- Montreal Highlights Tour including Old Montreal Walk
- World Heritage Site of Old Quebec
- Moncton and incredible Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick
- Prince Edward Island and Anne of Green Gables heritage tour
- Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg in Nova Scotia
- Arrival and departure airport transfers
- Transportation on comfortable motorcoach and by rail
- Professional Tour Leaders
- Expert local guides in Montréal and Québec City
- Comfortable hotel accommodation (3.5 - 4 star Or Best Available)
- 59 meals: 29 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 25 Dinners
- 29 Nights of Accommodation (3.5 - 4 star Or Best Available)
- 5% provincial tax on top of tour base rate
- Gratuities to driver (Recommend $3-$4 per person per day)
- Gratuities to guide (Recommend $5-$7 per person per day)
- Meals not listed
- Attractions not listed
- Credit card payment fees, where applicable
- Airfare — domestic and international (Unless Specified)
- Travel insurance (Strongly recommended, ask us for a quote!)
- Items of a personal nature
Arrive in Montréal and check in to your downtown hotel. This evening we have a welcome dinner with the rest of our fellow travellers and learn about the history of this city and its important place in Québec and within Canada. A stylish and elegant city with a distinctly European flair offering a vibrant mix of the old and new where you can immerse yourself in the French heritage of North America. If you arrive early this day, there will be time to stroll through narrow cobbled lanes with 17th century buildings, quaint shops, galleries, and sidewalk cafés. Montréal is a city with a thousand different flavours, from award-winning restaurants to ethnic food stalls and locally grown products. We will enjoy the cuisine this city has to offer.
Overnight: Montréal
Meals: Dinner
Today we enjoy a classic city tour with an expert local guide. Experience an overview of Montréal and its historical sites, where you will discover all the characteristics this city has to offer. See the highlights of one of the world's largest French-speaking cities in the world with stops at the city's best attractions, where you can explore and have time to take pictures. You will visit the Notre-Dame Basilica, St. Joseph's Oratory, residential and financial districts, Old Montréal, French Quarter, McGill University and take in some panoramic views from an observation point on top of Mount Royal, from which Montréal gets its name.
We board the 6:30 pm VIA Rail train from Montréal, and following the St. Lawrence River, pass from city suburbs to the rural landscapes of forests and rich pastures, dotted with tiny villages that extend to Québec City, the oldest walled city in North America and the heart of the French-Canadian culture in Canada.
Overnight: Québec City
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we discover Québec City (the Upper and Lower Towns) through its history, architecture, and culture. We explore the walled city and the historic Lower Town, but also travel outside the city walls to see Parliament Hill and the famous Plains of Abraham. Old Québec is a UNESCO designated World Heritage City. Many Québec historic sites such as the Québec fortifications, Chateau Frontenac, Québec Citadel, Plains of Abraham, and Québec Île d ‘Orléans make up important landmarks of Old Québec City and the nearby region. Many different influences have shaped Québec’s history over the past 400 years – the First Nations, the French, the Acadians, the British, the Americans, the Germans and the Irish, to name a few. There is a lot to discover here on foot. We plan to walk through some pedestrian areas like the Dufferin Terrasse, around Chateau Frontenac, Place-Royale (birthplace of the city), and the Petit-Champlain borough
Overnight: Québec City
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
A free day to explore the cobbled stone alleys, cafes, and interesting shops in historic Quebec City, the oldest and only walled city in North America.There will be some free time this evening before we board The Ocean train at 9:00 pm tonight and head east towards the maritime provinces of Canada.
Overnight: On Board VIA Rail
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
We arrive in Moncton this afternoon and do a brief drive tour of the town before checking into our hotel. Moncton, located in southeastern New Brunswick, boasts over 32 large scale contemporary murals in and around the heart of the city, a wonderful outdoor gallery, created by a mix of international and local muralists. At Resurgo Place, you will be able to visit Moncton Museum and Transportation Discovery Centre as well as take advantage of a variety of free services such as travel assistance, advice, access to maps and tourism guides, information about events, and attractions and festivals.
