From: lucas@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Brian Lucas)
Subject: Re: Wanted: Info on Nova Scotia
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 02:43:51 GMT

In article <1993Jan6.052507.20838@philabs.philips.com> hyw@philabs.philips.com (Huay-Yong Wang) writes:
>My wife and I are planning a trip to Nova Scotia and PEI this spring.


I am building FAQs for travel to several regions of Canada.  Here is what I
have accumulated for Nova Scotia, so far.  If anyone would like to contribute,
I would be very grateful.



===============================================================================

Hoop's rec.travel Guide to NOVA SCOTIA
Version 1.02: 1993 January 07 (First release)

Compiled by: Brian "Hoop" Lucas <lucas@ccu.umanitoba.ca>

Including views and opinions from:
  Ed Aguado <EAGUADO@sdsu.edu>
  Mark Brader <msb@sq.com> (92Dec07)
  Lia Daborn <ldaborn@dragon.acadiau.ca> (92Jul09)
  Bob Feldman <rlf@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU> (92Jul06)
  Kent Hooker <kh@den.adp.wisc.edu> (92Jul08)
  Steve LaSala <lasala@cs.cronell.edu> (92Jul06)
  Steven Smith <smith@gramian.harvard.edu> (92Sep17)
  
Contributors are identified after the paragraph they contributed to.  
Anything else is probably Brian's fault.

Feel free to re-distribute this Guide as you wish, but please do not alter
it.  If you have new information, corrections, or comments, please send them
to <lucas@ccu.umanitoba.ca>.

Hoop's rec.travel Guides are available for:

 * Toronto
 * Nova Scotia

...and will be forthcoming for other parts of Canada as I accumulate
information about them.  Help is appreciated!
  

===============================================================================

GREETINGS!
----------
  
This guide is made up of the edited comments of people on the net, who may 
not remember clearly what their trip to Nova Scotia was like, and may not 
in fact ever have set foot in the province.  You know how the Internet 
operates; take the comments in this document with all the seriousness they 
deserve.  Also note that this is *not* a comprehensive guide of things to 
do or see.  Its purpose is to relay individual travellers' personal 
impressions, opinions, and recommendations.  Hopefully, it will provide 
some of the personal flavor which may not be present in a professional 
tour book; it certainly will not have the comprehensiveness of a 
professional tourbook.

WARNING: This Guide has errors!  Not intentionally, but it has them.  I'm 
sure of it.  If you find them, please tell me.  If you have anything to 
add, or any impressions you think should be included, please write and tell 
me.  I promise to update this guide as often as I feel like it and to 
distribute/post it whenever I want to.


===============================================================================

The Guide is split into five sections:

  - Important Information (readme). Warnings, closings, new stuff, major
    changes.
    
  - General Information. Stuff about BC in general, including taxes and so on.

  - Attractions: General topics.
  
  - Regions / Towns: Specific information about attractions within certain 
    areas.
  
  - Festivals & Fairs: Reviews of seasonal events.


===============================================================================

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
---------------------

Nothing available at this time.


===============================================================================

GENERAL INFORMATION
-------------------

General Tourist Information

  Canada: phone 1-800-565-0000.

  United States: in the continental U. S. except Maine, call 1-800-341-6096. 
  In Maine, call 1-800-492-0643.

  You can also phone the local information centres directly.  The area code 
  for Nova Scotia is 902.  Three centres are open year-round:

        Amherst                 667-8429
        Halifax                 424-4247
        Halifax Int'l Airport   426-1223
        
  The rest are open approximately May 15 through October 15:

        Annapolis Royal         532-5454
        Antigonish              863-4921
        Digby                   245-2201
        Halifax Int'l Airport, Route 102 (aircraft display) 873-3608
        Pictou                  485-6213
        Port Hastings           625-1717
        Wood Islands            962-2109
        Yarmouth                742-5033

  Write to: Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture, Box 130, Halifax NS,
  B3J 2M7.
  
  Comments: (Steven Smith)  Nova Scotia's tourist information network is
  excellent.  You can reserve motels, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds
  from any of their numerous information booths.

Accomodations
  Lots of B&B's all over.  We travelled for three weeks in summer and never
  reserved more than a night ahead.
  (Steve LaSala)

  You can reserve rooms at more than 450 hotels, motels, and campgrounds 
  using the province-wide "Check In" reservation service operated by the 
  provincial tourism agency.  You can make reservations by phone or at the
  tourist information centres in Amherst, Antigonish, Halifax, Wood Island, 
  and Yarmouth.  In Canada, call 1-800-565-0000 (in Halifax/Dartmouth call
  425-5781).  In the continental United States (except Maine) call 
  1-800-341-6096.  In Maine, call 1-800-492-0643.  Yes, these are the 
  general tourist information numbers.
  (Brian Lucas)
  
Books Recommended
  Lonely Planet's Canada Guide.

Gasoline
  American travellers should be warned that gasoline in Nova Scotia costs 
  (as of September 1992) Cdn$0.54-0.62 per litre, which is about 50% more
  expensive than the price in Boston.
  (Steven Smith)  

Money, Automated Tellers
  Almost all Canadian banks have automatic tellers (going by names such as
  Instabank, Instant Teller, Cashstop, Green Machine...).  All major banks 
  are on the Interac network.  Credit Unions also tend to have ATMs, but 
  they have their own network and may not be linked to Interac or other 
  networks.
  
