Category: Canada’s East Coast

Single Older Woman – Life’s Passion – Vacation Ideas 2022, River Cruising

Oct 2021

This is about the time of year when I start to consider and budget for, my vacation for the following year.

Initially the plan was to do another road trip through Ontario, so that I can complete my last 2 Ontario beaches – Singing Sands in Tobermory and Sandbanks in Prince Edward County. This would allow me additional vacation time to do my European River Cruise in the Fall 2022, taking me from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland and then the train north back to the Netherlands.

Well, one weekend, sitting at home, I’m flipping through my current CAA Membership Magazine and I come across an ad for the St. Lawrence River Cruise Line. This is a Canadian River Cruise that sails along the mighty and popular St. Lawrence River, from Kingston to points east – Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec.

Home

The idea began to form – maybe I should consider doing a cruise like this, on Canadian waters and close to home, before I embark on a river cruise in Europe. I’ve never been on a river cruise, save for the ferry that took us to Centre Island in Toronto when I was a teenager.

Now the idea for a new vacation adventure, started to take shape. I would take the VIA rail train from Toronto Union Station to Kingston ON. I would sail from Kingston to Quebec City and then get on the train for my journey to Truro, NS. Then a week or so in NS and PEI and return home on the train.

Perfect! All train, boat, ferry and rental car – no flying involved.

Fast forward to mid November 2021 and I’m having lunch at work. I decide to call St. Lawrence Cruise Lines and inquire about availability for July 2022. I was shocked to learn they were almost booked for all of July – already! Quick – I asked the agent – what dates and routes were still available? She advised only Ottawa to Kingston from July 28 – Aug. 3. Well then, right away I gave her all my contact info and advised a cheque would be in the mail for the $350 deposit.

This would change my travel plans slightly but I knew I could make it work…..

This vacation would also stretch my budget quite extensively and the 2 1/2 weeks away from my felines, would take their toll – both on me, my neighbours and the cats…

Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – Cdn Vacations – Outings #7 -East Coast 2018

August 2018

I recognize that I’m bouncing back and forth with my dates and my trips from the last few years. There is a method to my madness ( one of my favourite sayings) and these posts will make more sense as I expand on my adventures. I’ll need to segue to other topics as, soon my beach swimming posts will be complete.

This post is about the trip to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI, with my BFF. I would complete the beaches in New Brunswick and PEI.

Stacey and I only had 4 full days of exploration time during this trip. We arrived by train in Moncton, NB on the Monday and would return to Ontario, via Air Canada flight on the Friday.

So with so little time available to us and so much time needed for driving, we visited the following places:

Magnetic Hill Winery, we drove backward up the Magnetic Hill (which the blue beast did all on its own!), we visited Hopewell Rocks after the tide had left, we toured Halifax and visited the Titanic Museum (which had personal significance for her), we visited the Pier 21 Immigration Museum, I swam at Singing Sands Beach and Parlee Beach and we even visited a lady in PEI who taught us how to make bracelets with sea stones. We spent an hour in Charlottetown and for dinner we tried the infamous Donair pizzas. I drove across the Confederation Bridge from Nova Scotia to PEI and then back again, while Stacey took pictures of the stunning sunset as it settled over the water on either side of the bridge.

As we made out way into Nova Scotia, we stopped in at the Visitor Centre and asked for directions to the town where Viola Desmond was born. Alas, no time to make that journey.

Pier 21 Immigration Museum
Magnetic Hill Winery New Brunswick
Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye