I is one of my personal goals to visit every Canadian provinces, as it is such a wonderful country. So after a belly full of Quebec food, I boarded my berth on VIA Rail’s The Ocean (more on that another day), and relaxed in for an overnight rail journey to Nova Scotia, a peninsula that juts out off Canada’s east coast, dipping down into the Atlantic Ocean. With several friends in the area and having heard nothing but good things, I was looking forward to visiting, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Nova Scotia is very rural – and that’s part of the charm, so many stretches of land nearly untouched. I encourage you to spend some time off the beaten path – which isn’t hard in Nova Scotia, just head towards the coast. However, I’d like to point out a few Nova Scotia sightseeing highlights that you’ll find along your way.
Halifax
No doubt your Nova Scotia sightseeing will either start or end in Halifax, the largest city on the peninsula and home to both the rail terminus from Montreal as well as an international airport. I love Halifax – it has a wonderful feel to it, though I suspect it’s quite different in the winter! A few Halifax favourites:
- The Waterfront: Halifax has one of the world’s longest wooden boardwalk waterfronts; it takes about 20-30 minutes to walk from one end to the other. That is if you don’t stop for ice creams, beavertails (yum!), pizza, snacks, museums, boat and ferry rides, live music, coffees, and the array of other people and things tempting you. What’s the rush? You’ll want to spend a lot of time down here – it’s awesome. FYI, for Titanic lovers, the Maritime Museum is a must.
- Art Gallery of Nova Scotia: Worth going to just to see the Maude Lewis house. This Nova Scotian painter made a powerful impact with her story and her gorgeous works – so much so that her entire (tiny) house is now inside the gallery. Incredible.
- Citadel Hill and Point Pleasant Park: Two opportunities to get some exercise. Citadel Hill is, well, the huge hill in the middle of town that you can’t miss. Point Pleasant is an enormous forest located on the edge of the harbour, popular for dog walking as well as for just getting some fresh air.
- Harbour Hopper: Pretty much anyone who’s been to Halifax has been on this ride a half on land/half in water tour. It’s informative too. If you have children with you, don’t forget to go for a spin on Theodore Tugboat.
I could write an entire article about the food in Halifax – in fact, I will – but don’t miss out on a donair (originally from Halifax), or try nachos. Anywhere. It seems all the local restaurants are in a heated competition to win the coveted ‘best nachos’ award.
August is a great time to visit, as the city hosts their popular busker festival.
Wolfville
Heading to the west coast, your Nova Scotia sightseeing taste buds will get a kick out of Wolfville – that’s because it’s another mini-cultural centre of Nova Scotia. Time your visit for a Saturday morning, so you can enjoy the farmer’s market, where vendors from all around the nearby villages come in to sell their wares (samples available!). This includes some of the wineries, so it makes for a fantastic experience.
Wolfville is also a great place to watch the tides of the Bay of Fundy. These are the highest tides in the world, and it is simply impossible to describe it (but I’ll try). It looks as if a massive swimming pool is being drained/filled. You really can see the shoreline filling up against the coast. For the best places to see the tides, including the tidal bore (a huge wave that comes in with the tide), the Bay of Fundy tourism website has some excellent FAQs.
Along the main street in Wolfville, you’ll find no less than three coffee houses, several popular restaurants, art galleries, ice cream parlours, and other shops. And don’t miss a drive up to the lookout, for some killer views of the bay. As a university town, there’s no shortage of things to do.
Annapolis Royal
Another wonderful Nova Scotia sightseeing stop along Nova Scotia’s east shore is the small village of Annapolis Royal. When I mean small, I meant it – the town is nothing more than one street that wraps around a corner of the Bay of Fundy. But what the town lacks in size it makes up for in hospitality. Some things to do:
- Visit the rose gardens, some of the nicest and probably the largest rose garden in Nova Scotia.
- Walk around the hills of Fort Anne, the oldest fort in Canada. Indeed, many of the buildings in Annapolis Royal, with their very traditional architecture, are some of the oldest buildings in the country.
- Have a coffee and a cake at Lucy Sweets, a wonderful old building with the best coffee in town. Chat up the owner, Tina, who has some great stories about the people and history of Annapolis Royal.
- If you’re hungry, the Garrison House Inn is not only a wonderful place to stay, but they have some of the best fish in town.
- Walk along the boardwalk. It isn’t obvious there is one, as it sits lower than the street level. You can enter from behind the Kings Theatre or behind the Police Station. Sitting on a bench here is the perfect place to watch the sunset.
Digby Neck
If you really want to get “out there,” then take your Nova Scotia sightseeing sights to the extreme and head down Digby Neck. This “peninsula on a peninsula” juts out from the corner of Nova Scotia, and it’s a great place to see wildlife (whale watching is very popular) and enjoy Mother Nature. If you go all the way to the end of the peninsula you can access not one but two islands – Long Island and Briar Island. The lighthouses on the islands are just as iconic as some of the more popular ones closer to Halifax – and there are a few, as historically the area has been plagued by fog and shipwrecks.
