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Quebec City, Nova Scotia, & Prince Edward Island

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4.5 stars(25 reviews)
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From French-influenced Quebec City to the maritime beauty of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, you have 10 days to explore the best sites Canada's East has to offer.

You are viewing the 2023 itinerary. Select your departure year
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10 days From $2,272 per person
Travel on your own following a well-planned itinerary

2023 Tour code: AR-QNPE-23

About the tour

Your tour begins in French-speaking Quebec City, where the European influence of this historic city full of cobblestone streets awaits. You'll receive a guided tour to visit the city's most famous sights, then a free afternoon to explore the cosmopolitan city on your own.

Next, travel through New Brunswick and into Nova Scotia with first-class accommodations onboard VIA Rail's Ocean. When you arrive in Halifax, you have time to explore the area's museums, galleries, and restaurants. The next day takes you to the maritime areas of Nova Scotia including time to explore the charm of these seaside towns on your own.

Next, it's time for a road trip to Cape Breton, where you can visit Alexander Graham Park and might even spot a bald eagle! You'll have an entire day free to explore this island. Spend your time driving scenic routes and visiting historic sites and museums at your leisure.

Then make the lovely drive to the uniquely beautiful Prince Edward Island, the smallest of Canada's provinces. This land has miles of sandy beaches, stunning cliffs, a welcoming community, and some of the best seafood around. After your two-night stay in Prince Edward Island, you'll take a scenic ferryboat ride back to Halifax, where you'll have the remainder of the day to explore more of the area.

This itinerary is also available from Halifax to Quebec City based on your travel preference.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Quebec City

Quebec City is the start of your 10-day rail-drive adventure. Upon arrival, today, check into your hotel and then hit the town. Stroll the streets and visit the city's many shops and boutiques, all just steps away from your hotel. Overnight in Quebec City.

Day 2 - Quebec City Sightseeing

This morning, embark on a city sightseeing tour that takes you to some of the most important landmarks including the Plaines of Abraham, the Place d'Armes, the Fortifications, the Parliament Building and Place Royal. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure. 

This evening transfer on your own from your hotel to the Ste. Foy rail station to board VIA Rail's Ocean train to Halifax. Settle into your first-class accommodations and prepare for your night aboard the train. Your onboard accommodations include comfortable upper and lower sleeping berths. Overnight train.

Day 3 - VIA Rail's Ocean to Halifax

Awake this morning and enjoy a hot breakfast in the Dining Car. Afterward, visit the Park Car for panoramic views of the passing scenery from the observation dome as well as entertaining and informative presentations about the Maritimes region from the onboard Learning Coordinator (Learning Coordinator is seasonal). This afternoon, the Ocean pulls into Moncton, an outdoor lover's paradise, for a 15-minute stop. Stretch your legs and get a glimpse of the town. Because Moncton is well-situated to both the ocean and woodlands, it is ideal for visitors interested in kayaking, hiking, and birdwatching. Admire the passing scenery as you continue the last leg of your journey.

Upon arrival in Halifax, drop your bags at your hotel and venture out for dinner this evening. Argyle Street, located in the heart of downtown Halifax, will have an array of options to choose from. You may also opt for a meal by the water along the boardwalk. Enjoy the fresh Nova Scotian seafood the local cuisine has to offer and enjoy the evening at leisure. Overnight Halifax.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 - Exploring Halifax

All aboard Atlantic Canada's most popular tour - an amphibious adventure that shows you the best of Halifax by land and sea! View places of interest such as Citadel Hill National Historic Site, the Halifax Public Gardens, and Spring Garden Road. Then get ready to make the big splash into Halifax Harbour! Cruise past the Halifax waterfront Boardwalk, the stone buildings of Historic Properties. As the best of Halifax unfolds before your eyes, your spirited tour guide will deliver many little-known facts and fascinating insights about our charming city on the water (tour operates seasonally). Spend the remainder of your day visiting one of the many museums in the area, such as the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 or the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, or opt to enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Public Gardens and shop your way down Spring Garden Road. Overnight in Halifax.

Day 5 - Drive to Cape Breton

Pick up your rental car this morning (included) and enjoy the leisurely scenic drive to Cape Breton. Upon arrival, plan a stop at Alexander Graham Park in Baddeck. The complex houses the largest collection of Bell's artifacts and inventions including replicas of the first telephone. Climb to the rooftop gardens to get a glimpse of Bell's Canadian estate, Beinn Breagh. As you walk back to the car, admire the beautiful views overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes. Keep an eye out for bald eagles! Overnight in Baddeck.

