich waters of the Bay of Fundy. You will likely see finback and Minkes, humpbacks or even the rare North Atlantic right whale.  Spend the afternoon exploring Annapolis Royal and Fort Anne. (Breakfast included)

Day 5 - Annapolis Royal to Charlottetown (475 kms)

Bound for Prince Edward Island today, follow the curvature of the Bay of Fundy and stop for lunch at ‘the Library’ in the university town of Wolfville.  Make time to stop at the Grand-Pré National Historic Site, commemorating the Grand-Pré area as a centre of Acadian settlement from 1682 to 1755 and the Deportation of the Acadians, which began in 1755 and continued until 1762. (Breakfast included) 

Day 6 - Exploring PEI - The Land of Anne of Green Gables (100km)

Drive by red cliffs, white beaches, gently sloping sand dunes and green f ields as you make your way to Prince Edward Island National Park. Before returning to Charlottetown, visit Green Gables Heritage Site, the alluring inspiration of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic Anne of Green Gables books. (Breakfast included)

Why not ask one of Canada Experts to add in a 3rd or even a 4th night on Prince Edward Island and extend your stay to take in some of the other many highlights this Island has to offer. You don't want to miss out :

* The land and shores surrounding Skmaqn-Port-la-Joye-Fort-Amherst, which have been part of historic Mi'kma'ki since time immemorial. The first permanent European Settlements on the Island - then called Epekwitk by the Mi'kmaq or Isle Saint-Jean by the French - established here in 1720. * The Farmers Bank in Rustico is one of the oldest communities established in "La Nouvelle Acadie" following the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and is the oldest Acadian settlement in Prince Edward Island. * Room at 3 Rivers - this historic site brings to life the story of Jean Pierre Roma, the French merchant who in 1732 established an international tradiong post at Trois Rivieres.

Day 7 - Charlottetown to Cape Breton Island

Depart Charlottetown stopping at the Orwell Corner Historic Village 30 km to the east.  Orwell, an abandoned village, contains a historic graveyard and a cluster of buildings which have been restored to create a sense of life in the 19th century.  Continue to Wood Islands Ferry crossing to Caribou, Nova Scotia then make your way east to Cape Breton Island, a little piece of Scotland in North America.  Arrive in Baddeck. (Breakfast included)

Day 8 - Cabot Trail

Explore the fabulous Cabot Trail around Cape Breton Island for aweinspiring views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  The route winds through Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  There are 28 beautiful hiking trails in the National Park between Cheticamp and Ingonish - the most recommended would be the Skyline Trail located about 15 minutes drive from park entrance.   Along the way visit the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre, Glenora Distillery, Acadian Cultural Center & Museum (Les Trois Pignons ), or St. Ann’s Gaelic College of Arts & Crafts.

Day 9 - Louisbourg Sightseeing (220 km return)

This morning drive north to discover the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. This incredible “living museum” largest historical reconstruction in North America; is an impressive restoration of a French garrison town dating from the 1700s, complete with costumed interpreters who re-enact daily life from the French colonial period. You can even sample period food in the restaurant, or take part in a mock battle. Also, don’t miss a visit to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in the village of Baddeck, a museum dedicated to the life and inventions of this fascinating man - who spent his summers here on the shores of the Bras d’Or. You may also want to visit the Highland Village Museum in Iona.  

Day 10 - Baddeck to Halifax (357 km)

A full day for the return trip to Halifax along the scenic Bras d’Or Lakes Drive to the Canso Causeway to enter mainland Nova Scotia.  At the community of Antigonish, travel southwest along Marine Drive to Halifax.

Day 11 - Halifax to UK