Recommendations for Ottawa and the East Coast

[itat]

We are planning to do separate trips to Ottawa and the East Coast (NB, NS and PEI) in 2013. Unfortunately we won't be able to get enough time off work to make it to Newfoundland...we'll save that for after retirement!

I'd appreciate any recommendations and personal experiences. We're looking for ideas for campgrounds, places to visit and routes between Ontario and the Maritimes. We'll be travelling with our 13 and 15 yr old boys.

Thanks!

[caper]

What are the boys interested in seeing. In Ottawa there is the war museum. Kingston On has Fort Henry, Upper Canada village is located in Morrisburg On. There are several CG near Ottawa that are nice. While going to the east coast do you want to stay in Canada or do you want to take the route trough the states? In NB there is a site called Kings Landing, it is similar to Upper Canada village. There are two places to visit in Moncton NB. Crystal palace and Magnetic Hill. Crystal Palace is an indoor amusement park while Magnetic Hill is mostly water slides. There are many activities on PEI. While in NS Glace Bay has the miners museum. You can take a trip down into a coal mine. Louisburg has the famous fortress. All three maritime provinces offer whale watching. If you travel on the American side there is a Santa's village and a Western Town in NH. There are several CG in the maritime's that I have stayed at. It will depend where you want to visit that will determine which CG to stay at. There is a CG in Sussex NB that has a drive-in theater beside it. You can sit outside your trailer and watch a movie.

[itat]

Originally Posted by caper

What are the boys interested in seeing. In Ottawa there is the war museum. Kingston On has Fort Henry, Upper Canada village is located in Morrisburg On. There are several CG near Ottawa that are nice. While going to the east coast do you want to stay in Canada or do you want to take the route trough the states? In NB there is a site called Kings Landing, it is similar to Upper Canada village. There are two places to visit in Moncton NB. Crystal palace and Magnetic Hill. Crystal Palace is an indoor amusement park while Magnetic Hill is mostly water slides. There are many activities on PEI. While in NS Glace Bay has the miners museum. You can take a trip down into a coal mine. Louisburg has the famous fortress. All three maritime provinces offer whale watching. If you travel on the American side there is a Santa's village and a Western Town in NH. There are several CG in the maritime's that I have stayed at. It will depend where you want to visit that will determine which CG to stay at. There is a CG in Sussex NB that has a drive-in theater beside it. You can sit outside your trailer and watch a movie.

Thanks, Caper.

For the trip to the east coast, we'll likely stay on the Canadian side at least one way, so the boys can see the other provinces. Google Maps shows a couple routes through the States but nothing any more direct than going through Quebec and NB on Hwy 20 and the Trans-Canada Hwy. We may drive as far as Quebec City the first day and slow down a bit after that. Not sure how far we want to get into NB before stopping for the night. Is there much to see in Fredericton? We want to see the Confederation Bridge to PEI, Green Gables and the Cabot Trail. I also want to see the tidal bore at the Bay of Fundy. Maybe we'll go stop by Greenwood AFB in NS on our way there - my brother was stationed there for a few years as a navigator on the Auroras.

Glace Bay and Loiusburg sound interesting. Where's the best place to see whales? Magic Mountain and Magnetic Hill in Moncton look great for the kids.

In Ottawa, the war museum is definitely on our list. We've been to Ottawa once before but didn't get to that museum. We're thinking about visiting 1 or 2 other museums we didn't have time for the first trip. We stayed in a hotel the first time but want to use the trailer for this trip. Have you stayed at any of the campgrounds up there? We want to have electric and water as a minimum.

I used to live in Landsdowne, Gananoque and Kingston and we still have family in Gan., so we've been to Fort Henry and Upper Canada Village and done the 1000 islands tour. I still love going back down there for visits.

[caper]

I have not stayed in a GC in the Ottawa area since the 80's. Sorry I cannot help you with your camping needs in that area. I cannot remember what is in Fredericton. You should see the tides at Hopewell. You go when the tide is out and walk on the ocean floor and go back at high tide to see the flower pots. Ponderosa Pines CG is just around the corner from the Hopewell. Is ia a full service CG. While we were there a moose was grazing on the tidal flats. While on Cape Breton island I would recommend either the KOA at the base of Kelly's Mountain listed as KOA North Sydney or Arm of Gold. They are both great CG. The KOA will have less noise because Arm of Gold is the last CG before the Newfoundland ferry and the big rigs start up around 4am in order to get to the ferry on time. Either CG will make a great base camp to visit the Island. I have stayed at the KOA in Cavendish PEI and had a great stay.

[shineysideup]

Originally Posted by caper

I have not stayed in a GC in the Ottawa area since the 80's. Sorry I cannot help you with your camping needs in that area. I cannot remember what is in Fredericton. You should see the tides at Hopewell. You go when the tide is out and walk on the ocean floor and go back at high tide to see the flower pots. Ponderosa Pines CG is just around the corner from the Hopewell. Is ia a full service CG. While we were there a moose was grazing on the tidal flats. While on Cape Breton island I would recommend either the KOA at the base of Kelly's Mountain listed as KOA North Sydney or Arm of Gold. They are both great CG. The KOA will have less noise because Arm of Gold is the last CG before the Newfoundland ferry and the big rigs start up around 4am in order to get to the ferry on time. Either CG will make a great base camp to visit the Island. I have stayed at the KOA in Cavendish PEI and had a great stay.

We did the out east and back trip in '09. Kingston KOA, 1000 island's Ivy Lea KOA and the Cardinal KOA are all nice clean places to camp. They are a bit expensive but you know what you are getting.

Don't forget Dinosaur World just outside on Morrisburg, Ontario.

I second going to Hopewell rocks, we thought it was really nice. We stayed at Ponderosa Pines, decent and reasonably priced. I wished that I would have stayed at Fundy National Park, next time for sure. Cavendish KOA was also nice, P.E.I. is worth the trip (at least to us it was...). The Cabot trail is something to see as long as it isn't raining.

We stayed at the Yogi bear in New Brunswick, the Montreal KOA ( a little rustic at the time but clean ).

We stayed at the Oven's just outside Lunenburg, the campground was crappy but you were 100' from the ocean

There is so much to see that you'll make a list for when you go back.

happy camping,

[caper]

Our base camp is the KOA in Mallorytown. It is less expensive the the Ivy Lea KOA and has full hookup. We are located 1 hour from Ottawa.

[D-mo]

we have travelled extensively throught both Quebec and Ontario, and all throught the Maritimes of Canada .
My recommendations to you within the scope of Ottawa would be:
Fitroy Provincial Park, 45 minutes west of Ottawa, electrical only.
Murphys Point Provincial Park, 60 minutes south west of Ottawa, Perth Ontario.
Both great campgrounds, very close to water, if you book early, and are very private.
Moving up towards Quebec City .. i would choose Mont Ste Anne. Another quite campsite, tucked in the hills of a ski resort, next to a spa, with lovely trout fishing and 3 huge waterfalls, that would be great for the kids to see. A fair amount to do for kids at this campsite ...a 45 minute drive into the heart of Quebec City.

enjoy .. d-mo

[stevem]

funny this thread should come up, we're actually in fredericton nb on the last week of a nova scotia, pei, nb vacation

we travelled from sarnia ontario to fredericton through montreal to rivviere du loup, down the new highway through new brunswick

camping in f'ton is very convenient, hartt island cg is 5 minutes from major shoppping, 10 minutes from the historic downtown. nice cg, free wifi, nice smaller trailer section, newer pull through section is like a walmart parking lot

st andrews, ferry to deer island, fundy trail, fundy national park, hopewell rocks, cap enrage are all great spots

halifax area camping, we stayed at king neptune near peggy's cove, nice small cg, highly recommended. lunenburg is a great day trip, so is halifax

pei, well cavendish area is the destination for kids and sun bathers, we prefer the quieter of the beaten track areas, the north rustico area just east of cavendish is quieter but still close to the attractions. some nice small cg's in the area

if you travel from fredericton area to halifax to pei and back to f'ton, you can use the ferry from ns to pei(wood island) then return to nb via the bridge. both the ferry and bridge are attractions in themselves