Mark, Maya, and I spent about two weeks in Nova Scotia, a beautiful province that is part of the Canadian Maritimes. This is the first of two posts I will publish about our time there, the end of August and the beginning of September 2019. Before that, we explored the southern part of New Brunswick.
Economy
Our intended camping experience near and hike to Economy Falls failed, due to the road’s horrible condition. Mark and I could have biked to the trailhead, but not with Maya. Ten miles of running beside bicycles on top of a five-mile romp in the woods would be too much. So, we opted for free camping option two: Thomas Cove Coastal Reserve. There, we found a peaceful spot to park along the Bay of Fundy, at the beginning of multiple flat but fun hiking trails. (Click on photos to enlarge and read captions.)
Dartmouth
Dartmouth, sister city to the capital, Halifax, is NOT a picturesque port. This happens to be the city where we “found” our good sailing friend Dave (aka Woody), whom we hadn’t seen since St. Martin in the Caribbean, eight years ago. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it to our wedding party that year, but he wrote and recorded a personal song that we played at our special event. It was fantastic to catch up with him and to be a part of his life for a few days.
While he hadn’t changed much, his living situation had. It was with pleasure that we met his wife Leap and three-year-old son, Henry. And, our timing was impeccable, as they are off to Cambodia again, today. Thank you for the luxurious showers and highly-needed laundry facilities, Dave!
Halifax
The string of grey days lasted. We “splurged” with a stay in the middle of Halifax, at one end of the boardwalk, namely the parking lot of the Cunard Cruise Ship Terminal. Like other lots in the area, a day of parking (8am-6pm) costs CAN$10 (US$8) but here, leaving your car overnight is free. So, $10 gives you up to 24 hours of parking in the city.
The three of us walked to many of the sights, like the waterfront, historic buildings, and the Citadel and – being real tourists this time – went out for drinks and take-out pizza at the Garrison Brewery. Maya was welcome inside and outside of this brewery and free WiFi was available. Score!
Peggy’s Cove
An hour’s drive along spectacular coastline, Peggy’s Cove is a crowd pleaser (avoid on cruise ship days). Guidebook Lonely Planet calls the bay and village “picture-perfect”. We had to agree. An early arrival meant plenty of parking and not too many visitors during our morning expedition.
As we left, cars cued to enter the peninsula and parking lots were filled to the brim. The weather was gorgeous, so we took the two-hour drive to Lunenburg instead of boondocking nearby for the night.
Lunenburg
Mark and I really enjoyed strolling through the historic streets and different levels of this beautiful town overlooking the water. The colorful buildings and local atmosphere were attractive. We had to use this blue-sky day, also picture-perfect, to explore as much as possible.
Again, our location couldn’t be beat. iOverlander guided us to a free parking lot within a ten-minute walk of downtown; we had no excuse not to go out for a drink on a dog friendly patio and have dinner at a popular, local restaurant. Unfortunately, the Knot Pub was located at the extreme other end of town and didn’t allow dogs. Luckily, the fish & chips and two pounds of mussels remained warm enough to feast on, back in Zesty.
No Name Beach
It often happens that I sit down with my diary at night and ask Mark, “Where are we?” After a day of sightseeing and/or driving, we look for a free campsite in our offline app, punch the coordinates in the GPS device of the car, and drive to the location. In this particular situation, we picked our spot because of the rave reviews and its location right on the water of… the Bay of Fundy. We were back at the giant bay with the highest tides of the world.
This parking area west of Walton was incredible. We watched as the tides went out for over a mile and subsequently, as the salt water rushed in again. High tide meant fishermen at our doorstep. Low tide provided us with extensive walks on the sandy/rocky beach. The breaking waves were so close that they woke us up at night. Almost like being on a sailboat close to shore again!
Stay tuned for part two of our explorations in Nova Scotia: Cape Breton.
Have you ever been to Nova Scotia? What were your highlights?
September 15, 2019 at 08:43
Nova Scotia is a very pretty province. It looks like you had a fun time even with the grey weather. We visited Peggy’s Cove before cruise ships were a thing and before the serious plane crash/tragedy. Good information about iOverlander to find free parking. I should look into this app for out West. Many picture perfect scenes. I think it is time my Husband and I visited the area again. Great tidbits of information, Liesbet. I look forward to reading part 2:)
September 15, 2019 at 09:41
Hi Erica!
It must have been nice and relaxing to stroll Peggy’s Cove before mass tourism set in! Luckily, no cruise ships when we were there, but as the day progressed, the area filled in with more and more people and cars. There is so much to see in this province, so I hope you get to return and either re-visit or explore new places. We did visit the monument of the plane crash as well, which is just five minutes out of town (Peggy’s Cove). So many interesting sites, places, photos…
September 15, 2019 at 09:23
It looks like you had such a magnificent time… dear friends, lovely vistas, and pretty places to explore. I read a novel years ago that was set in Halifax at the time of that disastrous explosion in its bay. I would love to explore that area and learn more about the history. One of these days, I hope to travel to that part of the world.
September 15, 2019 at 10:00
That must have been an interesting novel, Janis, of a crazy and disastrous accident. The boardwalk in Halifax has information boards up, detailing the event and displaying heroes of that time. I first read about the great explosion in our guidebook. I guess we are learning a lot of new things as well as seeing them. 🙂
I think you and Paul will truly enjoy renting a car in Nova Scotia, driving the scenic coastal roads, and staying in cute B&Bs. Don’t forget our dollar gives us “25% off” these days. In general, Canada is more expensive than the US, though, even with the “discount”. Taxes were 15%, on everything, for example. The scenery and people are worth it, though!
September 15, 2019 at 09:27
What a fun adventure! Now you’ve got me dreaming of trail-running those luxurious Thomas Cove trails- what a beautiful place! How much does two pounds of muscles go for in Canada? Looking forward to the next installment!
September 15, 2019 at 10:04
Oh, you’d love to run those trails, with their cushy forest underground!
When you asked how much two pounds of muscles go for in Canada, I had to do a double-take, thinking it was an ironic or humorous question. Because you are both very muscular and fit! Haha. In all seriousness, we paid CAN$14 (about US$11) for two pounds of steamed muscles from that particular (local) restaurant. Hard to pass up! The fish & Chips was about the same price.
September 15, 2019 at 10:09
I love Peggy’s Cove! I completely agree with you, and the Lonely Planet, about it being “picture perfect.” I’m so glad that you enjoyed your adventures in the eastern Canadian provinces. Richard and I are long overdue for a trip back out that way!
September 20, 2019 at 19:00
It’s been a pretty nice trip out east, Donna. So glad we finally made it up to the Maritimes. September seems to be our Canadian month. 🙂 I hope you two manage to get back here soon!
September 15, 2019 at 10:42
I’ve never visited Nova Scotia, but my parents traveled there years ago. They loved it. Your photos are stunning, Liesbet. I especially love the lighthouse and the colorful building! Thanks for sharing with us. Safe travels!
September 20, 2019 at 19:04
If you like lighthouses – like I do – the Maritimes are the place to come, Jill. Other than Maine, which coast we will soon follow with my parents. More lighthouses! I remember you mentioning that your parents really enjoyed Nova Scotia. What are you waiting for? It would make the perfect setting for a romance story. 🙂
September 20, 2019 at 20:59
I know! I love lighthouses!
September 21, 2019 at 17:26
🙂
September 15, 2019 at 10:56
I’m glad that you enjoyed Nova Scotia. A scenic province. We did a road trip there a few years ago (Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, Antigonish, Cape Breton, etc.). Safe travels!
September 20, 2019 at 19:05
Hi Natalie! It looks like you guys did a similar trip as Mark and I just did, based on your itinerary. Scenic, indeed! Thanks for the travel wishes. We will soon start heading back down to Massachusetts.
September 15, 2019 at 11:16
Absolutely fantastic! You know how to find the best places to camp.
September 20, 2019 at 19:07
That makes two of us! Or better, four of us. Hurray for the internet resources. 🙂 The Maritimes have been so nice and easy when it comes to free camping. Beautiful and quiet spots by the water. You both did pretty well on Northern Europe as well!
September 15, 2019 at 12:09
You know where to find the coolest little towns. Eight bucks to park for a day is great. (My parents used to own a motor home so I know how much campgrounds charge for those. It’s as much as a cheap hotel.)
September 20, 2019 at 19:12
Hi Alex! Yes, campgrounds these days (especially full hook-up RV parks) are extremely expensive. Easily $50 – $70 per night. Even county, state, or national park campgrounds charge at least $30 a night with no services, which is basically a spot to park the car with a picnic table and bathrooms. This is what we usually find for free. 🙂
September 15, 2019 at 14:52
We visited Halifax, Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg in 2012. The Tall Ships were in the harbour the day we arrived in Halifax, which was lovely. Peggy’s Cove was busy, but no cruise ships. Lunenburg was a lunch stop on our way to Annapolis Royal – it was a very wet day and parking / finding a table was tricky. Good memories!
September 15, 2019 at 15:39
Enjoyed viewing the coloured houses and I enjoy port towns. Which is a good thing as I live in a port city! Interesting post Liesbet as it is an area I have never heard of before.
September 15, 2019 at 17:24
I am always amazed how you can camp so inexpensively, Liesbet! Beautiful shots of the area and it looks like a wonderful place to visit! Canada has so many places to see…definitely on our list of places to go in a few years!
September 16, 2019 at 01:46
‘Blue sky day’. I like that phrase!
September 16, 2019 at 07:22
So much charm in many of these locations and photos! I have no excuse for not visiting Nova Scotia to date; I keep thinking of going and then it gets replaced by somewhere more “exotic.” My dad has spent so much time in the Maritimes in general, and he raves about it. We still have the idea of doing a massive Canadian road trip someday, so I think Nova Scotia will just have to wait until that time. (Unless our daughter really does move back to Boston, and then maybe we will be close enough to sneak it in!)
September 16, 2019 at 11:44
Beautiful pictures. Greg wants to go see the Bay of Fundy. Looking forward to getting there some day.
September 20, 2019 at 19:19
I think you will get to Nova Scotia one of the first summers you take off from work and hit the road. 🙂
September 16, 2019 at 11:47
Hi Liesbet,
My dad’s extended family was from Nova Scotia and he and I spent a couple of weeks there together tracing our roots. We took the ferry from Portland, ME to Yarmouth, then up the west coast of the province and over to Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, and Luneberg where we toured the Bluenose replica. Dad had built a wooden scale model of the Bluenose and I am looking right at it as it type this. I can also look to my left on the wall and see the photo collage that I made with sites from that very trip. Very fond memories of time spent with Dad.
Dan and I also traveled through New Brunswick, PEI, and Cape Breton going from Bnb to Bnb. We have also sailing throughout Bras d’Or. We trailered the boat to St. Peter’s marina and had a great 2 weeks exploring that very interesting cruising grounds.
I am so enjoying your posts as they are awakening some lovely memories.
September 20, 2019 at 19:26
Such happy memories about Nova Scotia with your dad, Nancy! And, how interesting that you still have memorabilia from that period. How precious! Mark and I were keeping an eye out for the Bluenose, but didn’t see it in Halifax. We thought it might have been gone for repairs. Then, in Lunenburg, one of the restaurants was called Bluenose, which really piqued our interest in a visit. It must have been cool to explore the interior.
You are very familiar with the Maritimes! Wow. It must have been so different to see and experience from your boat.
I’m glad you are enjoying these blogs and photos. I’m dying to post part 2, but have been quite busy traveling and entertaining my parents. 🙂
September 16, 2019 at 17:11
Welcome to Canada! I finally got to Nova Scotia last fall, and absolutely loved it. It’s so gorgeous. Peggy’s Cove and Luneberg were among my favourites too.
I think I could live there…at least for a while. The lobster is to die for.
