I’m trying to put into words how much I fell in love with Nova Scotia on this Nova Scotia itinerary: it’s the only trip I’ve ever cried on because it’s so beautiful and I was so sad my husband couldn’t make it on the trip to share it with me!
Because seriously, every breathtaking coastal view, every turn in the road, every rolling landscape and even every cityscape just convinced me even more that Nova Scotia is one of the most underrated places I’ve ever visited and anyone who loves the outdoors, loves the coast, loves great food and charming towns and villages, needs to visit Nova Scotia.
This Nova Scotia 1 week itinerary starts in Halifax, covers the South Shore, heads north to the Annapolis/Wolfville region then around the Bay of Fundy through Truro and Parrsboro before you head back to Halifax.
With some of the most stunning drives including the Lighthouse Route and the Bay of Fundy, exploring by car is your best option for experiencing everything that Nova Scotia has to offer in one week!
A quick note: I visited Nova Scotia as a guest of Nova Scotia tourism. While they sponsored my trip, all views, experiences and opinions are my own.
Lunenburg
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When is the best time to visit Nova Scotia?
Summer is the best time to visit if you want to do outdoor activities and explore coastal Nova Scotia.
I almost titled this post a Nova Scotia summer itinerary because it has a lot of outdoor time and some activities which are more fair weather based. However you could definitely do this Nova Scotia travel itinerary in the late spring, summer and autumn with the right clothing and footwear - it’s just definitely not a winter itinerary!
Nova Scotia is far more temperate than I’d realised (I assumed it experienced winters similar to those across most of Canada) but with winters between 0C to -10C and summers averaging in the 20C-25C range, I found this very comfortable, coming from the UK!
Of course if you’re looking for a winter skiing itinerary then this Nova Scotia road trip isn’t for you. There are also food events, winter markets and winter activities happening at other times of year if that’s what you’re looking for.
But if you’re keen to experience the best of the Nova Scotia outdoors, May-October is a great time to do this itinerary which includes lots of coastal areas, kayaking, biking, wineries and city exploring.
I did this itinerary during the last week of July.
Halifax Waterfront
How many days do you need to visit Nova Scotia?
If you plan to go beyond Halifax, I would say 7 days is the minimum you need to experience a variety of everything that Nova Scotia has to offer.
A day or two in Halifax is fine perhaps if you’re on a long layover or stopping en route to elsewhere. However for Nova Scotia road trips I would suggest allowing at least 7 days.
In an ideal world I would have 10 days there so I could include some more hiking and visit Cape Breton National Park. I’d also love to have done more of the south coast - but that’s what return trips are for!
Lunenburg waterfront
How to get to Nova Scotia?
Halifax is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and also home to the province’s international airport: Halifax-Stanfield International Airport which is about 30 minutes outside the city.
If you’re planning a trip to Nova Scotia, there are direct flights to Halifax from many Canadian, U.S., European and Central American cities. You can find the list of direct flights on their website here.
While there are direct flights from London, I live closest to Manchester so I flew to Halifax via Frankfurt, Germany.
7 day Nova Scotia itinerary: driving route and stops
Because this is such a full-on, active itinerary for Nova Scotia, I’d recommend trying to arrive in Halifax the evening before. This is what I did and it gave me a chance to enjoy dinner and the sunset in the city before having an early night, ready to get started the next day!
Day 1: Halifax
Where to stay: The Westin Nova Scotian
Halifax Harbour
I kicked off my Nova Scotia 7 day itinerary with a full day in Halifax.
Prior to my Nova Scotia trip, I knew very little about Halifax so my goal was to learn as much as possible and see as much as possible in the short time I had.
I started off my morning with breakfast at the restaurant in my hotel: Seaport Social.
Then headed out for a morning walk along the Halifax Waterfront. This morning walk was so gorgeous and genuinely set the bar so high for the trip because this waterfront is beautiful, with sweeping harbour views, colourful Adirondack chairs to sit and enjoy the morning sun and read a book, people out jogging, walking, socialising, everyone was so friendly and happy that I instantly felt like this city was MY VIBE.
Halifax waterfront
There are plenty of stops along the waterfront for coffee or a breakfast bite and don’t miss the art and monuments along the waterfront including the “drunk lampposts” (The Way Things Are art piece), The Wave and the Acadian Monument.
To get my bearings in the city, I hopped onto the famous Halifax Harbour Hopper tour.
I always love to do some sort of city tour when I first arrive somewhere new, so I can get my bearings, see as much as possible in a short time and of course hear some interesting facts and tidbits from a local tour guide.
While most people think the Harbour Hopper is a Duck (DUKW Amphibious Vehicle) the Harbour Hopper is actually a LARC-V (Light Amphibious Resupply Cargo 5) and was built and used by the US military during the Vietnam War.
Of course the big selling point is that you can drive straight from the road, into the water while staying on board the vehicle!
Halifax Harbour Hopper
The tour is 55 minutes and covers the downtown area, goes up to the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, then past the Halifax Public Gardens, along Spring Garden Road then down to the harbour where you splash into the water and learn more about Halifax’s harbour, shipping history, the Halifax explosion and the city’s modern story today.
I’ve never been on an amphibious vehicle before so this was a super fun and unique way to see the city at the start of my trip and obviously the splash into the water was a fun bonus! You can book the Halifax Harbour Hopper here.
The Harbour Hopper drops you back off at the harbour where you started, so you’re centrally located to see and do whatever you want next.
The tour had me really intrigued about the Halifax Explosion (which I’d never heard of before) in 1917 when 2.9 kilotonnes of TNT exploded in the harbour, killing over 1,700 and injuring 9,000 more. It also had me intrigued about prohibition shipping history and the role of Halifax-based cable ships that were some of the first to respond to the Titanic sinking as they were well-versed in navigating deep and ice-covered waters. 209 bodies were brought back to Halifax from the Titanic and 150 are buried in cemeteries in the city.
So if this all has you intrigued, like me, then head over to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic which is just 5 minutes along the waterfront from where the Harbour Hopper drops you off.
Halifax Maritime Museum
Halifax Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Tickets are $9.45 CAD ($5.10 during low season Nov-Apr) and include access to all the fascinating historical exhibits and access to the CSS Acadia which is docked outside - the only ship to survive both World Wars and the Halifax Explosion.
After the museum I headed further down the waterfront to the Halifax ferry terminal and took the ferry across the harbour for a late lunch in Dartmouth. The ferry takes less than 10 minutes to cross the harbour and runs every 15 minutes.
NOTE: the ferry can only be paid for in cash and exact change only ($3).
Straight outside the ferry terminal in Dartmouth, head up Portland Street. This was ironic to me because the area really reminded me of a lot of the cool neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon with lots of indie coffee shops, breweries, eateries, flower shops and independent businesses. All with outside seating and a relaxed, welcoming and alternative vibe.
Dartmouth
New Scotland Brewing
I stopped by a couple of shops and grabbed food, also grabbed a beer at New Scotland Brewing Co. before heading back to the ferry for the rest of the afternoon’s exploring.
I really liked the look of the Halifax Public Gardens and Spring Garden Road when I saw them from the Harbour Hopper, so I walked up there for an hour or so of exploring.
Don’t miss Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica which has the tallest free-standing granite spire in the world. Also check out Halifax Central Library - as a book lover (and someone who previously worked in book publishing) I’m always on the look out for cool libraries and bookstores when I travel, so this was a great stop.
Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica
Halifax Library
Along Spring Garden Road, check out Jennifer’s Of Nova Scotia - a super cute Nova Scotia gift shop which is actually full of such beautiful gifts from local artisans and memorable souvenirs you can take home - none of the tourist tat you often see!
At the top of the road I had a wander around Halifax Public Gardens, the Victorian style gardens date all the way back to 1836 and they are 16 acres of stunning landscaping with a cafe and bandstand. So I found a quiet spot to sit and watch the ducks for a bit before heading back towards the waterfront.
Halifax Public Gardens Park
I had hoped in the late afternoon to do a brewery tour of the Alexander Keith Brewery in downtown Halifax (as a beer lover) but unfortunately on the only day I was in Halifax there were no tours running due to a private event. However I did stop by and get some merch and sample a beer - it’s one of the oldest breweries in the province, dating back to 1820 and you’ll see the beer everywhere. It was loved so much that Alexander Keith himself was even elected as mayor of Halifax in the mid-1800s!
Normally tours run every hour until 7pm. Book a tour here.
I spent the evening back on the waterfront enjoying the sunshine, wandering through the modern Queen’s Marque district and then on to the waterfront eatery area where I had dinner and drinks at The BG Halifax Beer Garden with music playing, enjoying the sunset and watching the Tall Ships sail through the harbour as the sun set.
Halifax BG Beer Garden
Day 2: South Shore drive along the Lighthouse Route to Lunenburg
Where to stay: The Kinley House
Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse
On day 2 you’re swapping city life for the coastal life, driving from Halifax to Lunenburg and wow, this is one of the most stunning drives I’ve ever done.
Known as the Lighthouse Route, it runs from Halifax all the way to Yarmouth, covering 585km. Although you’re only driving 150km of it - don’t worry!!
Make sure you get an early start, these are your stops for the day:
Peggy’s Cove
Cleveland Beach Provincial Park (quick stop)
Queensland Beach (optional depending on weather)
Chester
Mahone Bay
Lunenburg (final stop for the night)
Once you’re out of Halifax, make sure you head for Route 3 - the Lighthouse Route.
Honestly, doing this drive was the first point that I felt emotional at how beautiful it was and that my husband wasn’t there to share it with me (or take pictures out the window while I was driving!).
But the scenery is stunning, you’re driving right along the water for most of today, with the sea lapping at the rocky shore on your left, the most picture-book-perfect colourful East Coast style houses perched on grassy outcrops, blue water stretching in every direction as you weave between the ocean and lakes. Leave plenty of time to just soak in the scenery and enjoy the drive rather than rushing it!
My first tip is to make sure you head out and get to Peggy’s Cove at a decent time, it was already busy by the time I got there at mid-morning (although that was in-part due to the great weather!) and I had to circle around a couple of times to find a parking space!
You can park at the visitor’s centre or drive through the village and park at the lighthouse car park.
Once you’re parked up, head down to the village and enjoy this stunning, picturesque town.
Peggy’s Cove Harbour
Walk along the water and head down to the pier for views of the Saltbox or Cape Cod style houses perched on the rocks above the fishing nets and lobster baskets. You can take a boat trip from the harbour and it’s a great way to see the coast, although it was too windy on the day I visited so it wasn’t running.
Check out the local businesses too, there are a couple of gift shops, a great view from the back deck of the Buoy Shack and lots of food options.
Hunky Dory is great for lobster poutine, or head to Tom’s Lobster Shack - this is the best lobster I’ve ever had in my life - get the naked lobster roll, so it’s not got the mayo, just huge chunks of lobster in butter, spectacular!
Peggy’s Cove
Lobster Roll
Then head up to Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse. You can either view it from the Viewing Platform, or walk up to it over the rocks. Just stay off the black rocks - they are slippery and incredibly dangerous.
It was super windy but beautiful and there was even someone playing bagpipes on the rocks while I was out there!
Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse
After 1-2 hours here, hit the road again and continue southwest along the Lighthouse Route.
The weather was glorious on my visit so I wanted to see a couple of beaches and walk along them (I’m not a lying-on-the-beach person), so if you have good weather and want a beach stop or two, check out Cleveland Beach Provincial Park for a rocky/sandy beach in a cute bay right off the road, or Queensland Beach for white sand and blue water. Queensland Beach was super busy on the sunny day I was there, so Hubbards Beach is another option.
Cleveland Beach Provincial Park
Then continue on along the coastal road to the charmingly underrated town of Chester.
Compared to the busy beaches and Peggy’s Cove on this good weather day, I was surprised to find this picturesque town so quiet - it seemed like I was the only one walking around!
I parked along the water, close to the The Rope Loft restaurant, then went for a walk along the water, down past the harbour, up through the town centre and main street, then back along the water. The houses are stunning, many with private docks tucked into this inlet off the coast. There are shops and art galleries in the village centre and the village itself dates back to 1759!
Chester
It reminded me a lot of the small fishing villages in Cornwall, UK but with East Coast style houses and lots of beautiful yachts! Chester is home to the Chester Race Week that happens every August and is the largest keelboat regatta in Eastern Canada.
Finally head on to Mahone Bay, the town famous for its three churches which stand next to each other on the waterfront.
Three Churches Mahone Bay
Mahone Bay also dates back to the 1700s, founded in 1745, the town is not only scenic but is packed with colourful shops and storefronts in the downtown area.
Park along the water close to the churches and take a walk along the main street, check out the Famous Town Pie Shop for delicious baked snacks, I loved Spill The Tea - a quaint and cosy tea shop, and there’s also The Barn Coffee & Social House for your caffeine kick.
I highly recommend taking the time to stroll along the waterfront and main street. Depending on the time of day, you can continue up main street until you reach Saltbox Brewery - they have a gorgeous outdoor patio area and a food truck. I was driving so couldn’t get a drink but I did buy a couple of cans to go and if you like sour beer, I highly recommend their Gose - called The Way She Gose!
The Barn Coffee & Social House
Mahone Bay Stores
Finally do the last 15 minutes drive to Lunenburg which will be your base for the next 2 nights.
After checking in at the Kinley House, I walked straight into Lunenburg for dinner and a drink at Shipwright Brewing Company which has a great view of Lunenburg Harbour where there was a dance event happening as the sun set - what a day!
