This post is sponsored by Tourism Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia, located in eastern Canada, is one of the three Maritime provinces. Not only is its coastline pristine and one of a kind, but it’s home to over 150 lighthouses. It’s been nicknamed Canada’s Ocean Playground for its beautiful beaches, idyllic rocky shorelines, and top notch seafood. We loved our week touring the coastline, and enjoyed a taste of warm Canadian hospitality, delicious cuisine, and Acadian culture. If you love history, charming seaside villages, and lighthouses galore here’s all the details of our Nova Scotia Lighthouse Tour.

Topher and I had Nova Scotia on our radar for a few years, and we are thrilled to bring you along on this road trip. This seven day journey will take you from Halifax to Yarmouth and along the Bay of Fundy ending in Wolfville. You will want to plan to have a rental car awaiting you at the airport, and you’ll take your time stopping at towns and sites along the way. Here’s our full itinerary…

Getting Here…

Living in New England, traveling to Nova Scotia is so easy with a direct flight aboard Air Canada out of Boston’s Logan Airport. It’s so convenient to have direct service out of Boston, and a quick flight to Nova Scotia. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon at the airport, and after a couple of hours of airtime, landed in Halifax that evening. We picked up our rental car and drove 15 minutes to our first stop of the trip. We checked into our overnight accommodations at the Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax for a late dinner and shut eye.

Day 1 & 2 exploring Halifax

DINING IN HALIFAX | GEORGE’S ISLAND HISTORIC SITE & LIGHTHOUSE

Halifax is the largest city by the sea in Nova Scotia. The downtown is very walkable and full of retailers, restaurants, galleries, and museums. The Westin Nova Scotian was a great place to start our lighthouse road trip with its location in the Halifax Seaport District. Upon entering our room, what did we see out our window? Lighthouse number one! Another observation, upon arriving in Halifax…how genuine and friendly Canadians are to strangers. Every time we were on the hotel elevator or passing someone in the lobby, a conversation began.

After a breakfast in the hotel’s on-site restaurant, Seaport Social, we walked over to Cable’s Wharf for the ferry to our first site stop of our trip.

We boarded the ferry for a guided tour of Georges Island National Historic Site. Steeped in military history, this little island holds an insight into Canada’s history. They offer guided tours of Fort Charlotte’s military bunkers, store rooms, military housing, a 19th century bomb-making site and the hilltop fort. Georges Island Lighthouse, also called Front Range Light, is located on this little island too. You can see it pretty up close on the island, but it’s not open to tour for safety reasons. The ferry ride over takes you around the island for lighthouse views from the water before you dock for your tour. Also, the views of the Halifax skyline are great to capture and view from the ferry.

*Our tip: Have a picnic lunch to enjoy on island after your tour. There are Adirondack chairs on the hillside of the island with beautiful views to enjoy. You will want to plan a couple of hours for the tour and lunch.

Once back to the Halifax dock, we did a little self-guided walking tour of the city before returning to the Westin to freshen up for dinner. The Queens Marque District is home to art installations, galleries, shops, and museums. The boardwalk along the water at Bishop’s Landing is lovely to stroll on a sunny day, and there was the cutest little gelato cart to stop for a little treat.

That evening, we enjoyed an amazing dinner al fresco at The Bicycle Thief (that we passed by while strolling Bishop’s Landing.) The cocktails, seafood, and creative spin on Italian cuisine was beyond delicious! This was one of our favorite restaurants the whole trip. The seafood & corn chowder is just beyond! It’s a fun people watching scene too, if you can score a table outside.

Lighthouses to visit: Georges Island Light, Maugher Beach Lighthouse

Day 3 Halifax to Liverpool

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse & Fishing Village | Mahone Bay | Lunenberg

We departed Halifax early after breakfast, and made our way to the idyllic fishing village of Peggy’s Cove. This was my personal favorite stop of the trip! There is a reason Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is the most photographed and visited lighthouse in Nova Scotia. The wave beaten granite rocks are the perfect perch for the lighthouse, and the fishing village gives you all the old salt vibes.

As we parked our car, and walked the hillside down to the village, we felt transported back in time. It almost felt like a movie set, with the houses on the hillside in red, blue, and yellow. It reminded us of coastal Maine, but still felt unique and different. The fishing village is beautiful with old shacks, docks, plenty of boats, lobster traps, and loads of salty good charm.

As we entered the first little shop, an old fishing shack, an older gentleman with a full white beard decked out in a woven sweater and hat, sat carving behind the counter. We enjoyed chatting with him and he was proud of his generational family ties to the cove. The shop was full of his carved treasures, swordfish and fish bones, and all kinds of trinkets and treasures from the sea. The perfect place to pick up a souvenir. We decided on swordfish bones for the boys and one of his carved buoy ornaments. After thanking us, he said, “That swordfish bone washed up in my yard a few weeks ago.” …of course it did! What a place to live.

I really enjoyed photographing the village, and we loved the views from the lighthouse. It really is an amazing place to visit–this was a top stop on our road trip. The lighthouse was really busy with tourists from around the globe taking in the views and climbing the rocks. I now understand why it’s such a popular destination.

We spent so much time here, that we decided to grab lunch at the restaurant right next to the lighthouse. The Sou’Wester Gift Shop & Restaurant has great views of the lighthouse and a casual seafood menu. We ordered the fish & chips and a lobster roll, and both were really good.

You can read my full post on Peggy’s Cove for more info and photography.

We departed the cove, and the drive was just gorgeous along the coastline. Just pristine with rocks, pines, fishing shacks, and homes on the water. We stopped in Mahone Bay and Chester for some more sightseeing. Chester was tiny, a pretty little spot with lots of boats on the water. Mahone Bay had a cute little downtown on the water, and is home to the famous 3 churches. Local favorites include JoAnne’s Market, Famous Town Pie Shop (meat pies), and The Barn Coffee & Social House.

We arrived in Lunenberg by the late afternoon. This town was founded in the 1700’s by Swiss & German immigrants and has a strong shipbuilding and rum running history. The waterfront has a nice boardwalk and docks leading out to sailing excursions. There was a live band playing along the boardwalk and horse drawn carriages for tourists to enjoy a tour of the downtown. We enjoyed visiting the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic to learn about Lunenberg’s seafaring history. For dinner, we got a table at The Knot Pub, which had a fun atmosphere.

It was getting late, so we headed to our inn for the night in Liverpool.

Lighthouses to visit: Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, Indian Harbour Lighthouse, Fort Point Museum (replica), Port Medway Lighthouse, Western Head Lighthouse

Day 4 Liverpool to Yarmouth

LIVERPOOL | SHELBOURNE | SEAL ISLAND MUSEUM | CAPE SABLE | WEST PUBNICO

It was a misty morning when we woke up in Liverpool. Liverpool is known as the “Port of the Privateers” for rum running to America during Prohibition. Our first stop was a visit to Fort Point Lighthouse Park. This lighthouse turned museum is a nice stop, and inside you can even crank the hand fog horn.

Departing Liverpool, we continued on our lighthouse tour along the South Shore stopping in Shelbourne. The Sandy Point Lighthouse is accessible at low tide when you can walk out on the sandbar. The tide was high when we arrived and we had to be on our way, so we viewed it from the shore. A peaceful spot to visit, and a couple of families were enjoying a swim.

Next, we stopped off at the Seal Island Light Museum. This little replica of the original 60ft. lighthouse holds a treasure trove of lighthouse history. It’s a quick little stop, but we enjoyed it.

Next, we drove over to Clark’s Harbour, and enjoyed some beach time at The Hawk. This beach is stunning! Being here feels like a you are being let in on a little secret. White sand, beautiful waves, and a view of the Cape Sable Lighthouse. We loved walking this beach and enjoyed the views here so much. Highly recommend!

Our next stop was supposed to be Le Village Historique Acadien, but a bad storm rolled in and literally rained on our parade. Since much of the museum is outdoors, we found a little cafe to have a late lunch in, and wait out the torrential rains. We could barely see out the windshield, so it was a good time to pullover.

In our own way, we got a taste of Acadian culture. The Dennis Point Cafe is unassuming by appearance, and located directly across from the commercial lobster docks. We were drenched upon entering, and a group of locals sitting at a table greeted us kindly. The waitress said, “Well, if you can’t visit the museum today, you can at least have some good Acadian home cooking.” Her husband was working on the docks across the street, and you could tell she was expecting him any moment. We opted for Acadian chowder to knock the chill off, and it was so warming and good. It was fun to listen to the group of men next to us go back and forth from speaking Acadian to speaking English.

Once we could be on our way again, we made our way to Yarmouth to turn in for the night.

Lighthouses to visit: Sandy Point Lighthouse, Baccarro Point Lighthouse, Cape Sable Lighthouse (viewed from the beach, tallest lighthouse at 101 ft.), Abbotts Harbour Lighthouse.

Day 5 Yarmouth to Annapolis Royal

Cape Forchu | Acadian Shores | Digby & The Bay of Fundy

Our favorite part of Yarmouth was the drive out to Cape Forchu. You drive down a road meandering through lobster shacks along the water to the Cape Forchu Lighthouse. The “Climb the Light” experience is great for those that love a view from the top. We climbed up to the top of the Cape Forchu light, but unfortunately for us, the fog was so thick we couldn’t see anything. It was like being in a cloud. On a clear day, this view would be absolutely amazing.

We grabbed lunch on the porch at the restaurant on-site, The Keeper’s Kitchen, and by the time we finished our meal, the fog started to lift. We loved walking the pathways around the lighthouse in Leif Erikson Park. It is so beautiful with the rocky coastline and plenty of walking paths and greenery. A great place for a little hike.

We continued on the road, and stopped at Mavillette Beach Provenical Park to stretch our legs some more. This is such a quiet area, and the sandy beach is so pretty here. We visited Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse before leaving, and the dramatic cliff views were breathtaking.

