The Cabot Trail is a winding two-lane highway along the coast of Cape Breton, many parts of which are solid double lines.John Chalmers As you’re contemplating your getaway plan for the upcoming travel season, know this: you don’t have to organize some grand trip that involves a plane or a train in order for it to be memorable. There are countless driving getaways for you East Coast folks to enjoy, ones that can be done over a weekend, too, if you don’t have much vacay time to burn. We’ve picked five weekend driving getaways — each one within a two-hour drive — from five cities in Atlantic Canada. Fill up the tank, pack your bags and hit the open road. Stay tuned for more suggestions of great day trips across Canada. From Charlottetown, PEI Visit: Tignish, PEI Time: 1:50 Tignish is a tiny working fishing town not far from North Cape (read: epic beaches) and is about a two-hour getaway from Charlottetown. If history is your thing, you’ll appreciate the hidden gems dotted throughout the village. For example, the St. Simon St. Jude church is home to one of the first tracker pipe organs in North America that dates back to 1882 — it’s a big deal in the music world. Stay at the Tignish Heritage Inn Gardens, a stately brick building erected in the 1860s that has since been converted into a 17-room hotel. It’s located near mile-marker 0 of the Confederation Trail, so is ideal for anyone planning to cycle or hike. View this post on Instagram Because fares are usually lower in the autumn, it’s a great time to see the #BestOfCanada. Photo via @alexgdouglas ✈️ #WestJet A post shared by @ westjet on Sep 24, 2018 at 4:02pm PDT View this post on Instagram Take me back to where I belong . . . #tbt #throwbackthursday #pei #princeedwardisland #travelpei #visitpei #iotd #potd #seascapes A post shared by victorialapp (@victorialapp) on Aug 17, 2017 at 9:00pm PDT View this post on Instagram #stillstandingtv #church #tignishpei #pei A post shared by Chuck Power (@chuckpower76) on Oct 21, 2017 at 8:13am PDT From Halifax, NS Visit: Blomidon, NS Time: 1:00 Avoid the throngs of tourists in Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg and head west. Highway 101, which runs from Bedford to Yarmouth, is the fastest route, though heading south to Chester and then taking Highway 12 west will get you there, too. The latter is more scenic, but will add a full hour to the drive. Blomidon Provincial Park and surrounding area offer sweeping views of the craggy coastline, much of which can be taken in from one of the many hiking trails. Camping inside of the 1,875 acre park is a must for anyone who’s comfortable sleeping under the stars, but there are quaint accommodations in neighbouring Wolfsville, too, like the Blomidon Inn, which is a former sea captain’s mansion-turned-hotel. Aside from exploring the provincial park, pay a visit to the Blomidon Estate Winery or play a round of golf at Ken-Wo Golf Club, which has been a fixture in the region since opening in the ’20s. View this post on Instagram Views 👀 . . . #novascotia #blomidon #views #annapolis #annapolisvalley #explorecanada #explorenovascotia #explorens #novascotia #canada #oceanplayground A post shared by Jenny Bauer (@jennybbbau) on Aug 8, 2016 at 9:12am PDT View this post on Instagram “In these parts, hotels aren’t hotels, they’re mansions…” If the Blomidon Inn, a restored sea captain’s mansion turned hotel, looks like the perfect place to recharge during your next holiday (it does to us), then head to Wolfville, just one hour from Halifax. Expect a gorgeous room furnished and decorated in the Victorian tradition and a fantastic restaurant serving dishes crafted with the freshest Annapolis Valley ingredients, including the chef’s own garden. During your stay take time to smell the roses at the Blomidon Inn Gardens, a photographer’s delight. 📷: @handluggageonly📍: @blomidoninn, @visitnovascotia #ExploreCanada . « Ici, les hôtels ne sont pas des hôtels, mais des manoirs » Si le Blomidon Inn, cet ancien manoir ayant déjà appartenu à un capitaine de marine aujourd’hui restauré et transformé en hôtel, vous semble, comme à nous, l’endroit rêvé pour refaire le plein d’énergie durant vos prochaines vacances, prenez la route de Wolfville, à une heure seulement de Halifax. Des chambres magnifiquement meublées et décorées dans le plus pur style victorien vous y attendent, de même qu’un fabuleux restaurant qui propose une cuisine du terroir exploitant les produits frais de la vallée de l’Annapolis (certains viennent même directement du jardin du chef!). Prenez le temps pendant votre séjour d’aller humer l’exquise odeur des roses peuplant le jardin de l’hôtel – et n’oubliez pas votre appareil photo! 📷 : @handluggageonly 📍 : @blomidoninn @visitnovascotia #ExploreCanada A post shared by Explore Canada (@explorecanada) on Sep 8, 2018 at 8:38am PDT View this post on Instagram
Origin: 5 weekend driving getaways in Atlantic Canada