On the Road: Québec City to the Canadian Maritimes

Program Registration: 4:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.

At the hotel

Orientation: 7:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Program-related transportation will be via private motorcoach and train unless noted otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. You may wish to begin exploring what the city has to offer. The hotel is within walking distance of restaurants, shops, and attractions including the Québec City Fortifications, Le Capitole Performing Arts Centre, and the Chateau Frontenac. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a presentation about the history of Québec City, beginning with its founding, to the fortifications which surround the Old Town and date back to 1745, to the culture of the city today. Next, we will walk to the Pôle culturel du Monastère des Ursulines, where a museum expert will lead our exploration as we learn about the educational mission of the Ursuline nuns and their way of life. The Ursulines landed in New France in 1639 and concerned themselves with the education of girls, both French and Native. The Convent is the oldest institution of its kind in North America and is housed in buildings erected at various times during the monastery’s three-and-a-half centuries of existence. The Chapel dates from the early 20th century and preserves the interior decor of the original 1730s chapel. The Ursulines museum contains one of the richest ethnographic and artistic collections passed down from the early days of New France, including exquisite embroidery works by the nuns.

At a local restaurant.

This afternoon’s field trip will lead us on a walking exploration of Upper Town which begins at the hotel. We’ll visit the monument of Samuel de Champlain, father of New France and founder of Québec City. Then we’ll continue to Dufferin Terrace where we’ll observe the magnificent views of the mountains, St. Lawrence River, Lower Town, and the star-shaped Citadel. We will enrich our knowledge of the city while learning about cannons, loopholes, Québec’s defenses under different regimes, Artillery Park and Québec’s fortifications.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, we’ll learn about the periods of war and peace that have riddled Québec’s history during a morning lecture. We’ll then gain insight into the city’s unique architecture on an expert-led walk through the historic Old City. This field trip will begin at the hotel before heading toward Lower Town and Place Royale, known as the cradle of French civilization in North America. We will observe the merchant houses and Notre-Dame-des-Victories Church and uncover the charming commercial district on rue du Petit-Champlain.

At a local restaurant.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

On your own to explore local fare.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

On your own to explore local fare.

We will learn about the principal historical events that occurred in Quebec City and discover the city by coach. Awarded World Heritage City designation in 1985 based partially on the preservation of the fortifications around the Old Town, which date from 1745, this area has a distinct European feel with its stone buildings and winding streets lined with shops and restaurants. Explore the Plains of Abraham with commentary provided by our local expert and discover the site of many clashes for supremacy between the French and British Empires. The park is the scene of the 1759 Conquest, which changed the fate of North America. Next, travel to the towering Montmorency Falls, with a spectacular view of the Montmorency River dropping 272 feet into the St. Lawrence River.

At a local restaurant.

We will transfer to the train station in St. Foy, Quebec (just outside of Quebec City). We will board “The Ocean” train at approximately 9:30 p.m. for our 14-hour ride with arrival in Moncton expected at approximately 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. Luggage is limited to one personal item per person (e.g. purse, computer, small bag) and one small article per person (e.g. carry-on bag, small suitcase, backpack). Larger luggage will be stored elsewhere on the train and will be available in Moncton. Sleeping cabins for one measure approximately 75x43 inches, a little over 22 square feet; by night, the bed pulls from the wall and covers the toilet. Sleeping cabins for two measure approximately 87x60 inches, a little over 36 square feet; by night the beds pull from the wall into bunk beds with a ladder to access the top bunk. Dome viewing car not available.

Aboard the train.

As the morning sun emerges, we travel by rail along the shores of Chaleur Bay, through the town of Bathhurst and Moncton. Stretch out in your cozy quarters. Lose track of time, and cross the Maritimes in a single day.

Aboard the train.

Upon arrival in Moncton, we’ll take a short motorcoach ride to the hotel and check in with some time to relax.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll head to Hopewell Rocks, where a local expert will discuss the significance of the Bay of Fundy and coastal New Brunswick at Hopewell Rocks. Over thousands of years, the Bay of Fundy's mighty tides have shaped the landscape of coastal New Brunswick. The Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flowerpot Rocks, have been formed by the clash of continents, carved by melting glaciers, and sculpted by the highest tides in the world. Weather and tides permitting, we’ll embark on a tidal walk with a local naturalist. As we walk along the ocean floor at low tide, learn about New Brunswick's most famous geological feature.

We’ll enjoy lunch at the Hopewell Rocks Interpretive Centre.

