Help Me Plan My Nova Scotia Trip For 2025

[EmperorPenguin]

I spoke with the WestJet agent again and the lady suggested another flight.  There is one from San Francisco to Edmonton, connecting to Halifax, and the connection time is 2.5 hours, so I will look into that one.  Oddly, that flight does not show up in Expedia, but I reckon I can book through WestJet's site.

[Chanceman]

5 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

I spoke with the WestJet agent again and the lady suggested another flight.  There is one from San Francisco to Edmonton, connecting to Halifax, and the connection time is 2.5 hours, so I will look into that one.  Oddly, that flight does not show up in Expedia, but I reckon I can book through WestJet's site.

Edmonton is probable better for you. From memory, it’s a smaller airport, less busy, not much further in flight time and a longer connection time. 

[EmperorPenguin]

I have not yet bought tickets, but so far I think we will fly out of San Francisco to either Calgary or Edmonton, then take the red-eye to Halifax and arrive the next morning.  The flight from Calgary arrives at 0700 and Edmonton about 0600.  We will be checking into Fox Harb'r Resort that evening, but while in Halifax we will have a whole day there.  Two questions for the community: what to do in Halifax, and is it safe there?  One thing I will do is to book the Harbour Hopper tour and check out the city.  Any recommendations what else we can do in downtown Halifax?  Secondly, we will have all our luggage, clubs and valuables in our rental car.  I hope downtown Halifax is very safe.

[lipw87]

On 1/6/2025 at 10:42 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

I have not yet bought tickets, but so far I think we will fly out of San Francisco to either Calgary or Edmonton, then take the red-eye to Halifax and arrive the next morning.  The flight from Calgary arrives at 0700 and Edmonton about 0600.  We will be checking into Fox Harb'r Resort that evening, but while in Halifax we will have a whole day there.  Two questions for the community: what to do in Halifax, and is it safe there?  One thing I will do is to book the Harbour Hopper tour and check out the city.  Any recommendations what else we can do in downtown Halifax?  Secondly, we will have all our luggage, clubs and valuables in our rental car.  I hope downtown Halifax is very safe.

i haven't read previous posts but why not fly to toronto?  the amount of non stop flights air canada and porter runs to halifax is crazy.  like most downtowns homelessness can be an issue.  if it's during the day time you're fine.  that being said it's halifax - super small town and it's nothing like a san fran/toronto/vancouver/etc.

 

i never spent more than a night or 2 in halifax when going to cabot but a restaurant that always stuck out to me is bicycle thief.  right on the water and the food was unbelievable.  the entire downtown scene in the summer is great.  just walk around and find spots to have a bite/drink during the day.  reso at bicycle thief is needed for sure.

 

enjoy cabot.  special place.

Edited January 8 by lipw87

[Aleriooon]

On 1/6/2025 at 11:42 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

I have not yet bought tickets, but so far I think we will fly out of San Francisco to either Calgary or Edmonton, then take the red-eye to Halifax and arrive the next morning.  The flight from Calgary arrives at 0700 and Edmonton about 0600.  We will be checking into Fox Harb'r Resort that evening, but while in Halifax we will have a whole day there.  Two questions for the community: what to do in Halifax, and is it safe there?  One thing I will do is to book the Harbour Hopper tour and check out the city.  Any recommendations what else we can do in downtown Halifax?  Secondly, we will have all our luggage, clubs and valuables in our rental car.  I hope downtown Halifax is very safe.

Downtown Halifax is safe and your rental car will be safe, especially in broad daylight on busy streets. Like any city, there are some iffy streets, but the downtown core is bustling with tourists and commerce so you'll be fine. I would try parking somewhere like Bishop's Landing in downtown Halifax for most of the day. It's centrally located, you can get around downtown on foot, and your car will be highly visible for peace of mind. Bear in mind you'll need $1.25 in Canadian change for the bridge toll to get in and out of Halifax, or else you'll have to take a longer route to dodge the toll (this will be more of a pain when leaving the city).

 

For things to do, depends on the group but I'd recommend checking out some combination of the Citadel (old British fort protecting the city), the Boardwalk, the Museum of the Atlantic, or Alexander Keith's brewery.

 

The downtown is filled with restaurants, bars, and patios so you'll have no problem finding good food. The Bicycle Thief was mentioned earlier, I would add A Mano and Water Polo to the list. All 3 are along the waterfront and will give you great food in a gorgeous setting.

 

From there you're looking at the better part of 2 hours to Fox Harbr, with sunset probably around 8:15 PM, so maybe try to get out of the city by 6:30. The first half of the drive is Trans Canada highway, the second half will be rural secondary highway (roads are fine). Traffic once you're 20 minutes out of Halifax will be very minimal.

