[frankenberry]

Wife and I are planning a trip to Nova Scotia at the end of June. We are gonna take the CAT from Bar Harbor on the way up and spend a few days making our way to Cape Breton and do a few more days there. Are there any "can't miss" destinations?

 

[JK28]

Not sure what the CAT is.. but enjoy your trip! If you can/have time, see about going up to Gaspe, its nice up there too.

 

[Haynes]

I assume that CAT is the Cabot Trail. It has been suggested that riding it in the counter-clockwise direction gives better views, and I agree.

Haynes

 

[RaYzerman]

The CAT is the big ferry from Portland, ME to Yarmouth... used to run from Bar Harbor too..... if you ride from Portland to NS, it will take you two days. The CAT makes that a few hours.

Cabot Trail I've done a few times, and it's a must do. Best done both ways IMHO. Perhaps stay at a motel in Whycocomagh or Baddeck, ride the trail counterclockwise to Cheticamp, turn around and ride back. Optional, Meat Cove, but it's a gravel road you won't be going fast on, do it to say you've been there. Another ride, is take a loop from Whycocomagh up 19 to Margaree, back down towards Port Hood and down the coast to Port Hastings. Another loop is to Baddeck, Sydney and back along the north shore of Bras D'Or Lake (south shore likely OK too).

Must do for me from Yarmouth is Hwy 3 along the coast (sometimes 103) to Lunenburg, 329 (Lighthouse Trail) loop around to Peggy's Cove and into Halifax. It's a day ride.

Note Hwy 7 along the coast from Halifax to Cabot Trail isn't the smoothest road, take it if you have time.

How much time ya got? You should do PEI and that north coast of NS as well. Go over on the ferry from Pictou (free one way), and come back on the Confederation Bridge (you only pay to get OFF the island)..... you can do a ride of the island in a day if you don't go to the north extreme.

 

[FJR Flyer]

We did that trip in '96 in early June. I was on my FJ. We took the overnight ferry from Portland to Yarmouth. Peggy's Cove is nice. I have a picture of us by the lighthouse. A reporter was on TV from the same spot after Swissair 111 went down off the coast. The Cabot Trail is a must, obviously. We stopped at little shacks on the side of the road almost every day for lobster roll lunches.

 

[BigOgre]

Toured the area three or four years ago including a couple of nights in Baddeck. A certain unique feel to the area and I'd definitely go back. Agree about Meat Cove too. Got myself into a pickle trying to turn around at the shack and still have no idea how I didn't drop the thing.

 

[JK28]

I think I was thinking of the Cabot Trail... on my list to do for sure.

 

[frankenberry]

The CAT is running from Bar Harbor. We already booked that. Staying in Baddeck for 3 nights to do the Cabot trail. Taking 10 days from Harrisburg, Pa and back. I figure we wont be able to hit everything, but that will be a good excuse to go back🙂

 

[frankenberry]

Hoping to make it to Port Asbestos too! Keep yer stick on the ice.

 

[CollingsBob]

I spent my high school years in Liverpool. There are miles of incredible beaches as well as lots of twisty coastal roads and many scenic ports to explore..

 

[Mr_Ed]

I rode from my home in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Nova Scotia a few years back on the FJR and enjoyed it so much I took my wife back the following year in the RV. I had to cut the motorcycle trip short for health reasons and didn't see Prince Edward Island. I want to go back on a bike and have saved Ray's post above to a text file in my "Suggested rides" folder

 

[mikester]

I rode from my home in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Nova Scotia a few years back on the FJR and enjoyed it so much I took my wife back the following year in the RV. I had to cut the motorcycle trip short for health reasons and didn't see Prince Edward Island. I want to go back on a bike and have saved Ray's post above to a text file in my "Suggested rides" folder

I'd be interested in seeing the route you took!

 

[FJR Flyer]

We were hoping to hit PEI, but time constraints prevented it. My friend's brother and wife split off and hit the island. We had to be happy with stops in Bangor and Newport on the way home. I did get to see Stephen King's house in Bangor.

 

[RaYzerman]

Another option, when I go, (note I'll take up to 2 weeks doing it), I start out in Niagara Falls, make my way across NY, via Adirondack Park/Lake George cross at Chimney Point or Ticonderosa, ride some nice VT, NH, ME roads to Calais, ME, into NB. Options go to the Reversing Falls in St. John, Fundy Park/Alma, NB for sticky buns at the bakery, on to Hopewell Rocks, make my way to PEI or take the coastal road and Sunrise Trail (Hwy 6) to come out at New Glasgow.. scenic road Hwy 4 paralelling 104 if you want to stay off slab while making your way to Port Hastings. Then do your thing in Nova Scotia, end up in Yarmouth for the CAT back to BAH HABAH for a good day loop there. On the way back, I might ride up into awesome Adirondacks, Lake Placid, etc. make my way to Ogdensburg to cross back....

 

[Mr_Ed]

I'd be interested in seeing the route you took!

I don't even know if that'd be possible. I would select a route in the AM that looked interesting and tried to stay off interstates as much as possible. Some days, I'd pick a general direction and tell the TomTom to take crooked roads. Some of them were barely wide enough for two cars to pass. I remember it took me east on hwy 50 through West Virginia, and I overnighted in Winchester, Virginia. That was a good ride. When I got to Port Hawksbury I took Hwy 4 to the south and came into Baddeck from the northeast. I think I did about 3800 miles going and about 2200 coming back.

I regret not keeping a log of the route going because I know I'll never find some of those roads again.

 

[08FJRRider]

My father-in-law (who was 79 at the time) and I rode to NS from Tulsa, Oklahoma in August of 2019. Total was just over 5500 miles in 14 days. Planned on spending three days there but a forecast for HEAVY rain and possible flooding chased us away a day early. Definitely do the ride up to Meat Cove. It is slow going because of the gravel and washboard, but the views are excellent and there's a place there called the Meat Cove Chowder Hut that has some decent food. My only suggestion would be to be careful of what smaller secondary roads you ride. There were a few that the washboard was so bad I thought my fillings were going to come out. 344 along the coast of Chedabucto Bay, east out of Boyston was one of them. That was was a rough 35 miles. Enjoy the trip.

 

[me2012ts]

been to NS twice within the past 6 yrs and had a great time with a lot of great places to see and eat....just keep your eyes out for the road conditions there,the potholes are ENORMOUS

 

[frankenberry]

I guess im gonna post some pics of our trip in this thread. So here goes. Left Harrisburg area wed morn. Did about 560 miles and made it to Freeport.

 

[frankenberry]

 

[frankenberry]