September 20, 2019 at 19:29
Hi JH! Welcome back. 🙂
I’m so glad you managed to finally get to Nova Scotia and that you liked it. And, guess what… you could actually move there, as a Canadian and with your career. Well, ideally, your advances get so big that you can buy a cute little “summer cottage” on the coast near Peggy’s Cove to have your own writer’s retreat at! 🙂
September 16, 2019 at 18:51
Wow, what fab pics! I’m so jealous you’ve visited some fantastic spots on the East coast that I’ve yet to see. I think it’s time I toured my own country. 🙂 x
September 20, 2019 at 19:40
Yes, Debby! Get to the East Coast one of these summers! I’m sure you’d enjoy Nova Scotia and PEI. I think if you could find a quiet getaway on the island, it’s an inspiring place to write… But, learning about the toll for the bridge to PEI, you might fall off your chair. 🙂 Our expenses for September are getting up there!
September 21, 2019 at 07:59
Thanks for your excellent tour Liesbet. Yes, I will get there. And I’m staying tuned for your Sept. expenses, lol 🙂
September 21, 2019 at 17:28
We’re already at $1000 and there’s still nine days to go this month. Luckily, we have my very generous parents with us at the moment. 🙂
September 18, 2019 at 11:54
I lived in Halifax for a year, and your photos are making me wish I could go back! It’s a long way to the opposite coast of the country, though. Maybe someday… 🙂
September 21, 2019 at 16:10
I’m sure there will be “someday” to return to Halifax. The fact that you lived right there for a year is pretty darn sweet, though! Although, I can’t say Vancouver Island is too shabby either. 🙂
September 22, 2019 at 22:43
Nope, I loved the east coast, but I love the west coast more! 🙂
September 23, 2019 at 12:52
Well said! 🙂
September 18, 2019 at 15:23
Isn’t the Bay of Fundy just beautiful? It’s one of the few places in Nova Scotia I’ve visited and I still remember it very fondly. Love of your photo of it at low tide and happy to see you soaking it all in.
September 21, 2019 at 17:22
I love how you remember the bay of Fundy fondly. That could be fun a tongue twister! 🙂 For some reason, the bay and us crossed paths multiple times from all kind of directions, in different moods, settings, and levels. It is a peaceful and varied area for sure.
September 20, 2019 at 17:23
We have been to Nova Scotia many times actually. I have quite a few relatives there so always a pleasure to visit and explore. Lovely to journey with you and revisit some of our favorite spots. We find the people to be very friendly and the scenery on the coasts astounding. Watching the tide come in at the Bay of Fundy is definitely one of our highly suggested things to do.
September 21, 2019 at 17:26
How wonderful that Nova Scotia is and has been a part of your lives, Sue. Certainly a nice change from Calgary, when it comes to sea views anyway. 🙂 We really enjoyed camping along the Bay of Fundy to experience its different states, although we never watched the entire six hours of rising or falling tides.
October 31, 2019 at 13:56
Rob and I spent a week and a half in Nova Scotia about 5 years ago. We started in Halifax, a beautiful city, and your photos bring back memories of the sights there. Then we rented a car and drove to Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg, following the same route you did.
We did see the current Bluenose, and talked to a local who knew the history. It was a sad story, because this boat is nothing like the original. It is a boat built by committee and is scarcely seaworthy. The saddest part is that they chopped up the previous Bluenose into small pieces and destroyed them because they didn’t want people to have pieces as souvenirs. Or, so I recall.
The final part of our visit was a few days spent in the Annapolis Valley, which we loved.
Jude
October 31, 2019 at 15:42
Hi Jude!
What a sad story about the Bluenose. The original one and the replica! It makes me regret not knowing or learning more of its history when we were there.
Mark and I didn’t make it to the Annapolis Valley, unfortunately. We had to choose between that or Cape Breton in the northern part of the island. Maybe we will go back one day. There is a ferry from southern Maine to Nova Scotia. That would be the easiest and fastest way for a repeat visit, but, pricey!