Trip Advice

[Tipsy]

Planning a two week trip from MN to Nova Scotia and am looking for any suggestions you might have for great roads and places to see along the way as well as while we're there. Currently the plan is to cross into Canada at Sarnia ride along coast of Lake Ontario, into NY through Adirondacks, on to Bangor Maine, to Ingonish, Novia Scotia. Then when heading back we'll take a southern route around the great lakes through Acadia National Park, NY, RI, CT,OH, etc. Any advice would be appreciated!

[Sleddog]

Opt8low to the white courtesy phone

[opt8low]

I went to Nova Scotia the fall of 2015. I however only ended up being gone from Wisconsin for a week as they were having a bunch of gas shortages on the south part on Nova Scotia. This was the first year that our dollar was good against the Canada dollar and everyone from the US was up there and going through all the gas.... With that being said I never made it to Halifax or anywhere southwest from there.

I stayed just outside of Sydney and enjoyed the location for two nights. It was close enough that you could get food and anything you might need but not in a town. With that being said I found that anywhere along the Cabot Trail was very sparsely populated. It is extremely beautiful and worth the trip to ride that area. You just need to understand that there are not many services available. You will not find a bunch of restaurants around or places to buy any of the little things you seem to need when staying in an area for a couple of days. If that is what you are looking for then you really will enjoy it.

Ingonish is very pretty and I spent about 3 hours there one afternoon just sitting on a bench watching the ocean. Needed a break for the bike. With that being said there was nowhere to go to get a pop or a snack. Again very little services along the Cabot Trail. Also remember that distances seem short but it takes a long time to get anywhere as you are always following the coast.

As far as places to see I really am not the guy for that as I ride to ride and not stop at every place along the road. When I went, I went through Canada from Sault St. Marie to Fort Kent, Maine. Wanted to see the start of US Highway #1 since I had been to the end in Key West. I then went back into Canada at Fort Fairfield, Maine. Very beautiful in that part of Quebec and New Brunswick. I came back through southern Maine along the coast and had to get away from those areas as there were to many people. I took me 6 hours to go from the St. Andrews border station to a town named Belfast south of Bangor, Maine. At that point I headed straight west through Maine and I was planning on touring the Finger Lakes region of New York but ending up just riding back to Wisconsin as it was a constant traffic jam anywhere you went and the temps where in the 90's.

Not spending more time in New York, New Hampshire area was a major bummer as I was hoping to see places that you only hear about in books and school. Just couldn't handle going 35 MPH everywhere you go but the turnpike....

It sounds like you have a great plan, and you should have a great time. Just remember everywhere you go will take longer to get there then you think. From to many people in the US to wide open spaces in Nova Scotia.

From all I said above, I would go back in a heartbeat and do it a little different now. I would ride right to Sydney and get on the Ferry and go to Newfoundland. I say this because everyone in Nova Scotia I talked to for more then 5 minutes asked if I was going to Newfoundland, when I said no they pretty much said sorry for me as I would be missing a truly great place.....

PM me if you have any questions,

[Willie]

Hidden gem of a road is RT 7 from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada to Liscomb.

Willie

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Great road across Pennsylvania is RT 6. In Scranton Steamtown is a worthy stop. This is a National Park Site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamtown_...toric_Site

Before Scranton you could make a small side trip on 6 to see the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunkhannock_Viaduct at this coordinates in Google Maps 41.620794, -75.778876

Right around Wellsboro PA is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Creek_Gorge worth a stop.

On the west side of RT 6 PA is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinzua_Bridge

If you make it down south of Pittsburgh, at Stop at Flight 93 Memorial is a must https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_93_...l_Memorial

[Willie]

One more place to visit while planning your trip in New England would be the New England Rider's site. They have the best of everything for motorcyclists

http://www.newenglandriders.org/BestEasternMC.htm

This site includes the best roads, places to visit, places to eat

http://www.newenglandriders.org/BestOfNo...thEast.htm

You won't find a better resource than the above.

Hey have fun out here in my back yard.

Willie

[Tipsy]

This is great! Thanks so much for your help!