After lunch we will depart by motorcoach for Charlottetown, PEI. Upon arrival our local expert will provide an introduction to Prince Edward Island and its history. We will discover stories of the past with a local historian who will bring the early history of the Island alive using stories of the people who have made Prince Edward Island their home: native Mi’kmaq, French explorers, Acadian farmers, British military, and more. While Charlottetown is best recognized for its role in the founding of our nation, we will also discover on foot a vast collection of historical and cultural treasures sprinkled throughout the city. We'll begin at the Confederation Centre of the Arts on Richmond Street, in the heart of downtown Charlottetown. Next we will visit Beaconsfield Historic House, a 19th century building with a mansard roof, elaborate gingerbread trim, and crowning belvedere stands. We will learn about historic architecture with this enduring symbol of Victorian elegance.

At local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will depart by motorcoach for Prince Edward Island National Park. The Park spans a spectacular stretch of land encompassing sand dunes, salt marshes, remnants of an Acadian forest, coastal headlands, beaches, and sandstone cliffs. We’ll meet with a Parks expert and learn about the park’s ecosystem which supports a diversity of animal and plant life including the endangered piping plover. The park plays a significant role in shorebird migration in spring and fall.

At a local restaurant.

We will visit PEI's largest oyster farm to learn how oysters are grown and harvested. We will then visit Green Gables National Historic Site where Parks Canada staff will present the history of Green Gables and its significance to Canadian literary history. We will spend time at Green Gables, the famed fictional home of red-haired Anne Shirley, the heroine of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic 1908 novel, “Anne of Green Gables.” We’ll discover the history of the house as well as biographical information about Montgomery with a local expert. Green Gables, part of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site, has become famous around the world as the inspiration for the setting in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic tale of fiction. We will travel down dusty roads and well-trod paths as we step back in time to hear stories about Lucy Maud. We’ll visit the famous Cavendish Beach with its inviting white sand, waters warmed by the Gulf Stream, and striking red sandstone cliffs that tower above the beach.

At a local restaurant

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will travel on the motorcoach to Shediac – known as the “Lobster Capital of the World” – where we’ll board a boat and set off into the waters of Shediac Bay for an interactive lobster-themed cruise. This is an unforgettable experience where a local expert will show us how to catch, crack, and eat a lobster, along with some other delicious local options.

We’ll enjoy a lobster lunch on the boat.

After disembarking the boat, we’ll return to the motorcoach and transfer to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where we’ll check into the hotel before dinner.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, we’ll be joined by a local historian for a presentation on the history of Nova Scotia and the city of Halifax, giving us an overview of how the province and city came to be what they are today. With the historian, we’ll head off on a motorcoach exploration of Halifax including Fairview Lawn Cemetery, known as the final resting place of over one hundred of the RMS Titanic's passengers. We will also learn a bit about the rest of the Maritimes, including New Brunswick and Maine.

At a local restaurant.

We will then head over to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The museum is Canada’s oldest and largest maritime museum, first created by a group of Royal Canadian Navy officers who envisioned a place where the nation’s naval past could be preserved. With a museum expert, we’ll learn about the age of steamships, local small craft, the Royal Canadian and Merchant Navies, and World War II convoys. The museum also tells the story of famous historical events such as "The Battle of the Atlantic," the Halifax explosion of 1917, Nova Scotia's role in the aftermath of the “Titanic” disaster, various shipwrecks and more. The remainder of this afternoon is free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

On your own

At leisure

At the hotel.

We’ll travel by motorcoach to Lunenburg, where we’ll take a walking field trip with a local expert to explore its narrow streets, visit historic churches, and examine the Victorian architecture of the Old Town. The picture-postcard harbor, colorful waterfront, and homes of flamboyant sea captains reflect its seafaring heritage. Many of these beautifully maintained homes were on the original town plan, established in 1753 as the first British colonial settlement in Nova Scotia outside of Halifax. Later, a vibrant economy was built on farming, fishing, shipbuilding and trade, particularly with the West Indies. The renowned fishing and racing schooner Bluenose was built here in 1921, as was the replica Bluenose II in 1963. This beloved symbol of Canadian maritime history is on the Canadian dime.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in one of the many harborside restaurants in Lunenburg. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

After lunch we head to Peggy's Cove, one of the most picturesque, charming fishing villages on the East Coast with rustic, weathered wharves balanced on huge granite boulders. The town is named after the sole survivor of a schooner shipwrecked on Halibut Rock off Lighthouse Point: Peggy (Margaret) of the Cove. The best-known lighthouse in Canada, and one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world, was built here in 1914. Positioned on a granite ledge, it served as the local post office until November 2009.

At a local restaurant in Peggy's Cove. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our final dinner together.

After dinner, we return to our hotel in Halifax, and the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!