Day 3: Lunenburg
Lunenburg Waterfront
Today is all about Lunenburg - one of the best places to visit in Nova Scotia and a must-do on your Nova Scotia itinerary!
Founded in 1753 by Swiss and German immigrants, the town is famous for its heritage ship building industry and rum running in the early 20th Century.
Lunenburg is also one of only two urban communities which are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in North America - the other being Old Quebec. And Lunenburg is designated because it has maintained its original town layout and architecture since the 1800s - 70% of buildings are original!
So start your day early and head into Old Town Lunenburg before it gets busy!
Have a wander along Montague Street and Pelham Street (my favourites for colourful buildings and cute stores) then walk along Bluenose Drive along the waterfront.
I headed for coffee and a breakfast pastry at No9 Coffee Bar which is like a cute, homey house converted into a cafe. Then I of course had to check out the book stores (are you seeing a pattern here?).
Old Town Lunenburg
No9 Coffee Bar
Lunenburg Bound and Block Shop Books are both on either side of the cafe so it was meant to be!
I also popped into the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic which is on the waterfront in an old fishing plant and has a huge amount of information about the history of fishing in Lunenburg as well as old fishing schooners!
At 11.30am I met up with a small group for a Tastes of Lunenburg food and walking tour which lasts 2.5 hours and I can’t recommend it enough. Lunenburg is famous for its food and that’s not just limited to seafood! Our guide, Eric, is a born and raised Lunenburger with so much knowledge and historical information about the town, fun facts and tidbits, information about the development of the industries here and the town’s folklore.
We started at the iconic Bluenose Lodge (you’ll probably have walked past it already) where we started with a seafood chowder which has forever ruined all future chowders for me! It was made with a lobster bisque and it was SPECTACULAR.
Bluenose Lodge
Now I won’t go into loads of detail on the tour and all the stops because they can change slightly with the seasons and also I don’t want to ruin the fun for you, but we sampled local spirits at Tin Roof Distillery, learnt what hodgepodge is and had an incredible bacon, cheddar and apple scone from Hodgepodge bakery, the best haddock bites at Shipwright, stopped at the Salt Shaker Deli and finished with a lobster roll at the Old Fish Factory Restaurant.
Tin Roof Distillery
If you’d like to book this tour, you can do so here - the same company also offers a regular “Essentials Lunenburg” walking tour (without the food bit) so if you’d prefer a tour without the food, a couple on my food tour had done the walking tour the day previous and said it was also incredible.
Obviously I needed some time to digest and right on time, the famous Bluenose II schooner was back in the Lunenburg harbour after its morning sailing. Bluenose II is one of the most iconic markers of Nova Scotian and particularly Lunenburg history. The original Bluenose II tall shop was built in Lunenburg in 1921 and it won every international racing competition for 17 straight years! It’s an iconic symbol of shipbuilding, seafaring and maritime history, so much so that you’ll see it on the Canadian 10 cent coin!
Bluenose Lunenburg Harbour
Aboard Bluenose
Unfortunately the original Bluenose was wrecked in 1946, but this replica was built in 1963 and each summer between June and September, it calls at various ports along the coast of Nova Scotia where you can book a morning or evening sail on it. If you don’t have time for that though, the decks are open to the public for free during the day between sailings, so I was able to hop on board and explore.
Check the sailing and docking schedule here for your trip.
Depending on how tired you are, if you fancy some time to rest and enjoy the view, I highly recommend heading to Lightship Brewery which sits on a small peninsula opposite Lunenburg harbour. Their beer garden has a spectacular view of the colourful Lunenburg waterfront, they have great food and great beer - the ideal place to spend some time soaking in the sun and the Lunenburg life!
Lightship Brewery
If you’re ready for some more sights, an 8 minute drive along the coast from Lunenburg brings you to Blue Rocks - sort of like Peggy’s Cove but without the tourists!
Here you can enjoy a coastal walk, go kayaking and enjoy the stunning coastal hamlet architecture.
Blue Rocks
While I was tempted by a kayaking trip, that’s already on this evening's agenda…
It has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember to see bioluminescent plankton in the water. I know it’s seasonal, rare and only in certain places in the world… but Nova Scotia is one of those places!
I booked a Bioluminescent Sea Kayaking night tour with Cape Lahave Adventures (find the tour here).
If you want to do this tour you will need to book well in advance. Seeing bioluminescence requires complete darkness, meaning that the tour only runs on the New Moon and first quarter moons in the summer months (2-3 times a month) - when the sky is at its darkest and the water is at its warmest.
