Afternoon: Independent arrivals and transfers to the program hotel in Halifax, NS. Check-in is available after 3:00 pm. Please note that rooms are not generally available until mid to late afternoon.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: INTRODUCTIONS: Following dinner you will meet for introductions, a review of the program itinerary and site orientation. The remainder of the evening is free to explore the neighborhood or simply relax at the hotel. The following day you will begin an in-depth exploration of the Maritimes. Few places remain so enchantingly disparate as the eastern edges of Canada: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. This area was finally settled by western European immigrants, principally Scottish, Irish, English and French, creating a magical mosaic of cultures, both old and new. With local experts, learn about the rich history and culture of this region from folklore music, rugged coastline, remote fishing villages and Acadian farms, to 21st- century cities.

Evening: PRESENTATION: An evening presentation by a local historian will introduce you to the history of Nova Scotia and the city of Halifax.

Lodging: Atlantica Hotel Halifax

Meals Included: Dinner

Hector Heritage Quay/Traditional Entertainment/Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: EXCURSION: En route to Baddeck, we will stop at the Hector Heritage Quay, located on the scenic Pictou waterfront. The site offers visitors a unique glimpse into the journey of early Scottish settlers to Nova Scotia and their life in the new world. The proud centerpiece of the award-winning attraction is a full-scale reproduction of the tall ship Hector that is renowned for bringing the first wave of Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia in 1773. It was this historic voyage that established Pictou as the "Birthplace of New Scotland".

Lunch: Lunch en route.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Continue on to Cape Breton Island to the town of Baddeck and visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Discover how air and water captured Alexander Graham Bell's imagination. Explore the amazing life of the man who invented the telephone and his many accomplishments, including his work to bridge the world between sound and silence by teaching the deaf to speak.

Afternoon: PERFORMANCE: Following lunch, enjoy a lively, toe-tapping performance provided by a local group.

Dinner: Dinner at the inn.

Evening: FREE EVENING: Rest at your hotel or explore the village of Baddeck on your own.

Lodging: Lynwood Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Cape Breton Highlands National Park/Cabot Trail. Explore the Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Highlands National Park as you journey through this spectacularly scenic area. The Cabot Trail is a paved road that loops 185 miles around the northern tip of Cape Breton. This remote rugged area passes through many charming Celtic communities, each with breathtaking scenery and unforgettable hospitality. Cape Breton Highlands National Park conserves and protects the majestic highlands and coastal wilderness stretching across the northern tip of Cape Breton Island between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean.

Morning: EXCURSION: Stop in Cheticamp, a coastal town famous for its rug-hooking tradition and enjoy a demonstration. The internationally renowned Cheticamp hooked rug enjoys a colorful history. Their popularity is due to the perfect workmanship, rich pastel colors, diversity of design and the distinguished owners who display them with pride of history and talent.

Lunch: Picnic lunch en route.

Afternoon: FREE TIME: Following your return to Baddeck in late afternoon, enjoy free time to explore this quaint town.

Dinner: Enjoy a traditional lobster supper in Baddeck. Optional evening Ceilidh in Baddeck.

Lodging: Lynwood Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: The Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Site. Explore this breathtaking historic site with a Parks Canada interpreter to discover the history of Nova Scotia and the battle between the French and the English for control of North America. Founded by the French in 1763 and abandoned by the British in 1768, Louisbourg was a place of great importance in North America. It was the administrative capital of French holdings in Atlantic Canada and one of France's key economic and military centers in the New World. It was also a center for trade with France, the French West Indies, Lower Canada (now Quebec), Acadia and New England. This site is North America's largest historical reconstruction. Unlike most colonial settlements, no modern city was built here; thus, the site preserves a massive archaeological time capsule.

Lunch: Lunch on site at Hotel de la Marine.

Afternoon: Travel to Stellarton.

Dinner: Dinner en route.

Evening: Mid-evening arrival; check into hotel in Stellarton.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Express

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Introduction to Prince Edward Island/College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts/Province House/Walking Historic Charlottetown

Breakfast: Breakfast at the inn.

