Pier 21

DAY 1:

ARRIVE TO HALIFAX, NS

Welcome to Halifax! Jewels of the Maritimes and Maritime Memories Passengers arrive to Halifax today. Upon arrival at the airport, leisurely transfer to the hotel by using the pre-paid airport transfer voucher. Enjoy a full service hotel, as the rest of the day is free to do as you wish. Meet your tour director and fellow passengers in the hotel lobby at 7 PM for a Welcome Get Acquainted Reception and Tour Briefing. Your Tour Director will meet and greet you and prepare you for the sights and sounds of your Jewels of the Maritime Tour.

DAY 2:

B

DELUXE CITY TOUR OF NAVAL CITY HALIFAX, NS

After an included breakfast, we are treated to a city tour of Halifax. The educational tour highlights the downtown area including the financial district, City Hall, Pier 21, Province House, the Titanic Memorial, Public Gardens and more. We also visit Citadel Hill National Historic Site. We enjoy a scattered lunch at the Halifax Historic properties. After lunch, our further drive brings us to the rustic charm of the famous fishing village of Peggy’s Cove. Peggy’s Cove is world famous for its picturesque lighthouse on the rocky shores of the Atlantic. Enjoy some free time for browsing and picture taking at Peggy’s Cove this afternoon. We return to our hotel with the free evening to do as we please.

Peggy's Cove

Grand Pre

DAY 3:

B

GRAND PRE, HOPEWELL CAPE & MONCTON, NB

After an included breakfast, a short side excursion brings us to Grande Pre, the first Acadian settlement and the inspiration for Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline. Following the visit, our further drive takes us to Turo for lunch. Next we visit the incredible Hopewell Cape with ample time to explore and perhaps have the opportunity to walk on the ocean floor at low tide (subject to tide conditions). We spend the night in Moncton, NB.

DAY 4:

B, D

MAGNETIC HILL, OLIVIER SOAPERY, NORTH SHORE OF PEI & LOBSTER DINNER

After an included breakfast, we prepare ourselves for interesting and educational demonstrations. We start by visiting the mysterious “Magnetic Hill” in Moncton one of the nature’s contradictions as cars appear to coast uphill backwards! Afterwards, as short drive brings us to the fishing community of Sainte-Anne-de-Kent. Here we take pleasure in watching a demonstration of traditional soap making at the Olivier Soapery. We proceed towards the 13 kilometre Confederation Bridge to PEI. We stop and take time for pictures on this Canadian landmark then onto the North Shore of the Island with its lovely beaches, the fishing village at North Rustico, and a visit to Anne of Green Gables house in Cavindish. We visit the Lucy M. Montgomery’s grave and that of her parents. Later on, we are off to New Glasgow for a delicious Lobster Dinner.

Fortress of Louisbourg

DAY 5:

B

AM CITY TOUR OF CHARLOTTETOWN & SCENIC FERRY CROSSING TO NEW GLASGOW, NS

After an included breakfast, prepare for more sightseeing and fun. We are treated this morning to a locally guided tour of historic Charlottetown. We tour the Province House, churches, Victorian homes, the Confederation Centre and more. After a leisurely lunch at the Charlottetown Quay, we drive to the ferry to ride the ferry from Woods Island, PEI to Caribou, NS. A further short drive brings us to New Glasgow for an overnight stay.

DAY 6:

B

FORTRESS OF LOUISBERG & SYDNEY, NS

After an included breakfast, our further drive across the Strait of Canso brings us into Cape Breton, the island of the hearty and independent Scots, the original European settlers of this historic island that also is rich in French heritage. Our further drive brings us to historical Fortress of Louisbourg, the famous 18th century landmark. The fortress is “animated” with soldiers and villagers all going about their business as they would have in 1720. A guide takes us through the buildings of this reconstructed fortress. It is beautifully restored with inhabitants dressed in period costume, and it stands today as it did 200 years ago. The whole afternoon is allowed to explore this monument thoroughly. After a pleasant historical adventure, we arrive to our Sydney hotel in the late afternoon. The evening is at your leisure to do as you please.

DAY 7:

B

FULL DAY OF FUN & STUNNING SCENERY ON THE CABOT TRAIL

After an included breakfast, our first stop today is the beautiful park-like setting at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum which displays working models of Bell’s experiments during the years he lived in Baddeck. After our morning break in Baddeck, we get started for our full day scenic adventure on Cabot Trail, named after the famous explorer who first sighted the island in 1497. Watch as we pass the meandering glens, rugged coastlines, white gypsum bluffs and the always-pounding surf. We travel the scenic Cabot Trail, through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, stopping in Cheticamp, the Lone Sheiling and other stunning mountain vistas that make for panoramic photo stops. Enjoy the most relaxing and scenic adventure of the tour. We retire for the night back in Sydney.

Cabot Trail

DAY 8:

B

SYDNEY, NS TO CORNER BROOK, NF

After an included breakfast, we start our adventure as we board the 6 hour long scenic ferry from North Sydney, NS to Port Aux Basques on the rocky shores of Newfoundland (subject to Ferry schedule). Sit back, relax and watch for marine life as we sail across the Cabot Strait. Our overnight stop is in the beautiful city of Corner Brook on Humber Fjord.

