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Atlantic Canada
Why go?

It has a very short flight time - Halifax Nova Scotia is only 6 hours and 40 minutes by direct flight from Heathrow and in Air Canada’s 777 aircraft the journey is a delight. If you like Cornwall, beaches and great seafood then Nova Scotia is for you.

Halifax is a small city in comparison to Toronto so easy to explore. It has great seafood restaurants (I can recommend the Five Fishermen Restaurant & Grill – lovely mussel & salad bar!), a lively bar area and good shopping opportunities. There’s an interesting harbour area and walkway as well as beautiful and well cared for public gardens, a Citadel and a fort. I was especially impressed by the cemetery where some of the victims of the Titanic are buried (the first class passengers and survivors went to New York). As Halifax has the second largest natural harbour in the world it was the closest ice free port so that’s where they were taken. It’s a moving and poignant place; many of the graves have no name as they have been unable to identify them all. One of them however bears the name J Dawson, no not ‘Jack’ but Joseph. Following the film however many children placed gifts of flowers etc. on the grave.

Not far away (45 minute drive) is the much photographed Peggy’s Cove where the lighthouse provides an interesting and scenic view of the coast line. By far the best way to explore Nova Scotia is by car and there are many suggested scenic routes you can take. We visited Pictou which is approx. 2 hours easy drive from Halifax. Pictou is the birth place of Nova Scotia – it’s where the brave souls from Scotland sailed to following the battle of Culloden when they’d had enough of the English. A fascinating history has been captured in the local museum as well as a full sized replica of the ship they sailed in the ‘Hector’, well worth a visit!

En route to the ferry at Caribou there is a novel place for a lunch stop at Tatamagouche Train Station Inn where old railway carriages or cabooses have been renovated and made into unusual accommodation units. The food is of course, wonderful!

The ferry to Prince Edward Island takes about 75 minutes. We stayed at the Brudenell River Resort which is primarily a golf resort with one of the best courses in Atlantic Canada. This was where I had my first experience of Clam Digging on board a small boat on the Northumberland Strait. Great fun and we ate what we caught for lunch along with a few mackerel too.

Charlottetown is the main town of Prince Edward Island and has a real charm – try the walking tour they offer that includes tastings of everything from olive oils, balsamic vinegar to mussels and ice cream (not together of course). They even make their own vodka from locally grown potatoes. Close by is the Anne of Green Gables visitor centre which is very picturesque and worth an hour or two exploring the fictional places of Lucy Montgomery’s bestselling novel.

Must see:
• Halifax especially the ‘Titanic Cemetery’, seafood restaurants and public gardens
• Peggy’s Cove – everyone else has a photo so why not you?
• Prince Edward Island – Clam digging (see Tranquillity Cove Adventures) and don’t miss a Lobster Supper at Clam Diggers Beachhouse Restaurant in Georgetown, PEI

Top tips for Atlantic Canada:

• Enjoy the seafood – it’s fresh, caught locally and the best tasting ever.
• Hire a car and explore the area on roads that are almost empty of traffic
• Meet and talk with the local people – they will welcome you as a friend
• Visit the vineyards and sample Atlantic Canada’s great wines – the Jost Vineyard in Nova Scotia is a must. Tidal Bay is my personal recommendation.