Day 1: Montreal Departure → Quebec City

Leave Montreal in the morning and drive east on Highway 20 toward Quebec City. The drive follows the north shore of the St. Lawrence River — it’s mostly highway but scenic in sections. Arrive in Quebec City by midday.

Park your car and walk into Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most European city in North America. Walk the Fortifications (the only remaining fortified city walls north of Mexico), explore the narrow cobblestone streets of Quartier Petit-Champlain, and stand under the grand Château Frontenac.

Walk along Dufferin Terrace for sunset views over the St. Lawrence River. The boardwalk is lively in summer with street performers. Quebec City is stunning at dusk when the old buildings are illuminated.

Accommodation: Old Quebec ($100–200/night).

Day 2: Quebec City Deep Dive

Start at the Citadelle of Quebec ($18 CAD) — a massive star-shaped fortress built by the British in the 19th century. Watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony at 10 AM in summer. The views from the ramparts over the St. Lawrence are spectacular.

Visit the Plains of Abraham — the battlefield where the French and British fought the decisive battle for Canada in 1759. Now it’s a beautiful urban park. The Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec ($17 CAD) next door has an excellent collection of Quebec art.

Explore the Saint-Roch neighbourhood — Quebec City’s hipster district with microbreweries, cool cafes, and excellent restaurants. Try the craft beer scene at Noctem Artisans Brasseurs.

Entry: Citadelle $18 CAD. Plains of Abraham (free).

Day 3: Quebec City to New Brunswick (Edmundston)

Today is a solid driving day. Leave Quebec City early and head east on Highway 20 toward Rivière-du-Loup, then cross into New Brunswick. The landscape changes from the St. Lawrence River valley to the rolling, forested hills of the Appalachians. Note on route choice: Option A — take Highway 185/Trans-Canada Highway to Edmundston (faster, less scenic). Option B — take the Gaspe Peninsula route (adds 2 days, spectacular coastal scenery). If you choose Gaspe, see the adjustment note below.

Arrive in the Edmundston or Grand Falls area of New Brunswick. Visit Grand Falls Gorge — a dramatic 23-metre waterfall and canyon. Walk the suspension bridge across the gorge for impressive views. Continue to Fredericton or Moncton depending on where you want to stop.

Accommodation: Edmundston or Moncton ($80–120/night).

Day 4: New Brunswick — Bay of Fundy & Hopewell Rocks

Drive south to the Bay of Fundy, home to the highest tides in the world (up to 16 metres — higher than a four-storey building). The best place to experience this is Hopewell Rocks ($14 CAD). Time your visit to coincide with low tide — you can walk on the ocean floor among the iconic “flowerpot” rock formations carved by the tides. Check the tide tables online before you go.

Have lunch at the Hopewell Rocks cafe overlooking the bay. Then drive 30 minutes south to Cape Enrage ($8 CAD) — a dramatic cliffside lighthouse with a rope challenge course and incredible views of the bay. The Fundy Trail Parkway ($10 CAD) is a scenic coastal drive with lookouts, suspension bridges, and hiking trails linking to St. Martins.

Drive to Moncton or Sackville for the night. If you’re staying near Hopewell, the Murry Beach Provincial Park has lovely sunset views over the bay.

Entry: Hopewell Rocks $14 CAD. Fundy Trail $10 CAD.

Day 5: Prince Edward Island — Red Sands & Green Gables

Drive from Moncton to the Confederation Bridge ($50.50 CAD toll to cross to PEI). The 12.9-km bridge is an engineering marvel — the longest bridge over ice-covered waters in the world. Stop at the Gateway Village visitor centre for a PEI welcome.

Drive to Prince Edward Island National Park — explore the red sandstone cliffs, sandy beaches, and rolling dunes. The Green Gables Heritage Place ($10 CAD) is the inspiration for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables — a pilgrimage site for fiction lovers and surprisingly charming even if you haven’t read the books.

Head to Charlottetown, the charming capital city. Walk Victoria Row — a pedestrian street lined with Victorian buildings, restaurants, and live music. Grab a patio table and soak in the Maritime summer evening atmosphere.

Accommodation: Charlottetown ($100–180/night).

Day 6: PEI to Cape Breton — Cabot Trail Start

Take the Wood Islands Ferry from PEI to Caribou, Nova Scotia ($80 CAD per car, 75 minutes, seasonal May-December). Reserve your spot online in summer. The ferry crossing through the Northumberland Strait is scenic — watch for seals and seabirds.

Drive from Caribou to the beginning of the Cabot Trail — a 298-km loop around Cape Breton’s northern tip that’s consistently rated one of the most scenic drives in the world. The drive itself takes 5-6 hours without stops — you’ll need 2 days to enjoy it properly. Start heading toward Cheticamp, the Acadian village at the trail’s western entrance.

Settle into your Cheticamp accommodation. Take a walk along the harbour and listen to the Acadian folk music that fills the village in summer. The sunset over the Gulf of St. Lawrence from Cheticamp is spectacular.

Accommodation: Cheticamp ($90–160/night).

