Planning Part 20 - Days Twenty Five through Thirty Southern Ontario to Home

Days 25 - 27

Days 25 and 27 will be spent in Southern Ontario, and will be primarily reserved to visit with family and friends. We'll split our time between Windsor and Sarnia. If we do some excursions, the following are on the radar:

• Point Pelee National Park 
• Jack Miners Bird Sanctuary
• Colasanti'sTropical Gardens

 From there, it's the long trek home. Since we're leaving from Sarnia, we'll cut through the US to shave a day off the trip. On day 29 we'll come up to Manitoba and continue home along the TransCanada. The pace will be fairly grueling, but there will be some allowance for stops. At this point, we'll allow for more spontaneity as it will really depend on our appetite to get home or conversely get out of the car. 

 

 

 

 

Days 28 - 30

Day 31 - we're home and hopefully reveling in the epic adventure behind us!

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.

Planning Part 15 - Days Seventeen & Eighteen The Cabot Trail

On day seventeen, we'll leave from Antigonish to complete a two day tour of the Cabot Trail. The Cabot Trail comprises a 300km loop along the northern tip of Cape Breton Island. Despite its short distance, there is a lot to see along the way, including Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Days 17 & 18

We'll take the counter-clockwise route to maximize our views. It also means we'll start the trek by visiting Bras D'Or Lake and the village of Baddeck. Some of the sites here include the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site and Uisge Ban Falls.

From there we move up to St. Ann's Bay and Ingonish. This is also our gateway to the National Park, which contains numerous beaches, scenic viewpoints and hikes of varying sizes. There are a number of smaller hikes that contain interpretive information or take you to a significant viewpoint that we are interested in completing:

• Middle Head - headland cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Smokey and Ingonish Island
• Broad Cove Mountain - dense forest of softwood to the top of Broad Cove Mountain for exceptional views of the rocky Atlantic coast
• Green Cove - rocky granite headland jutting out into the sea
• Lone Sheiling - largest old growth hardwood forests in the Maritimes with a replica of a Scottish crofter's hut at the beginning of the trail
• Bog -boardwalk through a highland plateau bog
• Le vieux chemin du Cap-Rouge - the remains of an old school, foundations of the former residents' houses, and the old wharf at La Bloc

One trail in particular stood out - Skyline Trail. Aside from being the park's most iconic hike, it boasts spectacular westward views, making it ideal for a sunset hike. Fortunately, we'll be spending the night only a few minutes from the trail in Pleasant Bay, so our timing should line up.

The area is also known for Whale watching and there are a number of companies offering short excursions. There is plenty to see and do without a tour, but if we do have the chance to do one, I do think the boys will love it.

On day two, we'll head south through the park to Cheticamp, and then to Margaree. Maragree contains the Margaree Salmon Museum, which chronicles Nova Scotia's fishing history. After spending two days on the Cabot Trail, we'll drive to Halifax and continue our Nova Scotia adventure there.

Planning Part 14 - Days Fifteen & Sixteen PEI and Nova Scotia

I'm going to go out on a limb, and admit to a Canadian sacrilege... I have no desire to go to Green Gables. I loved Anne growing up and Green Gables is true Canadiana, but the whole thing seems overblown to me. The fact that a work of fiction, no matter how iconic, can overtake everything else a place has to offer is just too much for me. So even though we'll be close by, there is no intent to stop.

Day 15

Now that's out of the way... what are we going to do? We'll be situated close to PEI National Park, and with several beaches  and 50 km of hiking trails (including the famous red sand beach at Cavendish and the Greenwich Dunes), it seems like a clear winner for day fifteen. While I wouldn't classify Jay or myself as enthusiastic beach dwellers, I am pretty sure that after driving 5,000 km to the Atlantic coast, there would be a full-scale backseat mutiny if we didn't dedicate at least a solid portion of a day to some sun and sand. Fingers-crossed that Mother Nature agrees to this plan and cooperates!

The late afternoon and evening hold a number of possibilities, including a trip into Charolettetown, exploration of the north shore in search of good eats, and/or a visit to the Brackley Drive In. As authentic drive-ins are rare in this day and age, I must admit the last option holds some appeal.

Whether as a rainy day contingency, an evening visit or the first stop of day sixteen, our cross Canada adventure won't be complete without stopping in the birthplace of Confederation. Our must-sees for Charlottetown include the key national historic sites in the Great George Historic District, including:

• Province House (location of the Charlottetown conference of 1864 and home to the provincial government)
• Confederation Centre of the Arts (city block of Brutalist buildings that house Charlottetown's art scene, as well as the Story of Confederation exhibit while the interior of Province House is closed until 2020)
• Government House (official residence of the Lieutenant Governor)
• St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Basilica

Day 16

Day sixteen will also see us leave PEI, and head to Antigonish (where we'll start our tour around the Cabot Trail on day seventeen.) Along the way, I'd like to stop at Joggins Fossil Cliffs. The cliffs of this UNESCO World Heritage Site reveal a complete fossilized ecosystem from the Carboniferous era (300 million years ago). I am science geek enough to not want to miss this.

From there we'll have the option of the scenic route (along the Northumberland Strait) or the direct route (along Highway 104) to Antigonish. If all of that hasn't worn us out, we can also take an evening jaunt up to Cape George Lighthouse, where there are stunning views from which both PEI and Cape Breton can be seen.




Planning Part 13 - Day Fourteen Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy has been a finalist on the Seven Wonders of Canada and the Seven Wonders of North America (along with the Grand Canyon, Everglades and Yellowstone). Known for having the highest tides in the world, it also houses a National Park as well as several significant geological and ecological sites. And day fourteen will be spend exploring this wondrous place.

