Sunday, July 28, 2024

East Coast RPod Adventure

This summer's big camping trip was a month-long journey to Nova Scotia and back. We started out on 10 Jun and arrived back home on 12 Jul, staying at 4 commercial campgrounds and nine provincial parks.  We added a one-night stop at one of the St Lawrence parks to make the drive to Levis, Qc just a bit shorter. I arrived at Glengarry before my sister and brother-in-law, so I tried to back in my trailer onto the site. Do you think I could get it straight? No, I couldn't so I decided to park it across the site which lined it up better for the electrical outlet anyway.  

Glengarry Campground

We were off to Levis, Qc the next day for a two night stay so we could go over to Old Quebec City. We camped at a campground called Camping Transit.  From Levis, you can take a ferry over to Old Quebec and the ferry is dog friendly.

Camping Transit

Old Quebec



We spent a nice afternoon walking around the lower part of Old Quebec having a few drinks and snacks. There is a funiculaire up to the top that is dog friendly but we decided that it costed to much to make it worthwhile going up.

Next stop was a one night stop in Edmundston, NB at the Republique Provincial Park. If you ever go here, there's botanical garden next door that is really quite nice. The next stop was Mactaquac Provincial Park, near Fredericton, NB. We stayed here three nights so we could replenish our groceries and so I could have a chance to visit some friends. Mactaquac PP has a golf course with a restaurant, as it was calling for rain the night we arrived we took advantage of the restaurant.


Republique Provincial Park

Mactaquac Provincial Park



Ribs for dinner

Our next and last stop in New Brunswick on the journey to Nova Scotia was at New River Beach. While the rest of the province was in a heat wave, we were in a misty cold area but subject to the provincial fire ban.

New River Beach
While at New River Beach, we went to St Andrews By the Sea. We walked around the town a bit, went to a dog friendly brewery and restaurant. We also walked one of the trails in the park. And the fire ban did get lifted while we were there so we did have a campfire at least some of the time.






The next stop was one night at Five Islands Provincial Park in Nova Scotia, then it was on to Valleyview Provincial Park. 

Sunset at Five Islands


Five Islands Provincial Park


Five Islands Campsite

In Valleyview, our nephew joined us and we visited Fort Anne and a cousin who is posted to the military base in Greenwood.

Valleyview Provincial Park






In Valleyview, we again had a fire ban but were able to use the fire bowl I had purchased just before the trip. We found another very dog friendly brewery in Annapolis Royal. Dogs weren't just allowed on the patio but inside the brewery too. 


Fort Anne National Historic Site



Annapolis Brewing Company


The next stop was Digby, Nova Scotia, our principal destination. We wanted to see the sites , of course, but the main reason for going here was to visit with our mother's youngest brother and his family. We stayed at the Digby Campground, a commercial campground right in town and very close to where our uncle lives. He surprised us by walking down after he saw our posts on FaceBook. While in Digby we enjoyed fresh seafood meals including a great scallop supper with our aunt and uncle, walked around Digby, went to the Admiral Digby Museum, drove out Bear River, NS, took a drive out to the Point Prim lighthouse and the various locations celebrating Maude Lewis.




Communal campfire pit

Maud Lewis grave

Bear River Winery


Lazy Bear Brewery

Admiral Digby Museum

Digby Harbour

Haddock, Scallops and chips

Point Prim Lighthouse



Maud Lewis Replica House


After Digby, we were off to Elm River campground then to Amherst Shore Provincial Park. We had a nice evening at Elm River but had rain most of the next morning so we opted to go to the Masstown Market for breakfast. While we were there we ran into our sister and her husband from PEI, who were just heading home from a trip to Halifax, NS. 

Elm River Campsite


Elm River
While at Amherst Shore, we visited Pugwash and the Thinker's Lodge. The Thinker's Lodge wasn't open so we were only able to view it from the outside. I also got to take the dogs to the beach. Not the beach in our park as it was a one kilometer walk to get there but one just down the highway.  


Amherst Shores


Jost Winery




Thinker's Lodge




Then it was back to New Brunswick and Parlee Beach Provincial Park in Shediac.  Another sister and her husband were camping fairly close by in Caisse Cape so we were able to see them and their grandsons while we were in Shediac as well we visited with our brother who lives in Moncton.

Parlee Beach Provincial Park

The Big Lobster, Shediac, NB


Visiting my parents grave site

Pumphouse Brewery

Pioneer Museum


Caisse Cape

Point du chene wharf

The last leg of the journey had three stops, a three night stay in Sugarloaf Provincial Park in Campbelltown, NB and two one night stops in Quebec, at Rayon Soleil in Riviere de Loup and in Drummondville. In Campbelltown, we went to the Battle of the Restigouche National Historic Site and walked the esplanade in town.

Sugarloaf Provincial Park

The Restigouche National Historic Site

Sugarloaf Mountain

Range Light Campbelltown

Restigouche Sam





Dalhousie Big Chair

Then it was on to our last two stops before heading home.  Luckily at Rayon Soleil we were towards the back and we were there during the week not a weekend or I think that campground would have been Teddy's worst nightmare. It seemed like every other seasonal trailer had a golf cart parked out front. Teddy hates those things. Camping des Voltigeurs was a nice provincial park in Drumondville. If you wanted to explore Drummondville it would be a good base. There's even a paved multiuse trail right beside the campground.

Rayon Soleil

Seasonal camper's site

Another seasonal site

Camping des Voltigeurs


Last Campfire

It was a good trip but it was nice to get home. Podrick is back at his winter home so that I have the driveway to park in and so he can get some work done.  There were issues with the converter on this trip but luckily with a little fist bump now and again , the refrigerator and lights kept working. I hope to take him back out for a short trip in Sep.