Yes, consider seeing Iona in Cape Breton! ... You can spend an entire day there but even a few hours is well worth it for the history, beautiful scenery and wonderful people who work at the museum. The Cabot Trail IS a great place to go for sure and I would suggest going clock wise because it is a much nicer view travelling DOWN Smokey Mountain then it is driving up, when the view is at your back. :0) >From Iona, head to Baddeck where you will find the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, or by pass that area and head directly through the beautiful Margaree towards Cheticamp. Along the way there is Egypt Falls and Lake Anslie. Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay have whale watching and the Skyline trail, known for its extreme beauty but also known for it's coyote problems so be careful. You might even see a black bear and her cubs as we did last summer. You should be able to find lodging in Cheticamp or if you're camping, try the Stoneybrook campground just passed Cheticamp. It's the most photographed place along the trail. Next you must head toward Meat Cove and don't miss the lone shieling along the way! Meat Cove is a scenic fishing village at the tip of the highlands and its view is majestic. A great place to stay nearby is a B&B in Aspy Mountain called Oakwood Manor, or if you are camping try the campground at Meat Cove. You won't forget it. All of these places can be googled, or I would be glad to send you photographs. :0) Travel down the beautiful Smokey Mountain and find Indian brook, named because... you guessed it... the Native peoples used to have a camp there as late as the early 1900's. Englishtown has a pleasant little ferry ride, and the gravesite and museum of the Giant- Angus Mac Askill. People are friendly and if you see a gathering at the local hall, join in! >From here you can go up Kelly's Mountain and on to the other side of the Island and Louisbourg or head back to the mainland but take highway 4 for the prettiest view. If you love history, than you'll not want to miss Louisbourg. Built by the French and twice taken over by the English, it has a rich history and the drive a long this coastline from Glace Bay to Morien Bay/ Myra to Lorraine to Louisbourg is beautiful with lots of places for swimming, lodging and camping. Lorraine has a very nice B & B called Foghorn Inn. I stayed there a few weeks ago and also at the the Point-of-View in Louisbourg. Both are a wonderful lodging experience. If you choose to partake in the supper at Point-of View, you will be treated to early French/Acadian music and food plus you dress up in time period costume that they provide. It was a lot of fun. :0) Highway 4 is a pretty drive along the BraDor lakes, passed Rita McNeil's Tea room, where you can pick up some great Island music and have tasty scones and other homemade biscuits with strawberry jam and cream. You'll understand what Rita is singing about once you have travelled this route. :0) At St.Peters go off the main road to Grande Greve and drive to the end of that road. There is the most beautiful beach and ocean view that will take your breath away. All the little communities in this area- River Bourgeois, Lynches River, Isle Madame... they will steal your heart away. Don't rush Cape Breton! I would suggest that you see it on your first trip to Nova Scotia and then see the other half of our province on your second trip! :0) On 2012-08-14, at 12:26 AM, Jeanne S wrote: > > Again, I would like to thank each of you who responded. I have the most amazing hints/itineraries/travel plans now. I'll let you all know how the trip turns out..........but maybe I won't be back until December after driving/doing/visiting/eating/driving :) :) :) Jeanne >> From: norsky123@hotmail.com >> To: nova-scotia-l@rootsweb.com >> Subject: Help with travel plans >> Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:26:55 -0600 >> >> >> We are planning to travel to Nova Scotia very soon (Aug 18 to Sep 5 estimate). It is a trip that I've long dreamed of taking--even though most of my family history was in Ontario and New Brunswick. I can remember my mother reading Evangeline by Longfellow to me as a child. I also helped some of my family members do some Acadian research and am just hooked on the whole idea of this trip. >> >> >> My travel will originate in Minnesota, US, but will seriously head for NS after a visit to Niagara Falls. >> That is the leg of the journey for which I would like to request list help. >> >> >> If anyone has any suggestions on the BEST ROUTE (avoiding heavy trafficked cities, as we are traveling in an RV) between Niagara and NS, I'd appreciate any help. >> We would like a scenic and interesting route and the same after arriving in Nova Scotia. Slow-paced is our RV travel style. >> >> Cape Breton is a definite goal. Are the trails drivable or just walking trails? >> >> What is the weather like in late Aug/early Sep? Rain/clear skies normal? >> Good eating places and events or attractions not to be missed in our travel time period? >> >> Just anything that will enhance our first trip to this beautiful province. >> >> >> Many thanks in advance! >> >> Jeanne >> >> > > ---------------------------------------- > Basic List Commands: > > 1. To post to the list > Send a message to: > NOVA-SCOTIA-L@rootsweb.com > > 2. How to unsubscribe > a. List mode: Send a message to NOVA-SCOTIA-L- > request@rootsweb.com that contains only the word > unsubscribe > > b. Digest mode: Send a message to NOVA-SCOTIA-D- > request@rootsweb.com that contains only the word > unsubscribe > > 3. How to subscribe > Send an email containing only the word > subscribe > to NOVA-SCOTIA-L-request@rootsweb.com > > 4. How to change to Digest mode > a. Unsubscribe from List mode (2.a. above) > b. Subscribe to Digest mode > Send an email containing only the word > subscribe > to NOVA-SCOTIA-D-request@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NOVA-SCOTIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message