Morning: PRESENTATION: The relaxing ferry ride to Prince Edward Island allows you to breathe in the bracing sea air and photograph the picturesque views. Gain an overview of Prince Edward Island in a presentation by your Group Leader en route. We disembark the ferry at Wood Island, then travel on to Summerside.

Morning: PERFORMANCE: Celtic culture comes alive at The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada! With a mandate to preserve and promote the Celtic heritage of Canada's most Celtic province, Prince Edward Island, The College ignites passion in the hearts and minds of students and visitors alike. A presentation highlights piping, drumming, Highland dance and step dancing.

Lunch: Lunch in Summerside.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Historic Charlottetown. Walking field trip and presentation on historic Charlottetown by a local historian

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Province House National Historic Site. At Province House National Historic Site, discover the significant role this building has played in the history of Canada. The Charlottetown Conference was held here in 1864. The delegates were driven by fears of American expansionism and by Britain's growing desire that its North American colonies should look after themselves. Yet these men were gripped by the idea of a new, independent nation. After further conferences in Halifax and Quebec, the delegates hammered out the terms of Confederation, and Canada was born on July 1, 1867. Province House is also the seat of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Legislature since 1847.

Dinner: Dinner at a restaurant in Charlottetown.

Evening: The evening is free to explore Charlottetown or catch up on your rest.

Lodging: The Hotel on Pownal

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Prince Edward Island History/Green Gables National Historic Site/Dalvay-by-the-Sea/Prince Edward Island National Park

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Green Gables National Historic Site. Parks Canada staff will present the history of this site and its significance to Canadian literary history. Spend time at Green Gables, the famed fictional home of red-haired Anne Shirley, the heroine of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic 1908 novel, "Anne of Green Gables". Discover the history of the house as well as biographical information about Montgomery. Green Gables, part of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site, has become famous around the world as the inspiration for the setting in Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic tale of fiction. In real life, this farm was the home of David Jr. and Margaret Macneill, who were cousins of Montgomery's grandfather

Morning: PRESENTATION: A local historian will discuss the early settlement of Prince Edward Island as well as the island's rich natural and cultural heritage.

Lunch: Lunch at Dalvay-by-the-Sea. Following lunch, explore the fascinating background of historic Dalvay-by- the-Sea, a National Historic Site of Canada. This elegant Queen Anne Revival home was built in 1895 by a Scottish-American oil tycoon.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Prince Edward Island National Park. At the Dunelands Trail area of Prince Edward Island National Park, you will discover its diverse habitats. Known for its wetlands and forests, the park provides a home for a variety of plants and animals, but more for its beaches, sandstone cliffs sand dunes, barrier islands and sand pits. The coastal area is inhabited by the endangered Piping Plover, whose nesting sites are protected. The park is a dynamic system of shifting sand carried by wind and waves, and is the finest example of sand-dune ecosystems in Atlantic Canada. Enjoy time to walk along the beach.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to discover one of Charlottetown's many fine restaurants.

Evening: FREE EVENING: Opportunity to attend a theatre presentation at Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Lodging: The Hotel on Pownal

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Please note, you will encounter a few flights of stairs to access the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks.

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Hopewell Rocks. An expert will discuss the significance of the Bay of Fundy and coastal New Brunswick. Over thousands of years, the Bay of Fundy's mighty tides have shaped the landscape of coastal New Brunswick. The Hopewell Rocks are also called the Flowerpot Rocks and created by the clash of continents, carved by melting glaciers and then sculpted by the highest tides in the world. .

Lunch: Lunch at the Hopewell Rocks Interpretive Centre.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Tidal walk with a local naturalist at Hopewell Rocks. Walk the ocean floor (weather and tides permitting) at low tide out to the Hopewell Rocks to learn about New Brunswick's most famous geological feature. Travel through Fundy National Park along the New Brunswick coast with its impressive views of seaside cliffs and colorful forests. Travel to Saint John and check into the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Enjoy the evening to explore Saint John on your own or relax at the hotel.