Lunenburg & Mahone Bay
After Peggy’s cove, the most popular roadtrips from Halfiax to enjoy some Nova Scotia sightseeing would have to be Lunenburg and Mahone Bay, and for good reason – they’re beautiful bay villages. Lunenburg is an old German town with some incredible architecture – the colours and vividness is stunning – but you’ll also be able to enjoy some great accommodation and hotels as well as food. Top recommendations included the Lunenburg Arms to sleep, and to satisfy your hunger try Sweet Expressions (coffee, cakes), Salt Shaker Deli (pizza, sandwiches), and Large Marge’s (diner food). Mahone Bay is smaller but similar and is known for its iconic churches along the shore. Don’t miss the back harbour trail in Lunenburg – and if you’re feeling overly ambitious, you can actually walk from Lunenburg to Mahone Bay.
Peggy’s Cove
A quick mention for a Nova Scotia sightseeing classic, Peggy’s Cove. This is the most photographed lighthouse in the world – perhaps because it’s simple and sits on top of a sheet of rock that juts out quite haphazardly into the sea. In fact, it is slightly dangerous, as the waves can come pounding and take anyone standing on them out to see. The village is very, very touristy and very crowded, but it is worth a walk around to take in some of the older fishing houses.
Guysborough
My tip for the best place in Nova Scotia, sightseeing or for just relaxing, has to be Guysborough, also know as the Authentic Seacoast. This little village has so much hospitality you won’t know what to think – from the people who wave at you as you drive through town, to the friendly faces in all of the local establishments . Some highlights:
- If you like cakes and treats, then you’ll have to stop into the Days Gone By bakery and ask them for what’s fresh.
- The Rare Bird Pub has some tasty pub food – but they also have a great view of the habour, where you can watch all the happenings going on. There is often a live music, sometimes inside and sometimes the children playing traditional fiddles down along the marina.
- I’m not a golfer, but you don’t have to be to appreciate how beautiful Osprey Shores golf course is.
- The best restaurant in Nova Scotia, I must say, is at the Des Barres Manor, a beautiful manor home turned B&B. With an award-winning wine list, incredible hospitality, and one of the most comfortable beds ever, it is worth the drive to Guysborough just to experience this gem. (You can buy the sheets in their craft shop / art gallery on Main Street. I’m ordering!)
The Cabot Trail
No Nova Scotia sightseeing list would be complete without a final stop in Cape Breton Island, the island just north of the Nova Scotia mainland and connected by a causeway. I don’t think there’s a bad view anywhere in Cape Breton – you’ll either have beautiful lakes on one side of you or blue ocean on the other. From the world’s biggest fiddle in Sydney to stepping back in time to the 18th century at the Fortress of Louisbourg, Cape Breton is amazing. By far the biggest and best attraction is the Cabot Trail, which is highly regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful drives, even more dramatic than other popular drives like the Pacific Coast Highway.
Editorial Disclosure: Portions of this trip were sponsored by Nova Scotia Tourism. This sponsorship in no way affects the editorial content of this piece.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Andy – I lived in Halifax for a year when I was in high school. I LOVED it. You article has me dying to go back. It must be vastly different than it was when I was last there in the very early 1990′s. Love Nova Scotia. Take care – Kristen
In less than a month from now I’ll be a proud citizen of Halifax! Thanks for reminding me of all the beauty that awaits. I’ve lived in the Maritimes before and I travel there every chance I get.
But seeing it through someone else’s eyes is always a delight. Many thanks.
Thanks for the great travelogue on Nova Scotia. I’m planning to visit in October and will be sure to check out the lighthouse and the Days Gone By bakery.
Halifax sounds great! I had no idea they had such a large boardwalk.
Wow – all the Halifax connections! Cool. Enjoy your trip, Jade – tell everyone I said hi!
And Gray, you’d love Halifax. Go. Soon. Before it gets cold
Well Andy, I’m a Halagonian and have visited every place you talk about at least.
Besides making me incredibly homesick, you’re article is both accurate and informative.
Don’t forget the Public Gardens on Spring Garden Road. Also Spring Garden Road is the longest shopping street east of Montreal.
My parents are both from Mill Village, just outside of Lunenburg. When I was kid we would drive down to see my grandparents. Of course there was no fast highway. It seemed like it took over. I knew that once we got over “Wake Up Hill” that we were getting closer. Then, there was real excitement when we arrived at the “Land of the Three Churches” (Mahone Bay.) We were almost there.
Okay, I will stop writing a book here. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Maybe it’s time for me to book a trip home
We stumbled on Grassy Island while in Canso. You can catch a free ferry to this uninhabited island, which used to be a fortress, but now is just paths with interpretive signs about the history. The best part is all the wild berries that grow on the island. Spent more time foraging and gorging on wild blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries than learning about the history.
Great report on your trip to Nova Scotia. We were delighted to welcome you as a guest on the Authentic Seacoast and to share our warm Maritime hospitality with you. Thank you for choosing our special part of Nova Scotia as your tip for the best place in Nova Scotia. We hope you’ll come back for a visit again.
@Authentic Seacoast – looks like Carlo has given me a good reason to come back
We need to get Nancie back out that way too!
My jaw dropped when I saw your pictures. I love Canada’s east coast. It is unique and so friendly. I’d love to take a ferry to all the little spot. New Brunswick has great islands nearby, too. I could love to drive the Cabot Trail! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed my pictures – my jaw dropped every time I saw a new incredible bit of scenery!
I’m glad you enjoyed your trip Andy and allllll the yummy food and millions of little fishing villages
Please come visit me again soon!
xo
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the mention. It was fun chatting with you….just a memory now back in the real world….Sarasota Florida….steaming hot and back to work.
Hope all your travels are filled with wonder!
Tina