Seascapes of the Canadian Maritimes

12 days from $6,997

Includes airfare, taxes, & all fees

June 9–20, July 28–Aug. 8, Sept. 4–15, 2024

Experience history and natural splendor in Canada’s maritime provinces on a journey to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Venture to the charming fishing village of Lunenburg and the iconic lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove. Trace Canada’s road from colonialism to independence at the Fortress of Louisbourg and the statehouses of Charlottetown, and learn about the early French Acadian settlers who deeply influenced local culture. Encounter incredible feats of nature from the wave-battered Hopewell Rocks to the stunning landscapes of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. As you travel between the islands and the mainland, get acquainted with contemporary life in the lobster capital of Shediac and the compelling cities of Halifax and Saint John.

Highlights Include

Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island: Discover the historic sites of British Lunenburg and French Acadian Grand-Pré, and visit picturesque Mahone Bay and Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse. On Cape Breton Island, see the inventions of Alexander Graham Bell at his estate in Baddeck, and tour the living museum within the 18th-century French fortress in Louisbourg. Then set off on a magnificent drive along the river canyons and coastal cliffs of Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

New Brunswick: Cross the Bay of Fundy by ferry to visit historic Saint John and take a tour of the oldest city in North America. Make your way down the coast to St. Andrew’s-by-the-Sea and set out on a whalewatching cruise to search for some of the bay’s 12 cetacean species. Explore the unusual Hopewell Rocks, where the water level changes 45 feet with the tides, and then visit Shediac, a charming vacation town with Acadian roots.

Prince Edward Island: In Charlottetown, learn about Canada’s early political history and discover the musical traditions of the Acadian people. Travel to the island’s scenic North Shore to discover the red cliffs, white-sand beaches, gentle dunes, and green fields of Prince Edward Island National Park. Stop in at the Green Gables Heritage Place, where the author of Anne of Green Gables set her stories.

Culinary Traditions: Enjoy a lobster dinner aboard a working lobster boat as you learn about this vital regional industry, visit Canada’s longest running farmer’s market, and savor a lunch of specialty scallops in Digby.

Limited to 24 Smithsonian Journeys guests.

Smithsonian Journeys Expert

David Catlin–naturalist and educator.