Nova Scotia - seeking information
 

We are planning a trip to & aroung Nova Scotia this Summer & would like to hear from anyone that has any information, suggestions, warnings, etc. We have never been to Canada and plan to ride from NC. In particular, we would be interested in suggestions of places to ride or see, as well as what to expect at the borders, going and coming. Thanks.

You should do the Cabot Trail around Cape Breton Island. Do that counter-clockwise so you are in the outside lane with the coast to your right.
Canadaian border, you should have your birth certificate (original not a copy) or a Passport, drivers licence,
Canadaian insurance card (your agent should give you one for free), no drugs or guns.
I have never had a problem but I am on a plain looking quiet BMW. I have heard that the more you look like a "bad biker" with a loud bike the longer your stay at the border will be.

Thanks for the information! Can you give me some indication of the road condition on the Cabot Trail? I read somewhere that it is not recommended for "beginner" riders, whatever that means. I am experienced, but don't care much for tight & slow twisties. We will be riding two-up and heavy. If possible, a comparison to the Blue Ridge Parkway would be great.

How about the loop down to the southern tip? Is that a good ride as well?

Any suggestions about places to stay, or not to stay?

I went around the southern loop and found it boring. If you ride the Blue Ridge Parkway I don't think the Cabot Trail will be a problem. I only rode the Cabot Trail part way because we had ridden from St. Anthony NF and taken the mid-night ferry from NF to Sydney NS. I had been up over 24 hours and it was raining hard. If you have the time take the ferry from Sydney NS to Channel-Port-Aux-basques Newfoundland. Then ride up to St. Anthony NF. The Viking settlement at L'ans Aux Meadows is great.
We are going back to the Cabot Trail in July. We also travel overloaded. Take a look at my website www.geocities.com/widebmw

We plan to ride up through Maine, along the coastal highway. We plan on making the southern loop as well as Cabot Trail. It's hard to plan the time and schedule when I have no idea what condition the roads are in & how slow (or fast) traffic might be. Do you think it's practical to plan on making the southern loop in one day, then Cabot Trail the next day? Too much??

Hi there,
Here is a link for Nova Scotia that you may find helpful. http://explore.gov.ns.ca

Be certain to take time and stop at Fundy National Park on your way to Nova Scotia through New Brunswick.

Thunder - Rode from California to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland back in 2000. Unless you happen to hit road construction the going is smooth and quick on the trans - Canadian highway. Yes you can do the southern loop one day and then the Cabot Trail the next no problem.
If you decide to visit Newfoundland (highly recommended) a GREAT place to stay near the ferry terminal in northern NS is the SEAL ISLAND MOTEL.(902-674-2418) The owner, Frank Skinner, goes out of his way to cater to 2-wheeled travelers and is an all around great person as is his whole crew. (tell him that Frank from Calif. says hello!) This motel is also only 10 minutes fron the Cabot Trail so it is a good staging point to visit various places on Cape Breton Island.
If you visit Newfoundland you can enter at Port-aux-basques on the western side, ride across to St. Johns and catch a return ferry from Argentia. Be prepared for some extraordinary hospitality by the people of NF!

the cabot trail is great.

the coastal route of Maine is overcrowded esp. in the summer

I suggest winding up through Vermont (good roads) and
cut across NH further north. Less direct but much more rewarding.

dc

Could you be more specific about the route through Vermont. We will be coming from Bangor, ME & need to get to Sackville, NB. How are the roads and conditions along the coast of NB?