Halifax
Commissioned in 1941, HMCS Sackville is the last survivor of the 123 Canadian corvettes tasked with escorting Allied convoys during the perilous Battle of…
Must-see attractions in Nova Scotia
Grassy Island Fort National Historic Site
Nova Scotia
An interpretive center on the waterfront tells the story of ruined Grassy Island Fort, which lies just offshore and can be visited by boat until 4pm. In…
Nova Scotia
This museum in a former church has a typically eclectic collection of artifacts: look out for a Victorian funeral hearse and stagecoach, an original…
Nova Scotia
The attractive campus of 125-year-old St Francis Xavier University makes for an interesting stroll. The Hall of the Clans is on the 3rd floor of the old…
Nova Scotia
Built in 1885, this lighthouse at the end of the spit of land overlooking Liverpool harbor stands on the place where Frenchmen Pierre Dugua and Samuel de…
Nova Scotia
Stop here for good exhibits on the region's ecology and history. Climb a WWII observation tower for a bird's-eye view of the surrounding area and pick up…
Nova Scotia
During the 19th century wood was the wonder material that underpinned nearly every aspect of construction. Built in 1894, this steam-powered sawmill…
Nova Scotia
The town of Church Point, also commonly known as Pointe de l'Église, takes its name from Église Ste-Marie, which towers over the town. Built between 1903…
Nova Scotia
A fitting museum for industrial New Glasgow, this hands-on place has lots to interest the kids, including a working water tower, a machine shop and…
Nova Scotia
Shelburne dories (small wooden open boats used for fishing from a mother schooner) were the staple craft for Nova Scotian fishers on the Grand Banks…
Nova Scotia
Lunenburg's renowned brewery crafts a selection of fruity liqueurs, a strong apple brandy, a pear eau-de-vie, an apple vodka and – fittingly for a…
William E deGarthe Gallery & Monument
Nova Scotia
Finnish-born local artist William deGarthe (1907–83) carved the magnificent Lasting Monument to Nova Scotian Fishermen into a 30m granite outcrop behind…
Cape Breton Island
Canada's first lighthouse was built on this wild, rugged and extremely scenic site in 1734. The present lighthouse, a handsome concrete structure, was…
Northumberland Fisheries Museum
Nova Scotia
In the old train station, this museum explores the area's fishing heritage. Exhibits include a replica of a fishers' bunkhouse and the spiffy Silver…
Africville Heritage Trust Museum
Halifax
Learn the story of Africville, Halifax's predominantly African suburb, the residents of which were evicted and their homes razed in what became the local…
Musquodoboit Harbour Railway Museum
Nova Scotia
This wonderful little railway museum, loved by train buffs and kids alike, looks a little incongruous in its surroundings: it's hard to believe there was…
Mavillette Beach Provincial Park
Nova Scotia
This huge, dune-backed beach sprawls for 1.5km overlooking Cape St Mary, and can be accessed by boardwalks from the parking lots. The receding tide…
Nova Scotia
This interpretive center on the grounds of Université Sainte-Anne in Church Point is a really useful stop as you drive along the coastal road. You can…
Nova Scotia
This 2½-story house – named after its first owners, merchants Benjamin Knaut and Conrad Rhuland – is considered the finest example of Georgian…
Le Village historique acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse
Nova Scotia
This 17-acre site overlooking Pubnico Harbour recreates an Acadian village, with vintage Acadian buildings and a cemetery. The village is located in West…
Nova Scotia
This surprisingly interesting town museum has displays exploring Liverpool's privateering history, some wonderfully intricate First Nations artifacts, and…
Nova Scotia
A replica of the ship Hector, which carried the first 200 Highland Scots to Nova Scotia, is tied up for viewing on Pictou's waterfront. You can descend…
Smuggler's Cove Provincial Park
Nova Scotia
Named for its popularity with 19th-century pirates, this park is today frequented by picnickers. A hundred wooden stairs take you down to a rocky beach…
Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery
Halifax
Brewing the good stuff since 1820, this is one of the oldest breweries in North America. Now part of a complex of shops, bars, gift stores and the…
Halifax
Natural history with a Nova Scotian bent is the modus operandi of this interesting museum, where informative exhibits cover everything from the gold rush…
Nova Scotia
Go shopping, 1780s style, at this merchant's house, once owned by traders George and Robert Ross, who supplied Shelburne's residents with staple goods and…
Halifax
Atop Citadel Hill, Halifax's Palladian-style town clock looks as though it would be more at home in a Venetian lane, but it has been faithfully keeping…
Cape Breton Island
In Sydney's North End, well-preserved Jost House belonged to merchant Samuel Sparrow. It has a modest collection of artifacts and furniture illustrating…
Black Loyalist Heritage Centre
Nova Scotia
In 2015 Birchtown's Black Loyalist Heritage Centre and museum was moved to its shiny new facility 7km outside town, on the site of what was Canada's…
Cape Breton Island
Mi-Carême, celebrated in the middle of Lent, is Chéticamp's answer to Mardi Gras. Locals wear masks and disguises, and visit houses in a bid to get people…
Nova Scotia
This moving memorial commemorates the 229 people who lost their lives on September 2, 1998, when Swissair Flight 111, bound for Geneva, Switzerland,…
Cape Breton Island
Built in 1787, Cossit House is the oldest residence in Sydney and one of the oldest surviving buildings in Nova Scotia. It was the home of Reverend Ranna…
Ottawa House Museum By-the-Sea
Nova Scotia
This 21-room mansion was once the summer home of Sir Charles Tupper (1821–1915), who served as premier of Nova Scotia and also as prime minister of Canada…
Nova Scotia
Just 7km west of Economy, Five Islands Provincial Park offers several good hikes. The 4.5km Red Head Trail is well developed, with lookouts, benches and…
Wallace Bay National Wildlife Area
Nova Scotia
About 30km northwest of Tatamagouche, this vast sanctuary protects 585 hectares, including tidal and freshwater wetlands. A 4km loop trail winds through…
Rushton's Beach Provincial Park
Nova Scotia
Small cottages crowd around Rushton's Beach, just east of Tatamagouche in Brule. It's worth a visit to look for seals (turn left at the end of the…
Blue Sea Beach Provincial Park
Nova Scotia
Blue Sea Beach, on the Malagash Peninsula, has warm water and fine sand, and a marsh area just inland that's ideal for bird-watching. There are picnic…
Inverness County Centre for the Arts
Cape Breton Island
Inverness County Centre for the Arts is a beautiful establishment with several galleries and an upmarket gift shop featuring works by local and regional…
Nova Scotia
St Bernard is known for its church, a huge granite structure built by locals who added one row of blocks each year between 1910 and 1942. It has…
Nova Scotia
Escape Truro's busy streets at Victoria Park, 400 hectares of green space in the very center of town that includes a deep gorge and two waterfalls. The…
