I didn't know our two-week drive around the Canadian Maritimes would become a magic carpet ride. That's the only way I can describe the rich fall color that wove through the hills and valleys, at times so dense it felt like we were carving through the folds of a Persian carpet. And then, there were the shots of cerulean blue as the sea came into view, with matching skies almost the entire time. It was, as they say, breathtaking.
Our journey began in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where we picked up our Alamo rental car. We hadn't splurged on a high-end vehicle, so we were surprised when we found a brand-new Mercedes coupe waiting for us. “Quick, let's leave before they realize the mistake!” I whispered, but Michael was already in love with the idea of driving this beauty for two weeks, regardless!
We arrived at our Airbnb late afternoon. As I mentioned in Part One of this story, we chose to stay in "Private Rooms with an ensuite bath" on this trip. Mainly to save money since we were only staying for a couple of nights in each place, but also because we enjoy meeting our hosts, who are often on-site. Call it Canadian Detente. This place was more like a rooming house for students - fine for two nights.
Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia and is known for its medical colleges, seafaring history, and the lively boardwalk. It's also home of the Mooseheads Junior Hockey team! A Highlight of our time in Halifax was joining a very enthusiastic fanbase for a game.
In Quebec City, we spent time exploring a special exhibit on the Titanic, and learned that the survivors and recovered bodies were brought to Halifax. Almost all of the victims were buried in the Fairview Lawn Cemetery, the final resting place of over 300 souls who perished at sea. If a body could be identified and the family had the resources, their gravestones were engraved, but sadly, most bear only a number corresponding to the sequence in which they were buried. We chose to visit the grave site on our way out of town. It was an eerie place—and it made the tragedy very real.
We left Halifax on October 3rd for the much-anticipated driving leg of our five-week journey. Michael had mapped out quite a route! It included stays in many delightful towns with historic sites along the way and plenty of winding roads along the coastline and through thick, color-splashed forests.
We had read that many attractions and restaurants would be closing or open for limited hours starting in October. Still, we didn't find that to be the case on our trip - at least at the beginning.
Our first stop was Peggy's Cove. A picturesque former fishing village (there are lots of those). We enjoyed a picnic overlooking the sea and carried on to our first one-night stay at a Bed & Breakfast in Mahone Bay. The annual "Scarecrow Festival" was on, and that sounded fun - until we discovered dozens of slightly creepy stuffed people posed on lawns and benches all over town.
We decided to get the heck out of there and have a glass of wine with some nibbles in nearby Lunenburg. If you want to imbibe in Nova Scotia, you need to find a liquor store. The rules vary from province to province, but in N.S., you have to work for it. Finally, with wine and snacks in hand, we found a picnic table on a pier and enjoyed a game of backgammon and watched the sun set.
We were up and away very early to catch a ferry in Digby. We would be crossing the Bay of Fundy to spend two nights in Saint John, New Brunswick. For us, there wasn't much to recommend about Saint John itself, but our Airbnb ranks in my Top 10. So we didn't mind a couple of days of rest in a very stylish and delightful home. Our hosts were great, too. Andrew and his partner Spencer worked hard to transform this modest, turn-of-the-century brownstone into a welcoming haven. It has it all—from a loaded pantry to luxury linens and amenities to decor straight out of AD. They live in the apartment below, and we enjoyed spending a bit of time together.
It was finally time to explore the famous Fundy Trail Parkway - one of the most spectacular drives in Canada. This 20-mile stretch along the coast was constructed over twenty-five years with mostly private funds. You pay a modest entrance fee and then wind along a pristine road with dozens of pull-outs and trail heads leading to all levels of hikes that lead to up to waterfalls and down to the beach.
There is also a national park to explore, but we were so distracted by the viewpoints at every turn that we were running late to join our Airbnb hosts for dinner. So we didn't get to the park or Hopewell Rocks, a destination famous for extremely high and low tides. Next time.
Our Airbnb sat on Johnston Point, almost two miles down a narrow, winding lane - so long that we almost second-guessed our GPS and turned back. I am glad we didn't, because a beautiful landscape unfolded as we drove past glimpses of wetlands, small farms, tiny seaside cottages, and swaths of sandy beach.
When we finally came around the last bend, our destination homestead glittered in the setting sun. Shortly after we booked this special Airbnb, our hosts, Linda and John, asked if we would join them for dinner. It isn't something they would typically do for guests, so it was an exceptional opportunity to spend time with a retired Canadian couple with similar interests. The dinner was excellent, and the jovial conversation touched on politics, of course, but also on past careers, favorite books, and how to stay active and engaged in retirement.
