Nova Scotia

The Best of Nova Scotia: Highlands, History and Halifax

Program No. 23038RJ
Explore the seaside villages of Nova Scotia from Halifax to the Highlands to see whales, puffins and experience the Celtic and French roots of this spectacular region.

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At a Glance

From the bustling harbor of Halifax to the colorful row of historic sea captains’ homes in Lunenburg—discover the best of Nova Scotia! Experience Peggy’s Cove, where a historic lighthouse balances on giant granite boulders and Cape Breton, where forested cliffs drop spectacularly to the ocean below. Explore the island’s fascinating Celtic influences and French roots as you savor culinary delights and learn about the local seafood industry, including Digby’s scallops and fresh lobster.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Boarding transportation and walking up to two miles on varied terrain.

What You'll Learn

  • Travel along the world-famous Cabot Trail as it skirts along the edges of the stunning Cape Breton Highlands National Park, and learn about the wildlife and history of Cape Breton Island.
  • Enjoy a study cruise with a chief naturalist to watch for whales and seabirds near Brier Island in the Bay of Fundy, where the local residents are outnumbered by seals and migrating birds.
  • Visit the Highland Village and learn what life was like for the Scottish settlers from the mid 1700's through early 1900's.

General Notes

Select dates are designated for small groups and are limited to 24 participants or less.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Shelley Lonergan
Whales have been Shelley Lonergan’s passion since she was young. It was this passion and her photography background that led her to the Bay of Fundy for her first whale watch. From the moment she saw her first whale fin, she was hooked! Shelley is the Chief Naturalist for Brier Island Whale & Seabird Cruises, a career obtained through volunteering. I enjoy the research and seeing the first humpback of the season best. Of the latter, it’s like seeing the first robin of spring.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of James White
James White View biography
James (Jay) White is an expert in history, having earned his PhD in Canadian History from McMaster University in 1994. After a two-year stint at Western Washington University, Jay migrated home to Nova Scotia where he has lived ever since, teaching a variety of historical subjects. He even instructed members of the Canadian Armed Forces in military history. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and photography, is a Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Canadiens fan, and is of Loyalist and Acadian descent.
Profile Image of Shelley Lonergan
Shelley Lonergan View biography
Whales have been Shelley Lonergan’s passion since she was young. It was this passion and her photography background that led her to the Bay of Fundy for her first whale watch. From the moment she saw her first whale fin, she was hooked! Shelley is the Chief Naturalist for Brier Island Whale & Seabird Cruises, a career obtained through volunteering. I enjoy the research and seeing the first humpback of the season best. Of the latter, it’s like seeing the first robin of spring.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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10 days
9 nights
23 meals
9 B 7 L 7 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Halifax, Nova Scotia
D
Hotel Halifax

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration: 4:00-5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the lobby, to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and to learn when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

DAY
2
Nova Scotia History, Halifax, Maritime Museum
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B,L
Hotel Halifax

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; riding 3-4 miles throughout the day, approximately 2.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles; pavement, indoor surfaces, some standing.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll be joined at the hotel by a local historian for a presentation on the history of Nova Scotia and the city of Halifax, giving us an overview of how the province and city came to be what they are today. Next, we’ll board the motorcoach to see highlights of Halifax with a local expert, who will tell us the significance of important historic sites and landmarks, from Citadel Hill to Fort George and the “Titanic” cemetery.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Next, we’ll head to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic where a local expert will provide commentary as we move through the facility. The museum is Canada’s oldest and largest maritime museum, first created by a group of Royal Canadian Navy officers who envisioned a place where the nation’s naval past could be preserved. We’ll learn about the age of steamships, local small craft, the Royal Canadian and Merchant Navies, and World War II 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.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You may also join the Group Leader at a local restaurant, at your own expense.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
3
Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Fisheries Museum, Peggy's Cove
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B,L,D
Hotel Halifax

