viewgirl

My husband and I in process of planning a 8-9 day trip to Nova Scotia. We will fly into Halifax and drive to Inverness where probably stay one night. Husband wants to play a round of golf there. Then up to Cheticamp for 2 nights where we will enjoy the area and do a little hiking and start to explore Cabot Trail. Next stop Ingonish for another 2 nights Then back to Halifax for 2 nights to enjoy the area and a day trip or two. My questions is 2 nights in Cheticamp and 2 around Ignonish enough to explore/drive/stop on the cabot trail? Will we be driving too much back and forth to those 2 towns? Ot does that sound about right? I've been looking at Airbnb & VRBO as well. Any lodging suggestions will be appreciated. We are targeting September for our trip.

NorthwestMale

LOL... I drove by the golf course at Inverness on a windy, gloomy day... and people I was with went back there to spend some time (dining in the clubhouse, or the like).

If you catch pleasant weather there... I imagine the golf would be grand.

(uh, I was there on June 1... and later in the day went into nearby hills to hike down to a waterfall... and upon return to the car there were snow flurries)


Thumbs up to the Cheticamp idea... and a wise move would be to dart onto the Cabot Trail and do the Skyline Trail (in the evening ?) between your two nights spent in Cheticamp.

That way it is out of the way once you begin your circuit of the Cabot Trail the next morning.


I can't tell if you've ever been to Nova Scotia before... but IF this is a first visit... it might be wise to lean toward just one night at Ingonish, and the other added to the Halifax area, OR some strategic place which affords you another experience nearby.

The path from Halifax to Cheticamp is a haul... (3 1/2 hours)... and of course two nights at Cheticamp lets you sufficiently rest... and you won't be going at a break-neck pace when you're on the Cabot Trail.

IF you've been to NS before... then stick with your original plan, but otherwise, consider other strategic spots where you could stay for a night and see another area.

I'm not much of a lodging connoisseur... but IF I were going back for two nights in Cheticamp... the place I stayed before... from which I included a photo taken right outside the front door to my room in Cheticamp... is where I would stay again: It was called "Auberge Bay Wind Suites". (I had a semi-recent thread here themed "Visit Nova Scotia" or some such thing, with that photo included)

They had a restaurant with a nice water view as well.

Maybe you can scour the web (some more) to gain a sense for most anything you'd possibly want to DO around the Cabot Trail... and then decide for yourself how much TIME you're likely to need in the area.

To me, a comfortable and steady driving pace (ahem, on a clear, fogless day) has been plenty enough to complete the circuit in a day. Stopped on a beach or two to throw rocks into the water, and went on a spontaneous hike suggested by somebody I was with. But of course others may need more actual "relaxing" on a vacation than I tend to want.

I do know that a precious night allocated elsewhere can really broaden your horizons.

viewgirl

Thank you NWMale for your suggestions. They are well received. This is our first time to NS. Looks like it will be a real adventure. I really appreciate your comment about taking the Skyline trail ahead of leaving Cheticamp since its a bit out of the way. If we start the cabot trail while in Cheticamp, how far should we go on it before heading back to Cheticamp for the night before we move on to the East side of the park. WE usually camp ourselves for a week and drive to and from but this seems like one time that we should stay along the way. Is there more to see and do on the cabot trail when we're in Cheticamp or Ignonish? I have done a lot of research but until I'm actually there or hear from people like you, its hard to know. Husband may want to golf in the Highlands too. Not sure yet.

tlc195

Viewgirl

Have you ever been to PEI? If not you may want to spend a day or so on the island since you are so close. PEI is very different from a geography point of view, red sand beaches and cliffs, as in NS wonderful locals, great seafood, golf courses, music, etc.

I have posted a lot of information on the island here.

Halifax and PEI

Enjoy your trip.

Tom

NorthwestMale

Hi again.

I think we would be helped if you would clarify how much time you have for the whole of (the Maritimes).

Your first post began with "... 8-9 day..." and then seemed to be reduced during that first post.


The main reasons I wrote of doing the Skyline Trail the night before... are that you could plot SUNSET and be there near to then.. and because Skyline Trail isn't very far into the overall Cabot Trail so that you wouldn't exert grand effort merely in reaching the Skyline Trail before doubling back.

I am not, in general, endorsing your delving way far along on the Cabot Trail on the day sandwiched between two nights IN Cheticamp (um, unless FOG is a threat on the day after that 2nd night in Cheticamp). (OR unless you identify SOMEthing else you want to see or do... like maybe another hike... that is within a reasonable distance so you're not doubling back too far at TWO DOLLARS a litre )

But it won't hurt to re-allocate the 2-ish hours you might spend tackling the Skyline Trail and then moving along the path more steadily soon after you set-out the next morning.

I simply don't know the answers to the minute details of non-driving activities along the Cabot Trail. After the Skyline Drive, I stopped at various viewpoints and beaches... and took random-ish photos when it suited me... and was guided/inspired/lured toward ONE hike... up to a decent-ish viewpoint. I'm sure those who are more "doers" than "see-ers" (or dreamers ?) have a much better defined sense for what there is to DO along the way.

Trust your future research to decide for you... and know that those in the area for a week-ish or less tend to be well-served by 'saving' extra time for adding another spot to their itinerary.

Nova Scotia definitely comes with that added inspiration which is "when am I ever gonna get BACK there again (if I don't do/see this now) ??"


Oh, and if you do take interest in PEI... and you come or go there via the bridge (with its lovely fifty dollar toll ) ... take the detour that is a chance to visit Hopewell Cape.

*** gee, you only have to pay the toll when leaving the island - (aren't you relieved?)


A problem/inconvenience with Nova Scotia is that because it isn't on the WAY to anywhere, nobody seems to need to get anywhere very fast... SO you just can't plan on going 60 miles in 60 minutes, and some of the more unique places are in various remote spots far away from the center (or the seeming center, which equates to Truro on a map)


Last time I went... (if you didn't notice it on my "visit NS" entry)... I had the new experience of a night spent beside the lighthouse at Cape D'or... and I loved it... but like most everything else Nova Scotia... it just can't be right in the middle, and easy to get to.

It matters less just what your plan IS... than it does to merely HAVE a plan upon your arrival.