After two years of living and breathing the east coast, my family came out from Vancouver to visit me in Halifax, where I was going to school. From there, we took an Atlantic Coast road trip around Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island—exploring the red sandy beaches, the winding beauty of the Cabot Trail, and just about everything in between.
Even though I already considered myself an honorary east coaster, our trip showed me that there was a lot more to Canada’s Atlantic Coast than what I’d experienced in Halifax. And while I’m not going to give you the low-down on Halifax, please, please, please be sure to start there on your adventure.
Here are the best 5 things to see and do on your Atlantic Coast road trip:
1. Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse and Village, Nova Scotia
Before we even left Nova Scotia, we visited arguably the most famous post card scene in the province: Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, built in 1915. The quaint fishing village of Peggy’s Cove has lots of east coast charm and the best fish and chips around. There is a popular legend which claims the name came from the sole survivor of a nearby shipwreck—which isn’t hard to believe when you see the size of the waves at the point. An ominous sign aptly warns any visitors to “savor the sea from a distance”.
2. Cabot Trail and Highlands National Park, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
Continuing on our Atlantic Coast road trip, we drove 5 hours northeast of Halifax and started on our way along Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail. The highway winds along the rugged coastline naturally and the views of the Atlantic Ocean are completely breathtaking.
At every viewpoint we would pile out of the car and hike along what seemed like the edge of the world. Ten minutes later, we would be doing the same thing at the next viewpoint—the perspective always seemed a little different at each one!
The number of viewpoints could only be surpassed by the number of cliffside cemeteries we passed. None of them had gravestones with dates from the last half century, and the more remote, the older the dates were—the long standing history of Cape Breton was always in the back of our minds.
3. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Once we had completed the entire Cabot Trail, we opted for a much smaller Island: Prince Edward Island (PEI). We spent our time between Charlottetown and small towns along the coast, including a couple of nights in an old, out-of-use lighthouse restored into a hotel.
They say people on the east coast go above and beyond when it comes to hospitality; in PEI, that was definitely the case. We were soon tailoring the rest of our trip around recommendations from exuberant locals. Although we skipped the Anne of Green Gables tourist attraction—much to my sister’s disappointment—there was no shortage of similar mid-century heritage architecture.
4. Greenwich National Park, Prince Edward Island
We drove to Greenwich National Park, which has a lovely wooden boardwalk that meanders through the woods, marshland and to the most beautiful beach with rising sand dunes all around it. Just gorgeous!
5. Lobster Dinner (all over the Atlantic Coast)
Last but not least… We finished our Atlantic Coast road trip with what seemed like the most important rite of passage—a huge lobster dinner in a lighthouse restaurant!
If I could go on one trip in Canada, it would definitely be a nearly identical repeat of this road trip. There really isn’t anything like a great Canadian road trip! But, whether you hit the road by car or RV, ensure you’re protecting yourself with travel insurance for within Canada. Most importantly, make the most out of your road trip by being prepared, being spontaneous and stopping on a whim and engaging locals.
Happy road tripping,
Emma
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been updated for freshness and/or accuracy.