Overnight: Moncton
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Jutting into the warm waters of the Gulf Stream current, this lively and historic region is filled with coastal charm and cultural significance. On our drive along the southern shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence we will discover the heart of L’Acadie. We will make many stops along the way as we drive south from Bathurst to Shediac, the ‘Lobster Capital of the World’, visiting the towns of Miramichi and Bouctouche enroute. We then return to the town of Shediac, known as the "Lobster Capital of the World", where we see the World's Largest Lobster before embarking on a lobster cruise to learn about lobsters and the local fishery while we savour a freshly cooked lobster meal. (Lobster Lunch Included)
Overnight: Moncton
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning we drive to the Fundy National Park to the incredible Hopewell Rocks, home of the Flowerpots, peculiar rock formations that are shaped by tidal erosion and stand some 40-70 feet tall. These rocks are forested islands at high tide and resemble flowerpots at low tide. We will stop in Cap-Pelé. The area is North America’s largest exporter of smoked herring and we visit the Smokehouse Museum and later stop at by a working smokehouse where you will not only smell the smoked herring, but get to taste some. We will visit a fishermen’s workshop to see how lobster traps are made, then the Aboiteau wharf lobster pound and see Sainte-Thérèse-d’Avila Church, built in the shape of a boat.
Overnight: Moncton
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we drive south across the New Brunswick border into Nova Scotia as we make our way to Halifax.Along the way will be to explore the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will see magnificently exposed layers of rock revealing the world's most complete fossil record of life in the "Coal Age" of 300 million years ago.Upon arrival at Halifax, we will do a quick city tour before dinner and having the evening at leisure.
Overnight: Halifax
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Welcome to the East Coast of Canada and the beautiful harbour city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the first stop on our in-depth cultural tour through the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Our Tour Leader will join you for an evening pre tour briefing and you will meet your fellow travellers at dinnertime. As Nova Scotia's provincial capital, this attractive city is a bustling hub of art galleries, shops, museums, restaurants, sidewalk cafes and vibrant nightlife centered around the picturesque waterfront.
Overnight: Halifax
Meals: Dinner
Today we take a city tour of Halifax, which includes the Victorian Public Gardens, the Titanic Grave Site, and several historic sites in and around the city. We will also visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration on Pier 21, a former ocean liner terminal and Canada's last remaining immigration shed, showcasing some of Canada’s immigration history. This afternoon, we visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic which is rich with maritime history and stories of the people that define Nova Scotia. The evening is at leisure to explore Halifax's harbour front, walk along the promenade, or sample local cuisine at a city centre restaurant.
Overnight: Halifax
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we travel the rugged south shore of Nova Scotia, to the well-known town of Peggy's Cove to visit Peggy's Point Lighthouse, which sits high upon the smooth wave-worn granite of the coast. This is the most photographed lighthouse in Canada. Before departing Peggy's Cove, we will visit the Acadian Maple Products shop, a family-owned business who are the largest producers of maple syrup in Nova Scotia. Continuing along Nova Scotia's rugged coast, we visit picturesque Mahone Bay, showcasing three elegant churches on the sheltered harbour of this quaint village. We then visit UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg, one of Nova Scotia's most historic towns and home of the famed fishing schooner Bluenose II. Here we visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic to learn the history of commercial fishing in Atlantic Canada.
Overnight: Western Shore
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we visit Grand-Pré National Historic Site and World UNESCO Heritage Site, where we learn about the tragic upheaval of the Acadians, descendants of French settlers, who were expelled from this area. The Grand-Pré site commemorates the area as a centre of Acadian settlement from 1682 to 1755 and the Deportation of the Acadians, which began in 1755 and continued until 1762. We then travel to Annapolis Royal, on the Evangeline Trail, with over 150 heritage buildings including the oldest wooden house in Canada. We have some free time to explore the area and enjoy local cuisine before continuing our journey to New Brunswick on board the Digby ferry for a scenic crossing on the Bay of Fundy, the 27 km stretch of water that separates Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and is home to the world's highest tides. We end our day in the city of Saint John located on the Bay of Fundy and have the rest of our evening at leisure.
Overnight: Saint John, NB
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Our morning is spent exploring Saint John on a city tour where we see the natural phenomenon of the Reversing Falls, a series of rapids and whirlpools on the Saint John River that empties into the Bay of Fundy. The extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy reverse the flow of the falls as the waters rise and fall. This afternoon we travel to the quaint village of St. Andrews by-the-Sea, with a treasure trove of beautiful architecture, scenery, and rich marine life. Everything about this seaside resort town is special, including its status as a National Historic District and as one of the oldest and loveliest small towns in the Maritime Provinces. We visit the 27-acre Kingsbrae Gardens, with over 50,000 perennials in many themed gardens, before enjoying the rest of our evening at leisure.
