Planning a trip to Nova Scotia
Visitors to Nova Scotia should spend a little time poring over a map (and this travel guide) before leaving home. It's a good idea to narrow down your options, because numerous loops, circuits, and side-trips are possible here -- and the permutations only multiply once you factor in various ferry links to the United States, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. You don't want to spread yourself too thin. So figuring out where to go -- and how to get there -- is the hardest work you'll need to do in a place that is quite easy to travel around once you've arrived there. The only travelers who complain about Nova Scotia are those who tried to see it all at once, in a week. That sort of approach could leave you strung out and tired. Instead, prioritize your interests and decide accordingly. Looking for picture-perfect scenes of coastal villages? Focus mostly on the South Shore, specifically the holy trinity of Chester, Lunenburg, and Mahone Bay. Drawn to hiking amid dramatic, rocky coastal vistas? Allow plenty of time for Cape Breton Island. Looking for more pastoral ocean scenery? Head for the Fundy Coast. Want to spend a quiet day canoeing? Build your trip around Kejimkujik National Park. Dying for some gourmet dining and urban buzz? Factor in a couple days in Halifax.
Above all, schedule time for simply doing not much of anything. Strolling or biking in quiet lanes; picnicking on a beach; and watching the tides from docks, boat decks, and hotel porches are the best ways I know to let Nova Scotia's charms sink in at their own unhurried pace.
Visitor Information for Nova Scotia
The provincial government administers about a dozen official Visitor Information Centres (known as “VICs”; tel. 800/565-0000) throughout Nova Scotia. These mostly seasonal centers are amply stocked with brochures and tended by knowledgeable staffers. In addition, virtually every town of note has a local tourist information center. If you’re someone who still likes a good old-fashioned paper map, they can load you up with those, too. Request the province’s excellent free road map, even if you operate by GPS (which can get wonky in nature areas).Getting to Nova Scotia
By Car & Ferry -- Most travelers reach Nova Scotia over land by car from New Brunswick. It’s about a 3-hour drive from the U.S. border at Calais, Maine, to Amherst (at the New Brunswick–Nova Scotia border). To shorten the long drive around the Bay of Fundy, look into taking the Fundy Rose ferry that links Saint John, New Brunswick, with Digby, Nova Scotia. Remarkably, this ferry sails daily year-round, with two sailings per day during peak travel periods, and takes about two hours and fifteen minutes in peak season.
The peak season one-way fare (June–Oct) is C$53 for adults, C$38 for children ages 6 to 13, free for children under age 6, and C$43 for students and seniors. A car costs an additional C$128 (more for motor homes, trucks, vans, and buses). Fares are a bit cheaper outside the peak travel months. Check the website for up to the minute schedule changes or call tel].877/762-7245.
A fast-ferry service runs daily from Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia from August to mid-October. The peak season one-way fare (June–Sept) is C$115 for adults, C$70 for children ages 7 to 13, free for children under age 6, and C$110 for seniors. A car costs an additional C$199 (more for motor homes, trucks, vans, and buses). Fares cost less outside the peak travel months and also if you purchase a round-trip ticket.
For those traveling farther afield, ferries also connect Prince Edward Island to Caribou, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland to North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Also note that you can view the latest updated highway conditions around the province of Nova Scotia by logging onto the province’s transportation website at 511.novascotia.ca/map. This map shows road construction projects and unusual weather conditions affecting traffic. Or call tel. 888/780-4440.
By Plane -- Halifax is the air hub of the Atlantic Provinces at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (tel. 902/873-4422). Several airlines have regularly scheduled flights in and out. Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262) provides daily direct service from Toronto and Boston and also flies directly to Sydney, Charlottetown, Saint John, and St. John’s, as well as several more remote destinations in Eastern Canada. Other daily flights from the U.S. include Delta (tel. 800/221-1212) from New York City; and United (tel. 800/864-8331) from Newark, New Jersey. Several airlines fly into Halifax from points within Canada, including Air Canada and WestJet (tel. 888/937-8538), connecting to several points in Ontario, as well as all other provinces. Porter Airlines (tel. 888/619-8622) connects with Ontario, Québec and Newfoundland. Flair Air (tel. 833/711-2333) is an ultra low-cost carrier that also flies from Halifax, St John’s, Charlottetown, and Saint John to destinations in Ontario.
By Train -- VIA Rail (tel. 888/842-7245) While it’s not the most common way to arrive in the region given that it’s a 23-hour trip from Montreal, it is an option for train buffs, with service offered 3 days a week on the Ocean run. The basic economy summertime fare costs about C$150 each way if you book well ahead, but this doesn’t include sleeping accommodations. VIA Rail also connects with AMTRAK in Montréal and has trains to Vancouver and Toronto.