Yukon or the Maritimes?

Upon my return to Canada this summer I have some spare time for some extended travels to regions I haven't been to before. Initially my thought was to fly straight to Halifax (well, via Tokyo, Mexico City and/or Toronto or Montreal) and then do a 10-14 day road trip around the Maritimes (excluding Newfoundland, that would be for another trip). I'd stay in Halifax for a few days (getting over jet-lag, visiting friends, and in case I need to self-isolate on arrival...), then rent a car and do the the Cabot Trail around Cape Breton Island before heading over to PEI and New Brunswick (mostly around Hopewell Rocks to do some kayaking there) before returning to NS (with a side trip to Lunenburg and overnight stop at Peggy's Cove) before flying to Ottawa for the start of my Arctic trip.

But in looking at flights from Japan I have another nice option to Vancouver (with a full day layover in Honolulu). In this case I would have slightly less time due to the flight schedule (10-12 days), but I'd have a couple of days in Vancouver to do some shopping and meet up with friends, then head up north to the Yukon for 7-8 days. Would fly to Dawson City, spend a day or two there, plus a day trip up to Tombstone TP, then head down to Whitehorse (either by bus or plane), spend a day there then rent a car and head out to Kluane NP where I would hopefully get to do a little hiking and some photography, maybe even a flightseeing tour over the glaciers there. I'm not a big hiker, especially when travelling solo, as my knees just can't handle rougher terrain and/or steep descents anymore, and camping is out as well, so my focus would be more on finding accessible areas for photography - whether natural or historical sites, and doing the best I can with the limited time I have.

So...any thoughts or suggestions on either of my proposed itineraries? Both have a lot to recommend them, with both nature and historical sites being vastly different, but in terms of my own photographic interests they both have a lot of appeal. I'd be interested particularly in hearing about places to spend more time in, or to avoid, even if it's just because of logistics and/or time of year (late July/early August).

I've asked about travels up north before (see this thread), but that was more of a road trip through BC with my own vehicle (not a rental). Unfortunately it never happened because I ended up in Japan for the summer instead, and then moved back here the following year. So rather than revive that old thread I thought I'd start a new one.

Ooh I'd love to see the Maritimes! But I think I'd first drive up to the Yukon. I've always wanted to see Dawson, and the Tombstone Range. I've heard their Autumn is spectacular. That is when I would go. Are you coming over in July or August?

mooseontheloose said:

... road trip around the Maritimes (excluding Newfoundland, that would be for another trip). .

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I have good news for you! The Maritimes already excludes Newfoundland. Always has. They're part of Atlantic Canada, not The Maritimes. Because reasons. Yes, they're probably the most maritime focused province, but still.

But on a more serious note, what are your real goals for the trip out east? The region is small enough that it isn't hard to cover bits all over it in a short time period, but it is also easy to stretch things kind of thin.

Anything planned for PEI is probably best done in pencil for this year. They've locked travel down several times already, and seem like the most likely to hit the brakes hard if cases get bad. Travel between NB and NS has also seen some restrictions, and there is a small chance that could return if hospitalization numbers tick upward for too long, so it may be worth making plans mostly focused towards NS.

Vacations in any one province are lovely, and really aren't diminished by not including stuff in the others. Just puttering around Cape Breton on its own, even outside of the fall colours season, can easily fill up a two week trip if you're looking to relax and get some photography work in.

Good luck deciding!

If the Yukon is your choice, AllTrails is a good resource for finding trailheads which you might drive right past without local knowledge. Lots to choose from in the short & easy hiking trail department:

https://www.alltrails.com/canada/yukon

Luckless said:

I have good news for you! The Maritimes already excludes Newfoundland. Always has. They're part of Atlantic Canada, not The Maritimes. Because reasons. Yes, they're probably the most maritime focused province, but still.

But on a more serious note, what are your real goals for the trip out east? The region is small enough that it isn't hard to cover bits all over it in a short time period, but it is also easy to stretch things kind of thin.

Anything planned for PEI is probably best done in pencil for this year. They've locked travel down several times already, and seem like the most likely to hit the brakes hard if cases get bad. Travel between NB and NS has also seen some restrictions, and there is a small chance that could return if hospitalization numbers tick upward for too long, so it may be worth making plans mostly focused towards NS.

Vacations in any one province are lovely, and really aren't diminished by not including stuff in the others. Just puttering around Cape Breton on its own, even outside of the fall colours season, can easily fill up a two week trip if you're looking to relax and get some photography work in.

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I know that Nlfd is not technically considered a Maritime province, but that's mostly because it joined Canada so late and that term applied to the other 3. It seems weird not to include it as a maritime province though. In any event, it really does deserve several weeks just for itself.

Good to know about lockdowns. To be honest, the reason I have these 10-14 days ahead of my scheduled trip up in the Arctic is in the (hopefully) unlikely event that I test positive and/or need to self-isolate upon arrival in Canada. But assuming I don't, then I'll want to be able to explore the region. Personally I would have no problem spending a week or more in Nova Scotia, there's so much I want to see and do there, so if things get locked down in the other provinces, then I'll be okay with just that. But the reality is I rarely get back to Canada, and I want to maximize the areas of the country that I can visit (partly also so that I can advise students thinking of different regions to visit out there). So that means spreading myself a little thin to cover the region, but hopefully not too much.

Andrew O'Neill said:

Ooh I'd love to see the Maritimes! But I think I'd first drive up to the Yukon. I've always wanted to see Dawson, and the Tombstone Range. I've heard their Autumn is spectacular. That is when I would go. Are you coming over in July or August?

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I'd love to go up in the fall as well (I guess end of August for Yukon) but I'll be there in the first week of August (probably arrive in Vancouver late July/Aug long weekend). There's a major event happening that weekend in Dawson City over that weekend but already all the accommodation is booked solid for those dates, so spending a few days in Vancouver first makes sense in any case.

MurrayMinchin said:

Good luck deciding!
If the Yukon is your choice, AllTrails is a good resource for finding trailheads which you might drive right past without local knowledge. Lots to choose from in the short & easy hiking trail department:
https://www.alltrails.com/canada/yukon

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Thanks Murray! It looks like a good resource.

The Maritimes have better music!

Extend your overnight a few days in Hawaii and take in the sun and surf. Canada can wait.

Alan Edward Klein said:

Extend your overnight a few days in Hawaii and take in the sun and surf. Canada can wait.

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I wish I could! But I'll be flying on points (it's been a while since I've had enough for an international flight) and I'm not sure I can extend the layover. I'll have a full day in Honolulu (flight arrives at 7 a.m. and leaves at 10 p.m.) so plenty of time for me to visit Pearl Harbour and the Punchbowl cemetery (both high on my list) and then spend the rest of the day on the beach.

jay moussy said:

The Maritimes have better music!

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I know! The music and culture of the Maritimes are really what draw me to them.

Alan Edward Klein said:

Extend your overnight a few days in Hawaii and take in the sun and surf. Canada can wait.

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Hey guess what! We have surf and sun here in the summer.

Life is short and who really knows about health and mobility so why not do both while you still can? Besides you need a big stock of negatives to keep you busy in the darkroom later. Enjoy!

The Maritimes is certainly on my bucket list! Lots of scenery and culture. Yukon? Full of F150's and rednecks...and maritime ex-pats.

I'd love to visit the Yukon but being a Maritimer I have to recommend the east coast. Lot's of places to visit. Since you mentioned getting out on the water you might want to check out tidal bore rafting Tidal Bore Rafting — Yours To Explore (shubenacadiecanal.ca)
On the Yukon you might want to check out Welcome to Positivity – Gurdeep.ca - Gurdeep Pandher of Yukon I follow him on twitter, a very interesting fellow.

George Nova Scotia said:

I'd love to visit the Yukon but being a Maritimer I have to recommend the east coast. Lot's of places to visit. Since you mentioned getting out on the water you might want to check out tidal bore rafting Tidal Bore Rafting — Yours To Explore (shubenacadiecanal.ca)
On the Yukon you might want to check out Welcome to Positivity – Gurdeep.ca - Gurdeep Pandher of Yukon I follow him on twitter, a very interesting fellow.

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I love Gurdeep! His videos always bring a smile to my face.
I was planning on two kayaking trips around Hopewell Rocks - one very early morning for photos, the other a night paddle. But rafting would be fun too!

Andrew O'Neill said:

The Maritimes is certainly on my bucket list! Lots of scenery and culture. Yukon? Full of F150's and rednecks...and maritime ex-pats.

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I grew up in a Chevy family (in a very redneck part of Manitoba) so the preference for everything Ford up north is a bit disconcerting for me (many rental companies seem to only have Fords). Although, to be honest, I'm so used to driving Japanese vehicles now I'm not sure how I would feel in huge SUV or pickup truck (the latter which I learned to drive with), regardless of the maker.