 

Fox Harbr resort is a much more classical golf resort than Cabot. They're in the process of splitting the existing course in half and then building two new 9s to create an ocean course and a woodland course. As it is, you'll wind through coastal forest on the front 9 and then emerge onto the Northumberland Strait for the back 9. It's a good warmup for Cabot and everything is immaculate, but I expect you'll enjoy Cabot more. Fox's greens are better (because Cabot's are a fescue grass), but that's about it.

 

The drive from Fox Harbr to Cabot will be scenic, you'll be directly along the coast from Fox Harbr to Pictou where you'll rejoin the Trans Canada highway again, until you hit Cape Breton. If you need gas, stop in Tatamagouche, Pictou, New Glasgow, or Antigonish. The gas stations by the Canso Causeway (connecting Cape Breton to mainland Nova Scotia) are extremely busy with tourists that time of year, and then the route up the west side of Cape Breton doesn't have many gas stations until you hit Mabou and Inverness. Hope this helps, enjoy the trip!

 

June 2025 edit to say Fox Harbr has the new Ocean 9 open and the original back 9 closed for reno, so the course is playing with the original front 9 and the new Ocean 9 for 18 this year.

Edited June 19 by Aleriooon

[Xavier_11]

On 1/10/2025 at 8:44 PM, Aleriooon said:

Downtown Halifax is safe and your rental car will be safe, especially in broad daylight on busy streets. Like any city, there are some iffy streets, but the downtown core is bustling with tourists and commerce so you'll be fine. I would try parking somewhere like Bishop's Landing in downtown Halifax for most of the day. It's centrally located, you can get around downtown on foot, and your car will be highly visible for peace of mind. Bear in mind you'll need $1.25 in Canadian change for the bridge toll to get in and out of Halifax, or else you'll have to take a longer route to dodge the toll (this will be more of a pain when leaving the city).

 

For things to do, depends on the group but I'd recommend checking out some combination of the Citadel (old British fort protecting the city), the Boardwalk, the Museum of the Atlantic, or Alexander Keith's brewery.

 

The downtown is filled with restaurants, bars, and patios so you'll have no problem finding good food. The Bicycle Thief was mentioned earlier, I would add A Mano and Water Polo to the list. All 3 are along the waterfront and will give you great food in a gorgeous setting.

 

From there you're looking at the better part of 2 hours to Fox Harbr, with sunset probably around 8:15 PM, so maybe try to get out of the city by 6:30. The first half of the drive is Trans Canada highway, the second half will be rural secondary highway (roads are fine). Traffic once you're 20 minutes out of Halifax will be very minimal.

 

Fox Harbr resort is a much more classical golf resort than Cabot. They're in the process of splitting the existing course in half and then building two new 9s to create an ocean course and a woodland course. As it is, you'll wind through coastal forest on the front 9 and then emerge onto the Northumberland Strait for the back 9. It's a good warmup for Cabot and everything is immaculate, but I expect you'll enjoy Cabot more. Fox's greens are better (because Cabot's are a fescue grass), but that's about it.

 

The drive from Fox Harbr to Cabot will be scenic, you'll be directly along the coast from Fox Harbr to Pictou where you'll rejoin the Trans Canada highway again, until you hit Cape Breton. If you need gas, stop in Tatamagouche, Pictou, New Glasgow, or Antigonish. The gas stations by the Canso Causeway (connecting Cape Breton to mainland Nova Scotia) are extremely busy with tourists that time of year, and then the route up the west side of Cape Breton doesn't have many gas stations until you hit Mabou and Inverness. Hope this helps, enjoy the trip!

 

Spoken like a true Blue Noser! Great tips!

[EmperorPenguin]

This is an update.  Two of my guests cannot come to Nova Scotia, so I cut the group to just two, myself and one other.  My guest told me something he just heard from another guy, who is Canadian: if you have a criminal record, you are not allowed into the country.  Huh?  I have never heard this one before.  My buddy told me that he did get a DUI twelve years ago (2013), and despite this incident happened long time ago, he is still worried that he will not be able to come into the country.  Is there a point of concern here?

[Treats]

On 2/9/2025 at 7:57 PM, EmperorPenguin said:

My buddy told me that he did get a DUI twelve years ago (2013), and despite this incident happened long time ago, he is still worried that he will not be able to come into the country.  Is there a point of concern here?

Do you own research, but it seems a DUI may make someone inadmissable.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/reasons.html

[EmperorPenguin]

Thanks for the link.  It appears we can apply for criminal rehabilitation if the term of punishment was over ten years ago, and that will take care of it indefinitely--unless there is another DUI, of course.

 

For those of us who passed through Canadian immigration, does the border guard routinely ask you if you have committed a crime, or do they just ask, say, "Purpose of visit?" then they routinely stamp your passport and you are off on your way?

