Nova Scotia: Biking the South Shore

Trip Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent holiday.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Cycling | A classic point to point cycling holiday, staying in a different location each night

Grade & Terrain

This tour is graded easy, with four days of biking and a maximum distance of 26 miles. Daily rides average around 16-22 miles (2-4 hours) along wide multi-use gravel paths. The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

The route follows the Rum Runners Trail for the entire itinerary except the last day’s ride when biking from Lunenburg to Blue Rocks. When biking to Blue Rocks, bicyclists should expect to ride on two-lane, paved back country roads with minimal traffic.

As a shared use trail, travelers are expected to see pedestrians, cyclists, horses and on the rare occasion, ATVs. Bicyclists should also be prepared for riding on gravel, loose rock, dirt and on rainy days, mud.

Navigation

Navigating is easy using the Macs Adventure Navigation App. Your daily rides will be mapped in the app with GPX tracks, route notes and turn-by-turn directions. All of these resources are available to download for offline use, which is recommended as cell service along the Rum Runners Trail can at times be spotty.

You will be provided with local bike shop information in addition to 24/7 telephone support for Macs Adventure should you require assistance.

• 5 Nights in hand-selected B&B's
• 5 Breakfasts
• Private narrated tour of Halifax & Peggy’s Cove
• Bike hire, fitting and orientation
• Baggage transfers
• Transfer to Halifax Stanfield International Airport (day 6)
• Information pack
• Access to route notes, detailed maps, and GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
• 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office

• Travel to Halifax
• Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
• Personal equipment
• Travel insurance (required)

• Additional nights along the route
• Room upgrades (if possible)

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day of the week from May to October. However, we recommend avoiding a Sunday or Monday trip start, as some recommended restaurants and vendors are closed early in the week.

We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalized to ensure availability for specific dates. 

The best time to visit Nova Scotia’s South Shore is May through October. Summer and fall provide perfect weather for outdoor and seafaring activities.

If you are looking to avoid the crowds, we recommend visiting in September and October. March and April are also less crowded, yet the early springtime can often bring in rain showers and misty weather. 

Getting to the Start

By Air

Halifax Stanfield International Airport has flights from international and national destinations.

Rental Car

Upon arrival to the airport, follow signs pointing you in the direction of the rental car agency to pick-up your rental car. Budget, Enterprise and Hertz are some of the many agencies available should you need to rent a car from Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Driving to downtown Halifax takes about thirty minutes from the airport.

Getting from the End

You can return your car and fly from the JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport, located on Cape Breton (approx. 2 hours).

Alternatively, you may want to drive back to Halifax or continue on to additional Nova Scotia destinations. Rental cars can be returned at Halifax Stanfield International Airport or in the centre of downtown Halifax itself. We suggest arranging your preferred drop-off location during pick-up. 

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight stay. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

Equipment

Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a packing list on what to bring. This includes warm and cold weather gear, biking gear, rain gear and lots of other specifics.

Please be prepared by packing all the necessary items for a comfortable trip. If you have any questions about what to take, we'd be happy to share our own top tips and advice.  

Bike Rental

Bike rental is included in the cost of this trip. Bike rental includes a Premium Hybrid Bike (Orpheo), outfitted with a helmet, lock and repair kit. If desired, a touring cycle cross bike, electric bike or even a kids tag-a-long bike can be available at an additional charge. We recommend using the flat pedals included with the premium hybrid rental or bringing your own, but avoiding clipless pedals most commonly used for road bikes and paved surfaces.

Please supply us with your height and frame size you currently ride during booking.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance helps protect your travel investment, your belongings and most importantly you, from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip.