East-Coast Summer Family Vacation Ideas
Outdoors Travel in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or PEI, Canada
Dec 27, 2008
With moderate summer temperatures eastern Canada places as a premier destination for an active vacation. Rather than tanning on the white sand beaches visitors are more likely to be seen hiking, bird watching, exploring historical sites, or whale watching off the shore.
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island all lie within an easy and scenic drive and offer endless fun activities to help plan a family summer vacation.
In addition to outdoor activities, the Maritime provinces boast a vibrant culture overflowing with music, dance, and succulent seafood to complement a day filled with walking, exploring the coastlines, or sailing out on the Atlantic Ocean.
Look to the Maritime Beaches for Summer Family Vacation Ideas
What’s a summer vacation without a trip to the beach? With thousands of miles of coastline stretching the full perimeter of Prince Edward Island and the majority of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, there are countless beaches for all types of activities.
Enjoy the strong swells of beaches near Halifax such as Lawrencetown and Martinique, the red sand of PEI’s Cavendish Beach, and the impressive Bay of Fundy tides in New Brunswick. Or, go swimming along the Acadian Coast, which claims the warmest salt water north of Virginia.
Ideas for Summer Family Vacation Activities in Nova Scotia
Be it finding a golden nugget or hunting for the perfect strawberry, Nova Scotia offers many summer family vacation ideas to get the whole family active and outside:
- Relive the 1861 gold rush days by gold panning on Cunard’s Beach at Ovens Natural Park, Riverport.
- Hunt for fossils formed 350 million years ago at the Joggins Cliffs, Parrsborough.
- Go sailing along the coastline with one of the province’s experienced skippers.
- Venture out whale watching to see right whales, humpbacks, dolphins, and porpoises from Brier Island near Digby.
- Visit the summer U-picks—farms where visitors can pick their own strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries from the lush fields. Just try to put more in the basket than you eat!
Summer Family Vacation Ideas for a Visit to Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island offers visitors a relaxed culture that spans heading out on the golf green to reeling in a big fish on a deep sea fishing tour:
- Listen for the singing sands at Basin Head Beach near Souris.
- Cycle a portion of the 273-km (170-mile) Confederation trail. Sections range from easy to difficult, such as the relaxing 9-km stretch from Royalty Junction to Charlottetown or the challenge of the full length of the island from Tignish in the west to Elmira in the east.
- Go deep-sea fishing for tuna in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
- Mum or Dad may enjoy a special break with a round of golf at one of the island’s world-class golf courses.
Active Summer Family Vacation Ideas for a Visit to New Brunswick
Marvel at the sensationally high tides in the Bay of Fundy or get caught up in the music-and-dance filled Acadian culture during a summer family vacation to New Brunswick:
- Build a sandcastle before the tide comes in at the Bay of Fundy—taking care not to be trapped out on the sand flats as the tide can rise faster than one expects!
- Canoe over the calm waters of Bennett Lake in Fundy National Park.
- Fish the rivers and lakes of New Brunswick. Popular catches are Atlantic salmon and smallmouth bass.
- Sea kayak at Hopewell Rocks, near Hillsborough, and see the effects of the world’s highest tides.
Planning a East Coast Family Vacation this Summer
July and August often feature warm sunny days above 20°C (68°F) and little rain. Early September is also a lovely time to visit.
Visitors can fly into the Halifax International Airport in Nova Scotia, or smaller airports in Moncton, New Brunswick or Charlottetown, PEI. There are also ferries from New England to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and the VIA rail train through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
For more summer family vacation ideas for Canada’s east coast consider visiting the best historic sites of the Maritime provinces.
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