Planning Part 17 - Days Twenty and Twenty One South Shore Nova Scotia to St. John to Montreal

On day twenty, we'll leave Halifax and hit the road again. This time it will be a meander down the south shore of Nova Scotia, then zip over to Digby and a ferry ride across the Bay of Fundy to St. John. We'll need to be at the ferry terminal in Digby by 4:30 pm in order to make our 5:30 pm crossing, so we will have some time constraints, but should still have plenty of time to take in the sites if we get an early enough start.



Day 20

Peggy's cove is known for its lighthouse and rugged coast line, and is highly touted as a must stop attraction. However, I've heard from a number of people that Blue Rocks is equally as beautiful, but doesn't have the volume of tourist traffic. It also has the added benefit of being just off our main route. As such, it will likely be our choice between the two stops. Near to Blue Rock, is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg. A historical fishing village, it is known for its unique architecture, and as the home of the Bluenose.

After Lunenburg, we'll turn inland, and cut across the province to Digby. Along the way, we could potentially stop at Kejimkujik National Park & National Historic Site. The park protects traditional lands of the Mi’kmaw people including a collection of petroglyphs. While a lot of the park is backcountry, there are exhibits and short walks right off the highway, so it will be a good chance to stretch our legs.

I am suspicious that by the time we make it to Digby, we'll need to head straight to the ferry. But if there is time, we can make a visit to Port Royal National Historic Site. The site is a reconstruction of the first French settlement on the continent. It was abandoned in favour of Quebec City, which became the first permanent settlement.



Day 21

We'll wrap up the day by taking the ferry to St. John, where we will spend the night. The next day, we'll drive from St. John to Montreal. We have a couple of options related the route. We can double-back the way we came to Quebec City, then continue to Montreal. The other option is cut through Maine. Option one has the benefit of allowing us to remain in Canada, but the disadvantage of repeating a route we've already travelled. Conversely, option 2 provides new scenery and is slightly quicker, but forces us to leave the country. Either way, it will be a full day of driving and leave little room for exploration, so at this point, we'll leave it open to play by ear.