Cape LaHave Adventures is located at Dublin Shore, along a stunning stretch of rugged coastline, dotted with islands and inlets, perfect for sea kayaking without rough seas! Dublin Shore is around 40 minutes from Lunenburg and you can take the Lunenburg-La Have chain ferry to cross the LaHave river to get there - it’s free, runs every half hour and is a quick and run experience!
The tour itself starts at 8.30pm and you’ll be in a tandem kayak (don’t worry if you’re on your own, they’ll pair you up with someone or one of the guides).
Sea Kayaking
First you head out into the sea and around the islands, it’s still light so no bioluminescence yet! But the scenery is stunning, you can see an osprey nest from the water and it’s so peaceful on the water (even if it’s a bit of hard work on your arms at first, you get used to it!).
Around 9.30pm we headed towards the coastline and into darker coves between islands and the shore and that’s when the water started to sparkle…
I know the pictures you see online are long-exposure pictures with a tripod camera - so please set those expectations before you go out on the kayak - a long exposure and stable camera are not possible when you’re in a kayak on the water! But what I didn’t expect was for it to look like electric shocks.
Every time you put your paddle in the water and agitate the water it’s like thousands of tiny white-blue flashes swarming around your paddle and boat.
I gave up trying to get pictures because it’s just not possible with the moment of the boat (especially because you need to agitate the water yourself to see the glowing) but being in that moment and seeing blue sparkles of water light up around you in the blackness is surreal, otherworldly. I highly recommend doing this if you’re looking for a once in a lifetime experience - it’s undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Nova Scotia and certainly one of the most unique!
The tour is 2 hours long, you’ll get your safety equipment and briefing before you head out and they have a kayak skirt as well as extra waterproof layers if you need them. But I highly recommend taking lots of layers, wear something lightweight on your legs because they probably will get wet - workout leggings worked fine for me. Bring watershoes or sandals if you can. I had about 5 layers on including a waterproof windbreaker and while it’s summer, you definitely need those layers out on the sea at night!
You’ll also need to bring a headlamp and if you get cold ears like me, don’t forget a hat!
Driving back in the dark, taking the chain ferry back I just couldn’t stop smiling - just the most magical experience I’ll never forget!
Day 4: Drive to Wolfville/Grand Pré in the Annapolis Valley
Where to stay: The Evangeline Hotel
Grand Pre landscape
My plan had been to start the drive early and head straight to Wolfville and my hotel at Grand Pré. However I’d spotted a bakery on the La Have side of the river when I went to the kayaking last night and it looked gorgeous and like a great spot for breakfast…
So I sadly left Lunenburg behind and took the LaHave ferry back across the river, which was lots of fun to do again in daylight! And just after where you get off the ferry is the LaHave Bakery.
Boy, am I glad I stopped by!
I had coffee and a breakfast burrito in the cafe but the actual building is huge and is home to the cafe, the full sized bakery, an art gallery, a crafts studio and shop and a bookstore. There’s also a dock out the back, dotted with adirondack chairs to enjoy your baked goods in the sunshine.
I spent longer here than I should have but I’m so glad I stopped by, what a gem!
LaHave Bakery
LaHave bakery Bookstore
Swapping the South Shore for the North Shore, I drove an hour and a half to Halls Harbour Lobster Pound which is in the charming fishing village of Halls Harbour.
This is a great spot to come to because it’s right on the coast overlooking the harbour and the famous Bay of Fundy which has the biggest tidal range in the world!
Halls Harbour Lobster Pound gives you views of the tide and harbour where you can watch the tide either racing in or going out, depending on the time of day you visit you could see water for miles, or you could see the fishing boats resting on the bare harbour floor!
The Bay of Fundy is so huge that the tide times vary depending on where you are in the bay, so if you want to try the famous lobster at Halls Harbour, check their website here for daily tide times (and try the lobster and scallops too!)
Halls Harbour Lobster Pound
Halls Harbour village
From Halls Harbour it’s just a 30 minute drive to Wolfville, so I stopped at Sea Level brewing to pick up a couple of cans, then I had to visit a farmer’s market or two!
The region of Nova Scotia is famous for its wineries but also agriculture more generally. On the main road into Wolfville you can find 4 different farmer’s markets with fresh produce, a garden centre, organic foods, fresh ice cream, artisan crafts and at the one I stopped at: Hennigar’s Farm Market, there’s even goats, chickens and bunnies! I obviously had to get ice cream for my dessert after lunch at Halls Harbour!
Wolfville Farmers Market
Then I parked up in downtown Wolfville and had an hour or so to wander around main street - you can spend longer of course!
I parked right next to Wolfville Waterfront Park which is a lovely waterfront rea for walking in.
There’s so many cute shops, restaurants and cafes that I honestly felt spoilt for choice! Although you’re in wine country, there’s also the Annapolis Cider Company and The Church Brewing Co on the main street here if cider or beer are more your thing.
Wolfville Annapolis Cider
Wolfville
After a long day of driving, I checked in at The Evangeline Hotel and decided the evening would be best spent on foot!
Although the hotel is out of town slightly, it’s a great location for wineries and the Grand Pré National Historic site.
I walked over the road to Domaine de Grand Pré winery - one of the most famous in the area and had the loveliest welcome! Although it was early evening the team let me taste a couple of wines and then explained Tidal Bay to me.
Tidal Bay is a wine that is only produced in Nova Scotia (like how Champagne can only be called Champagne if it’s produced in Champagne, France) and it has very strict criteria which include 100% Nova Scotian grown grapes, not more than 11% alcohol content and must reflect a light, fresh acidity that pairs well with seafood. All variations of Tidal Bay are blind taste-tested by experts to verify the qualities and currently 16 wineries produce a variation of Tidal Bay.
Annapolis Valley Winery
Tidal Bay Wine
I’m not a huge white wine drinker but of course I had to give Tidal Bay a try and it’s genuinely one of the nicest, lightest and easiest drinking white wines I’ve ever had.
I enjoyed a glass in the glorious sunshine and 30C heat on the deck at Domaine de Grand Pré and the staff said I was welcome to wander into the vines and explore the vineyard which I did, heading over to the Grand Pré Heritage Site overlook at golden hour, which is truly beautiful.
The winery also has a world-famous restaurant on site, although I headed back over the road for dinner at the Longfellow Restaurant and the fire pit on the hotel lawn. They also have an indoor pool, sauna and hot tub - literally the perfect way to end a day of road tripping, great food and wine and incredible views.
Evangeline Hotel Wolfville
Day 5: Drive to Parrsboro via the Noel Shore
Where to stay: Gillespie House Inn
The great thing about staying at The Evangeline is not only the proximity to the winery, but you’re only a couple of minutes drive from the Grand Pré National Historic Site which is where I started the morning on day 5 of my Nova Scotia road trip.
The Grand Pré site is the original settlement site of the Acadian people and it’s considered the Acadian’s historic ancestral site. The area is a UNESCO Heritage Site due to the preservation of the Acadian agricultural practices and landscape that are still preserved here.
The site has exhibits about Acadian history which I honestly knew nothing about before coming to Nova Scotia. There is so much information about the Acadian’s history and settlement but also the horrific “Grand Derangement” which was the forced deportation of the Acadian people by the British between 1755-1762.
The Acadian Diaspora is found all over the world from Europe, to South America to the southern US but Grand Pré is still considered their homeland which unfortunately very few were able to return to.
Grand Pre Statue
As well as the indoor exhibition there’s also outdoor gardens to explore including a church and statue of “Evangeline” the symbol of the Acadian story.
The next stop is so exciting because it’s finally getting to see the sheer size and power of the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy has the highest tidal range in the world and twice a day, every day over 160 BILLION tons of seawater flows in and out of the Bay.
My brother works in the renewables industry and has worked in tidal power, I always remember him telling me years ago about the Bay of Fundy and how much he wanted to visit the biggest tidal range in the world. Unfortunately I’ve beat him to it and it was very cool to see the sheer size of such a huge bay.
Another fun fact for us Brits: the Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world after Fundy!
A 1 hour drive along the coast will bring you to Burntcoat Head Park, one of the most famous areas around the Bay of Fundy as it’s where the highest tidal range has been recorded with a variance of 16 metres! That’s a 16 metre difference between high tide and low tide and it’s even in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest tide in the world!
Burntcoat Head Park is free to visit and you can walk on the ocean floor… If you have time, I really recommend going when the tide is out and when the tide is in so you can see the difference. It’s safe to walk on the ocean floor at Burncoat Head Park up to 3 hours before or after low tide, so check the tide times here and you have a 6 hour window in which to see the tide out at Burncoat Head Park.
Burncoat Head Park with the tide out
Burncoat Head Park - same place with the tide in
The day I visited, low tide was at 9.39am, which meant I could safely visit and walk on the ocean floor between 6.39am and 12.39pm. I arrived just before midday so I was able to do that. Then the next high tide was due at 3.38pm, so I only had around 3 hours to kill in the area before then.
There’s walking trails, a lighthouse and gift shop on site for you to check out, as well as facilities if you perhaps want to picnic and wait. Or you can do what I did and drive along the Noel Shore area to explore a bit.