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach, driving about 170 miles, approximately 3.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles; pavement, some rocky/slippery terrain and hills.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will transfer to Lunenburg for a walking field trip with a local expert to explore Lunenburg’s narrow streets, visit historic churches, and examine the Victorian architecture of the Old Town. On the way, we’ll also find a spot along the historic harborfront for one of the most photographed views in Canada: The Three Churches of Mahone Bay. Then we will continue our way to Lunenburg, the picture-postcard harbor, colorful waterfront, and unique architecture reflect its seafaring heritage. Many of these beautifully maintained homes were on the original town plan, established in 1753 as the first British colonial settlement in Nova Scotia outside Halifax. Later, visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic which provides the ultimate waterfront experience, in Lunenburg. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While at the Museum, you experience life in a fishing community and discover, up close, life at sea.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll set out by motorcoach to Peggy’s Cove, one of the most picturesque, charming fishing villages on the East Coast with rustic, weathered wharves balanced on huge granite boulders. The best-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: Lobster dinner at Peggy's Cove.

Evening: After transferring back to Halifax, the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
4
Transfer to Digby, Grand Pre, Port Royal
Digby, Nova Scotia
B,L,D
Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach, driving approximately 3.5 hours, about 162 miles. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; pavement, sidewalks, pathways.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Checking out of the hotel, we’ll begin our transfer to Digby with stops along the way. First we’ll stop at Grand Pré, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated at the north east end of the Annapolis Valley, it borders on the Minas Basin and the tidal lands of the Bay of Fundy. The area was settled in the 1600s by French settlers from Port Royal who reclaimed the lands from the tides and made a fertile land. We’ll be joined by a local expert and learn about this exceptional living agricultural landscape. We’ll also hear the story of the Acadian deportation during the wars between the English and French, and the many villages in the area that were destroyed.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: In the afternoon head up to visit Port Royal Historic Site, one of the first European settlements in North America, that has a leaving legacy on the area that can still be felt today. Port-Royal National Historic Site features a reconstruction of a French Habitation and provides a living history experience. From kitchen and forge to Artisan’s quarters and trading room, each room has a function and visitors are invited to handle and interact with its contents.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: We’ll be joined by a local expert for a presentation on the Bay of Fundy.

DAY
5
Whale Watching Cruise, Digby Scallops
Digby, Nova Scotia
B,L,D
Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 80 miles, approximately 2.5 hours total riding time. Getting on/off a ferry; crossing to Brier Island is 24 minutes each way. Walking up to 2 miles; pavement, boardwalks, stairs, some uneven terrain. Getting on/off a cruise boat, equipped with open viewing and upper observation decks, seats, rails, washroom, and shelter.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll set off for Brier Island by motorcoach. With the Fundy tides, this area is a wonderful place to spot seabirds of all kinds, including piping plover, gannets, warblers, nuthatches, hawks, and merlins. Digby Neck, known for its natural beauty, is a peninsula made of two ancient lava flows.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will board the MV Mega Nova – a 50-foot fiberglass Cape Island style boat – and join our naturalist on an exploration in search of whales and seabirds in the Bay of Fundy. As the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundy funnel sea life into the bay, the waters surrounding this area become a haven for feeding humpbacks, right whales, and minke, making for some of the best whale watching anywhere in North America.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll try Digby’s world-famous scallops as part of our meal. We’ll enjoy a presentation by a local expert about the scallop industry before dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
6
Masstown Market, Alexander Graham Bell Museum, Ceilidh
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
B,D
Inverary Resort

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach, driving 365 miles, approximately 6 hours riding time. Walking 1 mile, approximately 1 hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll check out of the hotel and set out for Baddeck on Cape Breton Island. En route, we will visit Masstown Market. This is a Maritime favorite rest stop where travelers and locals can enjoy a local landmark thanks to award-winning, progressive, family-owned business celebrating over 50 years of quality and excellence in specialty food, gift and garden retailing. Nestled in beautiful central Nova Scotia, the Market has built its reputation around great service and fresh, local foods. Here you’ll find fruits and vegetables, home-style baked goods, delicatessen and gourmet products, a café and dairy bar, our Grapes & Grains NSLC boutique, unique giftware and a fully stocked garden centre. During this stop you can grab some local seafood chowder, a lobster roll or fish n chips at the Fish n chip boat, or climb to the top of the lighthouse.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: We will set out by motorcoach we will travel to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, a National Historic Site. First we will have a unique presentation with Marian Whitcomb Bell, Great-Great Granddaughter of Bell. Marian will share insights and stories on what it was like to live and grow up with the Bells on Beinn Bhreagh, surrounded by nature. We will hear how his wife Mabel balanced Alec’s eccentric habits, the running of the estate (an early permaculture experiment), a plethora of grandchildren, distinguished visitors, a world war, the Halifax explosion, relations with the community, and other exciting times! Marian will also try to answer any questions you might have about this amazing “perfect marriage”. Then, we will proceed to the Alexander Graham Bello Museum visit. Bell visited Baddeck in 1885, fell in love with it, and the next year built a vacation home where he and his wife spent as much time as they could until his death. Most think of the telephone when they think of Bell, but the museum highlights his groundbreaking work in optical telecommunications, hydrofoils, and aeronautics. He was also one of the founding members of the National Geographic Society and received numerous honorary degrees.

