Some touring questions on Halifax, NS

[SF]

We will be visiting Halifax and since we've been there before and seen the town we would like to rent a car. We were thinking of visiting Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay, and Lunenberg.

 

1. Are we better going out first to the furthest distance place which would be Lunenberg (approx. 1 hr 15 mins), then visit Blue Rocks (which is only 6 mins away), head towards Mahone Bay and then Peggy's Cove? Is that the order you would suggest?

 

We figured it would be better for us to visit Peggy's Cove last since most of the tour buses would have left by then plus we would be only about 45 mins from Halifax.

 

2. Is this doable if our ship is in from 8am -5pm and we would like to be back on board the ship by approx. 4- 4:15pm. We are figuring we probably won't get to even leave until around 8:30am until we get the rental car.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would like to finalize our plans on this port.

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[LibertyGirl7]

I would suggest heading straight out to Lunenburg first. You can take the "new highway" down to Lunenberg which is the #103 and then wind your way along the scenic route "old highway" #3 back stopping in Mahone Bay and Peggy's Cove then head back into Halifax. I think it would be do-able in the times that you have allotted. The other good thing about going out to Lunenburg first is that if you find your self running short on time you are already head back in the right direction.

[maryann ns]

I totally agree. Once you are on the highway it is less than an hour to Lunenburg.

 

Remember to allow for traffic coming back. I would allow at least an hour from Peggys Cove to be safe. That means leaving at three. At least once you are in the city you will be going against the traffic.

 

In the car by 9:00. In Lunenburg at 10:15. Spend an hour there just looking around. Go to Blue Rocks and leave there by 11:30 or 12:30 if you eat.

 

Drive to Mahone Bay. You only need to stop for a minute or two if not shopping or eating. Leave there by 1:00.

 

Get to Peggys Cove and take a look. Again if you do not stop for souvenirs or food it does not take very long to see it and take a few photos. Leave Peggys by three at the very latest.

 

Somewhere along here you have to eat, so you will need to allow for that. There are lots of places to eat in Lunenburg and Mahone Bay.

[SF]

Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like what we'll do except we'll probably leave by 8:30am or just a little afterwards as our ship docks at 8am. I'd like to be back by the car place by 3 or 3:15pm so we may have to cut out lunch in a restaurant and just pick up a snack and eat while driving.

 

You said from Halifax to Lunenberg is about 1 hour on the highway. I know Blue Rocks is only a few minutes from Lunenberg.

 

How long is it from Blue Rocks to Mahone Bay?

 

How long from Mahone Bay to Peggy's Cove?

 

From Peggy's Cove to Halifax downtown near port you said plan for an hour.

 

Appreciate your help in planning our trip time wise.:)

[maryann ns]

I really do not know how long as I have not driven that precise route in years. I don't live near any of these places, but have been to all of them. I just went to google maps to get directions and driving times. For example:

 

http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Lunenburg,+NS&geocode=CeE2vpd95nQnFXIppQIddpoq_A&dirflg=&daddr=mahone+bay&f=d&hl=en&sll=44.527843,-64.316711&sspn=0.871324,1.766052&ie=UTF8&z=12

 

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=mahone+bay+ns&daddr=Peggy%27s+Cove,+Halifax,+Halifax+County,+Nova+Scotia&geocode=%3BFYX8pgIdnL4w_ClV5syoUPhZSzFS6i7fIFgCJg&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=44.487177,-64.129057&sspn=0.435973,0.883026&ie=UTF8&ll=44.579708,-64.121704&spn=0.435278,0.883026&z=10

 

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Peggy%27s+Cove,+Halifax,+Halifax+County,+Nova+Scotia&daddr=1055+Marginal+Rd,+Halifax,+NS+B3H+4P6+(Pier+21)&geocode=FYX8pgIdnL4w_A%3BCV7H0_TW5oIXFVofqQIdwg82_CFvjp49eYcRqg&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=44.573303,-63.740108&sspn=0.217664,0.441513&ie=UTF8&ll=44.570415,-63.740616&spn=0.217675,0.441513&z=11

 

None of these time estimates allow for traffic.

 

I'm glad you are leaving an extra cushion of time to get back to the car rental place.

