Celebrate autumn in Nova Scotia during the 30th Anniversary of the Celtic Colours International Festival, a world-class gathering where music, story, and tradition come vividly alive. Explore Nova Scotia’s storied coastline, from the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove to the colorful harbor town of Old Town Lunenburg. Trace the legendary Cabot Trail through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where autumn hills meet the Atlantic. With multiple festival performances, coastal scenery, and warm Cape Breton hospitality, this journey blends natural beauty with a once-in-a-generation cultural celebration.
Visit iconic Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse
Explore the UNESCO-listed Old Town Lunenburg
Experience the 30th Anniversary of the Celtic Colours International Festival
Drive the Cabot Trail through Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Discover maritime history at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site
DAY 1: WELCOME TO HALIFAX!
Arrive in Halifax and enjoy an introductory tour of this proud seafaring city where historic citadels, working docks, and modern Atlantic energy blend seamlessly. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner and begin your Nova Scotia celebration. D
DAY 2: HALIFAX, SOUTH SHORE
This morning, travel to iconic Peggy’s Cove, where the famed lighthouse stands sentinel against the Atlantic surf. Continue along the scenic South Shore to Mahone Bay, known for its picturesque “Trinity of Churches,” and onward to UNESCO-listed Old Town Lunenburg, founded in 1763 as one of the first British attempts to settle Protestants in Nova Scotia. Visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic to explore the region’s proud maritime heritage before returning to Halifax. B, L
DAY 3: HALIFAX TO BADDECK
Cross the Canso Causeway onto Cape Breton Island, where Gaelic roots and coastal traditions are alive and well. Visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site overlooking Bras d’Or Lake before arriving in the charming village of Baddeck for a three-night stay at homey Gisele’s Inn. This evening marks the beginning of the 30th Anniversary celebration of the Celtic Colours International Festival, a milestone year for one of the world’s most authentic Celtic gatherings. Enjoy dinner and your first unforgettable festival performance (TBD). B, D
DAY 4: CABOT TRAIL, CELTIC COLOURS
Travel the legendary Cabot Trail through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where dramatic cliffs plunge into the Atlantic and autumn foliage ignites the hillsides in brilliant color. Pause at panoramic lookouts and enjoy a boxed lunch surrounded by extraordinary natural beauty. Tonight, immerse yourself again in Celtic Colours’ 30th Anniversary festivities. In community halls, historic churches, and intimate theatres, world-class musicians share the stage with Cape Breton’s finest fiddlers, Gaelic singers, dancers, pipers, and storytellers. Each carefully curated concert offers a rich sampling of living Celtic tradition. B, L, D
DAY 5: CELTIC COLOURS FESTIVAL
Today is devoted to the full Celtic Colours experience. With multiple performances scheduled throughout the day and evening (artist line-up to be announced), you will witness the very best of Cape Breton’s living culture. From soaring bagpipes and driving fiddle tunes to step dancing and haunting Gaelic song, the Festival transforms villages across the island into vibrant cultural stages. To experience Celtic Colours is to be changed by it; not simply entertained, but welcomed into a community where music is heritage, storytelling is sacred, and tradition remains joyfully alive. B, D
DAY 6: BADDECK TO HALIFAX
Bid farewell to Cape Breton and once again cross the Canso Causeway en route to Halifax. Reflect on the music, the landscapes, and the warm hospitality that define this island. Gather this evening for a farewell dinner celebrating an end to this extraordinary Celtic experience. B, D
DAY 7: RETURN HOME
Enjoy a relaxed morning at leisure before transferring to the Halifax airport. B
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Nights 1-2: Delta Hotel, Halifax, NS
Nights 3-5: Gisele’s Inn, Baddeck, NS
Night 6: Delta Hotel, Halifax, NS
Departure Cities:
- St. Louis
- Kansas City
- Springfield, MO
Depart: October 7, 2026
Return: October 13, 2026
Price Per Person:
- DB $4,499
- TP/QD $4,359
- SG $5,249
Price includes roundtrip airfare from STL/MCI/SGF. Please call for other gateway cities.
Valid passport required.
Other General Information
We will send 3 key communications for your tour; “Get Ready” is your email confirmation and initial tour information sent upon registration, “Get Set” email will be sent about two months before departure, “Go” trip documentation mailing is sent via USPS 3-4 weeks before departure and will include your daily itinerary, luggage tags, and final departure information.
Travel Protection is optional but highly recommended and can be purchased until the day before departure. We offer plans through battleface, information about which will be sent with your Get Ready email or can be found HERE.
Unless otherwise noted, your Sunrise Tour includes: Professional Sunrise Tour Director, meals as indicated, local step on guides including gratuity (international tour guide gratuity inclusion vary by tour), deluxe motorcoach transportation with onboard restroom, admission to activities and events as indicated, airfare from designated airports, transportation to/from designated airports from our convenient local pickup points*, luggage handling at hotels when available
We believe tipping is a personal and discretionary interaction between our guests and our staff. A typical gratuity for your Sunrise Tour Director and motorcoach driver may be $6-10 per person, per day on tour. Sunrise Shuttle drivers appreciate gratuities (suggest $5 per person) for excellent service as well. Our staff will not solicit gratuities or pass out envelopes.
We are happy to offer refreshments on most motorcoach travel days on tour. We recommend you bring a refillable water bottle to maintain healthy hydration.
If less than 4 people request a pickup point, we may ask that you choose another pickup point from which to join your Sunrise Tour.
If you would like to join a tour from a city not listed as a departure point, we would love to have you! Please discuss arrangements with our friendly reservation team. From a departure city not listed, typical airfare will be +$100 higher than our published fare for domestic tours, and +$200 for international tours.
If you have a TSA precheck or Airline Rewards numbers, you MUST give those numbers to our reservations team at least 60 days before departure, otherwise they may not be applied.
Preferred seating may not be available on group air. In some cases, seats are not assigned until the airport. Your tour fare includes an economy seat on the flight; it does not include seat selection. Seat upgrades may be available at an additional cost.
To help make our tours the most comfortable in the business, we limit Sunrise Tours motorcoaches to 80% capacity, or 44 passengers on a coach built for 55. We reserve the right to amend this practice.
Your Tour Director will rotate seats on the motorcoach each day of your tour. A single fare does not guarantee two seats on coach; you may be seated next to another friendly Sunrise Tours guest.
Terms and Conditions
Please refer to our policies HERE for more information on our terms and conditions.
