Looking for a new RVing adventure? Why not try the Canadian Eastern Provinces! Dominated by rugged coastlines and lighthouses, the Canadian Maritime Provinces promise staggering beauty mixed with a rich, historical culture of seafaring. Much of this region has managed to escape, or maybe just chose to ignore, the trappings of modern commotion, leaving quaint fishing villages and time-honored customs unique to this corner of the world.
If your RV tour takes you to Quebec City, Quebec, eat your Wheaties. There’s plenty to see and do in this historic French-Canadian city. The Isle of Orleans, Gilles Copper Museum, Basilica St Anne de Beaupre and Mt. Montmorency Falls are all noteworthy stops, and if you prefer the company of whales, there’s a watching tour on the nearby St. Lawrence River.
Expect more trees than people in the thinly populated New Brunswick. Roughly 83 percent of it is forest. The woodlands give way to Kingsbrae Gardens, Ministers Island and the Bay of Fundy as well as Fort Howe in Saint John, built by the British in 1777 to protect local residents from marauding Americans! At Flower Pot Rocks, walk along the ocean floor at low tide, exploring coves filled with flowerpot-shaped rocks. Wait long enough for high tide, and you’ll see those same rocks become small islands in the sea.
A little further down the road, you’ll encounter Nova Scotia and its provincial capital, Halifax, home to the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. This show of talents and traditions features bagpipes, highland dancers, military traditions, acrobatic acts, music and dancing. Slow things down a bit by paying homage to the victims of the Titanic with a visit to Fairview Cemetery.
Onward and upward to Newfoundland. Remember those time-honored customs we mentioned earlier? Think kissing a cod. At the ‘Screech In’ ceremony, puckering up to a scaly date makes you an official Newfoundlander, or “Newfie.” You’ll also feast like a Viking in Norstead Village (eat your heart out, Columbus – these folks were here first) and stroll through L'Anse Aux Meadows Historic Site.
There are a lot more treasures to be found in this province: Gros Morne National Park, Bonne Bay, Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse, Iceberg Alley and many other natural settings and cultural venues. Now that you’re an official “Newfie,” you’ll want to get familiar with the area’s traditional past via the Ryan Premises National Historic Site and the Bonavista Museum.
Prince Edward Island, or PEI, might be your next stop. To get there, you’ll have to cross the eight-mile-long Confederate Bridge to find yourself among pristine beaches and stunning seaside vistas. And if you’ve ever read the 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables, you’ll love exploring Green Gables Farm, located in PEI National Park.
Fantasy RV Tours offers multiple Canadian Maritime and Atlantic Provinces tour options, depending on how much time you want to submerse in this special region. When you RV the Eastern Provinces, you’ll find that each offers its own charm and landscapes. All along the way, fishing villages with clapboard houses perch at the water’s edge. Inviting people make you feel welcome, and the seafood – well, that doesn’t need an explanation. You are, after all, in the Maritimes!