Best Maritime Road Trip Destinations
The Maritimes are filled with beautiful locations, friendly people, and unique historical sites. A road trip across the Maritimes is a great way to spend a memorable and affordable vacation while exploring our own backyard. Most destinations are only a few hours away from major cities and the drives are often unforgettable scenic—making the Maritimes a wonderful region to explore by car.
Here are some of our favourite road trip destinations across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
Lunenburg – Nova Scotia
Lunenburg is known for its brightly-coloured historic homes, beautiful waterfront, and relaxing getaways. Old Town Lunenburg is one of only two urban communities in North America designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 70% of the original colonial buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries are still standing and well restored, complete with their unique and colourful architecture.
Just an hour outside of Halifax and three hours from Moncton, Lunenburg is a great day trip or a wonderful overnight stop during a long trip across the region.
Fundy National Park – New Brunswick
Experience the world’s highest tides along the Bay of Fundy at New Brunswick’s Fundy National Park. Here, you can explore the bay as you paddle through rising waters reaching up to 12m or walk the otherworldly ocean floor at low tide. Plus, the park features a wealth of inland trails leading to waterfalls deep in the Acadian forests.
At less than two hours from Fredericton and a little over three hours from Halifax, Fundy National Park is another great destination for any Maritime road trip.
Cabot Trail – Nova Scotia
More of a road trip itself than a single destination, you can experience the natural beauty of the Cape Breton Highlands by driving the world famous Cabot Trail. One of the world’s most beautiful drives, this 298km highway weaves through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, rewarding travellers with spectacular valley and coastal views all along the way while featuring great hiking trails, historic sites, and a variety of places to eat and sleep.
At about four hours from Halifax and five hours from Moncton, this destination is best for longer road trips, but the Cabot Trail is worth the trip—containing an entire road trip’s worth of sites and stops in one unique area.