[Hawkeye77]

27 minutes ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Thanks for the link.  It appears we can apply for criminal rehabilitation if the term of punishment was over ten years ago, and that will take care of it indefinitely--unless there is another DUI, of course.

 

For those of us who passed through Canadian immigration, does the border guard routinely ask you if you have committed a crime, or do they just ask, say, "Purpose of visit?" then they routinely stamp your passport and you are off on your way?

“We” don’t apply, the individual does and it could be up to a year for a determination on that. Need to have that person study the requirements thoroughly and have appropriate consultations beyond the internet. Jumping to conclusions is not a good idea and you are ignoring other options.  
 

Border guards at airports aren’t routinely just asking nothing questions, they have all of the person’s passport info, etc. and are calling up information that anyone should assume will reveal their record. Never assume a “routine” anything these days. You aren’t passing by a shack on a road in 1982 to go catch some fish. 

[Chanceman]

On 2/13/2025 at 2:21 AM, Treats said:

Do you own research, but it seems a DUI may make someone inadmissable.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/reasons.html

What are they going to do? Search the interpol website for International DUI offences within 10 years? There would be 15 million to look through. Lol.

[Treats]

12 hours ago, Chanceman said:

What are they going to do? Search the interpol website for International DUI offences within 10 years? There would be 15 million to look through. Lol.

I think criminal offenses can be tied into your passport #.

I wasn't with him, sometimes a group of us crossed the border to play golf in the US.

I think it was around 2003/2004. He wasn't always stopped when entering the US to golf. But one time, a US border agent questioned him on a small  marijuana possession infraction that occurred maybe in the 1970's??

He was not allowed entry and was told to turnaround.

[GwrxMod]

Several posts removed after reports about the non-golf subject matter. Please take it to PM. Thanks! 

[Naptime]

I played 3 rounds in Nova Scotia last year.  Not the famous places, just regular courses.  Scenery is great and everything was good.  Driving there is a lot slower than in the US, mainly on 2 lane windy roads.  Customs officials can ask anything they want, and cars were routinely taking several minutes each to clear through.  If your buddy hides his past, his anxiety could tip off the authorities and derail his entry if they dig for more info.  Current climate is unlikely to lower their usual probing.  It's really his problem to address, not yours.  Are you ready to leave him standing at the border and play as a single?  Maybe have that discussion now.

[EmperorPenguin]

I am having trouble deciding when to book the Harbour Hopper tour in Halifax.  Our flight arrives in Halifax Airport at about 4:05 in the afternoon and I think we will have to get our luggage and proceed to the rental car.  Let's suppose we get all those taken care of by about 4:45, perhaps 5:00 at the latest.  Will we have enough time to make it to Harbour Hopper for the 6:00 tour?  The distance between the airport and Harbour Hopper is 37 km, or 22 miles, and it should take us 35 minutes.  However, does that take into account traffic?  For those of you who live in the Halifax area, how is the traffic going into the waterfront area during rush hour?  I read somewhere that the toll booths are no longer there, so the commute there should be a few minutes faster.

 

Also, I will book dinner at the Bicycle Thief, which on the map looks to be just a couple blocks away from Harbour Hopper Tour, maybe close enough to walk.  Should I book the tour at 6:00 pm and then book dinner at 7:30, or dinner first at 5:30 and then the tour at 7:00?

Edited June 4 by EmperorPenguin

[Tac]

Here’s what I can tell you after just being there. 
 

It’s about a 3.5 hour drive from Halifax Airport to Cabot.  
 

We flew in late, did some things around Halifax in the morn and stayed at a cottage resort just after crossing onto Cape Breton which left us with a drive of about an hour to Cabot the next morning.
 

As of today they are doing some roadwork construction about 40 min before Cabot.   We were delayed about 10 min there.   I have no idea how long the roadwork will last but being summertime….likely a few months.   Google Maps will show if there is still roadwork taking place when you go in a few months.

 

All staff at Cabot were fantastic.   They really go all out to make it fantastic experience.  
 

We grabbed some pizza at a local place one night and ate at Whit’s — their pub style restaurant — the other.  
 

I don’t know if Whit’s take reservations but if they do, make one wherever you choose to eat.   It was busy in the evening.  As was their other restaurant.   
 

Pack for wind, rain and sun. You don’t know what you’re going to get.   I was fortunate and had all sun with little to no wind.  
 

I preferred the Links over the Cliffs by a narrow margin.   I just enjoy the links style of golf a little more.  
 

Pay attention to where your caddy says to land your approach shots on the greens, especially at The Cliffs as its greens are more sloped.   Balls can easily roll off!  
 

Before you go, if you have a place to practice putting from 10 yards off the green — do it!    Thats a shot I never need but it was needed at Cabot! 
 