DAY 9:

B

VIKING TRAIL & PLUM POINT, NF

After an included breakfast, we get off the beaten path as we take a trip into Gros Morne National Park, designated a world heritage site, with breathtaking scenery. We stop at Rocky Harbour and the park’s Visitor Centre and proceed north along the Viking Trail. At Lobster Cove we visit the Lighthouse and the fascinating marine displays. After a great day, we look forward to our motel in Plum Point with world-class hospitality where we spend the night. Meet the people from Newfoundland & Labrador in small communities & get to know their culture and music.

Gros Morne

DAY 10:

B

TOUR OF RED BAY & L’ANSE-AU-CLAIR

After an included breakfast this morning, a short scenic drive brings us down to the ferry terminal. Mid morning, we board the ferry across the Strait of Belle Isle to Blanc Sablon, Quebec. Our short drive brings us to Red Bay. Red Bay highlights the world’s largest whaling centre of the 16th century. A self-guided tour around Saddle Island explores this wealth of archaeological sites. Later on, we travel to L’Anse-au-Clair and check into our motel for the night. This is great opportunity to meet and learn the way of life of the local people.

DAY 11:

B

L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK & GRENFELL HOUSE

After an included breakfast, we say goodbye to Labrador and catch our ferry back to St. Barbe and mainland Newfoundland. We go far back in history as we travel to L’Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Park, the first authenticated Norse site in North America. Archaeologists have uncovered artifacts that indicate a Norse settlement was in this area about 1000 AD. It is believed that Leif the Lucky settled in this Viking Village in 1000 AD. UNESCO has declared this a World Heritage Site. We tour the sodhouse, which displays the Norse way of life. Next, we visit St. Anthony, home of Grenfell Mission where we see the Grenfell House and browse the unique craft centre. We retrace our steps back down the Viking Trail to Plum Point motel for the night.

Norseman

DAY 12:

B

ARCHES PROVINCIAL PARK & GRAND FALLS, NF

After an included breakfast, we journey south along the Gulf of St. Lawrence with a stop at Arches Provincial Park to photograph the two large arches carved by the pounding sea. Our southeast drive takes us through open country with patches of pine and spruce trees to Grand Falls. We stay overnight here in Grand Falls, one of the major suppliers of newsprint paper in the world.

Puffin

DAY 13:

B

TWILLINGATE & CLARENVILLE, NF

After an included breakfast we leave Grand Falls. During the “Road to the Isles” drive, the area’s amusingly named settlements such as Virgin Arm, Crow Head and Hatchet Harbour indicate the unique local nature. At historic Twillingate, we visit the Museum and the Long Point Lighthouse. We continue our journey down to Gander and on to beautiful Terra Nova National Park and its Visitor Centre. A further short drive brings us to Clarenville for our overnight stay. Tonight we enjoy a “screech-in” party, the traditional Newfoundland welcome at the hotel.

DAY 14:

2 Nts, B

HEART’S DELIGHT, HEART’S DESIRE, HEART’S CONTENT & ST. JOHN’S, NF

After an included breakfast, we travel to the Avalon Peninsula. Sit back and relax as we drive through Heart’s Delight and Heart’s Desire to the small town of Heart’s Content. We visit the old cable relay station, where the first transatlantic cable was landed in 1866. We make a short stop in Harbour Grace, an old pirate town, where Amelia Earhart took off in 1932 for her pioneering solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. We continue our scenic drive through Conception Bay to St. John’s, NF. A city unlike any other, the “City of Legends” is cradled in a harbour carved from granite and is surrounded by hills running down to the ocean. Quaint side streets of a thousand colours and friendly faces await to greet you. We stay in St. John’s for the next two nights.

DAY 15:

B, D

ST. JOHN’S CITY OF LEGENDS TOUR

St. John'sAfter an included breakfast this morning, we tour old St. John’s where we visit such National historic sites as Cabot Tower and Signal Hill, while hearing the legends of Dead Man’s Pond, Government House and the history surrounding the Colonial Building. This tour will orient us with a feel for the history, legend, and lore of St. John’s, the oldest community in North America. Our city tour ends at the downtown waterfront. We have free time until 2 PM for lunch and shopping in the heart of downtown St. John’s. Take this opportunity for last minute souvenir shopping for your loved ones. Afterwards, we drive around Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, beautiful Petty Harbour and the historic waterfront. This evening, join your tour director and fellow passengers for a traditional Farewell Dinner courtesy of Pacific Gold Tours.

DAY 16:

B

RETURN HOME

We bid farewell to each other during an included breakfast this morning. All good things must come to an end! We take with us our memories of a wonderful ‘Jewels of the Maritime, Viking Trail, Newfoundland & Labrador’ experience as we travel to the airport for our return flight home. Complimentary airport taxi voucher is included in your tour documents courtesy of Pacific Gold Tours.