On July 2, Andy and I packed up the Kia Soul and headed out on a 13-day road trip through the Canadian East Coast

Our first stop was Parc Omega, followed by a late lunch in Joliette and then a slow crawl through traffic on our way to Quebec City. It was a long first day, but we had officially started our adventure.

We spent the next day exploring Quebec City. We visited Montmorency Falls, the Aquarium du Québec and Old Quebec. The cobblestone streets and beautiful old buildings made it feel as though we were much farther from home. It was the perfect way to begin the trip.

From Quebec, we headed into New Brunswick. Somewhere along the way, our GPS decided to send us down a dirt road near New Ireland. We ended up finding an old cemetery completely by accident so we did some research and learned more about the ghost town and it’s history – including that an axe murder took place here in 1906.

Being of Irish descent, I found it fascinating, and Andy loves anything connected to history. We wandered around reading the old headstones and later learned more about the people who had tried to build a life in the area. It was a little eerie, very interesting and definitely not something we would have found on our own. I guess the GPS knew what it was doing that day!

New Brunswick brought us to the Saint Martins Sea Caves and then to the Bay of Fundy and Hopewell Rocks.

Walking on the ocean floor was one of the most incredible experiences of the entire trip. We stood beneath those enormous rock formations knowing that, in just a matter of hours, the water would return and cover the same ground we were walking on. It was difficult to wrap my head around the power of those tides until I was actually standing there.

Hopewell Rocks also gave me the best seafood chowder I have ever eaten. That alone may be worth a return visit!

Next up was Prince Edward Island, and crossing the Confederation Bridge was a huge WOW moment for both of us. I knew the bridge was long, but seeing it stretch out in front of us was something else.

PEI looked exactly the way I had imagined it: red soil, farmland, coastal roads and beautiful beaches. We visited Green Gables Heritage Place, explored Cavendish and drove along the coast whenever we could.

I was fascinated by the potato fields. Some were flowering and looked almost ready to harvest, while others appeared to have been planted much later. Andy may not have been quite as excited about the potatoes as I was, but I found the whole landscape beautiful.

Cavendish also surprised us. One minute we were surrounded by Anne of Green Gables history, and the next we were passing Ripley’s and a small amusement park. PEI had a little bit of everything. A must have while in Cavendish is Cows Ice Cream!

We spent a few hours wandering around Charlottetown and quickly fell in love with St. Dunstan’s Basilica. Its beautiful Gothic Revival architecture and twin spires make it one of the city’s most striking landmarks.

From PEI, we took the Northumerland Ferry from Wood Islands to Nova Scotia. I loved adding a ferry crossing to the trip. It was a much better way to arrive in Nova Scotia than simply driving across another highway.

Nova Scotia kept us busy. We visited Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Halifax and Peggy’s Cove before making our way toward Cape Breton. We walked along the Halifax waterfront, saw the famous churches in Mahone Bay and took in the rugged coastline around Peggy’s Cove. We made sure to see the Big Fiddle while spending the night in Sydney.

Another highlight was Oak Island. We weren’t able to take a tour because they were filming that day, but we were allowed to drive onto the island! Just being there and seeing a place we had heard so much about was pretty exciting. A tour would have been great, but getting onto Oak Island while filming was happening made the stop feel extra special.

Cape Breton also gave us the Fortress of Louisbourg, where Andy was completely in his element. Between the history, the scenery around Baddeck and the drive itself, Cape Breton was a wonderful way to finish the Nova Scotia portion of our adventure.

Of course I had to have a lobster dinner and where better than at Waterfront Warehouse located at the Halifax waterfront boardwalk.

Then came the Cabot Trail.

The day was foggy, rainy and definitely not the clear scenic drive shown in most of the travel photos. We couldn’t see all the sweeping views we had expected, but we still loved it.

Andy said the fog and rain added to the aura of the trail. As we drove through the mist, he kept imagining what the first people travelling through that area must have thought when they saw those mountains and that rugged coastline.

He was right about the atmosphere. The fog made the trail feel mysterious and a little wild. It wasn’t the Cabot Trail experience we had pictured, but it was our experience—and we wouldn’t trade it.

We covered a lot of ground in 13 days. There were long driving days, traffic, ferries, constant hotel check-ins and plenty of conversations about where we were going to park or eat next. We saw so much that I’m still sorting through all the pictures and trying to remember which day we did what.

The part I won’t have trouble remembering is the time with Andy.

At 28, he has his own life and responsibilities, so having almost two full weeks together was pretty special. We talked, laughed, explored and occasionally got sent down questionable roads by the GPS. We walked on the ocean floor, crossed the Confederation Bridge and drove through the fog on the Cabot Trail.

It was a wonderful Canadian East Coast adventure, and I am so glad we did it together.

Thinking about a Canadian East Coast road trip of your own? I can help create a curated route that fits the places you want to see and the way you like to travel. Start planning your road trip here.

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