Overnight: St. Andrews by-the-Sea
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, we tour the Fundy Discovery Aquarium, which showcases the local marine life found in the Bay of Fundy. We will see harbour seals through the windows of an underwater viewing area and see some more in the gigantic touch pool. Before reaching Fredericton, we will visit the Kings Landing Historical Settlement, an authentic village, depicting the 100-year transformation of a young colony into the young nation of Canada. Enjoy a guided tour of the Historical Village and Museum, followed by some free time to explore the 40 exhibits with over 70,000 artifacts on your own. We then continue to New Brunswick’s capital city of Fredericton on the banks of the Saint John River. Time permitting this afternoon or on the following morning, we suggest a visit to Fredericton’s Beaverbrook Art Gallery to see some master artworks and Dali’s Santiago el Grande (viewed best by lying on the floor and looking up). Fredericton has a thriving art and cultural scene with more artisans per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
Overnight: Fredericton
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we will have an entertaining and informative city tour with a local guide, discovering Fredericton through local eyes and all it has to offer. This afternoon, we travel through the Fundy National Park to the incredible Hopewell Rocks, home of the Flowerpots, peculiar rock formations that are shaped by tidal erosion and stand some 40-70 feet tall. These rocks are forested islands at high tide and resemble flowerpots at low tide. After visiting this incredible area, we continue to Moncton, located in southeastern New Brunswick, where we have the evening at leisure. Moncton boasts over 32 large scale contemporary murals in and around the heart of the city, a wonderful outdoor gallery, created by a mix of international and local muralists. At Resurgo Place, you will be able to visit Moncton Museum and Transportation Discovery Centre as well as take advantage of a variety of free services such as travel assistance, advice, access to maps and tourism guides, information about events, and attractions and festivals.
Overnight: Moncton
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we visit world-famous Magnetic Hill, a natural phenomenon unique to this area that completely defies the laws of gravity. We will see our own coach coasting uphill with no power at all. We then continue to the town of Shediac, known as the "Lobster Capital of the World", where we see the World's Largest Lobster before embarking on a lobster cruise to learn about lobsters and the local fishery while we savour a freshly cooked lobster lunch. Following our cruise, we make our way to the province of Prince Edward Island crossing on the Confederation Bridge. The curved, 12.9 km. (8 mile) long bridge is the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water, linking mainland New Brunswick with Prince Edward Island, and continues to be one of Canada’s top engineering achievements of the 20th century. After four years of construction using more than five thousand local workers, the Confederation Bridge opened to traffic on May 31, 1997. We arrive in the capital city of Charlottetown and have the remainder of our evening at leisure.
Overnight: Charlottetown
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island and is located on the southern coast of the province. Our city tour highlights some of the historical buildings including St. Dunstan's Basilica and The Province House National Historic Site, where the Charlottetown Conference was held in 1864. We then explore some of Prince Edward Island's treasures, including Cavendish National Park and the Green Gables Heritage Place, where you can walk through the memory-filled rooms of the beloved fictional character, Anne of Green Gables. We sample some of the best preserves in the world at the Prince Edward Island Preserves Company and visit the fishing village of North Rustico.
Overnight: Charlottetown
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we travel back to the mainland and drive along a scenic route to Baddeck, Nova Scotia, located on Cape Breton Island. Baddeck is a town situated in the centre of Cape Breton, where the Baddeck River empties into Bras d'Or Lake, and is known for its tranquil beauty in the heart of the island.
Overnight: Baddeck
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we will have the morning at leisure to explore this scenic town. This afternoon we will meet up and spend time at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes, where displays showcase the life of Alexander Graham Bell, and give us a look into his mind with many artifacts, photos, and replicas of his many inventions.
Overnight: Baddeck
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we experience the picturesque and renowned Cabot Trail and Margaree Valley. This 298 km highway weaves through The Cape Breton Highlands National Park, rewarding travellers with spectacular valley and coastal sceneries all along the way. We will stop at Lone. Shieling, Pleasant Bay and Neil's Harbour, all with spectacular seascapes, sweeping beaches, rare plants and abundant wildlife. We end our day in Sydney and enjoy the evening at our leisure. Sydney is the historic capital of the Cape Breton region and the largest urban centre on the island. From the harbour front boardwalk complete with buskers, the visiting cruise ships, to the world’s largest fiddle, Sydney is a charming place where we have the evening to explore.