Day 7: Cabot Trail — Cheticamp to Ingonish

The Cabot Trail’s western section from Cheticamp up over the Cape Breton Highlands is the most dramatic part. The road climbs steeply through the Acadian Forest to viewpoints overlooking the ocean — Grande Falaise and Cap Rouge are the best. Pleasant Bay is a good midway stop — they offer whale watching tours ($50 CAD, 2 hours, June-October).

Continue to the Neil’s Harbour Lighthouse for a photo stop. The section from Neil’s Harbour to Ingonish is the opposite coastline — less dramatic cliffs but beautiful low-scrub barrens and quiet beaches. Hike the Franey Trail (7.4 km, moderate, 3 hours) for panoramic views of the Clyburn Brook valley and the Atlantic.

Arrive in Ingonish or the Ingonish Beach area. The Keltic Lodge grounds offer beautiful coastal walking trails. The Cabot Trail is best in the evening light — drive a section in the golden hour for the most dramatic photos.

Entry: Cape Breton Highlands National Park $9 CAD/day per person (or Parks Canada Discovery Pass).

Day 8: Cabot Trail to Halifax

Complete the Cabot Trail loop and head south to Halifax. The drive from Ingonish to Halifax follows Highway 105 (the Trans-Canada) through the Cape Breton interior — less dramatic than the coast but still beautiful. Stop at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck ($12 CAD) — a fascinating museum dedicated to the inventor who made his summer home here.

Arrive in Halifax — Nova Scotia’s capital and the largest city in Atlantic Canada. Check into your accommodation, then take a walk along the Halifax Harbourfront Boardwalk (3.8 km of restaurants, shops, and historic sites).

Visit Cruise Pavilion and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic ($10 CAD) — home to exhibits on the Halifax Explosion and artifacts from the Titanic. End the evening at a harbourside patio on the boardwalk.

Accommodation: Downtown Halifax ($100–180/night).

Day 9: Halifax — Peggy’s Cove & City Sights

Drive 45 minutes southwest to Peggy’s Cove — the most photographed lighthouse in Canada, perched on wave-polished granite boulders. Arrive early (before 9 AM) to beat the tour buses. The village itself is a working fishing community — the brightly painted houses and lobster traps make for classic Maritime photos. Warning: Stay off the black rocks at the water’s edge — rogue waves can sweep you into the Atlantic without warning. Tragically, people have died here.

Return to Halifax and explore the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site ($12 CAD) — a star-shaped fortress overlooking the harbour. Watch the noon cannon firing (a daily tradition since 1856). Visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 ($17 CAD) — Canada’s equivalent of Ellis Island, where a million immigrants entered the country.

Walk through the Spring Garden Road neighbourhood — Halifax’s main shopping and dining district with beautiful Victorian architecture. The Public Gardens (free) are a lovely Victorian-era park. Catch live music on Argyle Street — Halifax has a thriving indie music scene.

Entry: Pier 21 $17 CAD. Citadel $12 CAD.

Day 10: Halifax — Food & Culture

Explore the Hydrostone Market neighbourhood — a charming area rebuilt after the 1917 Halifax Explosion with shops, cafes, and a strong community feel. Browse the Hydrostone Farmers Market and the independent boutiques.

Walk the Point Pleasant Park trails (free, 1-hour loop through forest with ocean views). Then take a Harbour Hopper Tour ($50 CAD) — an amphibious vehicle that drives through city streets then splashes into the harbour for a boat tour. It’s touristy but genuinely fun and gives a great history overview.

Experience the Halifax Waterfront at night — the boardwalk is beautifully lit, the beer gardens are buzzing, and there’s often live music at the container amphitheatre. This is Maritime culture at its best: relaxed, friendly, and full of good energy.

Activities: Harbour Hopper $50 CAD. Most walks and parks (free).

Day 11: Halifax — Maritime Museum & Farewell

For your last full day, visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (if you missed it) or the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic ($10 CAD) to see the Titanic exhibit and the Halifax Explosion display. The wooden schooner CSS Acadia moored outside is a floating museum you can tour.

Take a ferry across the harbour to Dartmouth ($3 CAD each way) — the short crossing gives you the best view of the Halifax skyline from the water. The Dartmouth Ferry Terminal Park has excellent photo angles. The two-km waterfront trail in Dartmouth is quieter than Halifax’s boardwalk and worth a wander.

Enjoy a final Maritime dinner on the Halifax waterfront. Order the lobster, the chowder, or the fish cakes — you’re in seafood heaven. Walk the boardwalk one last time under the harbour lights.

Activities: Ferry $3 CAD each way. Maritime Museum $10 CAD.

Day 12: Halifax Departure

One last walk through the Halifax Public Gardens — the Victorian-era formal gardens are beautiful and peaceful. Grab a coffee and a pastry from Two if by Sea, a world-class bakery in Dartmouth (worth the ferry ride just for this).

Head to Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), 30 minutes from downtown. Return your rental car and check in for your flight. YHZ has decent food options post-security including a Tim Hortons (classic Canadian farewell coffee) and Garrison Brewing (local craft beer to take home).

Transport: YHZ Airport bus ($3.50 CAD) or taxi ($50 CAD).