I drove down the road to Maitland and stopped at the Beyond the Wharf Artisans store - a great stop for some souvenirs and they also have a dock out the back with another great view of the bay.
Also in Maitland is the Frieze & Roy General Store which is Canada’s oldest general store and has ice cream! As well as the Mud Slide Cafe right next door if you need a snack.
Okay, so if you like a bit of adrenaline, the Bay of Fundy is one of the few places in the world where you can go tidal bore rafting. The tidal bore happens twice a day and it’s when the surge of the incoming tide creates a wave travelling up the bay or river, reversing the current of the water. Depending on the moon phase and time of the month, these tidal waves can be a fun river rapid-style experience where you head out in a zodiac boat and ride the waves.
Tidal Boat Rafting
If you’re interested in this, there are several Bay of Fundy tidal bore rafting companies to choose from, find them here.
If this doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, I still recommend watching the tidal bore come in - it’s fascinating to literally watch the flow of the river reverse! And this is a great way to kill time while you wait for the high tide to come back at Burntcoat Head Park.
The incoming tidal bore obviously reaches different parts of the bay at different times. I watched it at Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre which is just south of Maitland and on the day I was there it came in at 1.39pm, so roughly 1.5 hours after I was at Burncoat Head Park.
The Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre is a popular spot to watch the bore as it’s also where you can see the bore rafters riding the tidal bore up the river, so I’d recommend arriving 20 minutes before the tidal bore time so you can find a parking space and walk down the path to the viewing deck which is along the Shubenacadie River.
If you haven’t got time to drive there or if you’d prefer to stay closer to Burntcoat Head Park, you can also see the tidal bore at the dock behind the Beyond the Wharf Artisans Store that I mentioned earlier (called Dawson Dowell Park), it arrived there at 12.49pm on the day I was there, so not long after I was walking on the ocean floor an hour earlier!
The Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre shares the tide times for both on their website here and also shares this guidance:
To find the tidal bore time for Dawson Dowell Park (Maitland), add 2 hours 55 minutes to low tide at Burntcoat
To find tidal bore time at Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre (South Maitland), add 3 hours 45 minutes to low tide at Burntcoat Head Park
With high tide at Burntcoat Park being 3.38pm, I got there at 4pm to see how different the area looked - it’s so surreal to see the place I’d walked on the ocean floor 4 hours earlier now covered in metres of water!
Of course this day will be slightly different for your Nova Scotia itinerary as the tide times change every day, you will need to check the times and make your own timetable if you’d like to see both the high tide, low tide and tidal bore.
After a long day or tide watching, I hit the road for the two hour drive to Parrsboro, on the opposite side of the Bay of Fundy. Fun fact: you could cross the bay in a motorboat in around 20 minutes, but it takes 2 hours to drive all the way around!
I stopped at Masstown Market which is well worth a quick stop for a bite to eat, a snack or a sweet treat. It’s like a farm shop which has grown into a full-blown organic, locally sourced supermarket. There’s all the regular supermarket stuff but there’s also an incredible bakery, a cafe, a creamery (get the ice cream), a gift shop, a sandwich bar, home decor and even a lighthouse in the car park!
After finally arriving in Parrsboro, I stayed at Gillespie House Inn, a gorgeous restored farmhouse from 1890. I’ve always wanted to stay somewhere with a gorgeous porch and this was it! The rooms were huge too and breakfast included every morning - the dream!
Parrsboro
Gillespie House Inn
Day 6: Parrsboro area
Kicking off day 6 nice and early with a drive to Spencers Island for an adventure with Local Guy Adventures.
Bay of Fundy
I left before 7am and the hotel very kindly packed me a breakfast box to go - so sweet!
The reason for the early start was because I was doing a fat bike tour (the bikes with the big, fat wheels) on the ocean floor of Fundy Bay, and of course the tide needs to be out for that! With an early morning, low tide, we set out at 8am for a 3 hour exploration of the beach and coastline.
Laurie owns Local Guy Adventures and has lived here in Spencer Island all his life, if there’s anyone who knows about the land, the coast, the water and the ways of nature here - it’s him.
I headed out with him and Caleb, a geologist who had so much information about the rocks, fossils and formation of the Bay and surrounding area! I had hoped to get up to Joggins Fossil Cliffs but there just wasn’t time during this itinerary, but fortunately with his expertise we found fossils on the beach right here and I got my own personal fossil finding experience!
The morning of our tour was misty with low mist hanging over the water, the coastline and the cliffs and it was just magical, even more so because even though it was a group tour, I was the only one there!
Fat Biking Bay of Fundy
Spencer's Island
Fossils in Bay of Fundy
After 3 hours cycling on the beach, we went back to sit on Laurie’s deck, drink homemade kombucha, eat seaweed dried from the beach I’d just cycled on and had homemade sourdough while Laurie and Caleb told me about their life here on the bay. Laurie showed me his crafts: doormats woven from old fishing ropes, sea glass art, wooden buoys, wood carving, the list goes on…
While not part of the tour, these are my favourite travel moments: the impromptu meetings, learning about someone and their life in a beautiful place.
If biking isn’t your thing, Local Guy Adventures also offers boat trips, hiking trips, paddleboarding and wooden tent rental. I wish I had time to do one of their hiking tours or a boat trip to Cape Split - after the videos Laurie showed me, it all looked stunning, so definitely consider one of these alternative tours if biking isn’t for you! Check them out here.
With the mist starting to lift, I headed back out to explore the coast and the afternoon is a great time to see a lot of beautiful places along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy. While the South Shore is charming and beautiful, this part of Nova Scotia feels wild in its beauty.
I drove down to Cape D’or (on the recommendation of Laurie), there’s a walking trail here but the fog was much heavier and it’s also an unpaved track to drive down here, so be warned!
Cape D’or
Driving back along the coast to Parrsboro, I stopped at FORCE: Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy which is free and has a great view of the bay! It shares information about what the research institute is doing to harness the power and energy potential of the Bay of Fundy.
Then I parked up at Ottawa House Museum and took a stroll along the beach here to Partridge Island where there’s a short hiking trail.
Partridge Island beach
While on the beach here at Partridge Island I was looking at the water close to the shore and thinking: “why is the water bubbling?” and it turns out I was seeing the famous Partridge Island “boiling tide” or “bubbling tide” - the only known place in the world where this can be seen!
It happens twice a day as the tide comes in and air trapped in the basalt is forced out by the water, causing bubbles to ride and it to look like the water is bubbling or boiling.
This area is steeped in myth and legend and you’ll hear a lot about the Mi'kmaq people’s god-giant: Glooscap. The native Mi'kmaq people told stories calling Partridge Island "Glooscap's grandmother's cooking pot".
After a full day of exploring, head back to Parrsboro for dinner and drinks at Two Islands Brewing. A few locals also recommended Granny’s Seafood Restaurant or Diane’s for scallops which are both further down the coast and a no-frills, fresh and local seafood spot.
In Parrsboro itself there’s also the Harbour View Restaurant with views of the water.
Day 7: Visit Truro on your way back to Halifax
And just like that it’s day 7!
Truro
Downtown Truro
Truro Church
I had a flight in the evening on day 7 so I still had the whole day to explore on my drive back to Halifax-Stanfield Airport. But if you’re not flying out until the following day, you can enjoy another night around Parrsboro or perhaps add an extra night at another point in your trip.
On the drive back towards Halifax and the airport, consider a stop in Truro which is another popular stop and base for exploring Fundy. You can also see the tidal bore here at Salmon River at the Fundy Discovery Site.
I explored the downtown area a bit and grabbed a bite at The NovelTea Coffee House and Bakery then headed over to Victoria Park.
Victoria Park is a stunning 3,000 acre park in the heart of Truro and dates back 130 years. It’s home to a dramatic gorge, a river, waterfalls, old growth forest and miles of hiking trails as well as picnic areas, sports facilities and event spaces. There’s also an outdoor pool and play area for children.
I didn’t have time to head over to Waddell Falls or Joe Howe Falls, but I did take a walk to Jacob’s Ladder - a 175-step climb to the top! Even on this short trail for the car park I encountered a deer grazing and hopping along the grassy bank next to where I was walking!
Jacobs Ladder Truro
Victoria Park is a totally free spot to visit and a great way to break up the drive back to Halifax.
Summary: Nova Scotia trip itinerary
If you’re even thinking about planning a trip to Nova Scotia: please do it!
While this Nova Scotia one week itinerary only just scratches the surface of everything that this Canadian province has to offer, it’s by far one of the most stunning destinations I’ve ever visited.
With landscapes to rival Switzerland, dramatic coastlines to rival Ireland, stunning fishing villages and architecture to rival Norway, beaches to rival Croatia, hikes and coastline to rival New Zealand, wineries to rival Tuscany and food that honestly was life-changing (I’ve thought about that lobster roll every day since) - Nova Scotia has an unbelievable amount to offer, all in one province that’s perfect to explore in 1 week.
I hope you find this 7 day Nova Scotia itinerary helpful, please let me know if you use it and if you visit, where’s your favourite place?
