Landscapes of the Canadian Maritimes (Summer, Classic)

Highlights

• Baddeck: Experience warm hospitality and Cape Breton-style home cooking with traditional music. Join local musicians and engage in an evening of song, dance and storytelling for a unique insight into Acadian culture.
• Halifax: Immerse yourself in Nova Scotia's rich maritime heritage at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Discover history, including the Halifax Explosion and the sinking of the Titanic through an immersive visit. History comes alive as you sit in a replica Titanic deck chair or climb aboard the CSS Acadia. Learn about Halifax’s connection to the Titanic: When ship owners in New York heard the ship hit an iceberg, they thought it would travel to Halifax. In the end, 150 of the 1518 lives lost were buried in Halifax. You’ll appreciate gaining insights into history exploring exhibits from a small craft boat building to World War Convoys, the Titanic to the Halifax Explosion, events and people who have defined Nova Scotia and its relationship with the sea.
• Halifax: Embark an exploration of this cosmopolitan, eclectic port city of Halifax with your Local Expert. Travel to the local cemetery where many of the Titanic victims were laid to rest before a visit to the Victorian-era inspired Halifax Public Gardens and bustling harbor front. Learn how the growth of this maritime hub can be attributed to its economic ties with the fishing industry, shipbuilding and trade, fostering a maritime culture that persists today. Your in-depth city tour will end at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic for a docent-led tour.
• Lunenburg: The hand-picked UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg invites you to discover its storied streets. Experience one of the best surviving examples of a planned British Colonial settlement in North America before meeting a Local Expert for a walking tour. Your guided tour will make sites come alive with cultural wonders like superstitions, folklore and local facts. All will be woven together with unique personal stories as you stroll past its brightly painted houses.
• Peggy's Cove: Visit scenic Peggy's Cove, a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay southwest of downtown Halifax. Take in the breathtaking coastal scenery, including its iconic Peggy's Cove Lighthouse perched on rugged granite rocks. Embrace this area's serene beauty, fishing village and artistic community that make it one of Nova Scotia's most favorite destinations.
• Baddeck: Sail aboard the Winstar, a new double decker Catamaran, for an educational tour of the Bras d'Or Lakes. Take in unparalleled views of Baddeck and area's shoreline spotting iconic lighthouses and the historic properties along Beinn Bhreagh, including the mansion of inventor Alexander Graham. Look for a bird estuary and - surely a highlight -- bald eagles swoop down and feeding next to the boat.
• Baddeck: Satisfy your curiosity as you immerse yourself in a unique experience at The Gaelic College, devoted to the study and preservation of the Gaelic and Celtic cultures and the only institution of its kind in North America. Learn about the tradition of fabric milling and see a kilt-making demonstration in action at this educational non-profit institution, offering year-round programming in the culture, music, language, crafts, customs and traditions of the immigrants from the Highlands of Scotland. Discover the history of the college when it was founded in St. Ann’s, Nova Scotia in 1938, by community members who wanted to create a memorial for theGaelic speaking pioneers of Cape Breton.
• Cape Breton Island: The Cabot Trail, a world-famous scenic highway, offers a spectacular driving experience through the stunning landscapes of Cape Breton Island. Enjoy a relaxing drive along the Cabot Trail, keeping an eye out for moose and bald eagles. Then stretch your legs at Cheticamp fishing village where Acadian culture remains strong, and you may be able to hear Acadian language spoken by the locals. Then visit a local beach where you can dip your toes in the water.
• Baddeck: Embark on an insightful visit to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. Overlooking Bras d'Or Lake, take a glimpse into the world-famous inventor's interests and inventions from airplanes and kites to deaf education and artificial respiration. From your guide's insights to a multi-media presentation featuring artifacts and photographs from their time together, you’ll appreciate this deep study into an important historical figure.
• Prince Edward Island: Discover picturesque Prince Edward Island with a Local Expert. Visit Prince Edward Island National Park with its sand dunes adorned by beach grass and red sandstone cliffs as well as the rich, red soil that produces PEI’s famous potatoes. Continue onto Cavendish to visit the Green Gable Heritage Place with the chance to see Green Gables House, the fabled home that provided inspiration for L.M. Montgomery's children's classic, "Anne of Green Gables." Take a stroll on the Haunted Wood or Balsam Hollow Trail, which begins as Lover's Lane. Feel like Anne herself as signs highlighting the inspirational sources for Montgomery's writing enhance your discovery. Re-live Anne’s youthful escapades and mishaps within the memory-filled rooms of her Victorian home - where images from the blockbuster 1908 novel blend with the real-life experiences of local author who drew inspiration from the idyllic farmstead, scenery and people.
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What's this trip about?

Blend the best of land and sea on this 12-day guided tour of Canada. Explore the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax with a Local Expert, who will tell you the tale of the city’s most historic moment: the 1912 sinking of the Titanic. See the fabled home that served as the inspiration for L.M. Montgomery’s children’s classic, ‘Anne of Green Gables.’ Watch for bald eagles as you travel one of the world’s most scenic routes, Cabot Trail. Board a lobster boat in New Brunswick for an up-close-and-personal look at lobster fishing, then indulge in a decadent lobster lunch. Later, cruise the Bay of Fundy on a whale-watching expedition, where you can see humpback, minke and fin whales.

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