I see several of you are from Canada.We are doing our first "family vacation" with just the two of us - our son is off in sunny California for a year. We decided instead of moping around about being two middle-age parents without our kid - we would go someplace totally new - and we picked Nova Scotia.It's 1,100 miles one-way but we are stopping at family in Massachusetts the first night, and in Saint John, New Brunswick the second night on way up (and back.)I'm pretty "detail oriented" (and a non-fiction writer and researcher by trade) so I've done a lot of research on the area. BUT... you know you can never get all the info you really need unless you talk to folks who live or have already traveled there.To that end, if any of you have any tips about what I should plan for or see while there, please share them.

If you got a dog you must have all vaccination records, and, I think you need a passport?

Did your research turn up the world's largest sculpture of a semipalmated sandpiper? Hint: it's in New Brunswick.In St. John, a visit to the Irving Nature Park is enjoyable.Another nice break from driving in New Brunswick is to walk around the waterfowl park in downtown Sackville.In Nova Scotia, you've got to hear the music! We went to a community concert in Mabou and it was fantastic.The standard places that everyone will tell you about are great: Visit the fortress at Louisbourg, walk around in Lunenburg, go to Peggy's Cove.Have a great trip!

drsolo - yep, we are getting written confirmation of rabies vaccination from vet, and have already applied for "passport card" so we can get back into the U.S. - LOL!tiger4X4rv - thanks very much for the travel tips, I will definitely jot them down. ALSO looking forward to seeing the "highest tides in the world" on the Bay of Fundy.

When are you going? Halifax has the International Tattoo from June 30-July 7. We have our tickets for the 7th. If you like scallops, Digby, NS is known as the scallop capitol of the world. Canso has the StanFest Folk Music Festival in July. Lunenburg has a winery. Try to see (or ride) the tidal bore. The tides on the Bay of Fundy are awesome. Lots of lighthouses. The people are friendly and the food is good. Lots of fiddlers, pipers and flutes and singers.We love going to NS and NB. Will be spending about a month this year. Are also doing a windjammer cruise out of Camden, ME. There are cruises out of Rockland also. A fun sail with a lobster dinner one night.

Halifax is well worth a visit, and Shubie Park Campground is convenient, inside the metro area. If you have any interest in Titanic history, head for the Atlantic Maritime Museum and also visit Fairview Lawn cemetery where many who perished were buried. Also be sure to go to The Citadel fort on top of the hill - wonderful military museum there.Major roads can run you over to Halifax very quickly, even if you spend more time elsewhere. We enjoyed Cape Breton Island a lot, including Louisbourg, the Cabot Trail and the Alexander Graham Bell museum in Baddeck. Hard to go wrong in NS. It's so scenic, people are friendly, and we found that visitor services were very efficient and well run.

Suggestions/Tips for Travel to Nova Scotia? | Good Sam Community

Little_Kopit
Explorer
May 27, 2013
Ok, just to make sure:

- do you know about searching by domain location ie, search engines with .ca ending. www.google.ca

- Do you know the locations which have only source for the planet-
Fundy Tides are highest in the world.
& I'd sort of like to put in Fortress at Lousibourg too, ie. the French 1st point for defense on this continent.

When you have a couple of months to visit Newfoundland & Labrador, it has a couple more of those 'only loc. for planet' - L'Anse Aux Meadows & Gros Morne National Park

& you'd better do some part of Cape Breton Highlands National Park this round, 'cause if you did Gros Morne before that, you'd be disappointed in Cape Breton - IMHO, there is no comparison.

& I'm not even tempting you with PEI sites.

:B
wsfurrie
Explorer
May 28, 2013
We have been twice, once for 2 weeks and the next time for 2 months. Everyone is correct, there is so much to see and do. The most friendly people in the world and great music festivals. My only advice is don't try to rush, if necessary come back again. Get to know the locals, you will like them, they are great NASCAR fans. Have a great time.
JJ_Spectre
Explorer
May 28, 2013
I'm Nova Scotia born and raised, and have live in both Halifax and Sydney. It's great to hear all of the positive comments about home now that I am living away. :)

Peggy's Cove and the Citadel are must-see in the Halifax area and if you arrive at the Citedel in the late morning you can watch them fire the noon gun.

I do know that Louisbourg is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year, so if you are going to make a run to the island (Cape Breton), it would be a good year to do it.

Some advice on driving in Cape Breton. If you are not used to very twisty roads with sudden elevation change, avoid the Route 4. Hwy 105 on the west side of the island is much more RV friendly and there are several look offs from both sides of Kelly's Mountain that are pretty spectacular.

Enjoy NS!
Rex_Roamer
Explorer
May 29, 2013
Thank you all for these fantastic suggestions. I was trying to take notes in my travel log, but I ended up just printing them all out - LOL!

This is a really terrific forum. Glad I found it.
Little_Kopit
Explorer
May 30, 2013
I think I forgot to mention the longest covered bridge in Hartland, NB

:C
Gruffy
Explorer
May 30, 2013
I seem to recall Nova Scotia had some pretty severe laws regarding overnight parking / boondocking. Anyone know where that stands right now????
Little_Kopit
Explorer
May 30, 2013
That WAS the Campground Owners Association having cat fits because some rvers wanted to use their dumps without staying over and and coffing up the $. Or that was the way I understood it started.

Common Sense won and lives today.

;)

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