Andrew O'Neill said:

The Maritimes is certainly on my bucket list! Lots of scenery and culture. Yukon? Full of F150's and rednecks...and maritime ex-pats.

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I'm a retired construction worker and drive an F-250 Powerstroke, define redneck for me. Oh yeah, my grocery getter is an Expedition which is basically an F-150 with an SUV body, again define redneck for me .
Rachelle, I have always dreamt of walking in the footsteps of the Klondike gold rush and pack over the Chilkoot Pass into Dawson (since I was a teen) I would enjoy the history of the area, however at my age I would have to fly in and rent a vehicle(hiking is out and carrying my camera more than a few yards from the car is a chore). I spent several months in southern Alaska years ago, the big drawback and deal breaker(for that part of the world) was and still is the effing insects and weather.
I love gong to the coast (Delmarva Peninsula with the grand kids for vacations) and love the New England coast. The Maritimes are still on my bucket list and if our health improves (and restrictions lifted) we may just get there(I might even have to take my surf rods). Lots of history up there for us to explore.

Go to whichever one you are least likely to go to in the future.

I grew up in New Brunswick, but left in 1970 - I've been back times since, to see elderly family (all now mostly passed away), last in 2011. The cities had changed - especially Moncton, once a crap rail depot town but now upmarketed and surprisingly pleasant, ditto Saint John as it's a seaport and a good hunting place for photography, and of course the capital, Fredericton, aptly summed up in one word, blah). In all, Very little had changed in the country places.

I lived in New Mexico and in several cities in Asia before moving to Australia mid-'70s, but the pull of Atlantic Canada has stayed strong. When I retired in 2012 we considered relocating to Shediac Cape where I grew up, but too many things kept us grounded in Australia and we stayed. I'm now beyond long distance air travel and my parents and almost all my 'rels' are gone, so it's unlikely I will never make it back to the Cape or even Santa Fe/Taos. Sad, but that's life.

NB isn't big, but it offers a surprising range of diverse scenery and of course the French Acadian culture, some outstanding places and things to see and photograph, and superb food. Shediac is known as the lobster capital of the world and the summer festival draws foodies from everywhere. The price of fresh lobster goes up then, but if you go at other times, it's surprisingly affordable, even as a daily indulgence. Other food is interesting and at times even quirky; most Canadian beer isn't as bad as the American brews, but still bloody terrible - Moosehead ale, once seemingly drunk by all New Brunswickers, used to be popularly known as "moose piss" - but nowadays a quite decent range of imported wines is available. So you won't starve or go dry.

The eastern coast, from Campbelltown down to the Nova Scotia border, is mostly French Acadian and has some superb fishing villages and ports for the many small fishing boats still in use in the Atlantic fisheries. There is one national park (Fundy), at the end of the road out of Moncton that will take you to Hopewell Cape - BTW I've not heard of anyone kayaking in the Petitcodiac River which has a high tide and could be dangerous, but then maybe. Also an interesting provincial park near Richibouctou, where some good ecological projects are being undertaken. Bouctouche, a few small villages inland with 'Saint' names (Saint-Antoine, Sainte-Marie the Kent, Saint-Gregoire) look to be mostly unaffected by even the 20th century. All pleasant if bucolic.

Of the three cities, for me Saint John (the seaport) is the most interesting. Moncton has an odd tide out of Funny Bay called The Bore, which I reckon is well named. Not much else, but it's a pretty place and worth a day stop or a long lunch break. Fredericton is the province's and the cultural capital with all the usual attractions of a government town, but lousy climate and personally, I can't stand the place. The town where I was born, Chatham, was also the birthplace of Lord Beaverbrook who has endowed the province with many cultural bequests, notably the art gallery in Fredericton, the one and only reason I would ever bother to go there.

NB can be included in your 'hop' down to Halifax or maybe up via Prince Edward Island on the return trip. Driving Montreal-Fredericton takes you along the Saint John River and will take maybe 10 hours, to Moncton another 2 hours if you push it, but why rush? The scenery is pleasant if nothing much to rave about on your postcards. There are a few ferries across the 'St John' as the locals call the river, also one from Saint John (the city) to Digby, NS. Grand Manan, a small island on the Bay of Funny, which is sufficiently behind God's back to be of interest to nature photographers. And a lot more. Google will reveal dozens of places.

