I know people who drove across the country only to end in Nova Scotia and not make the trip to Newfoundland. They regret it. Granted, Newfoundland is not the easiest and cheapest place to get to. In the summer there are two ferry options: One (on the west side) is around 6 hours long, the other (on the east side) around 16 hours. We took both to avoid having to drive 1000kms backward. Make your reservations in advance.
A major highlight for us was tidal bore rafting on the Shubenacadie River in Maitland. It’s a strange phenomenon: When the tide in the Bay of Fundy rises it forces sea water upriver and over the top of the freshwater current flowing toward the ocean. This action combined with the formation of the river bottom causes sections of rapids to pop up all over the river, and they can last tens of minutes. The extremity of the rapids depends on how big the tide is (as the moon gets bigger/closer the tides are more extreme). There are many outfitters along the river that take guests out onto the rapids in motor-powered zodiacs. We went with River Runners after reading reviews; they did not disappoint.
Tidal bore rafting on the Shubenacadie River. Photo courtesy of River Runners.
Lunenburg and Mahone Bay are both very picturesque towns. I recommend visiting the Lunenburg Heritage Society Museum to walk around an 18th century house and learn about the area’s long history.
Dusk overcoming Lunenburg. Photo by author.
Peggy’s Cove is an obvious choice; its lighthouse may be the most photographed in the world. But there’s much more to it than the lighthouse. You can walk all around big shelves of rock (stay off the black rock though — rogue waves have pulled people into the ocean to their deaths) and meander around admiring the quaint houses and shops.
Peggy’s Cove. Photo by author.
Halifax is a neat city, but on the big side for us. There are lovely parks and lots of live music and the boardwalk is a really great place to people watch and just hang out. When we were there though it seemed like the whole city was under construction, so be aware of that, and if you can avoid driving downtown, do that.
Cape Breton Island was high on our list so that’s where we went next. The Cabot Trail is an amazing stretch of road that circles the island and cuts in and out of Cape Breton Island National Park. There are numerous options for hiking, swimming (ocean and lakes), and getting clifftop views. These are just a few of the many highlights.
Photo: Samantha H/Shutterstock
HISTORY ALERT: The Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck is outstanding and extremely interesting. I had no idea he did so much more than invent the telephone. If you’re a music and/or culture buff, the Celtic Music Interpretive Center in Judique is interactive: You can play a bit of fiddle, learn some steps, and watch regular live ceilidhs in the restaurant. There are also many exhibits discussing the history and importance of music on Cape Breton Island.
The ferry to Newfoundland leaves from North Sydney. Before you check out of Nova Scotia, check out these spots in Sydney for some good eating and good reading.
[Note: Technically the province is Newfoundland and Labradour, Labradour being part of the mainland and adjacent to Quebec. It’s remote country and not easy traveling. This describes only the island of Newfoundland.]
My favourite province (outside of BC, that is) is loaded with dramatic views, wildlife, and some of the friendliest and most down-to-earth people I’ve met. It’s an inspiring place, and I can see why there is such a rich history of art here. Indigenous people first arrived around 5500 years ago, evidence of Vikings exist from 1000AD, and Europeans had been visiting since the 16th century for fishing, before settling the island in the 1700s.
The shorter ferry (6hr) from North Sydney, NS lands at Port Aux-Basques on the southwestern shore, perfect for exploring the wilder westcoast including Gros Morne National Park. We opted to bypass the northern peninsula and slowly make our way toward St. John’s taking many stops on peninsulas and capes for gorgeous panoramic views and charming villages.
During our travels we were given advice to go to the Bay of Islands before going into Gros Morne. We took that advice and were extremely happy we did as it was one of our favourite areas in Newfoundland. Awesome hiking and relatively few people made for a remote experience.
The Gros Morne National Park area is full of interesting and unique land formations and features, but it’s also home to a few small villages with varying services. If you like to tackle summits climb Gros Morne Mountain (the second highest peak in Newfoundland). We weren’t quite up to that but we explored the Tablelands, Green Gardens, the majestic fjords at Western Brook Pond (do the boat tour), and beyond.
Photo: Eyes Travelling/Shutterstock
CAFE TIP: The Old Store Cafe in Norris Point was my favourite spot for free wifi and great coffee and paninis.
There are many beautiful stops along the highway going east, which you’ll naturally come across and decide for yourself if you want to stop or not. Our destinations included Twillingate, Bonavista, Trinity, and Elliston. Depending on the time of year you can see icebergs, whales, and puffins in this part of the island. In August we were late for icebergs, but we watched countless humpback whales off the coast at Bonavista and Trinity East (Skerwink Trail) and fell in love with the cute and quirky puffins at Elliston.
RESTAURANT REC: Go to Neil’s Yard in Bonavista for some high quality homemade food and desserts, and coffee. The owners are very friendly as well.
Photo: Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock
St. John’s is a fairly big city, and you’ll have no trouble finding anything you might want to do, particularly if it involves live music and drinking. We actually spent more time in our campsite resting from the trip than in the city. The last thing we did before leaving for our ferry back to Nova Scotia was visit Cape Spear, the most easterly point of North America. The perfect way to cap off our cross Canada adventure. 
PRO TIP: If you do take the 16hr ferry from Argentia to North Sydney, get a cabin. It’s a couple hundred bucks extra but if it’s in the budget it’s money well spent, especially when all you want to do is sleep after such a big journey.