Overnight: Sydney
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we visit the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, stepping back in time to a bygone era when the French and English fought for control of the New World, and when Nova Scotia was the battleground. We experience what life was like in the bustling French fortified town of Louisbourg in 1744. After a guided tour, we will have some time to explore the area at leisure. This afternoon we visit Cape Breton's Miners' Museum, paying tribute to the region's long and rich coal mining history and home to the famous choir of miners - The Men of the Deeps. We take an underground tour of the Ocean's Deep Colliery beneath the Museum's building before returning to Sydney.
Overnight: Sydney
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Following breakfast, we board the Marine Atlantic Ferry for the 6 hour long crossing to Port aux Basques in Newfoundland. Newfoundland is Canada's most easterly province and is also known as "The Rock". On arrival, we travel north through one of the province's best farming areas, Codroy Valley, to the town of Corner Brook, on the west side of the island and renowned for its world-famous salmon bearing river, the Humber.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we explore the incredible Gros Morne National Park, with its towering inland fjords and walking trails. We will learn about the geology of the area at the Gros Morne Visitor Centre and experience it firsthand with a scenic walk through the Tablelands area discovering the unique flora and fauna native to the region. Moose, caribou, waterfalls, and dozens of unforgettable photographic scenes add to this UNESCO World Heritage Destination. Next, we visit Lobster Cove Lighthouse in Rocky Harbour and enjoy a boat cruise of Bonne Bay and participate in an age-old tradition - the "Screech In" ceremony, featuring live traditional music, a cod fish, and a taste of the famous Newfoundland Screech. Following the boat cruise, we continue up the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland to the town of Cow Head.
Overnight: Cow Head
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we travel the well-known Viking Trail Route to the most northerly tip of Newfoundland, to the L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. We will see where the Vikings, the first Europeans to reach the New World, landed and established a settlement. We visit the interpretive centre, tour the Viking ruins, and have an interactive experience at the longhouse to discover what life was like for the Viking encampment in 1,000 AD. As we make our way onwards to St. Anthony, at the centre of the Northern Peninsula, we tour the town and make our way up to the St. Anthony Lighthouse. Look down at the crashing waves below the shoreline and take in the view of the town. The evening is at leisure.
Overnight: St. Anthony
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Making our way along the Viking Trail Route to Deer Lake, we have plenty of scenic stops along the way, with informative talks from our Tour Leader throughout our journey. We visit The Arches Provincial Park along the western coast of Newfoundland and take some time to explore the natural rock formations that have been shaped by the power of ocean tides.
Overnight: Deer Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Gander is a town full of history and plays a vital role in the international aviation industry. Gander is also the setting for the now famous musical ‘Come from Away’ showcasing the story of how the friendly town handled the sudden arrival of 38 plane loads totaling 7000 passengers who landed here following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the US. We visit the North Atlantic Aviation Museum this morning and learn about the important historical events that have made this town an inspiration to all Canadians.
Overnight: Gander
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, we visit the Iceberg Alley and the historic town of Twillingate. At the Prime Berth Fishery and Heritage Centre, an interpretive fishing centre, we learn about the history of the all-important fishing industry in Newfoundland, and how the industry has changed over the years. This afternoon is spent exploring the area with a tour taking in the history of Twillingate and the surrounding areas. We stop and visit Long Point Lighthouse, which sits more than 300 feet above the sea and is still operated by one lighthouse keeper year-round guiding ships through the fog and the stormy nights. We finally make our way to Gander for an evening at leisure.
Overnight: Gander
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we take a scenic drive through Terra Nova National Park, Canada's most easterly national park, where the boreal forest meets the rugged Atlantic coastline. A visit to the Terra Nova Marine Interpretation Centre will inform us about North Atlantic marine creatures and the importance of local conservation efforts. This afternoon we arrive in Newfoundland's capital city of St. John's, an eccentric, colourful city which dates back to 1519, and is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The remainder of our evening is at leisure, with time to explore, shop, or enjoy the local cuisine.
Overnight: St. John's, NL
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today is a full day of local touring as we explore North America's oldest city. We visit Canada's second largest National Historic Park as well as Signal Hill and Cape Spear, home to the oldest lighthouse and the most easterly point in North America. This afternoon, we enjoy a coastal cruise with opportunities to see whales and puffins at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Following that, we will immerse ourselves in the traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador's largest public cultural space, The Rooms, showcasing history, heritage, and artistic expression of this unique province. This evening’s farewell dinner will celebrate the amazing time we have spent together. This is the time to exchange stories, memories and the highlights of our time spent along the East Coast of Canada.
Overnight: St. John's, NL
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Our Coast-to-Coast adventure comes to an end. Following breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Meals: Breakfast