Recommendations for ME/Nova Scotia Trip 2020

[Jerrymcs]

I will be traveling with a group of FG trailers mid-Jun to mid-August. Planning to arrive in QC 6/30 and depart on 6/4 for Acadia NP. We have reservations in Acadia for two weeks. Looking to depart for Nova Scotia on 7/20.

I would appreciate hearing recommendations for a two night stay somewhere near Moosehead Lake in ME.

Additionally, I would like to hear about recommended routs, points of interest, and campgrounds north to Cape Breton Highlands NP and return to US. We enjoy being near water, music venues and scenic area.

[Carl V]

Hi Jerry
You didn't say but I hope you plan on spending some time in Quebec City right? ;-)

[Jim Wade]

We made the trip last year. The roads in northern NS to Cape Breton are bad, take your time. Several CG's along the way. We took as much coastal routes as we could. We took several stops at "interesting" places but other than the "house of bottles", didn't find much interesting. I recommend you stop at the NS welcome center. There was a kilt clad bagpiper playing outside overlooking a beautiful vista. Cape Breton park is scenic in some places and enjoyed a couple of ferry rides. I am glad to have "been there done that" but will not return. I have heard that southern NS is more interesting but lots of people and towns where the interesting things are.
Having been there, I would rather have spent the time seeing the highlights of Maine.

[Mark Hutton]

We enjoy staying at Lily Bay State Park just north of Greenville. A stop in Monson at the cafe for lunch is a favorite. Monson is on the Appalachian trail and in the Fall you can meet some thru hikers. We also enjoyed the ferry out to Mt Kineo and the hike to a great lookout of Moosehead. In Greenville you can catch a cruise on the Katahdin steamboat and learn some history of the area. Reservations for Maine State Parks open in Feb.

Have fun in Acadia. And don't miss Schoodic point.
Hillary Hutton

[Jon Vermilye]

You might find some ideas from our 2013 trip to Nova Scotia.

[thrifty bill]

Interesting to Jim Wade above, I am in the opposite camp. I find both Nova Scotia and PEI far superior to Maine in high season. Maine traffic along the coast in particular was unbearable to me. My guess is a lot of travelers are reluctant to cross the border. So the traffic you see in the USA dissipates almost immediately. The coastal scenery in both NS and PEI is awesome. Camp in one spot and plan on day trips touring the sights.

I've gone several times and I will go again. Canadian province visitor centers are well equipped to handle/assist travelers. I have found the visitor centers top notch.

To be fair, although I have toured extensively in PEI, most of my travels in NS have been Halifax south.

I'd like to do Newfoundland but I get very seasick.

[Julie and Jose]

We tent camped with the kids years ago in Nova Scotia. The bicycling was aprticularly fun everywhere we went.
We loved Kejimkujik National Park. https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/kejimkujik
We also loved the Shubenacadie Canal. We camped at a campground on the canal that was close to Halifax. https://www.shubenacadiecanal.ca/

Acadia is one of our favorite places. Lots of camping there too.

Enjoy!

[cpaharley2008]

We stayed at a cg in New Brunswick near St. John. You take a ferry to it...my first ferry with my Escape, quite an experience. Called Hardings Point CG

[Razaun]

If you're up for a real adventure, consider spending time at the Meat Cove Campground at the northern tip of Cape Breton Island. It's the most spectacular setting I've ever seen for an RV campground, but it's definitely not for everyone. A few things to consider:

• It's semi-boondocking. Individual campsites have no services. They have running water at a couple of communal spigots and a small bathhouse, as well as a dump station (I believe). There is some electricity on the property but not at individual sites, and they have a small restaurant specializing in fresh seafood.
• They don't take reservations. It's strictly first-come, first served.
• It's at the end of a 5-mile unpaved road, which was in fair condition when we were there 2 years ago. It's not close to any other signs of civilization.
• It doesn't show up on some of the websites listing campgrounds.

So if that's for you …

[Carol H]

Highly recommend fitting the Halifax International Buster Festival into your agenda.

[Janine C]

Cape Breton is one of my favourite spots. You can't go wrong crossing the causeway and turning left to head up highway 19 following the coast through Judique, Port Hood, Mabou (stop in at The Red Shoe Pub owned by musical family The Rankins). Lots of opportunities to take in music. If you're around on the last Sunday in July you can spend the day at the annual Broad Cove Concert (broadcoveconcert.ca). Hiking around Mabou is very good -- CapeMabouHiking.com. And then there are the world class golf courses and stunning beach at Inverness and if you're there at the right time the highland games: City of Inverness Highland Games and Gathering. Traditional Scottish Event You could consider camping at McLeod's Campground that overlooks a beautiful sand beach and Margaree Island (Mcleods.com) A gorgeous new restaurant along that shore too -- Woodroad (check facebook). If you find yourself in Margaree Forks you can spend the day tubing down the Margaree River (Live Life in Tents) or paddleboarding out of Margaree Harbour, or eating the most delicious scones at The Dancing Goat. The drive from Margaree Harbour to Cheticamp is one breathtaking headland after another -- just past cheticamp in petit etang, AucoinBakery.com is a must stop for gorgeous bread and pastries. It looks like you already plan for Cape Breton Highlands -- don't miss the skyline trail, really, don't. As you come back down the east side of the island make time to stop in Baddeck. Excellent farmer's market, the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, good restaurants. Ingonish and Cheticamp both have whale watching excursions. This website is pretty comprehensive for music events: musiccapebreton.com; and other events, cbisland.com Have fun!

[Aloofke]

We also went to Lily Bay State Park, it is a good place to visit.

[patrick crawford]

if you can, check out the Bromidon Provincial Park. a beautiful place on the cliffs above the Bay of Fundy. those cliffs, however, are crumbling (or they were) so don't get too close to the edge.

p@