Camping in Canada with 9 year old

Hi everyone, i am new to this website. I live in VA. Next summer (09) my 10 year old son and myself would like to take a 3-4 week camping trip. We are currently considering going thru Maine into Canada to see Novia Scotia and Prince Edward Island. I have never been to Canada so don't know if that would be the best route. I am looking for a trip which would be a lot of fun for my son so he would want to explore more of the outdoors. I am not married to Canada so any suggestions are really appreciated. Would like to stay places for several days at a time maybe even a week. We do most of our camping in Shenandoah National Park so would like to see some different scenery. Thanks very much for any information!!! P.S. Will probably be taking a well behaved dog!

Hello to my neighbor to the north,

I have had some great experiences in the outdoors in both Maine and the Michigan UP and can heartily recommend it. It's great to escape the NC-VA heat and enjoy the long, long days and cool temps at higher latitudes. I say go for it.

But, do spend some time and devote some of your planning hours to a study of bug seasons in the Northwoods. If at all possible, plan your trip for a time which is NOT peak black fly season. I believe peak time for black flies is mid-to late June and early July. If there is a more aggressive and aggravating bug on the planet, I'd hate to encounter it. They can literally drive animals crazy and pretty much ruin the outdoor experience for humans who aren't prepared with proper clothing and screened areas and headnets, etc.

As to routes, I can imagine a 10 year-old would enjoy the high speed ferry (I forget the name and towns it connects). For the trip up there, if you're like me and don't enjoy driving in the NYC area, consider heading up to I-81 from whatever part of the Old Dominion you're departing from, keep on it through Harrisburg, to Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, thence east on I-84 across to NY. Depending on your exact departure locale, it'll be some 70-80 miles farther to Newburgh, NY, but the drive through the Poconos and avoiding the NJ Turnpike and all of the NJ-NYC congestion is well worth it.

Enjoy the planning and the trip!

Foy