[SF]

Thanks for all the maps from google. From what I can see if we leave the car rental agency by 9am and get to Lunenberg around 10am we could spend an hour there and then drive the 10 mins (approx.) to the Blue Rocks. From the Blue Rocks to Mahone Bay should be about 20 mins. Spend about 15 -20 mins. there to take some pictures and then hop back in the car to drive to Peggy's Cove which will take about 1 hr 7 mins. (give or take) and since we aren't planning on shopping or eating spend about 20 mins there. The drive back to Halifax shouldn't be more than 1 hour so hopefully we would be by the car rental agency by 3 pm which would give us plenty of time to re-board the ship. We don't leave until 5 pm and therefore really wouldn't have to be back until 4:30 pm so that leaves us with extra time in case of traffic.:)

[maryann ns]

I think you have it worked out. However, I would be aware that you are coming into Halifax in rush hour and it most likely will take longer than an hour to get from Peggys to the pier or wherever you need to return the car.

[Mask]

My 2 cents: You need to take Highway 102 and then take the Peggy's Cove exit which will get you on the 103 and reverse that coming back. It is faster to stay on the 103 than to take the more scenic route which is the old #3 Highway. When you get your car, you should get directions through the city to the 102. It's a lot to do in one day but it can be done. Hope you enjoy yourselves.

[SF]

After using google maps I noticed like you said that we should take hwy 102N to hwy 103. It has us getting off onto hwy 3 later which also says Lighthouse Road. If we go this way it looks like we will pass Mahone Bay first before getting to Lunenberg. Should we stop anywhere along the way by Mahone Bay first or just drive right to Lunenberg to Blue Rocks and then back to Mahone Bay on our way to Peggy's Cove?

 

Is it worth driving to Blue Rocks from Lunenberg? I know it's close by but is it worth a photo stop?

 

 

This is the time sequence I've allowed ourselves.

 

1. Leave the car rental agency by 9am and get to Lunenberg around 10am -spend an hour there

2. Leave around 11am and drive the 10 mins (approx.) to the Blue Rocks.

3. Leave around 11:30am from the Blue Rocks and drive to Mahone Bay should be about 20 mins.

4. Arrive at Mahone Bay around 12 noon. Spend about 15 -20 mins. there to take some pictures.

5. Around 12:30pm drive to Peggy's Cove which will take about 1 hr 7 mins. (give or take) spend about 30 mins there.

6. No later than 1:30pm drive back to Halifax which shouldn't be more than 1 hour so hopefully we would be by the car rental agency by 3 pm the latest if traffic.

[rickb]

After using google maps I noticed like you said that we should take hwy 102N to hwy 103. It has us getting off onto hwy 3 later which also says Lighthouse Road. If we go this way it looks like we will pass Mahone Bay first before getting to Lunenberg. Should we stop anywhere along the way by Mahone Bay first or just drive right to Lunenberg to Blue Rocks and then back to Mahone Bay on our way to Peggy's Cove?

 

Is it worth driving to Blue Rocks from Lunenberg? I know it's close by but is it worth a photo stop?

 

 

This is the time sequence I've allowed ourselves.

 

1. Leave the car rental agency by 9am and get to Lunenberg around 10am -spend an hour there

2. Leave around 11am and drive the 10 mins (approx.) to the Blue Rocks.

3. Leave around 11:30am from the Blue Rocks and drive to Mahone Bay should be about 20 mins.

4. Arrive at Mahone Bay around 12 noon. Spend about 15 -20 mins. there to take some pictures.

5. Around 12:30pm drive to Peggy's Cove which will take about 1 hr 7 mins. (give or take) spend about 30 mins there.

6. No later than 1:30pm drive back to Halifax which shouldn't be more than 1 hour so hopefully we would be by the car rental agency by 3 pm the latest if traffic.

 

I agree with Liberty Girl and would stay on highway 103 and head straight to Lunenberg and then work your back on the more scenic highway 3 which pretty much follows the coast on a winding road.

 

Regarding the drive from Peggys Cove back to the city, it shouldn't take more than an hour even with traffic because most people are heading out from the city towards home; you will be heading against the traffic. I live about 15 minutes from Peggy's Cove and work fairly close to the cruise ship pier. I leave work around 4:00 PM in rush hour traffic and follow the route you described towards Peggys Cove and make it home around 4:40. Add the 15 minutes extra to Peggy's Cove and it would still be less than an hour with the traffic.