Canadian Maritimes: Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island
9 days | 12 days with St. John’s, Newfoundland extension |
Dive into the culture and seaside beauty of the Canadian Maritimes.
Enjoy rural scenery and rugged coastal landscapes as you journey off the beaten path to discover one of Canada’s most storied regions. Uncover immigrant history, fascinating Acadian culture, and the tranquil lifestyles of quaint fishing villages as you get to know Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Picturesque sea views, small-town charm, and a colorful past collide on this breathtaking trip.
Your tour package includes
- 8 nights in handpicked hotels
- 8 breakfasts
- 2 lunches
- 3 dinners with beer or wine
- 4 sightseeing tours
- Expert Tour Director & local guides
- Private deluxe motor coach
- 1 ferry transfer
Included highlights
- Halifax Public Gardens
- Sugar Moon Farm
- Bay of Fundy
- Confederation Bridge
- Anne of Green Gables Museum
- Cape Breton Highlands National Park
- Cabot Trail
- Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Centre
Itinerary

Halifax, Nova Scotia2 nights
Day 1: Arrival in Halifax
Welcome to Canada! Transfer to your hotel and get settled in.
Day 2: The Grand-Pré National Historic Site & Peggy's Cove
Included meals: Breakfast, Welcome lunch
Start your trip with a scenic drive to get to know Nova Scotia during today's sightseeing tour.
- Begin with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Grand-Pré National Historic Site to learn about Acadian history along the way.
- Visit the UNESCO-listed port town of Lunenburg and enjoy free time to explore the charming port town
- Admire stunning coastal scenery at Peggy’s Cove, a rural, coastal region in Nova Scotia
- Gather with your Tour Director and fellow travelers for a welcome lunch
Reviews
Hotels
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.

Halifax - Hampton Inn Halifax Downtown
This inviting hotel is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Guests enjoy the fully equipped fitness center, a rooftop terrace with stunning city views, and a heated indoor pool for year-round relaxation. Nearby, you'll find the...

Moncton - Rodd Moncton
This welcoming hotel is located in Moncton, New Brunswick. Guests enjoy a seasonal outdoor heated pool with a relaxing patio area, complimentary hot breakfast served daily in the Tidalview Breakfast Room. Nearby, you'll find...
Prince Edward Island Region - The Hotel on Pownal
This modern hotel is located in downtown Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. Guests enjoy a fitness center, lounge, and free Wi-Fi. Nearby, you’ll find the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Victoria Row, and Beaconsfield...
Cape Breton Region - Inverary Resort
This cozy hotel is located on Cape Breton Island. Guests enjoy a fitness center, pool, and spa. Nearby, you’ll find the property's lake and water activities, golf courses, and the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site.
Halifax - Holiday Inn Express & Suites Halifax Airport
This comfortable hotel is located in Halifax. Guests enjoy the indoor saltwater pool, snack bar, and spacious rooms, all conveniently located next to the Halifax airport.
St. John's - Courtyard by Marriott St. John's Newfoundland
This relaxing hotel is located in downtown St. John's. Guests enjoy the fitness center, on-site restaurant, and spacious rooms. Nearby you'll find Cabot Tower, the Railway Coastal Museum, and Signal Hill.
Flights
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare and you’ll get:
- Round-trip flight for your tour
- Airport transfers at your destination
- A great price locked in today
- 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
- Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
- Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
FAQ
- Canadian citizens need valid government-issued identification for air travel within Canada.
- In order to enter Canada, U.S. citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
- If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
- You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code CNP.
- Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Halifax and depart from Halifax (or St John's on the tour extension).
- Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
- When you arrive in Halifax, a Go Ahead representative will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a Go Ahead sign or a sign with your name(s). If you don’t see a representative immediately, please be patient and stay in the arrivals area. They may be assisting another traveler who has also just arrived and will be back shortly.
Physical Activity Level
This is a moderate physical activity-level tour. You can expect casual walks and plenty of time to explore throughout the course of the tour.
Tour Pacing
This is a brisk-paced tour. The pace of a tour itinerary considers how often you’ll switch hotels, the amount of planned daily activities, and how you’ll get from place to place. You can expect:
- Two 1-night stays
- Most days full of included activities (more if you add excursions)
- Most transportation by motor coach, some by ferry
- Daily drive time varies and can be lengthy
Walking, Terrain & Physical Requirements
- Travelers should be prepared to walk 2 miles per day- this includes city streets, cobblestones, stairs, and hills.
- Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance.
- Please Note: Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
Climate Considerations
- Travelers can expect temperate weather with average highs in the 60Fs and 70Fs and average lows in the 40Fs and 50Fs.
Physical Activity & Tour Pace Questions
- Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special mobility or luggage handling assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group enjoys a smooth and informative journey, and they can’t be relied on to provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
- This tour moves at a reasonable pace to avoid missing scheduled stops. The rest of the group cannot miss any scheduled activities because of the needs of an individual.
- Due to the pace and physical activity level of this tour, mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walkers will be difficult to use and are not recommended. Please notify Go Ahead Tours before your departure if you plan to bring these on tour with you.
- If you have mobility concerns or tour pacing questions, please visit our Help Center or send a message to our Customer Experience Team.
- Most transportation on this tour is by private motor coach. Private motor coaches have steps required to board and often do not provide access to ramps or lifts.
- A ferry ride from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia is included in the price of your tour. (The tour extension also includes a flight from Halifax to St. Johns.)
- All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
- Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches.
- A checked bag may not be included in your airline ticket.
- Some airlines may impose additional charges if you exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
- Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights.
- Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
- Travelers must manage their own luggage throughout tour as porters are not guaranteed. This includes at hotels and airports.
- We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
- A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
- You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
- It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
- We recommend packing a reusable water bottle to cut down on single use plastic waste.
- In case of emergencies, we also recommend packing your medical insurance card in your carry-on.
- Go Ahead handpicks every hotel you’ll stay at, striking a balance between comfort, location, and local charm.
- Specific properties will vary based on your departure date, but are typically three-to-four-star hotels; always include private bathrooms; and usually have in-room safes for valuables. Additionally, your hotels will have Wi-Fi, but access may be limited to common areas. There may also not be elevators.
- Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that your accommodations will have laundry services or facilities. We recommend checking directly with your hotels once they’ve been confirmed, about 30 days prior to departure.
- Some hotels on this tour are situated on narrow streets; as such, our buses can’t drop you off right out front. In these instances, you’ll have to walk your luggage to the property, no more than a few blocks.
- All of North America operates on 110-120 volts and uses Type A or B plugs with two flat pins or two flat pins and one round pin, respectively.
- Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date.
- Excursions are available for purchase prior to departure, and most excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour directly through your mobile app for an additional $10 USD.
- We recommend purchasing excursions at least 3 days prior to your tour departure. Please note some excursions have advance booking deadlines. Check your tour itinerary for more information to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to add them.
- Optional excursions may be canceled on tour due to reasons like low enrollment, weather or unexpected closures. If an excursion you signed up for is canceled by Go Ahead Tours, you will be refunded the full cost of the excursion. Please note it may take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed.
- Your Tour Director may offer their own optional excursions which can only be purchased on tour via cash (in local currency).
- At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
- If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies, please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to your departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
- If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
- Most of our itineraries include headsets used during certain sightseeing tours so travelers can hear their guides or Tour Director. If you use an assisted listening device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, please visit our Help Center or contact our customer experience team. Please note that at this time not all our destinations offer headsets due to supplier limitations.
- The water is safe to drink throughout your tour unless posted otherwise.
- This tour includes two lunches and three dinners: They may be set menus, buffets, or family-style meals, depending on the location. Dinners also include one glass of beer, wine, or a soft drink, as well as water, coffee, and tea.
- Breakfast each morning is also included at the hotel and is typically buffet style with hot and cold options.
- Canadian cuisine closely resembles British cuisine, with elements that will be very familiar to Americans as well. While in Canada, you may want to try local favorites like butter tarts, poutine and anything with maple syrup.
- Due to the Maritimes’ coastal location, the seafood in this region is high quality and delicious. Try a lobster roll or dried dulse, a type of seaweed that grows in the area.
- At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in USD.
- We recommend tipping $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and $3USD per person per day for your driver.
- If applicable, we also recommend $2USD per local guide.
- Tips can only be paid in cash.
- If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
- The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
- You will use the Canadian dollar on this tour.
- We strongly advise that you take debit and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
- You can use most cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
- International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you don’t already have at least one card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
- Plan ahead and bring cash to tip your Tour Director, local guides, and bus drivers.
- To help you feel prepared before traveling on tour, we strongly recommend downloading the EF Go Ahead Tours mobile app. It’s free and provides information about important deadlines and entry requirements, as well as your detailed itinerary, packing tips, and more. You can also connect with fellow travelers through the app’s chat feature.
- Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
- There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
- Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
- Your Tour Director will be leading your group throughout your journey. You will have the same Tour Director throughout your tour.
- The role of the Tour Director is not only to provide information and context on the destinations you visit, but also to confirm services, coordinate inclusions, prepare each days’ activities and support travelers while on tour. As such, they must focus on the success of the group, and cannot provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
- One of the benefits of traveling with EF Go Ahead Tours is our on tour emergency support team.
- Our extensive network of offices around the world, and our integration of ISO 31000: Risk Management Guidelines, help our dedicated 24/7 Emergency Service teams anticipate and address on-tour challenges in a flexible and iterative way.
- This team supports travelers and Tour Directors using a combination of extensive training, simulations, incident response planning, and decades of experience to help manage emergencies if they arise, ranging from personal health concerns or injuries to major world events.
- As needed, On Tour Support can facilitate additional support for travelers on tour, arrange assistance from outside specialists, and liaise with local and international authorities to help solve on-the-ground issues. In addition, the team is dedicated to supporting and facilitating communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency while on the road or at home.
- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are on Atlantic Time (AT), which is one hour ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
- Newfoundland and Labrador (on the tour extension) is on Newfoundland Time (NT), which is 1.5 hours ahead of ET.
- When it’s noon in New York City, it’s 1pm in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island (and 1:30pm in Newfoundland and Labrador on the tour extension).
- When you travel with Go Ahead Tours, you’ll make a positive impact on the places you visit and the people and animals you meet along the way. That’s because our three core Responsible Travel commitments—protecting the environment, supporting local communities, and promoting animal welfare—are at the heart of every tour we offer.
- Travel, when done responsibly, can have an enormous socioeconomic impact on communities. To maximize your impact, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at small businesses. Ask your Tour Director to point out restaurants they recommend.
- Prepare for your trip: Be aware of monetary norms such as tipping and negotiating in a market; learn about the destination’s forms of etiquette; and take some time to learn a few words in the local language.
- When interacting with locals, make sure to ask people for permission before you take their picture, and approach cultural differences with empathy and an open mind.
- Go Ahead Tours encourages travelers to limit their waste while on the road, especially single-use plastics. You can cut back on generating plastic waste by packing your own toiletries, using electronic documents, and bringing a reusable water bottle and shopping bag. If you need to use plastics or paper, please recycle.