Canadian Maritimes & Coastlines

Day 1 – Welcome to Nova Scotia! (Wednesday, July 8)

Optional transfers from our departure points will have us at Los Angeles International Airport this morning for a connecting flight arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia tonight. Those guests making their own flight arrangements can request the group’s flight schedule (subject to change) to coordinate a flight arrival time that would allow them to be included on the complimentary transfer to the hotel. Upon arrival, we’ll board a deluxe motorcoach and transfer to our upscale, downtown waterfront hotel to begin a two-night stay.

Day 2 – Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, Lunenberg, Mahone Bay (Thursday, July 9)

Following an included breakfast, we’ll be joined by a local guide for a driving tour of Halifax, the cosmopolitan yet historic city where fresh sea air enhances its exhilarating mix of modern towers and colonial brick buildings, surrounded by gracious Victorian parks and gardens. We’ll take a leisurely stroll through the Victorian-era Halifax Public Gardens and pay our respects at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, the final resting place for many Titanic passengers. We’ll continue south to the rugged shores of Peggy’s Cove, a picturesque village that has long inspired artists and photographers. Here we’ll admire Peggy's Cove Lighthouse – perhaps the most iconic and photographed lighthouse on the east coast of North America. We’ll pay our respects at the Swiss Air 111 Memorial and travel through Mahone Bay, the charming town known for its iconic “three churches.” Enjoy time at leisure for exploration and lunch on your own in the colorful seaside village of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a masterpiece of British Colonial architecture. Established in 1753, Lunenberg is home to a number of vibrant historic wooden homes that were built here in the 18th century. We’ll return to Halifax late this afternoon and enjoy an included dinner this evening at a locals’ favorite. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 – Halifax to Cape Breton Island (Friday, July 10)

This morning we’ll visit the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, a formidable, star-shaped fortress that has watched over the city since 1856. We’ll then travel northeast along the Trans-Canada Highway, traversing the rolling landscapes of central Nova Scotia toward the rugged beauty of Cape Breton Island. Originally known as "Isle Royale," the island’s tumultuous colonial history has forged a captivating cultural mosaic of Acadian and Gaelic traditions. This evening we’ll indulge in a quintessential Atlantic lobster dinner (with alternative entrée available) at a popular local haunt before we begin a two-night stay at a charming resort, nestled on the shores of the stunning Bras d'Or Lake. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 4 – Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park (Saturday, July 11)

This morning we’ll be joined by a local guide for a full-day adventure along the world-famous Cabot Trail – a serpentine highway celebrated as one of the most breathtaking drives on the planet! Carved directly into the mountainsides, this winding route offers exhilarating vistas of Cape Breton’s rugged coastline at every turn. We’ll hug the eastern shore, catching glimpses of the distant Bird Islands, before pausing at Black Brook Beach to admire its striking red granite cliffs. Our journey then takes us inland across the Highland Plateau, traversing a wild landscape of moose country, bogs, and boreal forests within Cape Breton Highlands National Park. After an included lunch we’ll descend past Mackenzie and French Mountains, soaking in panoramic views of Pleasant Bay and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We return to the resort late this afternoon, leaving the evening yours to enjoy at leisure. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 5 – Cape Breton Island to Prince Edward Island (Sunday, July 12)

This morning, we’ll visit Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, home to a fascinating museum that explores the inventor’s genius and the summers he spent here after he and his family moved from Scotland. This afternoon, we’ll enjoy a boxed lunch during a scenic Northumberland Ferry crossing over the Northumberland Strait to Prince Edward Island. Known affectionately by the locals as "PEI," Canada’s smallest province feels like a storybook come to life, characterized by emerald rolling fields, red sandstone cliffs, and historic Victorian farmsteads. This island’s vibrant heritage is a tapestry of French-Acadian, Scottish, and Irish roots that still thrive today. We’ll continue to Charlottetown, the province's historic capital and the storied “Birthplace of Canada.” We’ll enjoy a two-night stay at an upscale waterfront hotel in the heart of this charming, walkable city. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 6 – Prince Edward Island (Monday, July 13)

A local guide will join us today and bring the "storybook island" of Lucy Maud Montgomery and her iconic book, Anne of Green Gables to life. We’ll begin at the Anne of Green Gables Museum, exploring the very farm the author called the “wonder castle” of her childhood. Step inside the rooms meticulously decorated to match her literary descriptions and stroll the grounds to experience the rural charm of the early 20th century. Our journey continues along the Island’s picturesque North Shore through “Anne’s Land” and Prince Edward Island National Park, where we’ll admire a stunning coastline of red sand beaches, wind-sculpted dunes, and pastoral fields that famously prompted Montgomery to remark that "ropes of diamonds" couldn't enhance such loveliness. This afternoon we’ll visit Green Gables Heritage Place and walk in the footsteps of one of Canada's most celebrated authors and immerse ourselves in the landscape that inspired her. Enjoy the evening at leisure or join an optional excursion to see Anne of Green Gables–The Musical for an additional $80 p.p. (including taxes/fees). A short five-minute walk with your tour director leads you to orchestra-level seats at the Confederation Centre of the Arts for this dynamic, humorous and touching Canadian classic that will inspire your imagination, tickle your funny bone, and mesmerize you with its graceful and exhilarating singing and dancing. (Breakfast)

Day 7 – PEI to Hopewell Rocks, Moncton (Tuesday, July 14)

This morning, we’ll traverse the incredible 8-mile-long Confederation Bridge to enter New Brunswick, the largest of Canada’s maritime provinces. In Pointe-du-Chêne, we’ll board a bi-level boat for a narrated cruise through the serene waters of Shediac Bay, immersing ourselves in the region’s coastal beauty. After an included lunch, we’ll continue to Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, home to the world’s most dramatic tides. Twice daily, a powerful tidal bore measuring 6 to 9 feet completely transforms the landscape. We’ll experience this incredible natural phenomenon first-hand as we watch what appear to be common islands magically become impressive mushroom-shaped sandstone towers measuring 40 to 70 feet tall once the ocean waters recede over 40 feet! We’ll then walk on the ocean floor in the shadows of the majestic flower-pot rocks, carved by erosion over thousands of years. Late this afternoon we’ll arrive at our upscale hotel in downtown Moncton, known as “the crossroads of the Maritimes.” Enjoy an included dinner at a locals’ favorite this evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8 – Journey Home (Wednesday, July 15)

This morning we’ll travel from Moncton to the Halifax International Airport for a connecting flight arriving in Los Angeles this evening. Those guests making their own flight arrangements can request the group’s flight schedule (subject to change) to coordinate a flight departure time that would allow them to be included on the complimentary transfer to the airport. Back in Los Angeles, those guests with pre-arranged transfers will be returned to their respective drop-offs. (Breakfast)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary.