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Nova Scotia

July 3-9, 2006
July 23-29, 2006
Aug 13-19, 2006
Sept 11-17, 2006

Price: US$1995 for 7 days/6 nights.
Includes 5 dinners, 2 picnics, and all breakfasts.
Terrain: Moderate.
Arrive: Halifax Airport.
Depart: Halifax Airport.

Rich in history, culture, and natural beauty, Nova Scotia is a cyclist's treasure! Our week-long bike tour explores the best of its famous coastlines and the bountiful Annapolis Valley, with excursions by foot and boat where our wheels can't take us.

History abounds on our route along the Evangeline Trail, named for the heroine of Longfellow's poem about the 1755 exile of the French Acadians (the forebears of the Louisiana Cajuns). We'll feel the salt spray along the Bay of Fundy, whose coastline is sculpted by the world's highest tides. Heading inland through the Annapolis Valley, the verdant orchard and farm country might remind you of Vermont-without the hills! No tour of Nova Scotia would be complete without a visit to Lunenburg, where we'll spend two days exploring scenic coves and beaches along the Lighthouse Route. A schooner cruise in Lunenburg Bay tops off our week in true seafaring style.

Our Maritime accommodations are long-time favorites, and include friendly country inns and elegant Victorian mansions. Evening meals feature the bounty of the sea, starring lobster, mussels, and world-famous Digby scallops. Our July and August tours are timed to make the most of the Maritimes' long days and summer sunshine, while our September date brings the apple harvest and a hint of Nova Scotia's fall foliage!

MARITIME SPECIAL: Extend your stay in the Maritimes by combining our Nova Scotia and PEI bike tours back-to-back. Combine the two tours, and take $200 per person off the second trip.

Canada Bike Tours
Nova Scotia Itinerary
Day 1: Early afternoon van transfer from Halifax Airport to our harborfront inn in scenic Smith's Cove. Relax with hors d'oeuvres and a stroll on the beach before our welcome dinner.

Day 2: Learn about Maritime flora and geology on a morning wildflower walk guided by a local botanist. Pedal the Evangeline Trail to an intriguing artists' community and crafts gallery in Bear River, and on to our Victorian-era inn in Annapolis Royal for a two-night stay. At historic Fort Anne, a poignant exhibit recounts the conflict of the French and British empires that led to the Acadian expulsion in 1755. Don't miss a sunset stroll through the Historic Gardens! (22 or 35 mi.)

Day 3: Our loop visits the Fundy shoreline, where low tide reveals tidal pools with resident periwinkles and sea anemones. Stops at Port Royal, where actors at L'Habitation portray early 17th-century life in Canada's first French settlement, and the picturesque harbors of Parker's Cove and Hampton. Orchards and farmland line our return ride along the Annapolis River. As evening falls, historian Alan Melanson will relate "grave" tales on a lamplight tour of Garrison Cemetery. (23, 38, or 49 mi.)

Day 4: Bike through the heart of the Annapolis Valley on our dairy country route, braking at our favorite farm stand for ice cream freshly made with the berries of the season. Overnight at Victoria's Historic Inn in Wolfville, the first five-star inn in Nova Scotia. (31, 55, or 72 mi.)

Day 5: Morning van transfer to Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage City of Victorian neighborhoods and maritime history. Free afternoon with plenty of options: Visit local artisans, tour the Maritime Museum, take a whale-watching trip, or pedal a coastal route to the artists' motif of Blue Rocks. Two-night stay with harbor views at the stylish Lunenburg Arms Hotel. (0 or 18 mi.)

Day 6: Our cycling loop follows the Lighthouse Trail, with options to explore sandy beaches and sea caves at Ovens Natural Park. The longer rides visit the tiny LaHave Islands before returning to town along the LaHave River. We'll launch our farewell celebration with an afternoon schooner cruise in Lunenburg Bay. (20, 36, or 41 mi.)

Day 7: Morning van transfer to Halifax Airport.

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