South Shore and Annapolis Valley: Places to Explore

Annapolis Royal's history spans nearly four centuries, and the town's bucolic appearance today belies its turbulent past. One of Canada's oldest settlements, it was founded by the French in 1605, destroyed... Read more

Although Chester is a short drive west of Peggy's Cove, you'll be forgiven for thinking you've taken a wrong turn and ended up in Maine or Massachusetts. New England planters settled the site in 1759... Read more

Digby is underappreciated: people tend to race to or from the ferry connecting it with Saint John, New Brunswick. Yet there is quite a bit to the town, including a rich history that dates to the 1783 arrival... Read more

In recent years a paper mill has been this town's economic mainstay, but between the American Revolution and the War of 1812, privateering was the most profitable pursuit. You see, Liverpool was founded... Read more

You don't just stumble across these islands—reaching them requires a commitment. Maybe Nova Scotian nature lovers are betting on that so they can keep this place all to themselves. You see, Long... Read more

This remarkably preserved town has a colorful past and some very colorful buildings, a combo that earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The British probably had something more staid in mind... Read more

Wrapped around a sweeping curve of water, this pastoral town's tranquil tone is set by three vintage churches along the grass-fringed shoreline. Of course, life here wasn't always so serene. Mahone Bay... Read more

Peggy's Cove is the home of Canada's most photographed lighthouse. As you wind along the edge of St. Margaret's Bay, woodlands eventually give way to rugged outcroppings that were deposited when the last... Read more

Small as they are, you still can't miss the communities that collectively make up the Acadian Shore. Each one on this stretch, beginning roughly in Beaver River and ending in St. Bernard, seems to have... Read more

Shelburne, about two-thirds of the way down the Lighthouse Route, has a real frozen-in-time look that many travelers love. It was settled after the American Revolution, when 10,000 Loyalists briefly made... Read more

Windsor has much in common with Bridgewater on the South Shore in that both are historic towns that have evolved into regional service centers. The countryside around Windsor is also pretty, particularly... Read more

Settled in the 1760s by New Englanders, Wolfville is a fetching college town with ornate Victorian homes (some of which have been converted into B&Bs), a lively arts scene, and several fine restaurants... Read more

Yarmouth's status as a large port and its proximity to New England accounted for its early prosperity and today the town's shipping heritage is still reflected in its fine harbor, marinas, and museums... Read more