Nova Scotia has incredible cities and shores.Can you imagine endless sandy beaches, the smell of salt air, and some of the friendliest people in Canada? This is Nova Scotia, home of celebrated writers, musicians, artists, and more universities per capita than the rest of the country. While the province of Nova Scotia is a popular travel destination for thousands of visitors each year, for me it was home. I grew up on Cape Breton Island and, while I don’t get back very frequently these days, I’m still eager to share my five favourite things I love about Nova Scotia (oh, and also a few drawbacks as well). 1.) Route 366. My very best advice to anyone driving to Nova Scotia is to choose secondary road Route 366 in lieu of the regular highway. In my opinion, this striking coastal drive, hugging the north shore of Cumberland and Colchester County, is the finest in the province. Favourite stops of mine include the Tidnish ice cream barns, Amherst Shores Provincial Park, Seagull Pewter, Jost Vineyards, Raven Art Gallery in Tatamagouche, MacDonald’s Cove Preservation Site and so many more! Route 366 is an essential stop for me during each and every trip to Nova Scotia. 2.) Halifax. This energetic waterfront city is home to some fantastic pubs and restaurants, superb historic sites such as Pier 21 and the Citadel, and unique treats like the observatory at St. Mary’s University and the Tall Ships Festival. If you have a chance to visit Halifax, I recommend taking in a play at the Neptune Theatre, following a self-guided walking tour of the downtown core, dropping by the Nova Scotia Art Gallery, and visiting the beautiful architecture at Province House. 3.) Culture. Endless universities and colleges, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and multiple languages, such as Mi’kmaq, Acadian French, and Gaelic, add to the rich cultural fabric of Nova Scotia. Celtic music can be heard on every radio station and Cape Breton Island is home to over a dozen world famous authors. Art, culture, music, dance, literature, folklore, and history fans will fall in love with Nova Scotia! 4.) Beaches. The beaches of Nova Scotia are among the best in the country, with endless expanses of fine, soft sand and warm waters. Naturally, they are perfect in the summer and there's nothing like a dip in the balmy Atlantic Ocean, but that doesn't mean you cannot enjoy them year round. There's nothing I love more than the proverbial "long walk on the beach" in fall, winter, and spring. In fact, the only season I don't love is jellyfish season! 5.) Lighthouses. Nova Scotia’s charming lighthouses are famous across Canada and the tiny village of Peggy’s Cove is a prime example of their beauty and grace. Unfortunately, the future of these delightful structures is in danger, as they have been decommissioned by the federal government and will likely fall into ruin and disrepair unless individually adopted by a charity group or individual. If you want to help preserve these iconic buildings, the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society can help. And now for the 3 things I like the least about Nova Scotia...
1.) Transportation costs: While cheap flights to Halifax are abundant, regional flights to Sydney and elsewhere are very expensive. Ferries are equally extravagant. We've never experienced the Saint John to Digby ferry due to the high cost, but we did splurge on year and took the now-defunct CAT ferry from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth Nova Scotia and paid hundreds and hundreds of dollars for the privilege. 2.) Distance: The definition of forever has to be driving from Yarmouth to Sydney. This seemingly tiny province is ridiculously long! We have spent dozens of misguided hours on what we thought were coastal or scenic drives, only to be just puttering along in the non-descript woodland of the province. 3.) Crazy family members. You know who you are! As always, I welcome and encourage your feedback. Have you been to Nova Scotia before? What is your favourite place in the province? If you enjoyed this post, you'll also like: 5 Things I Loved About Newfoundland... And 3 That I Didn't Memories of a Travel Splurge: Wine and Art Nova Scotia Style! Travel Memories Are Made When... I Find Water.
21 Comments
Vanessa
6/9/2013 08:56:01 am
So true - you could spend weeks exploring all the tiny communities and beaches of Nova Scotia!
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Vanessa
6/9/2013 04:01:38 pm
It's well worth a visit and each province has such a distinct personality!
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Vanessa
6/9/2013 04:02:18 pm
Historically, jelly fish season is late August... or anytime I'm in the ocean!
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7/9/2013 05:51:08 am
That is so sad to hear about the lighthouses! In NC where we are from there are tons of lighthouses as well. They're an awesome piece of history I hope can be preserved.
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Vanessa
7/9/2013 06:43:02 am
I agree Dan - even if they no longer fullfill a traditional role, they are such an important part of history.
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Serge
9/9/2013 05:05:51 am
A quick note that the ferry service between Yarmouth and Portland is scheduled to resume in May 2014: http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1152288-deal-reached-for-yarmouth-ferry-service
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Vanessa
9/9/2013 05:50:13 am
Thanks for the update!!! I'll be curious to see how the prices compare and if they've changed.
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Serge
9/9/2013 07:49:50 am
The ferry service is going back to the old "slow" model, not the express one provided by CAT. Should take something like 10 hours to cross and I'd expect the price to be around $100... 9/9/2013 05:35:16 am
HA! Love that number 3 is crazy family members! Seems like we all have some of those somewhere that keeps us from going back somewhere. I know I do.
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Vanessa
9/9/2013 05:50:41 am
Honesty is the best policy, right? :-)
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9/9/2013 06:34:14 am
So, when you say the ocean is "warm", how do you define "warm"? ---- in Fahrenheit, please.
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Vanessa
9/9/2013 09:03:57 am
It was up to 22 degrees C, which I think is about 71 F
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9/9/2013 09:23:06 am
As a Nova Scotian myself, I agree with all of the above! Except, shockingly enough, my northern experiences are quite limited - I am determined to get myself up to the Cape on this trip home, having never been. I am very much a southern girl, growing up in the Annapolis Valley and on the South Shore... and now my parents live at the end of the earth.. ermm I mean, Yarmouth.
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Vanessa
9/9/2013 10:51:54 am
Kate, this totally validates my claim that it takes forever to get end to end in Nova Scotia! Hope you can make it to Cape Breton soon.
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9/9/2013 02:47:16 pm
I love lighthouses for some reason, though I haven't seen many. One of my all time life goals is to stay at a lighthouse B&B. Nova Scotia looks beautiful. I'd love to visit sometime.
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Vanessa
10/9/2013 02:29:26 am
I would love a lighthouse B&B - what a great idea to base a trip around!
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Vanessa
23/9/2013 06:46:25 am
Thank you so much! The beaches in NS are among some of my absolute favourites anywhere!!
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