This post is all about eastern canada road trip.
Before this trip, I had been to Canada, but not to the eastern provinces. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island felt like what makes seaside areas complete and special. There was a light airiness that was perfect for a summer escape.
These are the best cities to visit while in these provinces: where to eat, what to do, and what you can’t miss seeing. You will also get the best eastern canada itinerary for 3 days and a road trip map to help you plan.
If you’re thinking of taking a short summer vacation, an eastern canada road trip is perfect!
This post is all about eastern canada road trip.
Eastern Canada Road Trip
Day 1: Maine to New Brunswick, Canada
Starting in Augusta, Maine, we planned to get to Moncton, New Brunswick by night.
We drove to the border of Canada in the morning and arrived by the late afternoon in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Our reason to visit Fredericton was that it’s one of three cities that showed up on our map, the other two being Moncton and Saint John. It’s also the capital of New Brunswick and the province’s second most populated city.
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is Maine’s capital city and it was our last stop in the U.S. before reaching the border of Canada. We visited the capital building, which was probably one of the nicest I’ve ever seen secluded uphill.
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Things to do in Fredericton
After several hours of driving, we made it to our first major city in New Brunswick. We stopped in a park to take in the city’s skyline.
If you like going on long walks, there’s a bridge in Fredericton that’s perfect for that. At about 600 meters, the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge is claimed as the world’s longest.
We also visited the University of New Brunswick. Being it was summer, the campus was empty but that worked well for our little tour. To the side of this building, the Currie Center, was a very cool view of Fredericton high above the trees.
Dinner: The Palate
Located on Queen Street, which runs along the Saint John Waterfront, this street is the cultural center of Fredericton. It hosts performances/events, and many cultural stops such as restaurants and historic sites along the river.
Day 2: New Brunswick to Nova Scotia
Moncton to Halifax
We reached Moncton by night and our goal for the end of this day was to reach Nova Scotia, particularly Halifax.
Our stay in Moncton was longer than anticipated because we had to get a tire change for our car. However, we still were able to spend enough time in Halifax and the waterfront area before sunset.
Moncton, New Brunswick
Wanting to visit another one of Canada’s most notable city streets, we decided to eat breakfast at Cora’s on Main Street. It’s similar to Queen Street in Fredericton in that there are pathways that lead you to walk along the river.
Moncton’s Main Street gives you that downtown experience of a small city, filled with its restaurants, stores, and other cultural hubs like the Avenir Centre.
Breakfast: Cora’s
I’d never eaten at Cora’s before and didn’t expect all the fun decor! Especially as someone who’s been trying to learn french, it was cool to be in that atmosphere. I even asked for a menu in french!
The brunch place seemed like an IHOP if you’re from the states, but it had a lot more character to me. Although it was busy, service was pretty quick and there were tons of options.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
We arrived in Halifax just before the sun was about to go down so we ditched our luggage at the hotel and headed to the waterfront area. Our little adventures down by the water were the most fun I’d had on the trip so far.
It was all just simple things like eating Canadian pastries, browsing a gift shop, and enjoying that quiet stillness you tend to feel only by the sea…
Simplicity can make for perfection with the right circumstances and people!
Definitely head down the steep street to Halifax’s waterfront area if you’re in town. Plus, there are lots of restaurants to eat at afterward!
Dinner: Antojo Tacos
Luckily, we left the waterfront just in time to eat before all the restaurants in the downtown area closed. Somewhat overwhelmed by our options, we closed our eyes and decided to eat at the first restaurant we somewhat unanimously agreed on.
It was a good choice though as the portions they offered here were just right and the environment matched our lingering spirited mood from the afternoon.
There were these hot sauces at our table and a color-marked guide next to them. It showed which was the spiciest. The only problem was the least and hottest sauces were similar colors so we really spent a while trying to decipher the guide like a code.
We ended up taking a gamble when our food came to our table. After all that, they all ended up being pretty spicy and we still couldn’t tell which sauce was which!
Day 3: Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island
On our last day in Canada, we had to reach Prince Edward Island early enough in the day. We had already explored Halifax the day before so didn’t plan to stay much longer in Nova Scotia.
I did want to go to the mall (of course I did). One of my favorite shops had an actual, physical location in Halifax and I managed to convince everyone to stop by.
After that we headed to Summerside, Prince Edward Island, reaching around mid-afternoon.
Breakfast: Pitch and Pivot
Not wanting to spend too long in Halifax, we decided to check out the restaurant within our hotel. The french toast and smoothie were amazing!!
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
This hotel we stayed at in Dartmouth also had an intriguing library hidden away in the corner of the dining room. I was about to eat my breakfast when my mom kept nudging me to go check it out.
It wasn’t really a library exactly, I would describe it more as a museum of Dartmouth’s history and character. It housed books and mementos, fun sayings and phrases, aged photos, and pages from newspapers.
It was a pleasant surprise, especially since I love learning a little history wherever I go. I didn’t expect to learn anything about Dartmouth figuring we were moving onto Prince Edward Island today, but I suppose a mysterious hotel library can take you by surprise.
Halifax to Prince Edward Island
Driving Around the Island
Downtown Charlottetown
We were going to stay and eat in Summerside, but since we were trying to drive back to the U.S. border early the next morning, we explored Charlottetown instead.
It was pretty packed in the downtown area which isn’t surprising since we visited in July. Looking for somewhere to dine in was hard considering and we got denied from a restaurant with a long wait about to close soon.
Everything works out for a reason because we did manage to find a better place to eat. It was perfect: overlooked the harbor, the food was amazing, and our waiter was the best!
Dinner: Salt & Sol
The seafood here was absolutely top quality. Our waiter told us they pick everything fresh daily and it’s easy to tell. I had the glazed haddock, a very vibrant twist on lemonade, and some of the mussels appetizer — delicious.
The common consensus about Prince Edward Island’s mussels/seafood can be trusted!
It was a great day full of fun and discovery. On the drive to the hotel, we all couldn’t agree on which songs are “classics” from the past decade, but it made for a high to end the trip, blasting nostalgic music on an open road.
Comment your favorite songs from the past decade you’d consider to be classics!
It seemed as though the trip just got better with every new day or maybe it was Eastern Canada having a good influence on me. Who knows?
Eastern Canada Road Trip 3 Days
This road trip was a great short summer escape! There were so many historic sites and things to learn, entertaining downtown and waterfront areas, and beautiful landscapes, particularly by the sea.
If you don’t have much time but you’re still looking for some excitement in a seaside area, try Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
This post was all about eastern canada road trip.
