Nova Scotia

       

   HISTORY
   LOCAL CULTURE
   LAND & CLIMATE
   PARKS
   GETTING THERE & AWAY
   GETTING AROUND
HALIFAX
   HISTORY
   ORIENTATION
   INFORMATION
   SIGHTS
   ACTIVITIES
   HALIFAX FOR CHILDREN
   TOURS
   FESTIVALS & EVENTS
   SLEEPING
   EATING
   DRINKING
   ENTERTAINMENT
   SHOPPING
   GETTING THERE & AWAY
   GETTING AROUND
   AROUND HALIFAX
SOUTH SHORE
   CHESTER
   MAHONE BAY
   LUNENBURG
   LIVERPOOL
   KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK
   SEASIDE ADJUNCT (KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK)
   LOCKEPORT
   SHELBURNE
   BARRINGTON & BARRINGTON PASSAGE
   BARRINGTON TO WEST PUBNICO
   YARMOUTH
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY & FRENCH SHORE
   CAPE ST MARY
   METEGHAN
   CHURCH POINT TO ST BERNARD
   DIGBY NECK
   DIGBY
   BEAR RIVER
   ANNAPOLIS ROYAL & AROUND
   KENTVILLE
   NORTH OF HIGHWAY 1
   WOLFVILLE
   GRAND PRÉ
   WINDSOR
CENTRAL NOVA SCOTIA
   SHUBENACADIE
   MAITLAND
   TRURO
   ECONOMY
   PARRSBORO
   CAPE D’OR
   CAPE CHIGNECTO PROVINCIAL PARK & ADVOCATE HARBOUR
   AMHERST
SUNRISE TRAIL
   PUGWASH
   WALLACE
   WENTWORTH
   TATAMAGOUCHE
   PICTOU
   NEW GLASGOW
   ANTIGONISH
   CAPE GEORGE
CAPE BRETON ISLAND
   PORT HASTINGS
   CEILIDH TRAIL
   CABOT TRAIL & CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK
   BRA D’OR LAKES SCENIC DRIVE
   NORTH SYDNEY
   SYDNEY
   GLACE BAY
   LOUISBOURG
EASTERN SHORE
   GUYSBOROUGH
   CANSO
   SHERBROOKE
   TAYLOR HEAD PROVINCIAL PARK
   TANGIER
   JEDORE OYSTER POND

When Scottish nobleman Sir William Alexander heard tales of the new world, he noted that there was a New England, New France and even a New Spain. ‘Right,’ he thought. ‘What about a New Scotland?’

Amazingly enough, the plot of land that King James granted to Sir William in 1621, with its emerald highland hills lined by icy seas, looks strikingly like the Scot’s homeland. Today Nova Scotia (New Scotland in Latin) is as Scottish as ever with ubiquitous tartan shops and Gaelic welcome signs, but it’s also part of a lively mix with Acadians of French ancestry, native Mi’kmaw, African Nova Scotians and newer immigrants from around the world.

When it’s summertime, the place to be is outdoors. Gingerbread-like houses, picture-book lighthouses and lapping waves on sandy, wild-rose strewn shores will have you exclaiming ‘cute!’ and ‘quaint!’ at every bend in the road. While Cape Breton Island has endless hiking trails throughout its breath-taking national park (Click here), other more hidden hikes can be found scattered about the province. Around Cape Breton you can kayak near pods of whales, but don’t overlook the area along the Eastern Shore where you can paddle among misty forgotten islands and protected coves. If you don’t want to rough it, head straight to chic, cosmopolitan Halifax for some world-class dining and a rocking music scene.

HIGHLIGHTS

NOVA SCOTIA FACTS

  • Population 932,966
  • Area 55,491 sq km
  • Capital Halifax
  • Nickname Canada’s Ocean Playground
  • Birthplace of Joshua Slocum, first man to sail solo around the world
  • Home to the only tidal power plant in the Western Hemisphere
  • Sunday shopping was only legalized in 2006

HISTORY

From time immemorial, the Mi’kmaq First Nation lived throughout present-day Nova Scotia. When the French established the first European settlement at Port Royal (today’s Annapolis Royal) in 1605, Grand Chief Membertou offered them hospitality and became a frequent guest of Samuel de Champlain.

That close relationship with the French led to considerable suspicions by the British after they gained control of Nova Scotia, and rewards were offered for Mi’kmaw scalps. The Mi’kmaq helped some French-speaking Acadians evade deportation, but starting in 1755 most were sent to Louisiana (where they became ‘Cajuns’) and elsewhere for refusing to swear allegiance to the British Crown (see the boxed text).

Nova Scotia was repopulated by some 35,000 United Empire Loyalists retreating from the American Revolution, including a small number of African slaves owned by loyalists and also freed Black Loyalists. New England planters settled other communities and, starting in 1773, waves of Highland Scots uprooted by the clearances arrived in northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.

Most Nova Scotians trace their ancestry to the British Isles, as a look at the lengthy ‘Mac’ and ‘Mc’ sections of the phone book easily confirms. Acadians who managed to return from Louisiana after 1764 found their lands in the Annapolis Valley occupied. They settled instead along the French Shore between Yarmouth and Digby and, on Cape Breton Island, around Chéticamp and on Isle Madame. Today Acadians make up some 18% of the population, though not as many actually speak French. African Nova Scotians make up about 4% of the population. There are approximately 20,000 Mi’kmaq in 18 different communities concentrated around Truro and the Bras d’Or lakes on Cape Breton Island.

Different aspects of Nova Scotian history are captured in 27 excellent provincial museums. If you’re likely to take in several, it’s worth buying an annual pass (adult/family $40/80) available at all museums in Nova Scotia.

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LOCAL CULTURE

With nearly 8000km of coastline, Nova Scotia’s culture revolves around the sea. Historically, this has been a hard-working region of coal mines and fisheries. The current culture is still very blue collar, but with the decline of the primary industries, many young Nova Scotians are forced to leave their province in search of work.

Perhaps because of the long winters and hard working days, an enormous number of Nova Scotians play music. Family get-togethers, particularly Acadian and Scottish, consist of strumming, fiddling, foot-tapping and dancing. Around 77% of the population claims Scottish, English or Irish heritage, while French Acadians account for about 17%.

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LAND & CLIMATE

The ocean surrounding Nova Scotia tends to keep the weather moderate, with cooler temperatures nearer the coast than inland. Summer and autumn are usually sunny, although the eastern areas and Cape Breton Island are often windy. The entire southern coast from Shelburne to Canso is often wrapped in a morning fog, which may take until noon or later to burn off. Winters can be very snowy but, again, the ocean keeps temperatures from plunging.

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PARKS

There are enough parks in Nova Scotia to organize a month-long tour of the province around them. Extending your trip into the fall when the leaves turn color can be a great alternative to exploring with the summer masses. The famous Cabot Trail wends its way through coastal mountains in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, one of the most dramatic parks in Canada. Kejimkujic National Park in the south can be tackled on foot or by canoe. Both national parks offer some services and rustic campsites year-round. For more information on national parks.

Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, the largest and newest park, offers a true wilderness experience, with rugged hikes and backcountry camping amongst old-growth forest.

Some 120 other provincial parks (www.parks.gov.ns.ca; campsites around $18) include beaches, picnic parks and 20 well-dispersed campgrounds that open in late May or mid-June and close anytime from early September to mid-October. Reservations for campsites can be made by calling the individual park with a credit card after May 1. You can stay up to two weeks in any park. The campgrounds offer a range of sites, including some big enough for RVs, but there is no power and no water hookups. With no hum of generators, provincial parks are ideal for tenters.

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GETTING THERE & AWAY

AIR

Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and Westjet have daily flights from Toronto (round-trip from $240 to $575 depending on the season) and several flights a week from Montréal to Halifax (round-trip $158 to $350 depending on the season).

BUS

Acadian Lines (902-454-9321, 800-567-5151; www.acadianbus.com) provides a bus service through the Maritimes and connects to the rest of Canada and the USA via Greyhound (Click here). From Halifax, destinations include Toronto ($180, 26 hours, daily), Montreal ($142, 18 hours, once daily) and Bangor, Maine ($80, 10½ hours, once daily), where there are connections for Boston and New York. All prices for Acadian Lines trips are tax-inclusive, and there are discounts for children five to 11 years (50%), students (15%) and seniors (25%).

Contactable through Acadian Lines, Trius Lines (902-454-9321, 800-567-5151) travels along the South Shore from Halifax to Yarmouth ($50, 5½ hours, daily) with connections to the ferries (below). There are discounts for students (15%) and seniors (25%) and for purchasing return tickets.

BOAT

New Brunswick

Bay Ferries (888-249-7245; www.bayferries.com; adult/child 0-5 yrs/child 6-13 yrs/senior $40/5/25/30, car/bicycle $100/20) has a three-hour trip from Saint John, New Brunswick, to Digby. Off-season discounts and various packages are available.

Newfoundland

Marine Atlantic (800-341-7981; www.marine-atlantic.ca) operates ferries year-round to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, from North Sydney (adult/child 5-12yr/child under 5 $27.50/13.75/free, per car/motorcycle $78/39.50). Daytime crossings take between five and six hours, and overnight crossings take about seven hours. Cabins and reclining chairs cost extra. In summer, you can opt for a 14-hour ferry ride (adult/child 5-12/child under 5 $77/38.50/free, per car/motorcycle $160/80) to Argentia on Newfoundland’s east coast. Reservations are required for either trip.

Prince Edward Island

Northumberland Ferries (902-566-3838, 888-249-7245; www.peiferry.com; adult/child under 12 $14/free, vehicle incl passengers/bike $59/19) cruises the one hour between Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island (PEI), and Caribou, near Pictou, up to nine times daily. You only pay when leaving PEI so it’s slightly cheaper to arrive by ferry then to exit PEI via the Confederation Bridge. No reservations are required, but it’s wise to show up half an hour before the sailing.

USA

Bay Ferries operates the high-speed Cat (888-249-7245; www.catferry.com; early Jun–mid-Oct) catamarans. Ferries skate across the water from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth (adult/child 6-13 yrs/child under 6 US$63/43/free, car/motorcycle/bicycle US$105/75/11) in less than three hours and it takes five and a half hours to travel from Portland to Yarmouth (adult/child 6-13 yrs/child under 6 US$89/59/free, car/motorcycle/bicycle US$149/105/18).

TRAIN

VIA Rail runs services between Montréal and Halifax (one-week advance purchase adult/child two to 11 years $150/75, 21 hours, daily except Tuesdays) with stops in Amherst (advance purchase adult/child $120/60, 17 hours from Montréal) and Truro (advance purchase adult/child $128/64, 18 hours). Students pay the same as adults with no need for advance purchase; adult discount fares may sell out so it’s best to book as early as possible.

NOVA SCOTIA ITINERARIES

Two Days

Get lost in downtown Halifax (below). If it’s Saturday, foot traffic will lead you to Halifax Farmers’ Brewery Market where you can grab a coffee, fresh baked goods or seasonal fruit. From here, stroll across the waterfront boardwalk to Alexander Keith’s Brewery for a rollicking brewery tour. If the Bluenose II is in port and take a cruise under sail around the harbor.

The next day, head south to Prospect and Peggy’s Cove.

One Week

Follow the two-day itinerary, then keep going south to Mahone Bay and historic Lunenburg for a Lobstermen Tour to learn hands-on about Nova Scotia’s most divine shellfish. Hike the Kejimkujic Adjunct for the day before driving to Annapolis Royal to tour historic gardens and the Fort Anne graveyard by night.

Two Weeks

Follow the two-day itinerary, then drive to Cape Breton Island. Take in some live music in Mabou and Chéticamp then explore Cape Breton Highlands National Park, leaving time for whale-watching from Pleasant Bay. Continue around the island via St Ann’s Loop and Glace Bay to Louisbourg. Return to Halifax, with a quick stop to ride the Tidal Bore at Maitland.

Wet & Wild

Besides the fact that you’re never more than 56km away from the sea, Nova Scotia, is literally teeming with lakes. So get into it and onto it, but brace yourself for a little chill. This itinerary could be done in a week to ten days.

Start easy by touring the warm and wooded Kejimkujic National Park by canoe for two days before driving to Maitland for a heart racing tidal bore rafting trip. Next wind your way to Tangier to take a one- to five-day kayak tour along the deserted, peaceful Eastern Shore islands. Now you’re ready to really plunge in, with a half- or full-day surf camp at Lawrencetown Beach. Spend the next day surfing on your own with your extra day of equipment rental.

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GETTING AROUND

Renting a car is certainly the easiest way to get around and can be more economical than taking the bus. Shuttle buses are another alternative (Click here). Distances are very manageable; you can easily stay in the Annapolis Valley and do day trips to the South Shore and vice versa. The longest drive most people will do is the four-hour haul to Cape Breton Island from Halifax.

The direct route to most places will be on a 100-series highway (eg 101, 102, 103), which have high speed limits and limited exits. There is usually a corresponding older highway (eg 1, 2, 3) that passes through communities and has varying speed limits, but none higher than 80km/h. The Trans-Canada Hwy (Hwy 104/105) cuts directly across the province from Amherst to Sydney without passing through Halifax. Other backroads snake across rural Nova Scotia, usually numbered 200 to 299 when traveling vaguely east–west and 300 to 399 going north–south. You’ll find more potholes than gas stations along these.

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HALIFAX

pop 360,000

Halifax is the kind of town that people flock to, not so much for the opportunities, but for the quality of life it has to offer. Sea breezes off the harbor keep the air clean and parks and trees nestle between heritage buildings, cosmopolitan eateries and arty shops. Several universities keep the population young and the bars and nightclubs full. Stroll the historic waterfront, catch some live music and enjoy the best of what the Maritimes have to offer. In summer, never ending festivals ignite the party ambiance that much more.

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HISTORY

Pirates, Indians, waring colonialists and exploding ships make the history of Halifax read like an adventure story. The name the Mi’kmaq gave present-day Halifax, Che-book-took, translates as ‘great long harbor’ and the British eagerly took advantage of its potential as a port. From 1749, when Edward Cornwallis founded Halifax along what is today Barrington Street, the settlement expanded and flourished. The complete destruction of the French fortress at Louisbourg in 1760, increased British dominance and sealed Halifax as Nova Scotia’s most important city.

In the early 1800s the growing port town became home to Saint Mary’s University, followed shortly after by Dalhousie University. Despite being a seat of higher education, Halifax was still a rough and ready sailor’s nest that, during the War of 1812 became a center for Privateer black market trade. As piracy lost its government endorsement, Halifax sailed smoothly into a mercantile era, and the city streets (particularly Market and Brunswick Streets) became home to countless taverns and brothels.

On April 14, 1912, three Halifax ships were sent in response to a distress call; the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic had hit an iceberg. Over 1500 people were killed in the tragedy and many were buried at Fairview Cemetery, next to the Fairview Overpass on the Bedford Highway.

During WWI in 1917 the Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship carrying TNT and highly flammable benzol, collided with another ship. The ‘Halifax Explosion,’ the world’s biggest man-made explosion prior to A-bombs being dropped on Japan in 1945, ripped through the city. More than 1900 people were killed and 9000 injured. Almost the entire northern end of Halifax was leveled and many buildings and homes that were not destroyed by the explosion burned to the ground when winter stockpiles of coal in the cellars caught fire.

Halifax faced its most natural disaster in September 2003 when the 185km/h winds of Hurricane Juan ripped out thousands of trees, severely damaged buildings and scarred Halifax forever. Despite the violence of the storm only eight people were killed.

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ORIENTATION

The downtown area, three universities and older residential neighborhoods are contained on a compact peninsula cut off from mainland Halifax by an inlet called the North West Arm. Almost all sights of interest to visitors are concentrated in this area, making walking the best way to get around. Point Pleasant Park is at the extreme southern end of the peninsula, and the lively North End neighborhood – home to African Nova Scotians, art-school students and most of Halifax’s gay bars – stretches from the midpoint to the northern extreme.

Two bridges span the harbor, connecting Halifax to Dartmouth and leading to highways north (for the airport) and east. The MacDonald Bridge at the eastern end of North St is closest to downtown. The airport is 40km northwest of town on Hwy 102.

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INFORMATION

Bookstores

Internet Access

Media & Internet Resources

The Coast, a free weekly publication available around town, is the essential guide for music, theater, film and events.

Medical Services

Money

Bank branches cluster around Barrington and Duke Sts.

Post

Tourist Information

Check out posters for performances and events on the bulletin boards just inside the door of the Spring Garden Road Memorial Library.

DON’T MISS

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SIGHTS

Historic Downtown

CITADEL HILL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Canada’s most visited national historic site, the huge and arguably spooky Citadel (902-426-5080; off Sackville St; adult/child/senior/family $9/4.50/7.75/22.50 Jun-Aug, 30% discount May & mid-Sep-early Nov; 9am-6pm Jul & Aug, to 5pm rest of year) is an is a star-shaped fort on top of Halifax’s central hill. Construction began in 1749 with the founding of Halifax; this version of the Citadel is the fourth, built from 1818 to 1861. Guided tours explain the fort’s shape and history. The grounds inside the fort are open year-round, with free admission when the exhibits are closed.

KHYBER CENTRE FOR THE ARTS

This historic building was saved from demolition by community activists and converted into an artist-run center (902-422-9668; www.khyberarts.ns.ca; 1588 Barrington St; admission free; 11am-5pm Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat, 11am-10pm Thu) with several galleries. It’s a great place to touch base with emerging artists.

OTHER SIGHTS

At the corner of Barrington and Bishop, the Old Burying Ground is the final resting place of some 12,000 people buried between 1749 and 1843. A display points out graves of historical significance. Across the street is St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica (902-423-4116; 1508 Barrington St; free tours 10am & 2pm Jul-Sep), which purportedly has the largest free-standing granite spire in North America.

After Charles Dickens visited the Nova Scotia legislature in 1842, he wrote ‘it was like looking at Westminster through the wrong end of a telescope.’ Province House (902-424-4661; 1726 Hollis St; guided tours free; 9am-4pm Mon-Fri Sep-Jun, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Jul & Aug), which is a fine example of Georgian architecture, was the first legislature in a British colony to win local self-government.

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (902-424-7542; www.agns.gov.ns.ca; 1723 Hollis St; adult/child 6-17 yrs/student/family $12/3/5/25, by donation 5-9pm Thu; 10am-5pm Fri-Wed, to 9pm Thu) is housed in the impressive Dominion Building (c 1868). Exhibits change, so make sure you’re interested in what’s on before parting with your cash. Free tours are given at 2pm Sunday year-round, daily during July and August.

Off the pedestrian area on Granville St, the Anna Leonowens Gallery (902-494-8184; 1891 Granville St; admission free; 11am-5pm Tue-Fri, noon-4pm Sat, show openings 5:30-7:30pm Mon) shows work by students and faculty of the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design. The gallery is named for the founder of the college, who was immortalized in The King and I for her relationship with the King of Siam.

Established in 1749 with the founding of Halifax, Anglican St Paul’s Church (902-429-2240; 1749 Argyle St; admission free; 9am-4pm Mon-Fri) once served parishioners from Newfoundland to Ontario. Across the square, Halifax’s City Hall is a true gem of Victorian architecture.

Mary E Black Gallery (902-424-4062; www.craft-design.gov.ns.ca; 1683 Barrington St; admission free; 10am-9pm Mon-Thu, 10am-4pm Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun), in the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft & Design, has changing exhibits by Nova Scotian craftspeople.

At the top of George St, at Citadel Hill, the Old Town Clock has been keeping time for 200 years. The inner workings arrived in Halifax in 1803 after being ordered by Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.

Waterfront Boardwalk

HISTORIC PROPERTIES

The Historic Properties is a group of restored buildings on Upper Water St, built between 1800 and 1905. Originally designed as huge warehouses for easy storage of goods and cargo, they now house shops, boutiques, restaurants and bars and are connected by the waterfront boardwalks. Artisans, merchants and buskers do business around the buildings in the summer.

The 1814 Privateer’s Warehouse is the area’s oldest stone building. The privateers were government-sanctioned and -sponsored pirates who stored their booty here. Among the other vintage buildings are the wooden Old Red Store – once used for shipping operations and as a sail loft – and Simon’s Warehouse, built in 1854.

A tour of Alexander Keith’s Nova Scotia Brewery (902-455-1474; www.keiths.ca; The Brewery Market, 1496 Lower Water St; adult/child/senior/family $15/6/12/36; 11am-8pm Mon-Thu, 11am-9pm Fri &Sat, noon-4pm Sun late May-Oct, 5-8pm Fri, noon-8pm Sat, noon-4pm Sun rest of year) brings you to nineteenth century Halifax via costumed thespians, quality brew and some dark corridors. Finish your hour-long tour with a party in the basement pub complete with beer on tap and ale inspired yarns. Note that you’ll need your ID. (Kids are kept happy with lemonade.)

MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC

Part of this fun waterfront museum (902-424-7490; http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma; 1675 Lower Water St; adult/child 6-17 yrs/senior/family $8.50/4.50/7.50/17, ½price Nov-Apr; 9:30am-5:30pm Wed-Mon, to 8pm Tue Jun-Sep, 9:30am-5:30pm Mon & Wed-Sat, to 8pm Tue, 1-5:30pm Sun May & Oct, 9:30am-5pm Wed-Sat, to 8pm Tue, 1-5pm Sun Nov-Apr) was a chandlery, where all the gear needed to outfit a vessel was sold. You can smell the charred ropes, cured to protect them from saltwater. There’s a wildly popular display on the Titanic and another on the Halifax Explosion. The 3-D film about the Titanic costs $5. Outside at the dock you can explore the CSS Acadia, a retired hydrographic vessel from England.

The last WWII corvette HMCS Sackville (adult/child $3/2; 10am-5pm Jun-Sep) is docked nearby and staffed by the Canadian Navy.

PIER 21 CENTRE

Named by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) as one of the seven wonders of Canada, Pier 21 was to Canada what Ellis Island was to the USA. Between 1928 and 1971 over a million immigrants entered Canada through Pier 21. Their stories and the historical context that led them to abandon their homelands are presented in this museum (902-425-7770; http://pier21.ca; 1055 Marginal Rd; adult/child/student/family $8.50/5/6/21; 9:30am-5:30pm May-Nov, 10am-5pm Tue-Sat Dec-Mar). Researchers fanned out across Canada to get first-hand testimonials from immigrants who passed through Pier 21. These moving videos are shown in screening rooms off a railcar – bring your hankie.

North End

The North End has been a distinct neighborhood for almost as long as Halifax has existed. The town center was still within palisades in the early 1750s when the ‘North Suburbs’ became popular because of its larger building lots.

The Admiral of the British navy for all of North America was based in Halifax until 1819 and threw grand parties at Admiralty House, now the Maritime Command Museum (902-427-0550 ext 6725; 2725 Gottingen St; admission free; 9:30am-3:30pm Mon-Fri). Apart from the beautiful Georgian architecture, the museum is worth a visit for its eclectic collections: cigarette lighters, silverware and ships’ bells, to name a few.

St George’s Round Church (902-423-1059; http://collections.ic.gc.ca/churchandcommunity; 2222 Brunswick St), built in 1800 according to the design specifications of the Duke of Kent, included separate seating areas for naval and civilian congregants. A rare circular Palladian church with a main rotunda 18m in diameter, it was damaged by fire in 1994. Tours are by arrangement. Tours of the 1756 Little Dutch Church (2405 Brunswick St), the second-oldest building in Halifax, can also be arranged through St George’s. The Cornwallis St Baptist Church (5457 Cornwallis St) has been serving African Nova Scotians since the 1830s. Walk by on Sunday morning and hear the gospel music overflow its walls.

Halifax Public Gardens

At the corner of Spring Garden Rd and South Park St, these are considered the finest Victorian city gardens in North America. Oldies bands perform off-key concerts in the gazebo on Sunday afternoons in summer, tai chi practitioners go through their paces, and anyone who brings checkers can play on outside tables.

Point Pleasant Park

Some 39km of nature trails, picnic spots and the Prince of Wales Martello Tower – a round 18th-century defensive structure – are all found within this 75-hectare sanctuary, just 1.5km from the city center. Trails around the perimeter of the park offer views of McNabs Island, the open ocean and the North West Arm. Bus No 9 along Barrington St goes to Point Pleasant, and there’s ample free parking off Point Pleasant Dr.

McNabs Island

Fine sand and cobbled stone shorelines, salt marshes, abandoned military fortifications and forests paint the scenery of this 400-hectare island in Halifax harbor. Staff of the McNabs Island Ferry (902-465-4563; http://mcnabsisland.com; Government Wharf; round-trip ticket adult/senior & child $10/8; 24hr) will provide you with a map and an orientation to 30km of roads and trails on the island. For camping reservations contact the Department of Natural Resources (902-861-2560; www.parks.gov.ns.ca/mcnabs.htm). The ferry runs from Fisherman’s Cove in Eastern Passage, a short drive through Dartmouth. When the ferry staff are not too busy, they’ll pick you up in Halifax for the same fare. Another option to get to McNabs is the harbor taxi (902-830-3181; round-trip fare for up to 8 people $60), based at Cable Wharf.

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ACTIVITIES

Cycling

Cycling is a great way to see sites on the outskirts of Halifax – you can take bikes on the ferries to Dartmouth or cycle over the MacDonald Bridge. Velo Bicycle Club (www.velohalifax.ca; membership $45) organizes several rides each week; see the website.

Pedal & Sea Adventures (902-857-9319, 877-772-5699; www.pedalandseaadventures.com; per day/week incl tax $35/140) will deliver the bike to you, complete with helmet, lock and repair kit. They also lead good-value tours; one-/two-day trips including taxes and meals cost $105/235 and offer self-guided tours from $69.

Hiking

There are both short and long hikes surprisingly close to downtown. Hemlock Ravine is a 197-acre, wooded that has five trails, suitable for all levels. To get there take the Bedford Highway from central Halifax then turn left at Kent Ave – there is parking and a map of the trail at the end of this road. See www.novatrails.com for more detailed trail descriptions and directions to other trailheads. There’s also hiking in Point Pleasant Park (left) and on McNabs Island (left).

Kayaking

Ideally you’ll do this further away from polluted Halifax harbor. But if you can’t wait to get on the ocean, try Sea Sun Kayak Adventures (902-471-2732; www.paddlenovascotia.com; St Mary’s Boat Club, 1741 Fairfield Rd, off Jubilee Rd), which offers enjoyable day-long tours ($85) of sites along the sheltered North West Arm. They also have a second location in Terrence Bay, a short drive from Halifax, that rents kayaks (half-/full-day $40/58) and offers a range of other trips. Their ‘Kayak Bus’ will pick up paddlers.

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HALIFAX FOR CHILDREN

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TOURS

Murphy’s on the Water (902-420-1015; www.murphysonthewater.com; 1751 Lower Water St) runs a range of tours on Halifax harbor, from deep-sea fishing and two-hour scenic cruises, to the popular Harbour Hopper Tours (55min tours adult/child under 7/child 8-15 yrs/family $23/8/14/66) on an amphibious bus.

There are several other options on sea and land:

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FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Halifax is most vibrant during its jovial festivals. Check out volunteering opportunities through festival websites.

LOCAL VOICE

Twelve Stories (Michael Armstrong)

Born and raised in Halifax, Michael fell off a twelve-story (72m) high quarry in 1992 breaking nearly every bone in his body. Although told he would never walk again, he rehabilitated himself and, since 1998, has been walking around Halifax nearly every day of the year selling flowers; he’s known locally as ‘Twelve Stories.’

Secret spots around Halifax? Ask one of the guides in St Paul’s Church to show you the ‘face in the window.’ It’s been preserved and people think that the mark was made by someone hitting that high-up window during the Halifax explosion.

Why Halifax? The whole city is set up for people with disabilities so it’s easy to get around. It’s small too, so everyone knows me and people are looking out for each other.

And your flowers? People say you haven’t really been to Halifax till you’ve bought a flower from Twelve Stories! But sometimes I give them away to pretty girls.

TOP FIVE NOVA SCOTIAN SHINDIGS

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SLEEPING

Budget

HI Nova Scotia (902-422-3863; www.hihostels.ca; 1253 Barrington St; member/nonmember dm $19/25, r $50; check-in 2pm-midnight) Expect a dark and dormy night and a bright and cheery do-it-yourself breakfast at this exceptionally central 75-bed hostel. Staff is friendly, the shared kitchen lively and the house Victorian. Reserve ahead in summer.

Halifax Backpackers Hostel (902-431-3170, 888-431-3170; www.halifaxbackpackers.com; 2193 Gottingen St; dm/d/f $20/50/65; ) Co-ed dorms at this hip, 36-bed North End hostel hold no more than six beds. It’s a funky, young crowd and everyone congregates at the downstairs café to swill strong coffee, eat cheap breakfasts and mingle with the eclectic local regulars. City buses stop right in front, but be warned: it’s a slightly rough-edged neighborhood.

Dalhousie University (902-494-8840; www.dal.ca/confserv; s/d $40/65; mid May-Mid Aug; ) Dorm rooms with shared bath are nearly sterile (read: posterless, and beer bottle-free). Howe Hall (6230 Coburg St) is adjacent to all the included university amenities, but Gerard and Shireff Halls (5303 Morris St) are closer to downtown. Check the website for student and senior rates.

Marigold B&B (902-423-4798; www.marigoldbedandbreakfast.com; 6318 Norwood St; r $65; ) Feel at home in this artist’s nest full of bright floral paintings and fluffy cats. It’s in a tree-lined residential area in the North End with easy public transport access.

Midrange

Fresh Start B&B (902-453-6616, 888-453-6616; freshstart@ns.sympatico.ca; 2720 Gottingen St; r incl breakfast $90-125; ) Run by two retired nurses, this majestic yet lived-in-feeling, Victorian is in a quiet part of the North End. Rooms with en suite bath are the best value. The B&B is gay friendly.

Verandah B&B (902-494-9500; www.theverandahbb.com; 1394 Edward St; d/ste $95/125) Like a country cottage in the heart of downtown, this B&B adds a splash of color to its shady residential street. The owner is an opinionated Newfoundlander who isn’t afraid to speak her mind so mind your Ps and Qs.

Waverley Inn (902-423-9346, 800-565-9346; www.waverleyinn.com; 1266 Barrington St; d incl breakfast $125-239; ) Every room here is furnished uniquely and nearly theatrically with antiques and dramatic linens. Both Oscar Wilde and PT Barnum once stayed here and probably would again today if they were still living. The downtown location can’t be beat.

Pepperberry B&B (902-479-1700, 877-246-3244; www.pepperberryinn.com; 2688 Joseph Howe Dr; r $140-250; ) This huge 1915 home retains most of it’s original features such as tiger maple cabinetry and paneling. Charming British owners have managed to perfectly balance the decoration between heritage and bright and comfortable. The B&B is out of town at the turn off to Peggy’s Cove but public transport from here into downtown is a breeze.

Halliburton House Inn (902-420-0658; www.halliburton.ns.ca; 5184 Morris St; r $145-350; ) Pure, soothing class without all that Victorian hullabaloo can be found at this exceedingly comfortable and well-serviced historic hotel right in downtown.

Top End

Lord Nelson Hotel (902-423-5130, 800-565-2020; www.lordnelsonhotel.com; 1515 South Park St; d $155-259; ) When rock stars (such as The Rolling Stones) come to Halifax, they stay here. It’s an elegant, yet not stuffy 1920s building right across from Halifax Public Gardens. Rates drop dramatically in the off-season.

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EATING

Bars and pubs (Click here) often serve very good food; kitchens close around 10pm.

Budget

Dío Mío Gelato (902-492-3467; 5670 Spring Garden Rd; meals $5-8; 8am-10pm Mon-Fri, noon-10pm Sat & Sun) Get cheap sandwiches and creamy gelato but you’ll have to wait in line on sunny days.

Heartwood Vegetarian Cuisine & Bakery (902-425-2808; 6250 Quinpool Rd; light meals from $5; 10am-8pm Mon-Sat) Try the local organic salad bar or amazing baked goods along with a cup of fair trade coffee.

If you’re not fussed about ambience, get surprisingly authentic Indian, Korean, Italian food and more for around $5 a plate, at the Scotia Square Mall food court (cnr Barrington & Duke Sts). The Haligonian favorite here is Ray’s Falafel (902-492-0233; 8am-6pm Mon-Wed, 8am-9pm Thu & Fri, 9am-6pm Sat).

Midrange

Harbourside Market (Historic Properties, 1869 Upper Water St; meals $9-12; 7am-9pm Mon-Thu, 7am-10pm Fri, 7:30am-10pm Sat, 7:30am-9pm Sun) The six separate restaurant stalls here serve everything from pizzas to seafood. A deck overlooking the harbor makes the ambience a hit and a brewpub offers a selection of lagers and ales.

Sweet Basil (902-425-2133; 1866 Upper Water St; lunch mains $8-18, dinner $18-20; 11:30am-10pm) A chic choice for lunch if you’re wandering the waterfront, this country-cute French-feeling bistro serves affordable, creative gourmet fare and has a special kitchen reserved for the indulgent desserts.

Epicurious Morcels (902-455-0955; Hydrostone Market, 5529 Young St; mains around $12; 11:30am-8pm Tue-Thu, 10:30am-8pm Fri & Sat, 10:30am-2:30pm Sun) The specialities here are smoked salmon, gravad lax (dill-cured salmon) and unusual but extremely tasty homemade soups. The rest of the internationally inspired menu is also fantastic.

Salvatore’s Pizzeria (902-455-1133; Hydrostone Market, 5541 Young St; lunch daily, dinner Tue-Sun) Considered by many to the best pizza in Halifax, try the thin-crust Miguel if you love garlic. At lunchtime you can get pizza by the slice.

Bubble’s Mansion & Eatery (902-405-4505; 5287 Prince St; mains around $13; lunch & dinner) Bubbles is like a shrine to shopping carts with shiny specimens welcoming you at the door, hanging from the ceiling and even caddying condiments. The black-and-blue warehouse-style lounge is owned by Mike Smith who plays Bubbles, a cat-loving vagrant, on the Canadian TV show Trailer Park Boys. Even if you don’t know the show, stop in for a tasty lobster grilled cheese sandwich or spicy beef Thai salad. Alternately, hang out with the college party crowd that pack in Thursday and weekend nights.

Sushi Shige (902-422-0740; 5680 Spring Garden Rd; meals from $14; 11:30am-2pm Tue-Fri, 5:30-10pm Mon-Sat) Excellent sushi with superb presentation. Try the ‘sushi pizza’ on a sort of fried rice cake served with a spicy sauce – sounds gross, tastes great.

Jane’s on the Common (902-431-5683; 2394 Robie St; mains $14-18; lunch Tue-Fri, dinner Tue-Sun, brunch Sat & Sun) The shiny black diner-style tables fill up early at this increasingly popular eatery. Try a delectable starter such as the warm caramelized tomato and ricotta tart ($6.50) or seared scallop bruchetta ($7) then move on to to-die-for mains such as a sesame-crusted salmon filet with soy-lemon-maple glaze. Divine!

Wooden Monkey (902-444-3844; 1685 Argyle St; mains $15-20; 11am-10pm) The monkey was modeled with wood salvaged from Hurricane Juan and is decorated with recycled furniture and local art. The result is a dark, cozy nook with outdoor sidewalk-side seating on sunny days. The restaurant adamantly supports local organics and is a fab place to get superb gluten-free and vegan meals as well as humane meat dishes.

Il Mercato (902-422-2866; 5650 Spring Garden Rd; mains $10-20; 11am-11pm) This long-standing Italian favorite doesn’t take reservations; come early or late on weekends, or wait a short while.

Top End

Fid (902-422-9162; www.fidcuisine.ca; 1569 Dresden Row; lunch mains $14-16, dinner mains $22-27; lunch Wed-Fri, dinner Tue-Sun) Slow-food proponent Dennis Johnston buys all his ingredients from the local farmers’ market, then concocts dishes such as monkfish with shell peas, maple/asparagus-glazed pork belly with sweet potato and a beautiful pad thai. It’s a great place to sample regional foods; the menu changes weekly and carries vegetarian options.

Da Maurizio (902-423-0859; 1496 Lower Water St; mains $28-30; 5-10pm Mon-Sat) Many locals cite this as their favorite Halifax restaurant. The ambience is as fine as the cuisine; exposed brick and clean lines bring out all the flavors of this heritage brewery building. Reservations are strongly recommended.

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DRINKING

Halifax rivals St John’s, Newfoundland, for the most drinking holes per capita. The biggest concentration of attractive bars is on Argyle St, where temporary streetside patios expand the sidewalk each summer. Pubs and bars close at 12:30am, a few hours earlier on Sunday.

Economy Shoe Shop (902-423-8845; 1663 Argyle St) This has been the ‘it’ place to drink and people-watch in Halifax for almost a decade. On weekend nights actors and journalists figure heavily in the crush. It’s a pleasant place for afternoon drinks. The kitchen dishes out tapas ($6 to $10) until last call at 1:45am.

Henry House (902-423-5660; 1222 Barrington St) The most atmospheric pub in town is close to inns and hostels in the southern end of downtown. Besides having a dark and inviting atmosphere, it dishes out stellar food.

Argyle Bar & Grill (902-492-8844; 1575 Argyle St) The Argyle comes into its own each too-short summer, when the rooftop patio attracts a crowd for daiquiris.

Dome (902-422-5453; 1740 Argyle St) Dubbed the ‘Liquordome,’ with four establishments under one roof. ‘The Attic’ has live music; the others are nightclubs open until 3am.

Trident Booksellers & Café (902-423-7100; 1256 Hollis St; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) This sedate café is the place to linger with your journal or novel.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Check out the Coast to see what’s on.

Live Music

Halifax seems to be fueled on music with folk, hip-hop, alternative country and rock gigs around town every weekend.

Marquee (902-429-3020; 2037 Gottingen St; cover $6-25) This is the choice venue for touring bands and big-name locals; shows start around 10:30pm. Up-and-coming musicians play downstairs in Hell’s Kitchen. Admission to the Marquee gets you into Hell’s Kitchen, but not vice versa.

Ginger’s Tavern (902-425-5020; 1662 Barrington St; cover $5) This mellow venue showcases folk and alternative country acts.

Bearly’s House of Blues & Ribs (902-423-2526; 1269 Barrington St; cover $3) The best blues musicians in Atlantic Canada play here at incredibly low cover charges. Wednesday karaoke nights draw a crowd and some fine singers.

Stage Nine Bar & Grill (902-444-7800; www.stagenine.ca; 1567 Grafton St; cover free-$25; 4pm-2am Tue-Sun) This venue has three stories of fun including two smoking rooms, live local music daily and a summer rooftop patio. There’s also a full kitchen so you can grab a meal before shaking your booty.

Theater

The two professional theaters in Halifax – Neptune Theatre and Eastern Front Theatre – take a break in summer, with their last shows typically playing in May. However, Shakespeare by the Sea provides diversion through the summer.

GAY & LESBIAN HALIFAX

Halifax has a thumping and thriving gay and lesbian scene with most of the nightlife action concentrated around Gottingen St. Club NRG (902-422-4368; 2099B Gottingen St; 4pm-2am) is popular for dancing on Friday night. Club Vortex (902-420-1323; 2215 Gottingen St; 11:30am-2am) hosts occasional Womyn’s nights and promises high-energy dancing on weekends. In the city center, Reflections Cabaret (902-422-2957; 5184 Sackville St) is a wild disco that attracts a mixed crowd. It opens at 4pm, but the action really starts after 10pm and it stays open until 3am.

Lesbian travelers can stop by Venus Envy (902-422-0004; 1598 Barrington St; 10am-6pm Mon-Wed & Sat, 10am-7pm Thu & Fri, noon-5pm Sun) to network, browse books and check out fun toys. Squeaky clean Seadog’s Sauna & Spa (444-3647; 2199 Gottingen St; www.seadogs.ca; 4pm-1am Mon-Thu, open from 4pm Fri through 1am Mon) is the largest private men’s club east of Québec City and has all the spa fixings. About once a month the spa gets turned over to the womyn of Venus Envy and becomes Shedogs (www.venusenvy.ca).

Halifax Pride Week (www.halifaxpride.com) takes place every year around the second week of June.

Neptune Theatre (902-429-7070; www.neptunetheatre.com; 1593 Argyle St) This downtown theater presents musicals and well-known plays on its main stage ($37), and edgier stuff in the studio ($20).

Shakespeare by the Sea (902-422-0295; www.shakespearebythesea.ca; Point Pleasant Park; suggested donation $10; Jun-Sep) Fine performances of the Bard’s works at the Cambridge Battery, an old fortification, in the middle of the park. Check the website for a map and details.

Film

Park Lane Cinemas (902-423-4598; Park Lane Mall, Spring Garden Rd & Dresden Row) Hollywood flicks and occasional screenings of independent films.

Sports

Halifax Mooseheads junior hockey team plays at Halifax Metro Centre (902-451-1221; 5284 Duke St; tickets $13.50).

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SHOPPING

Halifax has some truly quirky shops to discover in the city center between Spring Garden Rd and Duke St.

Halifax Farmers’ Brewery Market (902-492-4043; 1496 Lower Water St; 8am-1pm Sat Jan-May, 7am-1pm Sat May-Dec) North America’s oldest farmers’ market, in the 1820s Keith’s Brewery Building, is the ultimate shopping experience. Head here to people-watch and buy organic produce, locally crafted jewelry, clothes and more. Come early or late to avoid the crowds.

Hydrostone Market (5515-47 Young St; 10am-6pm Tue-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat, noon-5pm Sun) is part of the reconstruction effort following the Halifax Explosion. This quaint row of shops, cafés and restaurants includes the Bogside Gallery (902-453-3063; 10am-6pm Mon, Tue & Fri, 10am-8pm Wed & Thu, 10am-5pm Sat, noon-5pm Sun), featuring fine crafts from Atlantic Canada. Click here for some of the great dining options here.

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GETTING THERE & AWAY

Air

Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and Westjet have multiple flights daily between Halifax and major cities such as Toronto ($575, 2½ hours), Montréal ($700, 1½ hours) and Ottawa ($430, 1¾ hours). Air Canada also flies between Halifax and other Maritime destinations (Saint John $340, 45 minutes, four times daily; Moncton $520, 40 minutes, three times daily) and to Boston ($380, 2¼ hours, twice daily). In summer through fall, there’s a daily direct flight to London ($530, 6 hours). All prices vary depending on sales and how far in advance the ticket is purchased. Click here for information.

Bus

Acadian Lines (902-454-9321; www.acadianbus.com; 1161 Hollis St) terminal is at the train station next to the Westin Hotel. Its buses travel daily to Truro and Amherst and connect to Montréal and New York. It also goes to Digby ($41, four hours), with stops throughout the Annapolis Valley, and to Sydney ($63, 6½ hours) stopping in Antigonish ($38, 3½ hours).

Trius Lines has a daily route from Halifax to Yarmouth ($50, 4½ hours) that serves towns along the South Shore. Call Acadian (see above) for information on prices and departure points.

Shuttle

Private shuttle buses compete with the major bus companies. They usually pick you up and drop you off and, with fewer stops, they also travel faster. The slight trade-off is a more cramped ride. Cloud Nine Shuttle (902-742-3992, 888-805-3335; www.thecloudnineshuttle.com) goes to Yarmouth ($60, 3½ hours), stopping along the South Shore each afternoon and returning to the Halifax area each morning; airport pickup or drop-off is an extra $5. Campbell’s Shuttle Service (800-742-6101; www.campbell-shuttle-service.com) charges $55 per person (per bicycle $5) to Yarmouth, as does Amero’s Shuttle (888-283-2222; www.ameroshuttle.com), which travels through the Annapolis Valley; book several days ahead. Try Town Transit (877-521-0855, 902-521-0855) goes to Mahone Bay ($24, 50 minutes) and Lunenburg ($25, one hour).

Scotia Shuttle (902-435-9686, 800-898-5883; www.atyp.com/scotiashuttle) travels to Sydney on Cape Breton Island ($55, five hours, twice daily). MacLeod’s Shuttle (902-539-2700, 800-471-7775) does this route once a day. Inverness Shuttle Service (902-945-2000, 888-826-2477) travels between Halifax and Inverness, Cape Breton Island (adult/student $44/36) every day but Saturday.

PEI Express Shuttle (902-462-8177, 877-877-1771; www.peishuttle.com) charges $55 per person to Charlottetown, PEI, with early morning pickups; Go-Van charges $15 per bicycle. Advanced Shuttle (877-886-3322, 902-886-3322) leaves Halifax in the afternoon for Charlottetown; Advanced Shuttle charges $50/45 per adult/student and $10 per bicycle.

Train

One of the few examples of monumental Canadian train station architecture left in the Maritimes is found at 1161 Hollis St. Options with VIA Rail include overnight service to Montréal (one-week advance purchase adult/child two to 11 years $240/120, 20½ hours, daily except Tuesdays).

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GETTING AROUND

To/From the Airport

Halifax International Airport is 40km northeast of town on Hwy 102 toward Truro. Airbus (902-873-2091; one-way/return $16/21) runs between 5am and 11pm and picks up at major hotels. Share-A-Cab (902-429-5555, 800-565-8669; one-way $25) must be booked a day ahead. A taxi to or from the airport costs $54.

Car & Motorcycle

Pedestrians almost always have the right-of-way in Halifax. Watch out for cars stopping suddenly!

Outside the downtown core, you can usually find free on-street parking for up to two hours. Otherwise, try private Impark (1245 Hollis St; per hr/12hr $1/6) or the municipally owned Metro-Park (902-830-1711; 1557 Granville St; per hr/12hr $2/14). Halifax’s parking meters are enforced from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday.

It costs considerably more to rent a car at the airport than in town. All the major national chains (Click here) are represented there and also have offices in Halifax. Enterprise Rent-a-Car (902-492-8400; www.enterprise.com; 1161 Hollis St) has an office in the train station and at several other locations near downtown. It has some of the lowest rates. Discount Car Rentals (902-453-5153; www.discountcar.com; 2710 Agricola St) also has good deals, depending on availability. It’s 1.25km north of the northwest corner of Citadel Hill.

Public Transportation

Metro Transit (902-490-6600; one-way fare $1.75, 20 tickets $30) runs the city bus system and the ferries to Dartmouth. Transfers are free when traveling in one direction within a short time frame. Maps and schedules are available at the ferry terminals and at the information booth in Scotia Square Mall.

Bus 7 cuts through downtown and North End Halifax via Robie St and Gottingen St, passing both hostels. Bus 1 travels Spring Garden Rd, Barrington St, and the south part of Gottingen St before crossing the bridge to Dartmouth. ‘Fred’ is a free city bus that loops around downtown every 30 minutes in the summer.

Taking the ferry to Dartmouth (one way $2; every 15 minutes to half-hour 6am-11:30pm) from the Halifax waterfront is a nice way of getting on the water, even if it’s just for 12 minutes. Woodside, where another ferry goes in peak periods, is a good place to start a bike ride to Eastern Passage or Lawrencetown.

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AROUND HALIFAX

Dartmouth

Founded in 1750, one year after Halifax, Dartmouth is Halifax’s counterpart just across the harbor. It is more residential than Halifax, and the downtown area lacks the capital’s charm and bustle, but it can make a pleasant base since getting to Halifax by bus or ferry is so easy.

Even if you don’t stay here, don’t miss a harbor cruise via the ferry, the oldest saltwater ferry system in North America. Alderney Gate houses Dartmouth’s ferry terminal.

The city swells during the Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival (www.mans.ns.ca) in late June. This weekend festival on the waterfront celebrates diversity with great performances and even better food.

Dartmouth Heritage Museum (902-464-2300; www.dartmouthheritagemuseum.ns.ca; 26 Newcastle St; admission $2; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun mid-Jun–Aug, 1:30-5pm Wed-Sat Sep–mid-Jun) displays an eclectic collection in Evergreen House, the former home of folklorist Helen Creighton (who traversed the province in the early 20th century recording stories and songs). Tickets include admission on the same day to the 1786 Quaker House (59 Ochterloney St; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Jun-Aug), the oldest house in the Halifax area, which was built by Quaker whalers from Nantucket who fled the American Revolution. Guides in costume lead visitors around the house, and there’s a children’s dress-up box. Entertainment can be found at Eastern Front Theatre (902-463-7529; www.easternfront.ns.ca; Alderney Gate, Dartmouth; tickets $20-25) which debuts several works by Atlantic playwrights each year.

Close to both bus routes and the ferry, Caroline’s B&B (902-469-4665; 134 Victoria Rd; s/d $50/55; Apr-Dec) is run by a charming elderly couple. Checkout the cool mosaics on the walls.

Shubie Campground (902-435-8328, 800-440-8450; www.shubiecampground.com; Jaybee Dr, off Waverley Rd), the only campground accessible from Halifax on public transportation, is privately run and municipality owned. Facilities include showers and a laundromat.

Opposite Quaker Whaler House in Dartmouth, Queen of Cups Teahouse (902-463-1983; 44 Ochterloney St; lunch $5-8, 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-3pm Sun) has good healthy lunches of soup, salad or a sandwich, or try a lobster crepe ($12). Call ahead for a tarot ($60) or tea-leaf ($20) reading.

Eastern Shore Beaches

When downtown dwellers venture over the bridge to Dartmouth on a hot summer’s day, it’s most likely en route to a beach. There are beautiful, long, white-sand beaches all along the Eastern Shore, and several are a reasonable drive from Halifax. The water never gets very warm, but brave souls venture in for a swim or a surf, particularly if the fog stays offshore.

The closest – and therefore busiest – of the Eastern Shore beaches, Rainbow Haven, is 1km long. It has washrooms, showers, a canteen and a boardwalk with wheelchair access to the beach. Lifeguards supervise a sizable swimming area. To get there, take Portland St from downtown Dartmouth through Cole Harbour, where it becomes Cole Harbour Rd/Hwy 207, and turn right on Bissett Rd. Turn left at the end of Bissett Rd and then right at the beach entrance.

The most popular destination for surfers, Lawrencetown Beach faces directly south and often gets big waves compliments of hurricanes or tropical storms hundreds of kilometers away. The beach is 25km from Halifax, just a short distance beyond Rainbow Haven. Stay on Hwy 207 which begins to follow the coast after Cole Harbour and leads you right to the beach. It boasts a supervised swimming area, washrooms and a canteen. Rent surf equipment (cash only) from Dacane Sports (902-431-7873; www.hurricanesurf.com; surfboard/bodyboard/wetsuit rental per 24hr $25/15/20). Surf camps for all ages (half-/full-day $99/199) include equipment rental for a day after the lesson; check the website for schedules. From the beach, it’s just 8km along Crowell Rd to Porters Lake Provincial Park (902-827-2250; http://parks.gov.ns.ca; 1160 Crowell Rd; campsites $18), a campground on a peninsula and small island in Porters Lake, with 158 nicely separated, shady campsites. It’s best to reserve for Friday or Saturday nights from mid-July to mid-August.

With more than 3km of white sand, Martinique is the longest beach in Nova Scotia. Even if you find the water too cold for a swim, this is a beautiful place to walk, watch birds or play Frisbee. Follow the signs for Hwy 7 from Dartmouth, drive about 40km, and then turn right onto East Petpeswick Rd in Musquodoboit Harbour.

Sambro

Just 18km south of Halifax, Crystal Crescent Beach is on the outskirts of the fishing village of Sambro. There are actually three beaches here in distinct coves; the third one out – toward the southwest – is clothing-optional and gay friendly. An 8.5km hiking trail begins just inland and heads through barrens, bogs and boulders to Pennant Point. To get here, take Herring Cove Rd from the roundabout in Halifax all the way to Sambro, then follow the signs.

Prospect

As pretty as Peggy’s Cove, Prospect doesn’t attract a fraction of the tourist traffic. An undeveloped trail starts at the end of Indian Point Rd and leads 3km along the coast past plenty of perfect picnic spots. There’s not a lot of room to park at the trailhead, so you may need to leave your vehicle on the roadside into the village.

Prospect Village B&B (902-850-1758, 877-850-1758; www.prospectvillagebb.ca; 1758 Prospect Bay Rd; r $125-150) is in restored nunnery that nearly glows on the misty shores. The warm owners use organics for everything from soaps to the ingredients of their tasty breakfasts.

Peggy’s Cove

Peggy’s Cove is one of the most visited fishing towns in Canada but it has become so for a good reason: the rolling granite cove highlighted by a perfect red-and-white lighthouse exudes a dreamy sea-side calm even through the parading tour buses. Most visitors hop off their air-con bus, snap a few pictures, mail a postcard then get right back on the bus. If you stick around you’ll find it surprisingly easy to chat with the friendly locals (there are only 60 of them) and settle into a fishing village pace. At 43km west of Halifax on Hwy 333 it makes a mellow day trip from the city.

It’s best to visit before 10am in the summer as tour buses arrive in the middle of the day and create one of the province’s worst traffic jams. There’s a free parking area with washrooms and a tourist information office (902-823-2253; 109 Peggy’s Cove Rd; 9am-7pm Jul & Aug, to 5pm mid-May–Jun, Sep & Oct) as you enter the village. Free half-hour and one-hour walking tours are led from the tourist office daily from mid-June to September.

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

DeGarthe Gallery (902-823-2256; admission $2; 9am-5pm mid-May-Oct) See paintings paintings here by local artist William deGarthe (1907–83), who sculpted the magnificent 30m-high Fishermen’s Monument into a rock face in front of the gallery.

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse (9:30am-5:30pm May-Oct) The highlight of the cove is now a small post office with its own lighthouse-shaped stamp cancellation mark.

Peggy Show (902-823-2099; www.beales.ns.ca; Old Red Schoolhouse, 126 Peggy’s Point Rd; suggested donation $10; 2pm & 4pm Sun-Thu end of Jul-Sep) New to the cove, this creative performance is an ‘unauthorized autobiography of Peggy from the cove.’ The comedy has been a big hit and the theater also has occasional music performances. A few shows per season are serviced by shuttle vans that offer round-trip to Halifax hotels for $22. Check the website for details.

SLEEPING & EATING

Wayside Camping Park (902-823-2271; wayside@hfx.eastlink.ca; 10295 Hwy 333, Glen Margaret; tent/RV sites $20/30) 10km north of Peggy’s Cove and 36km from Halifax, this camping park has lots of shady sites on a hill. It gets crowded in midsummer.

Peggy’s Cove Bed & Breakfast (902-543-2233, 800-725-8732; www.nsinns.com; 19 Church Rd; r $95-165) The only place to stay in the cove itself, this B&B has an enviable position on a slope overlooking the fishing docks and the lighthouse. Once home to artist William deGarthe the B&B was entirely remodeled in 2007. You’ll definitely need advance reservations here.

Oceanstone Inn & Cottages (902-823-2160, 866-823-2160; www.oceanstone.ns.ca; 8650 Peggy’s Cove Rd, Indian Harbour; r $85-145, cottages $165-225; ) Whimsically decorated cottages are a stone’s throw from the beach and just a short drive from Peggy’s Cove. Guests can use paddleboats to venture to small islands and outcroppings, some with lighthouses. Rhubarb, the Inn’s dining room, offers scrumptious seafood dinners and appetizers and is considered one of the best restaurants in the region; reservations are recommended.

Murray’s Wharfside Lobster Pound (902-823-3249; 13 Rocky Rd; chowder $6.50, lobster $22; 11am-8pm) Shake off the tourist crowd at this funky fisherman’s shack hidden along a little dirt road. Dine on superb seafood on plastic tables right on the cove.

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SOUTH SHORE

This is Nova Scotia’s most visited coastline and it’s here you’ll find all those quintessential lighthouses, protected forested coves with white beaches and plenty of fishing villages turned tourist towns. The area from Halifax to Lunenburg is cottage country for the city’s elite and is quite popular with day-tripping tourists and locals. Highway 3 – labeled the ‘Lighthouse Route’ by tourism officials – can be slow as a result. Take this scenic route if you’re not pressed for time and want to check out antique shops or artisans’ wares en route. Travel times can be halved by taking Hwy 103 directly to the closest exit for your destination.

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CHESTER

Established in 1759, the tiny town of Chester has today become a choice spot for well-to-do Americans and Haligonians to have a summer home. It’s had a colorful history as the haunt of pirates and Prohibition-era bathtub-gin smugglers and it keeps its color today via the many artists’ studios about town. There’s a large regatta in the tranquil harbor in mid-August.

The Tourist Office (902-275-4616; Hwy 3; 9am-7pm Jul & Aug, 10am-6pm Jun & Sep, 10am-5pm May & Oct) is in the old train depot near the Chester turnoff.

Sights & Activities

A fine example of Georgian architecture from 1806, the Lordly House Museum (902-275-3842; 133 Central St; admission free; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun mid-May–mid-Oct) has three period rooms illustrating 19th-century upper-class life and Chester history. The museum is also an artists’ studio.

Tancook Island (population 190) is a 45-minute ferry ride (return $5; four runs Monday to Friday, two on weekends; exact schedule at http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~tancook/ferry.htm) from Chester’s government wharf. Walking trails crisscross the island. Settled by Germans and French Huguenots in the early 19th century, the island is famous for its sauerkraut. The last ferry from Chester each day overnights in Tancook Island.

Sleeping & Eating

Graves Island Provincial Park (902-275-4425; http://parks.gov.ns.ca; 3km northeast of Chester off Hwy 3; campsites $18) An island in Mahone Bay connected by a causeway to the mainland has 64 wooded and open campsites. RVs usually park in the middle of the area, but some shady, isolated tent sites are tucked away on the flanks of the central plateau.

Mecklenburgh Inn B&B (902-275-4638; www.mecklenburghinn.ca; 78 Queen St; s/d incl breakfast with shared bathroom $85/95, with private bathroom $125/135; May-Jan) This casual four-room inn, built in 1890, has a breezy 2nd-floor veranda; some rooms have private adjacent balconies, most have private bathrooms. The owner is a Cordon Bleu chef so expect an excellent breakfast.

Kiwi Café (902-275-1492; 19 Pleasant St; light lunches $6-9; 7:30am-4pm) A New Zealand chef prepares excellent soups, salads and sandwiches that you can eat there or take away in recyclable containers.

Rope Loft (902-275-3430; 36 Water St; mains around $15; food served 11:30am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat, pub open daily to 11pm) You couldn’t find a better setting than this bayside pub. Hearty pub food is served indoors or out.

Entertainment

Chester Playhouse (902-275-3933; www.chester playhouse.ns.ca; 22 Pleasant St; tickets about $25) This older theater space has great acoustics for live performances. Plays or dinner theater are presented most nights, except Mondays in July and August, with occasional concerts during spring and fall.

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MAHONE BAY

The sun shines more often here than anywhere else along this coast. With more than 100 islands and about 100km from Halifax, it’s a great base for exploring this section of the South Shore. Take out a kayak or a bike or simply stroll down Main St, which skirts the harbor and is scattered with shops selling antiques, quilts, chocolates and pottery.

Information

Sights & Activities

In July and August daily walking tours (1¼ hrs; $5) are lead from the bandstand on Main St and along the waterfront to many of Mahone Bay’s historic homes. Check with the VIC for times.

Mahone Bay Settlers’ Museum (902-624-6263; 578 Main St; admission free; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun Jun–mid-Oct) Exhibits here are on the settlement of this area by ‘Foreign Protestants’ in 1754 and local architecture.

Amos Pewter (800-565-3369; www.amospewter.com; 589 Main St; admission free; 9am-6:30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5:30pm Sun Jul & Aug, 9am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, noon-5:30pm Sun May, Jun, Sep & Oct) Watch demonstrations of the art of pewter-making then buy wares at the attached store.

East Coast Outfitters (877-852-2567; www.eastcoastoutfitters.net; 617 Main St; half-/full-day kayak rental $45/65, half-/full-day bike rental $20/35) Rents kayaks and bikes plus leads kayak tours and lessons.

South Shore Boat Tours (902-543-5107; www.southshoreboattours.com; Jul-Aug) Offers boat building and nature tours (1½ hrs; adult/child $25/12.50) and whale- and puffin-watching tours (4 hrs; $50).

Mahone Arts (902-624-9215; www.mahonearts.com; workshops from $425) Organize a three-day or one-week art workshop by the sea with local artists. Check the website for scheduling.

Festivals & Events

On the weekend prior to the first Monday in August, the Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Festival (902-624-0348; www.woodenboatfestival.org) features workshops in boatbuilding and daily races of small craft.

Sleeping & Eating

Kiwi Kaboodle Backpackers Hostel (902-531-5494, 866-549-4522; www.kiwikaboodle.com; Hwy 3; dm/r incl breakfast $25/60, 2 bdrm house $110) Three km from the attractions of Mahone Bay and 7km from Lunenburg, this friendly nine-bed hostel is superbly located. Owners offer town pickup as well as economical tours (www.novascotiatoursandtravel.com), shuttle service and excellent area tips.

Three Thistles B&B (902-624-0517; www.three-thistles.com; 389 West Main St; r $75-115) Owner Phyllis Wiseman uses environmentally conscious cleaning agents and cooks with organic foods. Rooms are sparkling and clean and there’s a back garden that stretches to a wooded area.

Hammock Inn the Woods B&B (902-624-0891; www.hammockinnthewoods.com; 198 Woodstock Rd; d $85) Up a quiet road from Main St, there are two beckoning hammocks nestled in a wooded garden and the house is a restful blend of modern plush and country comfort. The healthy breakfasts are cooked using organic produce and there’s free yoga every morning.

Mahone Bay B&B (902-624-6388, 866-239-6252; www.bbcanada.com/4078.html; 558 Main St; r incl breakfast $115-125) Enjoy a view of the three churches from this friendly 1860s shipbuilder’s home. All comforts are included, from cable TV to bathrobes.

Gazebo Café (902-624-6484; 567 Main St; mains $15-20; lunch & dinner April-Oct) This bistro-style eatery has water views and fantastic local favorites prepared with flair rather than a deep-fat fryer. Vegetarian options are available.

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LUNENBURG

The largest of the South Shore fishing villages is historic Lunenburg, the regions only Unesco World Heritage site and the first British settlement outside Halifax. The town is it’s most picturesque when viewed from the sea around sunset when the boxy, brightly painted old buildings literally glow behind the ship-filled port. Look for the distinctive ‘Lunenburg Bump,’ a five-sided dormer window on the 2nd floor that overhangs the 1st floor.

Lunenburg was settled largely by Germans, Swiss and Protestant French who were first recruited by the British as a workforce for Halifax then later became fishermen. Today Nova Scotia has been hard hit by dwindling fish stocks, but Lunenburg’s burgeoning tourism trade has helped shore up the local economy.

Information

Sights & Activities

The knowledgeable staff at Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic (902-634-4794; http://fisheries.museum.gov.ns.ca; 68 Bluenose Dr; adult/child under 18yr/family $9/3/22; 9:30am-5:30pm early May-late Oct) includes a number of retired fishers who can give firsthand explanations of the fishing industry. An awesome aquarium on the 1st floor lets you get eye-to-eye with flounder, halibut and other sea creatures. Films screen regularly in the 3rd-floor theater.

A PIRATE’S TREASURE

Nova Scotia’s Oak Island, near Mahone Bay, is home to a so-called ‘money pit’ that has cost over $2 million in excavation costs and six lives. There is still not a shred of information about what the pit is or what might be buried there.

The mystery began 1795 when three inhabitants of the island came across a depression in the ground. Knowing that pirates had once frequented the area, they decided to dig and see what they could find. Just over half a meter down they hit a layer of neatly placed flagstone; another 2.5m turned up one oak platform, then another. After digging to 9m, the men temporarily gave up but returned eight years later with the Onslow Company, a professional crew.

The Onslow excavation made it down 27.5m; when the crew returned the next morning, the shaft had flooded and they were forced to halt the digging. A year later, the company returned to dig 33.5m down in a parallel shaft, which also flooded. It was confirmed in 1850 that the pit was booby-trapped via five box drains at Smith Cove 150m from the pit. The beach was found to be artificial.

Ever since, people have come to seek their fortune from far and wide at the ‘money pit.’ Only a few links of gold chain, some parchment, a cement vault and an inscribed stone have been found.

Knaut-Rhuland House (902-634-3498; 125 Pelham St; admission $3; 11am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun early Jun-Sep) is considered the finest example of Georgian architecture in the province. This 1793 house has costumed guides who point out its features.

Lunenburg Academy (97 Kaulbach St) is the huge black-and-white turreted hilltop structure visible on your way in from Halifax. Built entirely of wood in 1895 as a prestigious high school, it is now a public school that can be toured daily in summer at 3pm.

Donated to the town by the descendants of Captain Walters, who skippered the famous Bluenose, Captain Angus J Walters House (902-634-2020; 37 Tannery Rd; admission $2; 1-7pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat) is dedicated to preserving the history of the man and the schooner.

Enthusiastic and knowledgeable Eric Croft leads the leisurely Gray Line Lunenburg Town Walking Tours (902-634-3848) during the day or spooking lantern-lit ones at night; call for more information.

Bike Barn (902-634-3426; www.bikelunenburg.com; 579 Blue Rocks Rd; hybrid/tandem bikes per day $20/40) rent bikes at almost 2km east of town. On a small peninsula, this area is a cyclist’s dream, with few hills, great ocean views and little vehicle traffic. Owner Merrill Heubach will gladly help you plan your trip.

Tours

Tours depart from the wharf adjacent to the Fisheries Museum on Bluenose Dr.

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Make reservations as far ahead as possible, especially during summer festivals. Lunenburg’s two long-running budget B&Bs closed recently, making the Kiwi Kaboodle Backpackers Hostel, 7km out of town, the best low-end option.

Board of Trade Campground (902-634-8100/3656; lbt@aliantzinc.ca; 11 Blockhouse Hill Rd; tent/RV sites $18/$25; ) This campground, beside the VIC, has great views and a lot of gravel RV sites. Grassy tent sites are closely packed together and lack shade.

1826 Maplebird House B&B (902-634-3863, 888-395-3863; www.maplebirdhouse.ca; 36 Pelham St; d $80-105; ) Decorated country style with teddy bears a-go-go, this house in the heart of town manages to remain cozy, not frilly. The lovely, large rear garden overlooks the harbor and has a barbeque for guests.

Lennox Tavern B&B (902-634-4043, 888-379-7605; www.lennoxinn.com; 69 Fox St; r $85-140) This place feels authentically old, with electric candles lighting the halls and massive plank-wood floors. The Inn is the oldest in Canada and you get to eat breakfast in what was once the tavern.

1775 Solomon House B&B (902-634-3477; www.bbcanada.com/5511.html; 69 Townsend St; r $95-120; ) A wonderfully antique place with undulating wooden floors and low door jams (watch your head!), this B&B has the nicest and most helpful owner ever. Rooms are cosy amid the ageing walls and you’ll be talking about the breakfasts for the rest of your trip. The only draw back is the miniscule bathrooms.

Sail Inn B&B (902-634-3537, 877-247-7075; www.sailinn.ca; 99 Montague St; r $80-140; ) Rooms here have a view over the waterfront and are bright, airy and modern with an antique twist. You get a free sail on the owner’s 48ft ketch with your stay. Don’t miss checking out the old well on the ground floor that’s been turned into a lighted fish pond.

Eating & Drinking

Try some offbeat Lunenburg specialties. Solomon Gundy is pickled herring with onions. Lunenburg pudding – pork and spices cooked in the intestines of a pig – goes well with Scotch and water.

Historic Grounds (902-634-9995; 100 Montague St; breakfast $5-12; 7:30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat & Sun) Get an espresso fix with some baked goods or stop in for one of the best breakfasts in town. The outdoor patio overlooks the water and fills up quickly on summer weekends.

Magnolia’s Grill (902-634-3287; 128 Montague St; mains $7-15; lunch & dinner) Try one of the many soups of the day at this diner-style local’s favorite. Seafood (including Solomon Gundy) and an extensive wine list are available.

Salt Shaker Deli (902-640-3434; 124 Montague St; meals around $8; 11am-9pm) With a clean-cut modern atmosphere, a waterfront deck and amazing food, it’s no wonder this new deli/restaurant is always packed. Try the thin-crust pizzas or a pound of mussels cooked to the style of your choosing.

Fleur de Sel (902-640-2121; 53 Montague St; mains lunch $8-12, dinner $22-29; 11am-2pm & 5-10pm) This is by far the most elegant eating option in the region. French-inspired seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes use organic produce and are served in the classic, bright dining area.

Entertainment

Lunenburg Opera House (902-634-4010; 290 Lincoln St; tickets $5-20) This rickety old 400-seat theater is rumored to have a resident ghost. Built as an Oddfellows Hall in 1907, it’s now a favorite venue for rock and folk musicians. Check the posters in the window for what’s coming up.

Getting There & Away

Trius Lines buses serve Lunenburg on their once-daily Halifax–Yarmouth route; the best source of information on Trius’ prices and departure locations is Acadian Lines (902-454-9321, 800-567-5151). For alternative shuttles, Click here.

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LIVERPOOL

There is plenty to do in Liverpool and it’s well situated for exploring several gorgeous white-sand beaches, Kejimkujik National Park (68km north; see opposite) and its Seaside Adjunct (15km southwest; Click here). That said, it lacks the seaside quaintness of the villages north of here. Liverpool was once ruled by British privateers who protected British trade routes during the War of 1812, and did the odd bit of plundering for their own coffers. Privateer Days (www.privateerdays.com), a celebration of piracy and history, is held in early July.

The Tourist Office (902-354-5421; 28 Henry Hensey Dr; 9am-7pm Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm Jun & early–mid-Sep) is near the river bridge and has a walking-tour pamphlet.

THE YEAR OF FREE BEEF Jonathan Litton

On April 15, 1923, Nova Scotia switched from left-hand driving to right-hand driving. The authorities predicted an increase in accidents and encouraged drivers to place reminder signs on their windshields alerting others to ‘Drive Right.’ The provincial government was promptly sued by the Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Company, which owned and operated the electric streetcar system in Halifax, in order to recover the cost of changing the doors on all streetcars to the other side and of changes in track layout.

Far less predictable, however, was the tragic end of many oxen in Lunenburg County. Not the brightest creatures to grace the earth, left-trained oxen were unable to make the switch to the right, and drivers sent many an untrained beast to the slaughterhouse. To this day, 1923 is known as The Year of Free Beef.

Sights & Activities

Sherman Hines is behind a number of new cultural attractions in Liverpool. One of the Maritimes’ most prolific photographers, and a wealthy Liverpudlian, his most ambitious venture is the Rossignol Cultural Centre (902-354-3067; www.rossignolculturalcentre.com; 205 Church St; adult/child/student $4/2/3; 10am-5:30pm Mon-Sat). It contains mini-museums of wildlife and folk art, outhouses and a couple of galleries. Admission includes entry to Sherman Hines Museum of Photography & Galleries (902-354-2667; www.shermanhinesphotographymuseum.com; 219 Main St; 10am-5:30pm Mon-Sat), where six galleries in the old town hall run the gamut of media.

Perkins House Museum (902-354-4058; http://museum.gov.ns.ca/peh; 105 Main St; adult/child $2/1; 9:30am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, 1-5:30pm Sun Jun–mid-Oct) displays articles and furniture from the colonial period. Built in 1766, it’s the oldest house belonging to the Nova Scotia Museum. Next door, the Queen’s County Museum (902-354-4058; www.queensmuseum.netfirms.com; 109 Main St; admission $1; 9:30am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, 1-5:30pm Sun Jun–mid-Oct, 9am-5pm Mon-Sat rest of year) has First Nations artifacts and more materials relating to town history as well as some writings by early citizens.

At Fort Point, a cairn marks the site where Frenchman Samuel de Champlain landed in 1604. You can blow the hand-pumped foghorn in the lighthouse (902-354-5260; 21 Fort Lane, at the end of Main St; admission free; 10am-6pm mid-May–mid-Oct).

Hank Snow Country Music Centre (902-354-4675; www.hanksnow.com; 148 Bristol Ave; admission $3; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun late May-early Oct) sheds light on Nova Scotia’s status as a northern Nashville. In the old train station, it captures the history of Snow, Wilf Carter and other crooners and yodelers.

Sleeping & Eating

Geranium House (902-354-4484; 87 Milton Rd; r $50) This B&B on a large wooded property next to the Mersey River has three rooms with shared bathroom and is ideal for cyclists and families.

Lane’s Privateer Inn (902-354-3456, 800-794-3332; www.lanesprivateerinn.com; 27 Bristol Ave; r incl breakfast $94-150) Originally the home of a swashbuckling privateer, this 211-year-old inn has been in the same family for three generations. It now has a bookshop, gourmet food store and a cosy dining room (open 7am to 10pm; mains $9 to $25).

Woodpile Carving Cafe (902-354-4494; 181 Main St; light meal $3-6; 8am-4pm Mon-Sat) This atmospheric café has the owner’s wood-carving workshop right in its center. A local’s favorite; grab a specialty coffee, soups, sandwiches and salads.

Entertainment

Astor Theatre (902-354-5250; www.astortheatre.ns.ca; 59 Gorham St) The Astor is the oldest continuously operating performance venue in the province. Built in 1902 as the Liverpool Opera House, it presents films, plays and live music.

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KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK

Less than 20% of Kejimkujik’s 381 sq km wilderness is accessible by car; the rest is reached either on foot or by canoe. Bird-watchers can hope to see plenty of water fowl, barred owls, and pileated woodpeckers, while wildlife ranges from porcupines to black bear. On a less joyful note, biting insects are rampant; watch out for mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds and eel-like leeches in the lakes.

Get an entry permit and reserve backcountry sites at the visitor center (902-682-2772, 800-414-6765; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/keji; Hwy 8; adult/child/family $5.45/2.70/13.60; 8:30am-9pm mid-Jun–early Sep, to 4pm rest of year, closed weekends Nov-Mar).

Activities

The main hiking loop is a 60km trek that begins at the east end of George Lake and ends at the Big Dam Lake trailhead. A shorter loop, ideal for an overnight trek, is the 26km Channel Lake Trail that begins and also ends at Big Dam Lake. September to early October is prime hiking time; the bugs in the spring would drive you mad. More than a dozen lakes are connected by a system of portages, allowing canoe trips of up to seven days. A topographical map ($10) may be required for ambitious multiday trips. Rent canoes and other equipment in the park at Jakes Landing (902-682-5253; 8am-9pm Jun-Sep, off-season by appointment). One-hour hire of a kayak, bike or rowboat is $8, double kayak or canoe is $10; 24-hour hire is $34/39 and one-week hire is $145.

Sleeping & Eating

Forty-five backcountry campsites ($22.75 per person including firewood) are scattered among the lakes of Kejimkujik. You must book them in advance by calling or stopping at the park’s visitor center. There’s a 14-day maximum; you can’t stay more than two nights at any site.

Raven Haven Hostel & Family Park (902-532-7320; www.annapoliscounty.ns.ca/rec/ravhav/hostel.htm; 2239 Virginia Rd, off Hwy 8, South Milford; dm member/nonmember $16/18, tent/RV sites $16/19; mid-Jun–early Sep) This HI hostel and family campground is 25km south of Annapolis Royal and 27km north of the national park. The clean four-bed hostel is in a cabin near the white-sand beach. There are 15 campsites, including some private wooded ones, but the camping in the park is better. Canoes and paddleboats can be rented.

Jeremy’s Bay Campground (902-682-2772, 800-414-6765; sites summer/winter $25/18) Of the 360 campsites within the park, 30% of the sites are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. There is only one shower area for the whole camp so be prepared to wait for a stall. It costs $10 to reserve a site

Mersey River Chalets (902-682-2447, 877-667-2583; www.merseyriverchalets.ns.ca; 2537 River Rd; tepee $70, d $110, cabins $150-175; ) Comfy cabins have pine floors, wood-burning stoves and very private porches complete with barbecue; rooms in the lodge have private decks with lake views; and cosy tepees have fully equipped kitchens. Free canoes and kayaks are available for guests.

M&W Restaurant & Variety Store (902-682-2189; Hwy 8; mains $4-10; 8am-9pm mid-May–mid-Oct) Only 500m from the park entrance this place serves ‘hungry camper’ breakfasts ($6) as well as lunch and dinner. It’s also a general store stocked with camping supplies (including firewood) and a Laundromat.

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SEASIDE ADJUNCT (KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK)

The ‘Keji Adjunct’ protects angelic landscapes of rolling low brush, wildflowers, white sandy coves and the granite outcrops spreading between Port Joli and Port Mouton (ma-toon) Bay. The only access from Hwy 103 is along a 6.5km gravel road. Pay your park fee and grab a trail map at the helpful Park Office (adult/child/family $4/2/10; 8:30am-8pm mid-Jun–September, 8:30am-4pm the rest of the year) at the parking lot. From there, two mostly flat trails lead to the coast. Harbour Rocks Trail (5.2km return) follows an old cart road through mixed forest to a beach where seals are often seen. A loop trail around Port Joli Head is 8.7km return.

The Port Joli Basin contains Point Joli Migratory Bird Sanctuary with waterfowl and shorebirds in great numbers (Nova Scotia Birding on the Lighthouse Route is an excellent resource available at VICs). It’s only easily accessible by kayak. The Rossignol Surf Shop (902-683-2550; www.surfnovascotia.com; White Point Beach Resort, White Point; half-/full-day kayak rentals $30/45, tours $55/95, half-/full-day surf board or gear rental $10/20, surf lessons $55; May-Oct) in nearby White Point rents kayaks, surfboards and bodyboards, and offers kayak tours and surfing lessons.

Thomas Raddall Provincial Park (902-683-2664; www.parks.gov.ns.ca; campsites $18), across Port Joli Harbour from Keji Adjunct, has large, private campsites with eight walk-in ones. The forested campground extends out onto awesome beaches.

Port Mouton International Hostel (902-947-3140; www.wqccda.com/PMhostel; 8100 Hwy 3;dm $20; ), only five minutes from Keji Adjunct, is a great budget place to stop for the night. The common area and full kitchen inspire group meals.

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LOCKEPORT

Right behind gorgeous Crescent Beach, Lockeport is an unpretentious fishing village worth a detour from Hwy 103. The Crescent Beach Centre (902-656-3123; 157 Locke St; 9am-7pm Jul & Aug, 9am-4pm Jun & Sep, 10am-4pm Tue-Sat rest of year) has tourist information, washrooms, showers and a canteen. Follow the boardwalk to get to Crescent Beach itself. It’s a nesting sight for the endangered piping plover, so dogs should always be on a leash and people should always be careful where they walk.

Little School Museum (29 Locke St; admission by donation; 10am-5pm Jul & Aug), just up from the beach, captures early local history. One room is restored as an 1890s village schoolroom, another has a collection of old fishing implements.

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SHELBURNE

Shelburne makes a great, quiet base on the South Shore. Seventeen homes older than 1800 in the historic district once housed Loyalists who retreated here from the American Revolution. In 1783 Shelburne was the largest community in British North America with 16,000 residents, many from the New York aristocracy, who exploited the labor of Black Loyalists living in nearby Birchtown (below). Shelburne’s history is celebrated with Founders’ Days during the last weekend of July.

The Tourist Office (902-875-4547; 31 Dock St; 8am-8pm Jul & Aug, 11am-5pm mid-May–Jun & Sep) has copies of a self-guided historic district walking tour.

Sights & Activities

Four museums in the historic district relate Shelburne’s history as a Loyalist community and a shipbuilding center. Admission to all four museums costs $10 and single admission is $4.

Built in 1784, Ross-Thomson House (902-875-3141; www.rossthomson.museum.gov.ns.ca; 9 Charlotte Lane; admission free 9:30am-noon Sun; 9:30am-5:30pm Jun–mid-Oct) and the store adjacent to it belonged to well-to-do Loyalist merchants who arrived from Cape Cod. Furniture, paintings and original goods from the store are on display. The house is surrounded by authentic period gardens.

Another c 1787 Loyalist house is now the Shelburne County Museum (902-875-3219; cnr Maiden Lane & Dock St; 9:30am-5:30pm Jun–mid-Oct, 10am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri rest of year) with a collection of Loyalist furnishings, displays on the history of the local fishery and a small collection of Mi’kmaw artifacts.

The Muir-Cox Shipyard (902-875-1114; www.historicshelburne.com/muircox.htm; 18 Dock St; 9:30am-5:30pm Jun-Sep) has been in almost continuous operation since 1820, turning out barques, yachts and fishing boats. It’s still active year-round, but the interpretive center is seasonal. Likewise, Shelburne dories (small open boats once used for fishing from a mother schooner) are still made to order at the Dory Shop Museum (902-875-3219; http://museum.gov.ns.ca/dory; 11 Dock St; 9:30am-5:30pm Jun-Sep) for use as lifeboats.

There’s a trail for hiking or biking the 6km to Birchtown (below) across from Spencer’s Garden Centre at the far south end of Main St.

Sleeping

Islands Provincial Park (902-875-4304; www.parks.gov.ns.ca; off Hwy 3; campsites $18) Across the harbor from Shelburne are 65 campsites in mature forest and a beach for swimming.

BLACK LOYALIST BIRCHTOWN

Just as Shelburne was once the largest settlement in British North America, so Birchtown was once the largest settlement of freed African slaves in North America. After the American Revolution, about 3500 Black Loyalists were rewarded by the British with land for settlements near Shelburne, Halifax, Digby and Guysborough. Nine years later, in 1792, after barely surviving harsh winters and unequal treatment, 1200 of them boarded 15 ships bound for Sierra Leone, in West Africa, where they founded Freetown. An additional 2000 from the USA settled in the Maritimes after the War of 1812, and others came from the Caribbean in the 1890s to work in the Cape Breton Island coal mines.

The future was no brighter. Underfunded, segregated schools existed until the 1950s. Today, African Nova Scotians are under-represented in high-school graduation ceremonies and over-represented in courtrooms and prisons.

Black Loyalist Heritage Society Historical Site & Museum (902-875-1381, 888-354-0722; www.blackloyalist.com; 104 Birchtown Rd; 11am-6pm Tue-Fri, noon-6pm Sat, noon-5pm Sun) in Birchtown includes a museum, and a walking trail that leads to a ‘pit house’ which archeologists think was once a temporary shelter. There is also a trail for hiking or cycling the 6km to Shelburne.

A self-guided tour of African heritage in Nova Scotia is available online (www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/africanns/).

Water Street Lighthouse B&B (902-875-2331; www.shelburnelighthouse.com; 263 Water St; r $70; May-Oct) Not luxurious, but comfy and friendly, this is a great B&B to shack up your bike for the night. A lighthouse theme runs through the house.

Cooper’s Inn B&B (902-875-4656, 800-688-2011; www3.ns.sympatico.ca/coopers; 36 Dock St; r $100-150) Across from a rare working cooperage that still makes barrels for the fishing industry, this was once home to generations of coopers. Part of the building dates back to 1784 and was actually brought here from Boston. Now it’s a comfortable, unique inn with six rooms.

Eating & Drinking

Charlotte Lane (902-875-3314; 13 Charlotte Lane; mains $12-25; lunch & dinner Tue-Sat) People drive from Halifax to eat here, and then rave about it; evening reservations are highly recommended. Swiss chef Roland Glauser is constantly revising an extensive annotated wine list to accompany his ever-changing menu of local seafood, meat and pasta dishes.

Shelburne Pastry & Tea House (902-875-1164; 151 Water St; mains $7-14; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat) Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner of seafood specialties including fresh poached haddock with lemon dill wine sauce ($13) in a garden terrace.

Sea Dog Saloon (902-875-2862; 1 Dock St; 11am-midnight Mon-Sat, noon-8pm Sun) The outdoor terrace overlooking Shelburne harbor is the best place to have a pint in town. There’s also a full pub menu.

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BARRINGTON & BARRINGTON PASSAGE

Barrington was settled in 1760 by 50 families from Cape Cod. Several museums (902-637-2185; per museum adult/child $2/1; 9:30am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, 1-5:30pm Sun Jun-Sep) are run by the local historical society. For years, church services of all faiths and community meetings happened in the New England–style meeting house, now the Old Meeting House Museum (http://museum.gov.ns.ca/omh; 2408 Hwy 3). Many town founders are buried in the graveyard next door. Interpreters at the Barrington Woolen Mill Museum (http://museum.gov.ns.ca/bwm; 2368 Hwy 3) demonstrate handspinning, dyeing and weaving in what was a thriving community enterprise in the late 19th century. The Seal Island Light Museum (2422 Hwy 3) is a replica of a lighthouse, including the original light.

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BARRINGTON TO WEST PUBNICO

At Barrington, you can choose to take the fast, not-very-scenic Hwy 103 to Yarmouth, or to meander along about 100km of interesting coastline via Hwy 3. It’s worth taking a detour to Cape Sable Island (not to be confused with ‘Sable Island’ – Click here), a puddle-flat appendage that is Nova Scotia’s southernmost point. Many of the island’s windy, white-sand beaches are designated as ‘important bird areas,’ and a few are piping plover nesting grounds. The whole island tends to get banked in fog which might explain why its lighthouse is 31.1m tall, the tallest in Nova Scotia.

Not to be confused with Middle West Pubnico, Lower West Pubnico, East Pubnico (and its derivatives) or Pubnico proper, West Pubnico is an old Acadian community. Le Village Historique Acadien (902-762-2530; Old Church Rd; adult/child under 6/child 7-18 yrs $4/free/2; 9am-5pm mid-Jun–Sep) re-creates an Acadian village, with a blacksmith shop, a timber-frame house and a fish store.

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YARMOUTH

For a town this size (it’s the largest in western Nova Scotia) there’s not much action in Yarmouth beyond the departures and arrivals at the Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine (Click here) ferry terminal. But like anywhere in the province, stay awhile and the people will win you over; there’s also a day’s worth of interesting sights around town.

Information

Sights & Activities

First settled by New Englanders from Massachusetts in 1761, Yarmouth reached its peak of growth and prosperity in the 1870s. The Collins Heritage Conservation District protects many fine Victorian homes built around that time. Check at the VIC for a self-guided walking tour.

Practical Yarmouth is the unexpected home to the refreshingly cosmopolitan Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (902-749-2248; www.agns.gov.ns.ca/yarmouth_agns; 341 Main St; entry adult/child/student/senior $5/1/2/4; noon-8pm). The new three-story building has well-selected works from mostly Maritime artists. While there you can also check the internet for free.

Yarmouth County Museum (902-742-5539; http://yarmouthcountymuseum.ednet.ns.ca; 22 Collins St; adult/student/family $3/2/6; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun Jun–mid-Oct, 2-5pm Tue-Sat mid-Oct-May), in a former church, contains five period rooms related to the sea. A combined admission ticket (adult/child/student/family $5/1/2/10) includes Pelton-Fuller House (9am-5pm Mon-Sat, Jun-Oct) next door which is filled with period artwork, glassware and furniture.

Firefighters’ Museum (902-742-5525; http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fm; 431 Main St; adult/family $3/6; 9am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun Jul & Aug, 9am-5pm Mon-Sat Jun & Sep, closed Sat other months) has fire engines from 1819 to 1935 and an exhibit where kids can pretend to fight a fire.

W Laurence Sweeney Museum (902-742-3457; 112 Water St; adult/family $3/7.50; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat late May–mid-Oct) shows the business of fishing, from catching to processing and selling.

Yarmouth Light (902-742-1433; Hwy 304; admission free; 9am-9pm Jul & Aug, 10am-3pm May, Jun, Sep & Oct) is at the end of Cape Forchu, a left on Hwy 304 from Main St. The lighthouse affords spectacular views.

Sleeping

Yarmouth Backpacker’s Accommodation (902-749-0941; www.yarmouthbackpackers.com; 6 Trinity Pl; dm/f $20/65) You might choose to stay longer in Yarmouth just because this place is so great. In a c 1865 Italianate mansion, there’s a cosy four-bed dorm and two sparkling private rooms with plenty of natural light. The ultra-helpful Canadian-Australian couple can help you plan your trip around Yarmouth and beyond. It’s about 600m from the ferry terminal and has a common kitchen.

Clementine’s B&B (902-742-0079; 21 Clements St; d $95; ) Open for over 20 years, Clementine’s hasn’t faded a bit. Rooms with shared bath are unpretentiously decorated and Evelyn’s breakfasts are famous throughout Yarmouth. The B&B is only a few minutes’ walk to Main St.

Charles C Richards House B&B (902-742-0042; www.charlesrichardshouse.ns.ca; 17 Collins St; r/ste $125/185; ) The owners of this Queen Anne Victorian mansion won a provincial award for returning a neglected rooming house to its former glory. Stained-glass windows abound, as do plants in the conservatory. It’s gay friendly.

MacKinnon-Cann House Historic Inn (902-742-0042; www.mackinnoncanninn.com; 27 Willow St; r $100-195; ) Each of the six rooms here represent a decade from the 1900s to the ‘60s. Each room depicts the century at its most stylish while managing to stay calming and comfortable. Two rooms can be joined to create a family suite. It’s run by the same crew as the Charles C Richards House B&B.

Eating

Yarmouth’s culinary choices are decidedly limited. Fast food, however, can be found all over the place.

Academy Tea Room (902-749-0193; 113 Main St; lunches $7-8; 10am-4pm Tue-Sat Apr-Dec) Stop in for a very classy Queen Victoria tea (high tea 2-3:30pm Tue-Sat) complete with scones, little sandwiches, savouries and a pot of tea all served with fine china on white linen. Lunch includes homemade soups, quiches and vegetarian options.

Chez Bruno (902-742-0031; 276 Main St; lunch mains $7-15, dinner mains $16-20; 11am-4pm Mon & Tue, 11am-8pm Wed-Sat) Thanks to chef Bruno, Yarmouth has moved into the world of free-range chicken and organic vegetables. You can get many of the local and French-style dishes in half-portions as well for a light meal.

Rudder’s Brew Pub (902-742-7311; 96 Water St; pub menu $8-14, dinner mains $14-32) The 300-seats at this waterfront pub and restaurant fill fast. A mean ale is brewed on site and there’s a wide-ranging menu. Drinks are poured until the wee hours on busy summer nights.

Getting There & Away

The Trius Lines (call Acadian Lines at 902-454-9321 or 800-567-5151; 6:20am Mon-Sat, 11:20am Sun & holidays) bus leaves from the Rodd Colony Hotel and travels along the southwestern shore. For information on private shuttles Click here. Yarmouth is also the departure point to Maine via ferry Click here.

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ANNAPOLIS VALLEY & FRENCH SHORE

Heading up the French Shore you’ll be regularly waved to by the Stella Maris, the single-starred, tri-colored Acadian flag. Admire the many elaborate Catholic churches, stop at a roadside eatery to sample Acadian rappie pie and take a walk along a fine-sand beach. If you stay longer, don’t miss the chance to sample the region’s foot-tapping music performances that take place regularly throughout the summer.

Once the main breadbasket for colonial Canada, the Annapolis Valley still produces much of Nova Scotia’s fresh produce, especially apples. In more recent years, a number of wineries have taken advantage of the sandy soil. Make sure to get to the Fundy coast at Annapolis Royal and eastwards for tidal vistas over patchwork farmland, red sands and undulating hills.

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CAPE ST MARY

A long, wide arc of fine sand, just 900m off Hwy 1, Mavilette Beach is great for collecting seashells, and the marsh behind it is good for bird-watching. La Maison D’Amité B&B (902-645-2601; www.houseoffriendship.ca; 169 Baseline Rd; r from $135; ) is perched dramatically on a cliff close to the beach on six private hectares. The huge, American-style home has cathedral ceilings and sky-high windows with views on all sides. Back on Hwy 1, Cape View Restaurant (902-645-2519; lunch $5-8, dinner $12-20; lunch & dinner) serves seafood and Acadian dishes. Come on a Wednesday night during the summer to enjoy live Acadian music.

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METEGHAN

The largest community on the French shore is a busy fishing port. Smuggler’s Cove Provincial Park, at the southern edge of town, is named for its popularity with 19th-century pirates. A hundred wooden stairs take you down to a rocky beach and a good cave for hiding treasure. There are picnic sites with barbecue pits at the top of the stairs, with a view across St Mary’s Bay to Brier Island.

L’Auberge au Havre du Capitaine (902-769-2001; capitaine@auracom.com; 9118 Hwy 1; r $75-100) has one wheelchair-accessible room. From the cozy seating area to the handmade quilts, this inn says bienvenue (welcome). Try scrambled eggs with lobster ($12) for breakfast at the on-site restaurant (breakfast $5-7, lunch mains $7-8, dinner mains $12-15; 7am-9pm Jul & Aug, 7-9am & 5-7:30pm off-season). There’s live Acadian entertainment on Friday evening.

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CHURCH POINT TO ST BERNARD

The villages of Church Point, Grosses-Coques, Belliveau Cove and St Bernard, on the mainland directly across St Mary’s Bay from Digby Neck, make up the heart of the French Shore. This is where Acadians settled when, after trekking back to Nova Scotia following the deportation, they found their homesteads in the Annapolis Valley already occupied. Now linked by Hwy 1 – pretty much the only road in town – these are small fishing communities.

The oldest of the annual Acadian cultural festivals, Festival Acadien de Clare, is held during the second week of July at Church Point. In July and August the musical Évangéline, based on Longfellow’s romantic poem about the Acadian deportation, is presented in the Théâtre Marc-Lescarbot (902-769-2114; adult/child & student/senior $25/15/20) also at Church Point. Performances are given in English on Saturday, in French with headset translation Tuesday and Friday, and outdoors in French on Wednesday only.

Sights

The town of Church Point takes its name from Église Ste Marie (902-769-2808; Hwy 1; admission incl guide $2; 9am-5pm mid-May–mid-Oct) which towers over the town, also commonly known as Pointe de l’Église. Built between 1903 and 1905, the church is said to be the tallest and biggest wooden church in North America. An informative guide will show you around. Adjacent is the Université Ste Anne, the only French university in the province and a center for Acadian culture, with 300 students.

St Bernard is also known for its church, St Bernard Church (902-837-5637; Hwy 1; tours Jun-Sep), a huge granite structure built by locals who added one row of blocks each year between 1910 and 1942. It has incredible acoustics which are showcased each summer through the Musique Saint-Bernard (http://wvcn.ns.ca/~msb; adult/under 18 $15/5) concert series.

Belliveau Beach, near the southern end of Belliveau, is reached by turning right onto Major’s Point. The beach is made up of masses of sea-polished stones broken only by small clumps of incredibly hardy fir trees. Just behind the beach, a cemetery and monument recall the struggles of the early Acadian settlers of the French shore.

Sleeping & Eating

Roadside Grill (902-837-5047; 3334 Hwy 1; meals $7-13; 8am-9pm Jul & Aug, 9am-7pm Sep-Jun) is a pleasantly old-fashioned local restaurant in Belliveau Cove. Try the steamed clams or the rappie pie (a type of meat pie topped with grated pastelike potato from which all the starch has been drawn). It also rents three small cabins (s/d $45/60) with cable TV and microwaves. There’s live Acadian music Tuesday nights from 5:30pm to 7:30pm June through August.

Locals drive from Yarmouth and Digby to dine at Chez Christophe Guesthouse & Restaurant (902-837-5817; www.chezchristophe.ca; 2655 Hwy 1; breakfast from $8, mains dinner $12-36; 6am-9pm, closed Mon) in Grosse-Coques. Master Chef Paul Comeau has turned the house that his grandfather built in 1837 into a guesthouse (rooms $60 to $85) and restaurant; this is probably the most renowned Acadian restaurant in Nova Scotia. Live Acadian music is performed from 6pm to 8pm Thursday nights through June and nearly every night of the week in July and August.

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