Boston to Nova Scotia and back, 7 days, what not to miss

It's 785 miles to Cape Breton and 664 miles to Halifax-one way. You might want to rethink your plan and go somewhere a little closer if you've only got a week. I'd recommend Fundy National Park which is about 500 miles-doable in a day, albeit a long one (have done it multiple times). That would be a fantastic place to photograph scenery and teach your son the tricks of the trade. And there's a bakery in Alma, just outside the park, that has the most fantastic peanut butter cookies, raisin bread and sticky buns!