Single Older Woman – Cdn vacation- East Coast 2022 travel planning – Part 1

March 2022

With the River Cruise booked and budgeted for, it was time to source hotels in Nova Scotia and PEI, as well rental cars, activities, excursions, train schedules and ferry crossings.

First I booked my hotel in Truro, NS – the #WillowBendMotel. I had seen their ad previously and knew this was the hotel to stay at. Locally owned and operated, 10 min taxi ride from the Via Rail station and 10 minutes away from the local rental car agency. Plus they offered a complimentary breakfast as well as an outdoor heated pool just steps from my room.

For my stay in PEI – I decided I would visit only the Eastern portion of PEI – Eastern Coastal shore. Again, I found a locally owned and family operated motel in #Souris, #Lighthouseandbeachmotel. Perfect! Their nightly rates were reasonable and they also offered complimentary breakfast as well as a beach a 5 minute drive away.

Next- book the Ferry trips from Caribou,NS to Wood Islands, PEI and then back again.

I had called #Northumberlandferries in March and was told to check back in June, as Transport Canada had not yet approved their sailing schedule. Oh dear! I worried – making these bookings a month before my travel dates. What if they didn’t have any more space on the ferry for me and my car?? I would discover later, these ferries are MASSIVE!! You’ll see for yourself in my later posts about the mammoth “ships”.

Next – book my train travel – I planned to book in late April or early May to optimize any discounts and savings offered. Keeping in mind, all the train trips had to connect with one another- Toronto Union Station to Montreal Central Station in economy class, then disembark and wait for the next leg – Montreal to Truro, NS in a sleeper car.

However, already in early March, cabins were already being booked and I no longer had too many options available to me. Keeping in mind, I had to plan all this travel around my booked river cruise sailing dates – depart from Ottawa on Thursday July 28 at 5 pm with arrival in Kingston on Tues. Aug. 3.

So, by mid March, all the train travel was booked. There were no single person staterooms available, so I had to book a cabin for 2. At least I would have some more space and an extra bunk to keep my personal items on/under.

The return train trip was now also booked – departure from Truro, NS on Wed July 27 and arrive (just in time) in Ottawa on Thurs. July 28 at 2:30 pm. Perfect!

Stay tuned, as I share how I went about planning and sourcing all the places I wanted to see and visit, including Martinique Beach in Nova Scotia.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye