Special-Interest Vacations

A growing number of outfitters and entrepreneurs are offering soup-to-nuts adventure tours that take care of all the planning, equipment, accommodations, and meals for a trip. Specialized vacations available in eastern Canada include learning vacations, during which you can immerse yourself in local culture, as well as more traditional sightseeing tours by bus.

Learning Vacations

The Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts, St. Ann's, NS (tel. 902/295-3411; www.gaeliccollege.edu), offers programs for children and adults that specialize in local culture, such as Highland bagpiping, dancing, drumming, and Cape Breton fiddling, on its campus near Baddeck. More than 100 students attend classes each session. Gaelic College also sponsors short Elderhostel-associated programs and trips, such as half-day fall walking trips on Cape Breton Island.

At Kings Landing, near Fredericton, NB (tel. 506/363-4999; www.kingslanding.nb.ca), children dress up in period costume and learn about how the early Loyalist settlers lived. The programs range from a few hours to a week, from early June through early October. Admission is charged to all visitors. Adult programs are also offered.

Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre, St. Andrews, NB (tel. 506/529-3386; www.sunburyshores.org), offers day- and weeklong trips and classes with topics including plant dyes, printmaking, raku pottery, and watercolor and oil painting. The center is located on the water in St. Andrews; lodging can be arranged.

At Village Historique Acadien, near Caraquet, NB (tel. 506/726-2600 or 877/721-2200; www.villagehistoriqueacadien.com), the lives and arts of early Acadian settlers are the focus of programs held at a re-created historic village.

Adventure Travel

Adventure travel is a growth industry in Atlantic Canada, just as it is worldwide. Adventure tour outfitters are especially helpful for those arriving by air -- it's a bit cumbersome to fly with bikes, canoes, and so forth. You can request information on adventure outfitters currently leading trips by calling the toll-free provincial information numbers listed at the beginning of this chapter. The free provincial travel guides also list outfitters.

Here's a sampling of well-regarded outfitters operating in Canada's Maritime Provinces:

• Backroads, Berkeley, CA (tel. 800/462-2848 or 510/527-1555; www.backroads.com). One of North America's largest adventure travel companies offers, for example, 6-day walking and biking trips through southeast Nova Scotia, among other programs in the eastern provinces. Pick according to your budget and inclination: You can stay at luxury inns or opt for more rustic camping trips.

• Coastal Adventures, Tangier, NS (tel. 877/404-2774 or 902/772-2774; www.coastaladventures.com). Sea kayak expert Scott Cunningham and his staff lead great trips ranging from 2-day paddles to weeklong adventures throughout the Maritimes and Newfoundland. He also does a range of rentals.

• Country Walkers, Waterbury, VT (tel. 800/464-9255 or 802/244-1387; www.countrywalkers.com). Country Walkers offers van-supported weeklong walking trips on Cape Breton Island.

• Freewheeling Adventures, Hubbards, NS (tel. 800/672-0775 or 902/857-3600; www.freewheeling.ca). This popular outfitter based near Halifax offers excellent guided biking, kayaking, and hiking tours throughout Nova Scotia, as well as on Prince Edward Island and two challenging, exceptionally scenic areas of Newfoundland.