I am planning a trip to this area this summer and only have a couple of weeks. I would like to find a good RV park for a base and us a dingy for day trips, is this possible or do I need to move around some.Any suggestions appreciated.Thanks.
I can give you some info if you want to discuss Cape Breton. We spent 9 days there this past summer on our third visit - We like it! We understand there is much to do and see south of Hwy 104, but don't seem to be able to turn our RV in that direction.
If you are interested in the Cape Breton area, post your interest and I'll share some thoughts.
We spent a month in Nova Scotia last summer and wished we had allowed more time. A good base for Cape Breton is the Nat'l Park at Cheticamp. You can easily spend 10 days to 2 weeks exploring Cape Breton. The southern end of Nova Scotia is also great. We stayed in the Peggy's Cove area and then moved to Digby. If you want more detail, let me know. We tow a 30' TT.
A good first stop on Cape Breton is at Baddeck. There is a KOA there. You'll more than likely need reservations.
At Baddeck you will want to visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. That will take a full morning or afternoon. A good day trip from Baddeck is a visit to the Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Site.
You can make a base camp in Cape Breton on either the East (campground at Broad Cove) or West (campground at Cheticamp)sides. We have done both and prefer Broad Cove (probably because of the two-sided beach - Atlantic Ocean on one side and fresh water on the other). I'm sure there are just as many who prefer Cheticamp. We ususally arive around the July 7 and have never needed reservation. I think Broad Cove does take reservations now and probalbly Cheticamp. You will want a schedule of their camp fire programs. Don't miss the one when Dave hosts local musicians. (I know this one is at Broad Cove once a week.) Take mosquito repellent to camp fires.
The park map you receive at the entrance will have many suggestions for hikes. Here at work, I can't recall the names of any of the hikes but one. The hike out on Middle-head is a must. It's an easy hike and well worth the effort.
You will want to take a full day just to drive from one side of the park to the other (and back). From Broad Cove, you would go north. Take the time to stop at the overlooks. Make sure you have plenty of film in the camera. Stop a Neil's Harbour for cup of chowder or even lunch. Go to the restaraunt just east of the lighthouse.
Oops! I've run out of time. I'll add some ideas tonight or tomorrow.
In New Brunswick make sure you go to Fundy National Park. Headquarters and Chignecto campgrounds in the park can handle large RVs. Make reservations in advance-they book up well in advance. Avoid being in the park on New Brunswick day/weekend (either in July or August-call and find out). It is too nuts in there. The border town of Alma has restaurants, little shops, and the bakery with the best peanut butter cookies and sticky buns anywhere. Moncton has lots of things to see and do such as watching the Tital Bore, museums, and the like. Stock up before you hit the parks. The grochery stores in the little towns don't have much in them. Kouchibouguac (check spelling!) National Park is absolutely gorgeous but I can't remember if they take big rigs. They have the best warm water beaches in the north. Get the travel guides for both provinces (sorry I don't have the web address). There's way too much to do to list here.
Back again, Charles. I was hoping you would (and I) would get some more info about the rest of Nova Scotia.
Continue from Neil's Harbour. You can take the "scenic" route or the more direct route.
You will reach a right turn toward Bay St. Lawrence. A few miles up that road is Cabot Landing Prov. Park. We like to walk on the beach there and let the dogs run. If you look west from the park you can see "mountain goats" up on the moutain. We usually go up to Bay St. Lawrence once each trip to NS. It's a beautiful small fishing village but not a lot to see. We've gone to Meat Cove once and see no need to return. A major portion of that drive is on gravel road. There is a campground and a scenic view.
Where you would make the turn to Bay St. Lawrence, there is a restaraunt and beside it is a small local mesuem. From about Neil's Harbour to here and a little further west, you are actually out side the park.
If you continue west toward Pleasant Bay, you will travel through the highest mountains and pass several things to see and do. (For example, the boardwalk trail at the Bog, an easy hour and a half hike to Bejies Lake) On the road a North Mountain, we have seen moose and foxes.
At Pleasant Bay, you can go on a whale watch. We haven't done that. While we have been in NS, the only whales present have been pilot whales. We will sometimes stop at over looks southwest of Pleasant Bay and watch the whales with binoculars. If you get off of Cabot Trail and go through Pleasant Bay, you can find a Buddhist Monastery and a Stupa. That's a fairly long drive north of Pleasant Bay.
I'll call it quits for now. I get back with a tour of the west side of Cape Breton.
At Pleasant Bay, Cabot Trail turns south toward Cheticamp. The scenery is beautiful but different from the east side. For much of the drive you are high above the Gulf of St Lawrence; wheras, on the east side you are driving closer to sea level. Not many miles before reaching Cheticamp, you can take the picture that appears on many postcards of Cape Breton.
Cheticamp is a fishing village and the center of French Arcadian culture on Cape Breton.
On past Cheticamp is Flora's, a gift/craft/ice cream shop in a white building with a red roof.
(*I just looked at a picture, Flora's roof is blue and has Flora's written on it in white letters. *)
After dropping some money at Flora's you have to continue a little further to see the scarecrows. Any description I tried would not do them justice; you'll have to see for yourself.
If I have seemed more vague about the west side, it's because we camp on the east side. There is much I have left out but I hope I have indicated how much we love Cape Breton. We describe it to our Tar Heel friends as the Blue Ridge Mountains moved to the coast.
Tom
*This Message was edited on 24-Feb-02 07:32 PM by pulsar*
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