Taste of the Maritimes Tour

{Tour Code TOMT08}

8 Days / 7 Nights -Get a taste of Canada's Maritime Provinces on this enchanting tour of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. See quaint fishing villages, Grand-Pré; the ‘Land of Evangeline’, rolling hills, beautiful valleys, live theatre, Capital Cities and more. You’ll be awed by the "highest tides in the world", sample luscious seafood and visit National Historic Sites during your 8-Day adventure.  

 TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• Ferry from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island
• Visit the ‘Lake of the Shining Waters’ - famous in the Anne of Green Gable books
• Performance of “Anne” (dependent on theater schedule)
• Prince Edward Island National Park
• Confederation Bridge
• Lobster Dinner on a lobster tour boat
• Hopewell Rocks
• Annapolis Valley
• The Habitation at Port Royal
• Lunenburg
• Peggy’s Cove
• Seven Breakfasts, Three Lunches, Four Dinners, One Cocktail Party

Day 1, Halifax - Today passengers will be arriving from all points. You will be met at the airport by our Chauffeur service and transported to the hotel where you will meet our Tour Director. Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia and the “The Citadel of the North” has a vibrant, lively and tantalizing combination of cultures, history and food. The city is home to the world's second largest natural harbour. Founded by Edward Cornwallis in 1769 Halifax became Canada's first permanent British town and was the gateway for over a million European immigrants to enter Canada since that time. This evening we will have a Welcome Dinner to meet your fellow passengers and answer any questions you may have about the tour.
                                                                           (Dinner is included) One Night

Day 2 - Halifax - Charlottetown - This morning we board the coach and enjoy a ferry ride to the capitol of PEI. The province is the smallest in both size and population but the population increases to over 1.2 million during the tourist season. Charlottetown is heralded as the ‘Birthplace of Canada’. Upon arrival we will enjoy a short city tour and then go to the hotel where you can rest or explore the city on your own. *Arrivals in June, July, August and September (when the theater schedule permits) enjoy the musical “Anne” at the Charlottetown Festival. Otherwise, enjoy local entertainment and a dinner at the Mariner’s Feast (Included at Mariners Feast). (Breakfast) Two Nights

Day 3 - Prince Edward Island - This morning we have a short tour of Charlottetown and then travel to Silver Bush Museum and “Lake of The Shining Waters’ where the author of the beloved book “Anne of Green Gables” spent summers. We do something a little different today as you learn how to shuck the delectable, world famous Malpeque oysters from one of Canada’s best oyster-shuckers. Dinner this evening is at ‘New Glasgow Lobster Suppers’, enjoy a lobster Dinner and all you can eat buffet bar which includes PEI Blue Mussels, seafood chowder, salads and more. (There are alternate choices as well such as scallops, ham or roast beef).
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4 - Charlottetown - Moncton - This morning cross to New Brunswick via Confederation Bridge, the world’s longest multi-span bridge over freezing water. Travel to Shediac, pass through this quaint Acadian Village known as the worlds lobster capitol and take a picture with the world’s largest lobster. We continue to Hopewell Rocks, where you may walk on the ocean floor at low tide. See what the highest tides in the world produce as they constantly batter the shores of the Bay or Fundy on their twice daily tide rotation. This evening we overnight in Moncton, New Brunswick.
(Breakfast, Lunch) One Night

Day 5 - Moncton - Digby - Leaving Moncton this morning we depart for Nova Scotia. Our journey takes us to Grand-Pré  where truth and fiction reveal the romance of Evangeline and Gabrielle, the figures made famous by the poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The area is famous for having been an early settlement of the Acadians, whose expulsion in 1755 was a great loss to many families. It is a pilgrimage site for Acadians all over the world. The historic site highlights the period between the Acadian colonisation of 1682 and the deportations that began in 1755. It brings to mind the most painful and the most heroic hours of the Acadians, and will stand as an example and a future reminder for generations to come, of a very courageous people.

We meander through the Annapolis Valley to Digby where we overnight over looking the Bay of Fundy - home of the world’s highest tides. In 1783 Digby was settled by a group of people loyal to the British Crown (United Empire Loyalists). They were led by Rear Admiral-Sir Robert Digby; Captain of the warship HMS Atalanta. In appreciation of Admiral. Digby's guidance and direction the early settlers from the New England States named their new town in honour of their leader. Digby is famous for the delicious scallops taken from the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic Ocean; spectacular vistas of The Annapolis Basin and some of the highest tides in the world.  You will be able to see both tide features, look at the little fishing boats bobbing on the water and later they will be resting on the ocean floor.
(Breakfast, Dinner) One Night

Day 6, - Digby - Halifax - We leave Digby to call at ‘The Habitation’ - Canada’s oldest permanent settlement. Port Royal or “The Habitation” as it is better known is the site of the first live theatre performance in North America-‘Neptune Theatre’. It is also the home of the oldest Social Order in North America-‘The Order of Good Cheer’.  Both of these ancient institutions are alive and well in Nova Scotia.

We then travel via quiet woodlands to Lunenburg where you visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic to discover the heritage and culture of the numerous fishing villages that dot the coastline. If you prefer take a walking tour of this delightful historic community, see the amazing architecture in this beautiful town. A stunning example is St. Johns Anglican Church. The rich history of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to the struggle for North American dominance by the British and the French in the 18th century. By pledging allegiance to the British Crown in exchange for land, Protestant settlers from Switzerland, the Rhine Valley, Montbeliard and other central European regions were enticed to settle in Nova Scotia. When the settlers arrived in Lunenburg, they congregated for worship in the town square where St. John's was constructed in 1754. St. John's Church is Canada's most outstanding example of Carpenter Gothic architecture.

When we arrive in Halifax perhaps you would like to visit some of the numerous pubs and bars, laugh and enjoy a Dinner theatre or take in a live performance at Neptune Theatre, the oldest and longest running theatre in North America.
(Breakfast, Lunch) Two Nights

Day 7 - Halifax- Peggy’s Cove - Today we have a tour of Halifax, the largest urban centre east of Montreal. known as the ‘Citadel of the North’. We will visit Halifax Public Gardens, acknowledged as the finest example of Victorian Gardens in North America, walk through the Titanic Cemetery and hear some of the tragic history, learn about the Halifax Explosion that devastated the city in 1917. There are several universities, excellent medical and marine research centres, a wonderful arts scene and some of the finest eateries in North America. The city is small and friendly, with the old neighbourhoods all within a long but manageable walk or short bus ride's distance of each other.

Later we discover the mysterious charm of the famous fishing village of Peggy’s Cove, Hear the folklore of how this famous little village got it's name. Surprise your friends and relatives by mailing a postcard from the only lighthouse in North America with a post office in it! We return to our hotel and the rest of the afternoon is free to discover even more about the wonderful city of Halifax. We have our farewell gathering tonight where you can share stories, enjoy fine food and exchange tales with new friends.
(Breakfast, Gala Dinner)

 Day 8 - Farewell to Nova Scotia
Today you will depart for your homes wherever they may be. GL Travel Services will have private transportation arranged to take you to the Halifax International Airport. We hope you enjoyed your tour and will speak fondly of us and our home.
(Breakfast included)

GL Travel Services reserves the right to change hotels and restaurants due to unforeseen circumstances; renovations, etc. however the changes will be of the same quality as the original itinerary.

Please note: Hotel ratings are based on Hotel and Travel Index Standard classifications. Hotels not rated by the Hotel and Travel Index have been evaluated by GL Travel Services tour designers as meeting our standards for cleanliness, quality, comfort, and value. Itinerary is subject to change.