Onward we drove to Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse, “The Greatest Little Lighthouse in Canada”. The lighthouse wasn’t open to tour, but the rocky beach and surrounding shore was so nice to explore. We met a local Acadian woman while we were there, and she was collecting shells and mussels on the rocky beach. She was so friendly and kind to entertain us, and gifted us some of her collected treasures as a memento.

Our last stop of the day was to visit Digby, “The Scallop Capital of the World”. It was later in the day by the time we made it here, so we opted to visit the Prim Point Lighthouse before the sunset. This red and white striped lighthouse is set atop a rocky coastline with views of the Bay of Fundy. It was so peaceful here, and we took a breath and sat on the rocks together watching the waves crash.

We made our way to The Carlisle House Inn Bed & Breakfast in Annapolis Royal to check-in for the night. Our host, made us a quick reservation at the local restaurant down the street, Bistro East, and we indulged on pasta and wine. We had a seat right in the window and a beautiful view of the waterfront.

Lighthouses to visit: Cape Forchu Lighthouse, Bunker Island Lighthouse, Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse, Parc Joseph et Marie Dugas, Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse, Prim Point Lighthouse

Day 6 Annapolis Royal to Wolfville

Annapolis Royal | Hall’s Harbour | Wolfville & Grand Pré

Our last full day of sight-seeing was a really good one. After a lovely breakfast at the inn, we did a little walk around historic Annapolis Royal. That morning, not many businesses were open, but we did enjoy the 17th-century architecture and water views. It reminded me a lot of our historic homes and buildings in coastal New England towns.

It was another moody morning weather wise, so we started off on our way to Nova Scotia’s wine country in the Wolfville & Grand Pré region. There are charming orchards on this stretch of road that takes you along the Bay of Fundy. You feel transported to the country driving the winding roads past farms and rolling hillsides.

We stopped off at the Margaretsville Lighthouse. It’s a little lighthouse painted with white and black bands. You can tour the inside, set up to look like it did when a lighthouse keeper lived there. The fog was thick again, so we didn’t get any bay views, but it was a charming lighthouse to visit.

Once we arrived in Grand Pré, the sun came out, and we enjoyed a lovely wine tasting and late lunch at the Domaine de Grand Pré Winery. We dined out on the terraced patio under an arbor, at their restaurant, Le Caveau. The food was delicious, and we did enjoy trying the wine selections.

Back on the road after that lovely lunch, we drove out to the charming fishing village of Hall’s Harbour in the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. This ended up being another favorite stop of our trip. It’s a very picturesque location with the fishing boats and lobster traps lining the wharf out to the beautiful bay. The coastline is simply spectacular here, and the smell of pine and sea will scent your nose.

The tides here are amazing in the wharf to watch. When we arrived, the boats were tied up along the wharf and it was dry as a bone. We stopped in a little gift shop, Parker’s General Store, and picked up a few more souvenirs for the family. After exploring the wharf and views from the beach, it was almost dinner time. By the time we sat down for dinner the tide rose 40 ft. and the wharf was full again.

The main attraction here is the Hall’s Harbour Lobster Pound and Restaurant. We loved dining here and enjoying the famous Bay of Fundy lobster. So good! This is such a fun place to dine. They offer outdoor seating along the wharf and indoor dining rooms too. We sat outside since it was a nice night.

After our lobster dinner, we watched the sunset from the beach, and then made our way back to our hotel in Wolfville for the night. A perfect way to enjoy our last night in Nova Scotia.

Lighthouses to visit: Port George Lighthouse, Margaretsville Lighthouse

Day 7 Departing Wolfville

This was the end of our Nova Scotia Road Trip. The last leg was the hour drive to the airport back in Halifax.

We checked out of our hotel in Wolfville at 11 am, and walked over to The Library Pub & Merchant Wine Tavern. I loved the interiors here! We felt like we were dining in an Ivy League library, which makes sense since this is a university town. We had so much seafood on this trip, that we opted to have burgers and a local brew.

It was time to depart to the airport, and on the drive we remarked on our favorite parts of our first trip to Nova Scotia.

My Personal Favorites

I wanted to take a moment to highlight my favorite places we visited on this Coastline Road Trip of Nova Scotia. For this trip, we had a focus on lighthouses and foodie spots, so I want to share what we both agreed were top on our list. These are the places we loved most if I had to narrow it down…

• Peggy’s Cove
• Hall’s Harbour
• Cape Forchu
• The Hawk
• Lunenberg
• Annapolis Royal

Since this is a more of an all encompassing overview and guide of our road trip, I am going to work on some more posts breaking down specific regions and a lighthouse round-up for you. I’ll link those to this post when they are published.

More posts on Nova Scotia

A Visit to the Charming Peggy’s Cove Fishing Village & Lighthouse

Happy Travels,

xx Kristy

This post is sponsored by Tourism Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia was on our travel list to explore, and we loved partnering with them to bring you this travel guide. All photography and opinions are mine.