You can drive to the beach and walk it.  Access is from just a bit before the main resort.   Beach Road 2 maybe?   Or you can walk to there if you’re staying alongside the Links.  
 

My caddy said that my wife could have walked the course with us.   She watched from one tee but otherwise didn’t go on the course. 
 

Getting to the rental car area at Halifax Airport is very easy as it’s a small airport.   Walk across the road immediately at the airport entrance and you’re there.  
 

We began and ended our trip at the Alt hotel right at the airport (right beside the car rental).   It’s not expensive and was very convenient.  
 

Edited to add:  There is one gas station in Inverness.   Once you’re on Cape Breton there were not many between getting on the island and Inverness.   Consider filling up en route near Antigonish just to be safe and then right in Inverness coming back. 

Edited June 8 by Tac

[Aleriooon]

On 6/4/2025 at 11:41 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

I am having trouble deciding when to book the Harbour Hopper tour in Halifax.  Our flight arrives in Halifax Airport at about 4:05 in the afternoon and I think we will have to get our luggage and proceed to the rental car.  Let's suppose we get all those taken care of by about 4:45, perhaps 5:00 at the latest.  Will we have enough time to make it to Harbour Hopper for the 6:00 tour?  The distance between the airport and Harbour Hopper is 37 km, or 22 miles, and it should take us 35 minutes.  However, does that take into account traffic?  For those of you who live in the Halifax area, how is the traffic going into the waterfront area during rush hour?  I read somewhere that the toll booths are no longer there, so the commute there should be a few minutes faster.

 

Also, I will book dinner at the Bicycle Thief, which on the map looks to be just a couple blocks away from Harbour Hopper Tour, maybe close enough to walk.  Should I book the tour at 6:00 pm and then book dinner at 7:30, or dinner first at 5:30 and then the tour at 7:00?

Depends on the day of the week, but traffic into the downtown core is generally pretty busy as it's a peninsula with only a few major routes in and out. Your timeline to make the harbour hopper is probably okay but you could easily wind up rushing to make it if anything goes awry. You are correct, the tolls are gone but don't expect that to have much of an effect on your commute time, the chokepoint at the bridge still exists. The walk from Harbour Hopper to your restaurant is like a par 4 in length so easy peasy there.

 

Enjoy your visit!

[Ger21]

On 6/8/2025 at 6:32 PM, Tac said:

Edited to add:  There is one gas station in Inverness.   Once you’re on Cape Breton there were not many between getting on the island and Inverness.   Consider filling up en route near Antigonish just to be safe and then right in Inverness coming back. 

 

We took a short detour to Port Hawkesbury to grab some groceries, as we were in an AirBnB for 5 days. You can get gas and anything else you might need there. We also took a ride up to Cheticamp one evening to grab dinner. You can get gas up there too. We were staying in Margoree Harbour, though, which is closer to Cheticamp.

[Tac]

16 hours ago, Ger21 said:

 

We took a short detour to Port Hawkesbury to grab some groceries, as we were in an AirBnB for 5 days. You can get gas and anything else you might need there. We also took a ride up to Cheticamp one evening to grab dinner. You can get gas up there too. We were staying in Margoree Harbour, though, which is closer to Cheticamp.

We went into Port Hawksbury as well but if one wasn’t aware what’s there (or chose not to go there) it’s pretty slim choices in regards to any stores until Inverness.  
 

There was a good bake shop part way though the drive to Inverness though on the coast side of the road.   lol.  

Edited June 20 by Tac

[BallerNate]

When is your trip @EmperorPenguin?

 

I’m looking forward to hearing all about it, and seeing some pictures!!

[EmperorPenguin]

We will leave in about three weeks.  Still in the planning stage.  I just bought tickets to Harbour Hopper.  We will be flying into Halifax at 4:00 in the afternoon and I bought tickets for the Harbour Hopper Tour at 6:30.  I called them and they said that I can always book for a later time and if we arrive early and there is space available they can seat us on the earlier tour.  However, if we arrive late they will not let us go out on a later tour.

 

I will give them a call and try to book the Bicycle Thief at about 8:00 in the evening, soon after we finish the tour .  After dinner we will drive to Fox Harbour and stay at the resort for a couple nights and check out their golf course.  I estimate that we will arrive late, about 11:00 at nijght.  Are the roads to Fox Harb'r windy, dangerous, and not well-lit?

[chippa13]

Taking a cruise in September with a stop in Sydney. Any recommendations for courses nearby?

[Tac]

On 7/19/2025 at 8:17 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

 Are the roads to Fox Harb'r windy, dangerous, and not well-lit?

It’s four-lane from Halifax to Truro.   It appears to be a normal two-lane hwy once you exit near Truro and then smaller country roads approaching the coast.  
 

Traffic won’t be an issue anywhere you’re going.   Even rush-hour in Halifax is pretty good.