  PLUS NETWORK members include: Royal Bank, Toronto-Dominion Bank, CIBC
  (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce), Scotiabank, and Canada Trust.

  CIRRUS network members include: Bank of Montreal, Royal Trust.

  Some smaller banks not listed may or may not be members of these networks. 
  The exchange rate you receive through the ATM will normally be quite
  favorable.  There may be a service charge added by your bank.
  (Mark Brader)

Money, Currency Exchange
  American cash is accepted at many stores but you will not get a good 
  exchange rate.  (They're doing you a favor by accepting it at all.)
  Any bank will exchange American cash or travelers' checks. 
  (Mark Brader)
  
Restaurants
  Restaurant food in the Maritimes is expensive and disappointing.  The
  best meals we had we cooked ourselves: a lobster from a confoundingly
  rare fresh fish shop and some stream trout that we caught ourselves
  along with some PEI potatoes.  Nevertheless, many households supplement 
  their income by selling fresh baked goods and vegetables.  The quality 
  is mixed, but the prices are always low.  Look for small signs on the road.
  (Steven Smith)

Telephone
  The area code for all points in Nova Scotia is 902.

Weather
  Apparently, the change from summer to winter is very abrupt. I'm sure the
  Maritimes can be charming in the autumn and winter months, but you don't have
  to be a meteorologist to see that this is a punishing time of year.  
  (Steven Smith)

  Average seasonal temperatures [Nova Scotia Travel Guide 1990]:

                         Daytime highs         Nighttime lows
     Spring (May)        10-16C  /  50-61F     2-6C   /  36-43F
     Summer (Jul-Aug)    20-25C  /  68-77F     10-14C /  50-57F
     Autumn (Oct)        12-15C  /  54-59F     2-8C   /  36-46F
     Winter (Jan-Feb)    -2 to +1C / 28-34F    -13 to -6C / 9-21 F
     

 
===============================================================================

ATTRACTIONS
-----------

Nothing available at this time.


===============================================================================

REGIONS / TOWNS
---------------

Alexander Graham Bell Museum (town of Baddeck ?sp?)

Annapolis Valley 
  This is one of the most beautiful parts of the province. This area, like
  Louisbourg, is one of the areas that the French settled in the 1600's, and
  became known as 'Acadia'.  The Valley is a fertile area, with a lot of
  history in areas like Grand Pre (a statue of Longfellow's 'Evangeline', and
  a church) and Port Royal and Fort Anne in Annapolis. If you will be in
  N.S. during late July-August, you will also benefit from the variety of
  fresh fruit and vegetables that will be available.
  (Lia Daborn)

Bay of Fundy
  Near the Bay of Fundy, recommend exploring the Tidal Flats, definite photo  
  op spot.  Also, if you're technologically inclined, we enjoyed the tidal
  power station visit on the western side of Nova Scotia near Digby.
  (Kent Hooker)
  
  The Tidal Bore is supposed to be interesting, but you have to be there at
  the right time.
  (Steve LaSala)

Cape Breton Island
  See also: Cape Breton Highlands National Park
  See also: Fort Louisbourg
  The Cabot Trail, also on Cape Breton, is a scenic highway.  Reputed to be
  rough on transmissions.  Probably has hiking available nearby.
  (Steve LaSala)

Cape Breton Highlands National Park
  Spectacular; also some swimmable beaches because of the Gulf Stream; wild
  moose.
  (Bob Feldman)
  
Dartmouth
  We toured the Moosehead brewery in Dartmouth, which was fun but not
  reason enough to visit the area.
  (Steve LaSala)

Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Park, Cape Breton Island.
  Restored fortress... Guides in 17th century costume show you around.
  (Steve LaSala)  
  
  Really neat historical recreation using period costumes, etc.  One of the
  nicest reconstructions I've run across.
  (Kent Hooker)

Fundy, Bay of
  See: Bay of Fundy
  
Halifax
  An undistinguished port city.  Restored fort/museum in Halifax if you like
  that sort of thing, but Louisbourg was better.
  (Steve LaSala)
  
Pugwash
  This is a small town made (sort of) famous by the "Thinker's Conferences"
  on technology and society.  The first conference was organized by Albert
  Einstein and Bertrand Russell and dealt primarily with the responsibilities
  of scientists in the nuclear age.  The town still remembers the conferences
  (no, I can't remember the date but I guess it was around 1950) so if you're
  interested, you might be able to see the Eaton house and some of the old
  pictures from the conferences.  (The Pugwash movement is still active; see
  newsgroup alt.org.pugwash)
      
Spring Hill
  Sounds crazy, but you should definitely take the tour of the abandoned 
  mine at Spring Hill.  A retired coal miner will take you part of the way 
  down, and explain what led to two major disasters that eventually caused 
  them to close it down.  It is really a nice way to meet a true local and 
  hear about how real people lived their lives.
  (Ed Aguado)


===============================================================================

FESTIVALS / FAIRS
-----------------

Nothing available at this time.
--