The Yukon is also interesting and features some very wild wildlife, but please, please, please do your research carefully before you go. On a map the distances between anything look far, and you may find that travel by public transport will be difficult, also costs for everything sky high (I'm not sure if the local cafes serve any regional food which could be slabs of seal with fries and salad). I drove up there two times ( I enjoy suffering), in mid-summer when I was almost eaten alive by flies and mosquitoes and in November where I froze my butt off. A friend in Whitehorse once told me he went out one wintry day with his Rollei TLR, it was like -30 Celsius plus and when he tried to take his first shot the TLR shutter froze open. He had to put the camera in a plastic bag in a fridge until the shutter unfroze and closed. Odd, but there you are. Enjoy the Yukon...

When you return, do let us know how your travels turned out, after all we are all armchair travel fanatics.

ozmoose said:

The Yukon is also interesting and features some very wild wildlife, but please, please, please do your research carefully before you go. On a map the distances between anything look far, and you may find that travel by public transport will be difficult, also costs for everything sky high (I'm not sure if the local cafes serve any regional food which could be slabs of seal with fries and salad). I drove up there two times ( I enjoy suffering), in mid-summer when I was almost eaten alive by flies and mosquitoes and in November where I froze my butt off. A friend in Whitehorse once told me he went out one wintry day with his Rollei TLR, it was like -30 Celsius plus and when he tried to take his first shot the TLR shutter froze open. He had to put the camera in a plastic bag in a fridge until the shutter unfroze and closed. Odd, but there you are. Enjoy the Yukon...

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Gee. on the map places in the Yukon are only inches apart, how long could it take to cover such short distances?

Thanks for all the info @ozmoose! I know the Yukon (and the entire north really, not just in Canada) is super expensive, so it's a real struggle to manage what I want to do with what I can realistically afford to do. Being from Manitoba I think I know what to expect when it comes to mosquitoes, although to be fair it's been quite a while since I've had to deal with them. Flies will be more of a nuisance for me.

As for the east coast, it's funny, but probably not a surprise, that out of all the provinces there, NB has always had the least appeal. But in researching it more, there are quite a number of places I would like to visit and spend time in, but at best I'll have 2-3 days there. I probably won't spend any time in the cities (that's true everywhere except for Halifax), since I'm more interested in what the natural and rural places have to offer.

Tough to decide - I could travel longer and see more if I go to the east coast, but the appeal of seeing the Yukon is strong since I'll be in Nunavut as well. Will have to decide soon (maybe today) and finally book my tickets.

Sirius Glass said:

Gee. on the map places in the Yukon are only inches apart, how long could it take to cover such short distances?

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In my family, a 12-hour drive is considered a day trip. We often travel from my hometown in Manitoba to where my brother lives in Alberta, which is exactly a 12-hour trip, including stops for gas and restroom breaks, but not to eat anywhere (we can do that in the car) in one day. FWIW, that's NOT how I prefer to travel, since I like to stop and photograph things that interest me, but I'm certainly used to long drives behind the wheel.

When I lived in Toronto I used to work at a museum. We would often get British tourists there who would remark on how far away everything was in Southern Ontario - because to them everything looked small on the map, but the distances were huge.

Don Heisz said:

Go to whichever one you are least likely to go to in the future.

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I've always wanted to go to both, that will never change. But I may focus on the Yukon this trip, because it seems much more vulnerable to climate change and I want to see it before things change too much.

mooseontheloose said:

When I lived in Toronto I used to work at a museum. We would often get British tourists there who would remark on how far away everything was in Southern Ontario - because to them everything looked small on the map, but the distances were huge.

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I remember well being around ten years old and having relatives from England visit our family in North Vancouver, BC. My dad planned a day trip - there and back - to show them the sights between our home and Hope, BC - about 100 miles away. Our relatives were aghast at the immense distances involved!

MattKing said:

I remember well being around ten years old and having relatives from England visit our family in North Vancouver, BC. My dad planned a day trip - there and back - to show them the sights between our home and Hope, BC - about 100 miles away. Our relatives were aghast at the immense distances involved!

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Hope was always a gas stop for me on the way to Vancouver from Kamloops - I would often go to Vancouver for day trips, at least once a month, partly to stock up on film and other photo supplies, partly to get the h*ll out of dodge. The thing I always hated was the approach in and out of Vancouver - sometimes I could be stuck in traffic for almost as long as the rest of the drive.