Dinner: At the hotel

Evening: We’ll enjoy the entertainment and music of the Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh, a local tradition.

DAY
7
Acadian Culture, Cape Breton Highlands Park, Chéticamp
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
B,L,D
Inverary Resort

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 165 miles, approximately 3.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1-2 hours; groomed trails, some uneven ground and stairs. Elective shorter walk.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today we will head out on the Freshwater Trail. Aboard the motorcoach, a local expert will discuss the Acadians of Cape Breton and provide expert commentary as we explore Cape Breton Highlands National Park and the Freshwater Trail. We’ll hike along Fresh Water Lake Trail to experience more of Cape Breton’s beauty. This trail begins astride the ocean and follows the shoreline of a lake that was once an ocean bay. We may catch the unique call of loons while taking in the splendor of the view from the lookout decks. We’ll complete the field trip with a climb to a panoramic view of the lake.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Explore Bog Trail. This walk will keep your feet dry as you walk while preventing you from trampling the fragile life in this highland plateau bog. A self guiding trail, signs explain life here – pitcher plants, delicate orchids, colorful dragonflies, green frogs and gigantic moose. The trail, as well as the privy at the trailhead, is wheelchair accessible. Then, we’ll stop in Chéticamp – a coastal town famous for its rug-hooking tradition – and observe a demonstration. On the island’s gulf side, French-speaking towns such as Chéticamp still celebrate their Acadian heritage. There we’ll visit Les Trois Pignons, the town’s cultural center and museum featuring historical Acadian exhibits and hooked rugs for which local artisans are known. We’ll learn about these “talking” rugs that speak volumes about a pioneer art that was grown from seed and quietly discloses the trials and tribulations of the women who challenged the wilderness with their families and settled in new frontiers.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At Leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
8
Fortress of Louisbourg
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
B,L
Keltic Lodge Resort & Spa

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 165 miles, approximately 3.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1-2 hours; groomed trails, some uneven ground and stairs. Elective shorter walk.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll head out on the motorcoach for a field trip to the remarkable Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Site, where a Parks Canada interpreter will reveal the history of Nova Scotia’s role in the battle between the French and the British 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: At the historic Hotel de la Marine in Louisbourg, we’ll have a meal featuring the kinds of foods 18th-century working people would have eaten on a regular basis.

Afternoon: We’ll continue our way to Keltic Lodge at Ingonish Beach

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
9
Highland Village
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B,L,D
Hotel Halifax

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 250 miles, approximately 5 hours total riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1-2 hours on grass, gravel pathways, some uneven ground.

Breakfast: At the hotel. We will check out and depart for Halifax after breakfast.

Morning: We will experience Scottish Gaelic culture first-hand at the Highland Village. We’ll explore this 40-acre site dotted with historic buildings and gain an understanding of the daily lives of Scottish settlers from the mid-1700s to the early 1900s. We will learn about their history, settlement and unique heritage; hear Gaelic dialects; and interact with costumed staff who will provide background on the site and the Gaels. We’ll make a connection to our Gaelic ancestors through visits to some the many artisans specializing in weaving, quilting, blacksmithing and more.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll continue our transfer back to Halifax with some rest stops along the way, arriving in time for dinner.

Dinner: At the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

DAY
10
Program Concludes
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B

Activity note: Hotel check out by 12:00 Noon.

Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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