Day 6 - Cape Breton at Leisure

Take the day to explore Cape Breton Island. Your hotel is centrally located in Baddeck, near many of the island's popular attractions. You may wish to travel the Cabot Trail, a breathtakingly beautiful roadway carved into the island's northern highlands, or visit the Fortress of Louisbourg, a National Historic Site where you can relive history in 1744-era New France. Perhaps the Miner's Museum, which gives underground tours of the Ocean Deeps Colliery; or, St. Peter's Canal, a highlight of the Bras d'Or Lakes scenic drive and the only national historic canal in Atlantic Canada. Overnight in Baddeck.

Day 7 - Drive to Prince Edward Island

This morning set off for Prince Edward Island, the location that inspired Anne of Green Gables and the place where Canada's confederacy was solidified. Take the ferry (not included) over to shorten the drive and enjoy stunning views of the area. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and set off to explore Charlottetown. The harbor area offers several boutiques worth browsing, and the downtown area includes beautiful Victorian homes and buildings. Overnight in Charlottetown.

Day 8 - Prince Edward Island at Leisure

Take the day to explore the Island's offerings. Visit fabulous beaches such as the north shore, which boasts 60-foot dunes, and the south shore with red sand and calm waters. Explore popular attractions including Province House, which hosted the Charlottetown Confederation in 1864, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts, which is home to live theater, an art gallery, and the Charlottetown Festival during summer months. Overnight in Charlottetown.

Day 9 - Prince Edward Island to Halifax

Today return to Nova Scotia by ferry (not included). The day is at your leisure so you can determine your schedule and any stops you make. Along the way, stop for a pint at one of the many local breweries or enjoy a meal in a vintage train car at Train Station Inn. Upon arrival in Halifax, you may wish to visit Citadel Hill or explore some of the town's unique shops and pubs. Overnight Halifax.

Day 10 - Halifax

Your tour comes to a close this morning. You may wish to extend your stay or transfer to the airport for your return trip home. Return your rental car to the Halifax International Airport.

Additional information

Please note

Getting to/from Prince Edward Island:

Fees are only assessed when leaving the island

From Nova Scotia:

Northumberland Ferries; 75 mins

Total trip appx 4.5 hours (from Baddeck)

$78/vehicle including passengers

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Inverary Resort,  Baddeck

Inverary Resort, Baddeck

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The Great George, Charlottetown

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Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites, Halifax

Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites, Halifax

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Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City

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Train

VIA Rail's Ocean

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Reviews

4.5 stars4.5 / 5 · 25 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (17)
  2. 4 stars
    (5)
  3. 3 stars
    (2)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

SCOTT GODEFROY

4 stars

Submitted 27 Oct 2022

With the exception of one lodging accommodations, they were all very good. The solution to the poor accommodations was handled promptly and with great care by Eric, and I greatly appreciate his help. The main concern I had with regard to the train portion of the trip was the size of the sleeping berth. As I am 6’-5”, I was not prepared for the close quarters. For two people and carry on bags, it was very tight and uncomfortable. However, the train personnel were very accommodating and cheerful and did much to make our trip pleasurable. It was helpful having a dining car and lounge area available as well. We did have several delays (2-3 hours) during the train trip which made for a long ride but delays I am sure are expected. Overall, the trip was enjoyable for both my wife and me. If I do consider another rail vacation, like the cross Canadian trip, I will have to take a close look at the sleeping accommodations and other amenities.

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Carl Knowles

3 stars

Submitted 18 Oct 2022

Hotel Nova Scotia not clean/served cold eggs/sausage, poor maintenance.

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Carl Knowles

2 stars

Submitted 16 Oct 2022

Quebec City was a delight. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island by train was disappointingly monotonous.

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JANN KNOTTS

3 stars

Submitted 29 Sep 2022

The hotels were all very nice. We liked having a car of our own. We would have liked an additional day or two in Quebec City. We could have skipped PEI. It made for a lot of driving and we changed hotels too often. Dealing with VBR was a frustrating experience. They made multiple mistakes in our booking and did not communicate well. Our assigned travel agent was not good at returning emails. We would call and were told we would have to wait for “our person” to call back. The overnight train was not a comfortable way to travel. The tracks were old and the ride was bumpy and loud. We did have nice meals in the dining car.

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Christie Chell

4 stars

Submitted 25 Sep 2022

Canada itself was great. But the train trip was terrible as was one of the places of lodging.

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MARTIN WILLETT

4 stars

Submitted 31 Aug 2022

Relaxed pace. Beautiful scenery. Easy driving. Train mostly good. All but one of the hotels was good and well located.

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