Enchanting Canadian Maritimes - 2017

1. ARRIVE HALIFAX (2 NIGHTS) Welcome to the vibrant city of Halifax. Immerse yourself in the city's rich maritime history or take some time to relax. Gather at the hotel at 6 p.m. with your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception. Meal(s) Welcome Reception Hotel The Lord Nelson Hotel and Suites Authentic Accommodation 2. HALIFAX SIGHTSEEING Start the day with a guided visit of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and acquaint yourself with Nova Scotia's maritime heritage. Next, join your Local Specialist for an exploration of this sparkling port city. 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 the bustling harbourfront. End at the massive Halifax Citadel, formerly one of the principal naval bases of the British Empire. The rest of the day is free to pursue your own interests until the evening when you visit one of the oldest breweries in Canada, located in a massive ironstone and granite building for a Cultural Insight. Animators in period costume and character bring 1863 Halifax to life in song and story as they lead you through Alexander Keith's beautifully detailed brew house and taproom, followed by a Regional Meal of traditional Maritimes pub fare and the best brews. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Regional Meal 3. HALIFAX – BADDECK (3 NIGHTS) Head north to Truro and the Milbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre where you visit the Glooscap Heritage Centre and Mi'kmaq Museum celebrating the area's heritage and legends. Learn about the rich history of the Mi'kmaq people as a native Glooscap guides you through their trials, tribulations and triumphs. Drive over the Canso Causeway to Cape Breton Island, an island which changed colonial hands several times in the past, thus retaining a unique blend of Acadian and Gaelic culture and traditions. Arrive in the quaint village of Baddeck. This evening, enjoy a dinner followed by entertainment. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Dinner Hotel Silver Dart Lodge 4. BADDECK SIGHTSEEING AND FREE TIME Visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, where the inventor of the telephone chose to build his grand Canadian estate. Step aboard a small yacht for a scenic cruise on Bras d'Or Lake (weather permitting). Observe local wildlife and admire the beautiful shoreline. Visit the Gaelic College, devoted to the study and preservation of the Gaelic language and Celtic arts and culture. Meal(s) Full Breakfast 5. CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS AND THE CABOT TRAIL Get a taste of true natural beauty as you travel along breathtaking Cape Breton and the world-renowned Cabot Trail, one of the world's most scenic drives. Keep an eye out for moose and bald eagle as you travel passed majestic cliffs and canyons in search of whales in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. A little later, enjoy a light lunch, with scenic views, on the way back to Baddeck. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Lunch 6. BADDECK – WOOD ISLANDS FERRY – CHARLOTTETOWN (2 NIGHTS) Traversing the scenic Nova Scotia countryside, spot glittering stretches of blue water and rocky headlands before crossing the Northumberland Strait to magical Prince Edward Island and arriving in picturesque Charlottetown. Then, enjoy a Regional Meal featuring local cuisine and genuine Prince Edward hospitality. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Regional Meal Hotel Rodd Charlottetown Authentic Accommodation 7. CHARLOTTETOWN SIGHTSEEING AND FREE TIME Join a Local Specialist today for an insider's tour of Prince Edward Island. Begin your exploration at Prince Edward Island National Park with its sand dunes festooned with gently waving beach grass and striking red sandstone cliffs. In Cavendish, visit Green Gables House and its museums and sites. This is the gabled house that provided inspiration for L.M. Montgomery's beloved children's classic, Anne of Green Gables. Later, return to Charlottetown and enjoy the evening on your own. Meal(s) Full Breakfast 8. CHARLOTTETOWN – SHEDIAC BAY – HOPEWELL ROCKS – SAINT JOHN Cross back over the Northumberland Strait via the Confederation Bridge, an eight-mile-long engineering wonder. Once in New Brunswick, head onto the waters of Shediac Bay where you meet your Local Specialist, an expert on all things lobstering. Enjoy a delicious Regional Meal lunch of lobster served local style on board the boat (weather permitting). Then, get out your Guinness Book of World Records as you join another Local Specialist to visit the magnificently eroded Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy, site of the world's highest tides. Arrive in Saint John this evening. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Regional Meal Hotel Delta Saint John 9. SAINT JOHN – DIGBY – LUNENBURG (2 NIGHTS) Board a ferry for the crossing of the Bay of Fundy and arrive in Digby. Continue on to Annapolis Royal, a beautiful community nestled in the Annapolis Valley, originally inhabited by a strong Mi'kmaq community that in 1605 became home to some of North America's earliest European settlers. Head for the southern coast of Nova Scotia and arrive in Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Hotel Atlantica and Marina Oak Island 10. LUNENBURG SIGHTSEEING This morning, join a Local Specialist for an in-depth visit of Lunenburg, the best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America. The inhabitants have managed to safeguard the city's identity for centuries by preserving the wooden architecture of the houses, some that date back to the 18th century. Visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic where you have time to browse through the interactive exhibits, aquarium and explore the decks and passageways of real ships. Enjoy the rest of the day on your own before a Farewell Dinner this evening at the hotel. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Farewell Dinner 11. LUNENBURG – PEGGY'S COVE – DEPART HALIFAX This morning, breathe in the fresh ocean air at Peggy's Cove on St. Margaret's Bay, delighting painters and photographers alike. Depart for Halifax and the Stanfield International Airport where your trip comes to an end or choose to extend your stay in Halifax. Meal(s) Full Breakfast