First stop of the day will be the Hopewell Rocks. This site both allows visitors to experience the highest tides in world and walk along unique rock formations at low tide. To truly experience it then, you need to be there at both low and high tide - this can be tricky at certain times a year, but fortunately for us, on July 14 the timing is almost perfect. Low tide is at 10:43 am, meaning we can walk the sea floor anytime between roughly 7 am and 2 pm. That means that the perfect time to visit will be just as we're heading out for the day. Conversely, high tide is at 4:30 pm - just as we're heading back through.

From there, we'll continue down the coast to Fundy National Park (with perhaps a quick stop at Cape Enrage for the view and Kelly's Bakery in Alma for Sticky Buns). The park offers more exploration of sea as well as a number of hikes that feature rare plant species and waterfalls.

If this is not enough to fill a day (or atleast to 4:30 when we are due back at Hopewell Cape), we can head further down the road to Fundy Trail Parkway for more views and coastal exploration.

The final attraction of the day will be Confederation Bridge, which we'll cross on the way to PEI - our resting place for the evening.

Excursion 1 - March 26 Banff National Park

Our National Parks pass arrived several weeks ago, and has been burning a hole in my pocket ever since. Unfortunately, between the kids' busy sports schedules, my constant work travel and a generally nasty winter, a winter day trip just didn't come to fruition. So when a day free of activities, chores and snow storms presented itself last Sunday, we knew we had to hop in the car and go - even if it was for a few hours.

Johnston Canyon, March 2017

The first stop was Johnston Canyon. Just off Hwy 1A between Banff and Lake Louise this accessible walk is extremely popular year round. In the spring, summer and fall, you are treated to a lush canyon and roaring waterfalls. My favourite time to visit is in the winter when the waterfalls and canyon freeze into an icy wonderland, and the views did not fail this trip (see below for additional pictures).

The trail is normally quite benign - a mix of paved path and boardwalk along the canyon's edge. The heavy snows, constant use, and recent freeze/thaw had turned the top layer into a sheet of sheer ice. Even with appropriate winter foot wear, the walk was extremely treacherous with a number of sections where you needed to let yourself slide down a hill or use the hand rail to pull yourself up. The kids, of course, thought this was awesome. Many adults, particularly those with less than adequate footwear (dress boots, running shoes), found it to be a struggle. My advice if you would like to take this hike in the winter, especially if you'd like to make it past the lower falls, would be to bring a pair of crampons - those that had them, easily breezed past the rest of us.

Cave and Basin National Historic Site, March 2017

The next stop was Cave and Basin National Historic Site, so named for the mineral springs that were found within a grotto cave and adjacent basin. The springs, which had long been used by the local Indigenous Peoples, were "discovered" by three CPR employees (as depicted in the mural to the left). An ensuing legal battle over ownership of the springs garnered the attention of the Federal government, and resulted in the creation of Canada's first national park to protect the area. I found it fitting to start our exploration of Canada and its historic places at the site that started it all.

Cave and Basin National Historic Site, March 2017

As a child, I remember visiting Cave and Basin to soak in the springs, and the old pool deck is still visible. The pool was closed in 1992 (only the Upper Springs remain open to bathers) in part to protect the endangered Hot Springs snails that can be found only in these waters. You can still tour the interpretive displays and the grotto itself. There are also a few small interpretive hiking trails outside the centre, which we did not do this trip.

Of course, no excursion to Banff would be complete without a walk down Main Street and a visit to the Banff Sweet Shoppe. Bags of candy in hand, we had dinner at another Banff institution - Bumpers Beef House, a traditional Prime Rib and Steak house - before heading home.

Johnston Canyon, March 2017

Johnston Canyon, March 2017

Planning Part 2 - National Parks

Our free 2017 National Parks Pass is in the mail!

Photo from: Parks Canada Website

What's a birthday without gifts? So in honour of Canada's 150th, Parks Canada is offering free admission to all national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas it operates. That's 228 locations across the country!

Technically it wasn't entirely necessary to order a pass in advance, as I believe they are also available at park gates. But somehow, knowing one is on its way suddenly makes the trip tangible.Hopefully it gets here in time for our first weekend outing!

As Calgarians, we are extremely fortunate to have National Parks right in our back yard. Banff National Park is our playground - whether its a day of hiking or skiing, a weekend of camping or a romantic get away, most of us make it Banff at least once or twice a year. Many more than that. I'm hoping we get at least one day trip to Banff this year to add to the log of Canadian adventures.

Lower Bankhead Loop, Banff National Park, 2014

Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, and Waterton Lakes National Parks are all also within a short drive of Calgary. Its been some time since I've been to the first three - in the case of Yoho and Kootenay, more than some time. Perfect candidates for a mini-getaway. Yoho, in particular Emerald Lake, has been on my mind for a while.

Of the mountain parks, Waterton Lakes is my favourite. Encompassing an ecosystem known as the Eastern Slopes, it's where the mountains rise out of the prairies. The result is a blending of two worlds, teeming with diversity.  We've spent time there the past two summers, so a it's not likely that we'll make a return trip this year, but I highly recommend it (yes, over Banff) to anyone coming through this part of the country.

Cameron Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, 2015

Our trip, of course, will give us the opportunity to explore many new parks. The ones that will fit within our itinerary (as it stands) include Fundy , Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Highlands, and Point Pelee. All but Point Pelee will be new to us. Pukaskwa, Kejimkujik, and Riding Mountain remain on the maybe list as we refine our plans.  The rest, unfortunately, take us too far off our prescribed path.

In the end, between day trips, weekend get-aways and the big trip we should make it to 5-10 National Parks out of a potential of 48. I think we'll be able to say we've put our free pass to good use.