The “Snug” sat over the garage and was a cozy, beach-themed nest. It was hard to get out of the pillowy bed, but we were enticed with a basket of still-warm cinnamon rolls at our door on the first morning, and a spectacular sunrise the next.
A highlight of our stay was an afternoon at the Irving Eco-Center, a mile-long boardwalk that winds through protected dunes and wetlands the oil giant has restored to original habitat. That same day, I had my first Lobster Roll!
That same morning, we traveled to Prince Edward Island, a destination that has been on our wish list for many years. In preparation, we both reread Anne of Green Gables, because you have to squint to see past the tourist spots dedicated to that red-haired girl and the book's author. Our timing was perfect. Most of the tourists were gone, and some of the most popular A.O.G.G. places on the island had closed for the winter. That meant fewer crowds, but still allowed us to visit the film set for the series and some of the most charming locations in the book.
We didn’t spend much time in Charlottetown, but it seems more like a tourist mecca than a charming town. Most of the tourists we did see were Japanese. The book series is very popular there for a myriad of reasons, including being among the first English books introduced in schools there. I found this site that covers everything you need to know about that, and more. Our quest for eye-popping fall foliage was also being met on PEI.
Our Airbnb on the island also fits the narrative. "Our room in a house" was in the eaves of a turn-of-the-century farmhouse similar to Green Gables. It had been lovingly restored by our host, Adamo, and his partner to respect its heritage while taking full advantage of modern conveniences. We were paying for a room with a bath and kitchen access, but there were no other guests, so we had the house to ourselves. At other times, all three bedrooms could be occupied. You can also rent the entire house if your budget allows. PEI is expensive during the high season.
Our next destination was a small town of Pictou (rhymes with Big Toe), a place we'd never have sought out if one of Michael's Bridge playing friends in San Miguel de Allende hadn't mentioned he lives there most of the year. He said we should come for dinner. So we did! We were glad to spend two nights at Seabank House, a quaint Bed & Breakfast (emphasis on breakfast), in this beautiful village, and we deepened friendships with Canadian neighbors.
Again, politics couldn't be avoided, but we all agree that people don't have problems with each other; it's our leaders who can't get along. Pictou was also where we scrambled to find a way to watch the Seattle Mariners play the Detroit Tigers for 15 innings! We had to be quiet so as not to disturb other guests, and that was hard. It was 2:00 am when we turned out the lights, but we had a win!
The last leg of our journey took us to Cape Breton and the famous Cabot Trail. This was the part of our trip I referred to as driving through thick folds of colorful carpet. We have copious trees laden with color right here in the Pacific Northwest, and we saw lots of vibrant foliage all along this five-week trip - but Cape Breton took things to another level.
When we booked our Airbnb, our host Brenda told us we were just in time to enjoy the annual Celtic Colours Festival. This prestigious, week-long music fest draws musicians and fans from around the world. She suggested a few of the best concerts, but warned they sell out almost instantly, so back in July, Michael was up at dawn, ready to go to the website and book what he could. He came away with two excellent performances and a Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner sponsored by a church!
Our drive from Pictou was leisurely and got us to our first concert venue for a sampling of fiddle playing and dancing. It was a lively and varied performance, which was good. Afterward, we walked across the lawn to line up for a cafeteria-style turkey dinner with all the trimmings. It looks a lot like ours, other than mashed turnips being a "must have". We had some pleasant table mates, but we were anxious to get to our Airbnb, so we didn't stay long.
Our hosts were standing on the porch waiting to greet us, and we were gathered around their kitchen table for a cup of tea before we could even unpack. They were so hospitable and kind, and seemed genuinely pleased to have us as guests.
We spent the next day driving around the edge of the peninsula on the Cabot Trail. It started with a 5-minute ride on a tiny cable ferry. There was no schedule; it just crossed when it was full and set you down at the start of the Cabot Trail.
The entire drive takes 185 miles on a constantly curving road with swells that take you from the forest floor to the highest hilltops, where you can pull over and see ocean vistas with forests of dark pine trees wrestling with vibrant red, orange, and yellow denizens, all tumbling toward the shoreline. It was almost exhausting to take in.
We attended our second concert, Rugged Shores and Prairie Skies, which featured a somber Gaelic songstress, very entertaining folk singers, and, of course, mind-boggling fiddlers. It was a fitting end to this epic journey.
The next day, we drove several hours to return our beautiful little Mercedes rental car to the Halifax airport. We spent the night in the Alt hotel attached to the terminal, said goodbye to Canada, and celebrated our 47th Wedding Anniversary! Before heading to Seattle (where we arrived just in time for another jolt of fall color), we spent four nights in New York City! That's another story!
Thanks for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell
The Senior Nomads