Lodging: Delta Brunswick

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Legacy of Loyalists and Shipbuilders/Quaco Museum/St. Martins Sea Caves and Tidal Harbor/Fundy Trail

Note: Please note, during your field trip to St. Martins Sea Caves and tidal harbor, you will experience rocky, pebble like terrain.

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Discover the legacy of Loyalists and Shipbuilders at the Quaco Museum in a session conducted by the curator and a local genealogist. Learn about the arrival of the Loyalists and the shipbuilding industry that at one time made St. Martins the second wealthiest community in the British Empire. Take an opportunity to explore the museum exhibits and archives.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: St. Martins/Bay of Fundy. Visit the Sea Caves and tidal harbor, followed by a historic walk of the village. Discover St. Martins' quiet beaches, cliffs, caves, lighthouses and covered bridges while learning about the tides, geology and history of the area with a local expert. Marvel at the highest tides in the world sweeping in and out each day, carving sea stacks and caves into the rugged red cliffs that surround the village.

Lunch: Lunch at the Tidal Watch Inn.

Afternoon: PRESENTATION: A second presentation explains the Bay of Fundy Tides, the highest in the world.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: Explore the Fundy Trail with your local guide.

Dinner: Dinner at the Tidal Watch Inn.

Evening: Following dinner, return to Saint John.

Lodging: Delta Brunswick

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Following breakfast, travel back to Halifax.

Lunch: Lunch on own en route to Halifax. Stops along the way will be provided.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Maritime Museum of the Atlantic This guided visit offers a great look into the maritime history of Atlantic Canada. The museum is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada and was first created by a group of Royal Canadian Navy officers who envisioned a place where Canada's naval past could be preserved. You will be introduced to the age of steamships, local small craft, the Royal Canadian and Merchant Navies, and WWII convoys. The museum also tells the story of famous historical events such as "The Battle of the Atlantic", the Halifax explosion of 1917, Nova Scotia's role in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, various shipwrecks and more.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: At Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, explore the grounds of the fort with a local expert and hear about the major role it has played in the development of Halifax and the importance of the city as a major North American port. The present Citadel, completed in 1856, is the fourth fort to occupy the hill overlooking Halifax Harbour. It was established to guard against a land-based attack from the United States. This massive, star-shaped masonry structure is an excellent example of a 19th-century bastion fortification.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: Opportunity to explore Halifax on your own, or catch up on your rest.

Lodging: Atlantica Hotel Halifax

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Historic walk of Lunenburg. Explore historic Lunenburg's narrow streets, visit its historic churches and examine the Victorian architecture of the Old Town. The town's picture-postcard harbor, its colorful waterfront and the homes of flamboyant sea captains reflect its seafaring heritage. Many of these beautifully maintained homes were on the original town plan, established in 1753, the first British colonial settlement in Nova Scotia outside Halifax. Later, a vibrant economy was built on farming, fishing, shipbuilding and trade, particularly with the West Indies. The renowned fishing and racing schooner Bluenose was built here in 1912, as was the replica Bluenose II in 1963.

Lunch: Lunch on your own to enjoy one of the many local harbor side establishments.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: Travel to Peggy's Cove, one of the most picturesque and charming fishing villages on the East Coast with its rustic, weathered wharves balanced on huge granite boulders. The town is named after the sole survivor of a schooner shipwrecked on Halibut Rock off Lighthouse Point: Peggy (Margaret) of the Cove. The most well-known lighthouse in Canada, and one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world, was built here in 1914. Positioned on a granite ledge, it served as the local post office until November 2009.

Dinner: Farewell dinner in Halifax.

Evening: Free evening to relax at the hotel.

Lodging: Atlantica Hotel Halifax

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel is at 8:00 am. Independent departures after breakfast; hotel check-out is 12:00 pm.

Meals Included: Breakfast