Some places you visit once and feel like you’ve seen them. And then there are places you keep going back to because somehow, they never get old.

For our family, that place is the East Coast.

Maybe it’s the salty air. Maybe it’s the lobster. Maybe it’s the people, the scenery or the slower pace of life. Whatever it is, there’s something about out East that keeps pulling us back.

Next summer we’re planning on doing another road trip out East, and this time we’re changing things up a little… again.

From the people, to the food, to the scenery, to just the general way of life, it’s magical.

To add to the excitement of our road trip to Cape Breton, my husband Jordan has a lot of family out that way and one of my best friends lives in Halifax, so we always try to mix adventure in with time spent with those who mean so much to us.

Travel tip: Meeting up with someone you know, even a vague acquaintance, is so much fun when you’re travelling. When we went to Asia, we met up with my best friend’s sister’s best friend in Malaysia and it was just so much fun. Plus, when you’re away for a while, meeting up with someone who feels close to home can take away some of the homesickness you might feel.

Back to out East. We’ve done this trip quite a few times and we’ve done it differently each time.

One time we did Quebec City (a great spot for kids, although the last time we went I will say it had become very crowded, with so many Canadians trying to stay closer to home) and PEI, which was expensive but AMAZING.

One time we just did Cape Breton and Halifax.

One time we rolled through New Brunswick on the way home because we weren’t sure our car was going to make it after having some car trouble on the way down. But it was awesome because we got to see Jord’s brother Jimmy’s family!

This time, we’re doing something different again. Which I think is a really fun way to keep things fresh when you keep travelling to the same place, even when you love the place.

So we’re going to Saint John, New Brunswick, for two full days. While we’re there, we’ll see family and also have a couple of different adventures. One day we’ll have a Bay of Fundy adventure and check out some things around there. The other day we want to just explore Saint John, including the City Market, waterfront + AREA 506 and Reversing Falls.

After our Saint John hoorah, we’ll be heading to the family cottage in Cape Breton. It’s here that we’ll hopefully have a week of pure family goodness. I’m talking board games, VHS movies, Chase the Ace, food trucks and daily ice cream runs.

This is where we let the kids dip their toes into the ocean. We always check out Pondville Beach (great for crab hunting) and Point Michaud (great for a long beach and fun waves), but this year we might also check out Port Hood or West Mabou Beach too. Apparently, the water at these beaches is warmer and since your girl hates cold water, we may make the trip.

As per tradition, we’ll also check out the Fortress of Louisbourg, which is so much fun for the kids. They get to run around the fortress and pretend they’re soldiers in the 18th century, which is always a memorable time.

To be honest, I’m pathetic at cottage life since when I’m on vacation I always feel like we should be doing something. But I have to remember to slow down and just enjoy the relaxing time. Not a time to plan, not a time to grow, but rather a time to eat lots of junk food, watch movies and read.

Oh, and eat my weight in lobster if I’m lucky!

Now, we’re very lucky because we have the family cottage out in Cape Breton to stay at, but even if you don’t, I hope you make time to go visit. You can rent a cottage or you could tour around the Cabot Trail and stay at lots of adorable places. A few years ago, our in-laws kept the kids and we drove around and ate at so many amazing places. Highly recommend it. And even though it was nice to spend some time alone, it would have been fun with the kids too!

On the way home, we’re stopping in our beloved Halifax, which is one of our favourite places in the world. We absolutely adore the atmosphere there, especially along the boardwalk. It’s just such a beautiful place with so much character and history.

Plus, you can’t beat The Bicycle Thief for lunch on the water. For dinner, you’ve gotta check out Tony’s Famous Donairs & Pizza. It’s legit a hole in the wall, but even years later I’m still dreaming of their garlic sauce.

Last time we were in Halifax, we checked out the Discovery Centre on a rainy day and the kids absolutely loved it. There was lots to do and play with and we spent a happy two hours there.

This year, we’re doing a little bit of exploring outside of Halifax for the first time, which should be fun.

We’re going to Lunenburg + Mahone Bay one day to see the beautiful, colourful towns, and then one day we’re going to Peggy’s Cove + the South Shore to see the famous lighthouse and coastal beauty. Like I said, I love going out East for the tradition, but I like to throw some new twists into it to keep it exciting for us.

After all the buttery lobster we can eat, we’ll begin the two-day drive home. Many families do it in one shot, but I still want to speak to my family at the end of this trip, so we’ll do it in two days.

We often stop in Edmundston on our way home and stay at a hotel with perhaps the sketchiest waterslide I’ve ever seen, but the kids LOVE this thing. Honestly, when you ask them what they liked most about our trip out East, this slide usually tops the list.

It gives me a mini heart attack every time they go down, but it’s okay. It’s all about adventure, right?

RIGHT.

If you’re thinking about heading out East, please do it. You’ll have the best time. And if you’re stuck on what to see or where to go, check out Pinterest. There are loads of ideas there to help you out.

Plus, out East is a place that doesn’t need to be planned out perfectly. It’s a place to just be and explore and go with the flow. A place to breathe in the salty air and just enjoy that East Coast lifestyle.