People often roll their eyes when they see an Irish pub abroad; they travel to experience something new, not what they have back home. But I love seeing how far Irish emigrants have gone and the influence they've had around the world.
We’re a tiny island, with a small population, yet every country I’ve ever visited has an Irish connection - it truly blows my mind! That’s why I’ve always wanted to visit Atlantic Canada, with its rich history and Celtic traditions that still thrive to this day.
In September, to find out more about this incredible place, I was invited by My Canada Trips to spend a week travelling around Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Nova Scotia in an RV, and I absolutely loved it.
6 Reasons to Explore Atlantic Canada
Celtic Connection
According to the Embassy of Ireland, Irish fishermen from Wexford and Waterford were frequent visitors to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland as early as the mid-17th century.
Situated mostly in the Avalon Peninsula and Bonavista Bay, the Irish became the principal inhabitants of St. John's (NL), which in turn became a dispersal point for further Irish migration throughout Canada.
Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia, and at one point, a third of Halifax’s population was Irish-born. There is even a Celtic Cross dedicated to the Irish settlers of 1749 near the waterfront.
As I was travelling around PEI and Nova Scotia, I saw signs for local céilís, plenty of Irish bars and heard folk music that wouldn’t be out of place on the streets of Galway.
Also, as Canada’s top producer of potatoes, PEI is deeply obsessed with spuds, which I can personally relate to. They sell potato soap (smells better than it sounds), potato plushies and bizarrely delicious chocolate-covered crisps.
There's even an annual festival in Nova Scotia, Celtic Colours, celebrating Celtic traditions every October. The festival schedule is full of céilí’s, Gaelic singing, storytelling, and all things that might have you thinking you’d ended up in a shebeen in the depths of the Gaeltacht instead of Canada.
RV Life
Hiring an RV is a great way to explore Canada at your own pace and meet the locals (who are famously friendly). I learned to drive in a Fiesta, and I hadn’t driven anything much bigger since, so naturally, I was a bit apprehensive about an RV. However, the team at Canadream gave me a crash course upon pick-up and helped me feel comfortable.
RV life is cosy, chilled and very community-focused. I met a wonderful man called Ernie, who helped me hook up the RV to the utilities at the campsite and invited me on a sunrise walk along the Confederation Trail at St.Peter’s in PEI.
In Caribou, my camp neighbours invited me over to sit with them and their adorable dogs. This community feel is what makes campsites a great way to see Canada.
The roads across PEI and Nova Scotia were great for RV driving, with wide lanes that we don’t always have at home. I even drove the RV onto the Northumberland ferry from PEI across to Nova Scotia.
If you’ve always wanted to rent an RV but you’re slightly anxious, please know that if I can do it, anyone can!
Colourful Towns and Fishing Villages
If you’ve been watching Sullivan’s Crossing on Netflix (who hasn’t?!) then you’ll have some idea of how picture-perfect the towns of Atlantic Canada are. Most of the show is filmed around Halifax, and I recognised plenty of spots from my trip.
Pictou, Nova Scotia, was one of my favourite towns with tartan lobsters for sale everywhere, independent boutiques and lots of brightly coloured fishing huts. I watched live music at The Nook and Cranny on the waterfront, went shopping at the local craft village and had the best iced coffee of my trip at Sea Glass Coffee House.
There are so many beautiful towns to explore across PEI and Nova Scotia that would put any artist’s palette to shame, including Tatamagouche, Wolfville, Cavendish and Charlottetown.
Fresh Local Food
Atlantic Canada is a lot like Ireland in that the food is locally produced, fresh and widely farm-to-table. PEI is known for potato pie, and the one served at Prince Edward Island Preserve is a must-try for brunch.
While PEI is known for its potatoes, Nova Scotia is world-famous for seafood. There’s even a seafood trail that you can follow. From lobster served in a train dining car in Tatamagouche to chowder in Paddy’s (Irish, obviously) Brewpub in Wolfville, you could spend the whole trip eating. In fact, pack stretchy clothes just to be safe!
If you have a sweet tooth, Cow’s ice cream claims to be Canada’s best ice cream, and after tasting their peach melba flavour in Charlottetown, I’m inclined to agree. Appleton Chocolate is another local treat, famous for its maple and wild blueberry truffles.
Spectacular Sunrises & Sunsets
Some of the best sunsets and sunrises I’ve seen all year have been on this trip around Atlantic Canada. Driving across the Confederation Bridge - Canada’s longest bridge - at sunset was unforgettable.
At Cavendish campgrounds in PE, I rolled out of the RV and onto Cavendish beach to the most jaw-dropping array of pinks painting the sky at sunrise. At Parkville Campground in Nova Scotia, the RV was parked right on a viewpoint that had sunrise views across the Bay of Fundy. Some things are just worth waking up early for.
Landscapes and Lighthouses
Burntcoat Head Park, located in the Bay of Fundy, is one of the most jaw-dropping places I’ve ever witnessed in real life.
The tides are so dramatic here that at certain points of the day, you can walk on the ocean floor, and at others, you’d be encompassed by 54ft of water. The tidal bores are a force of nature unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Atlantic Canada is famous for its lighthouses - and they are everywhere. You could drive along the coast of PEI and Nova Scotia, only doing a tour of lighthouses, and you'd never be bored. Covehead Harbour Lighthouse in PEI was my favourite, it’s set amongst rolling sand dunes and looks like something from a Hallmark movie.
If I’ve convinced you to try an Atlantic Canada trip, then you can check out my full itinerary here. There are direct flights from Dublin to Halifax with Westjet during the summer season.
I travelled with My Canada Trips, who organised my flights from Dublin, my first night’s accommodation in Halifax and my RV rental for the week. Thankfully, their package included full insurance coverage on the RV because I may or may not have had a close encounter with some overhanging branches that would have cost me a pretty penny otherwise!
The details
My Canada Trips offers a nine-day Atlantic Maritimes Motorhome Tour from €1,998 per person, including return international flights from Dublin, one night accommodation in Halifax on arrival, and seven nights motorhome hire with 1000km, linen kits, kitchen kit, and platinum package.
To book, visit www.mycanadatrips.co.uk.
