The three eastern Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) are collectively called the Maritimes; a little factoid I learned during my first night in St. John, NB. Here are a few of the other surprises I found along the way:

Nova Scotia:

– Expecting a seaside town full of grays and neutrals? Forget that! I have never seen so many beautifully colored buildings. It seems as if every town has a signature turquoise house.

– According to a roadside sign on the way to Lunenburg, the 3 largest contributors to the Nova Scotia economy are fishing, tourism, and agriculture.

– So many pieces of land for sale! If you were looking to move to beautiful sea-side piece of property, this is the place.

Prince Edward Island:

– The ‘potato capitol” of Canada.

– Looking for an ice cream shop? Keep an eye out for a Dairy Freeze instead.

– P.E.I. is the smallest of Canada’s provinces but has over 50 lighthouses.