Nova Scotia is easily the best province in eastern Canada. It offers stunning coastal shores, charming towns, and delicious seafood!
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Highlands National Park makes up the top half of the island and is absolutely worth exploring.
Middle Head Trail: This trail is 2.75 miles long with 550ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour and 15 minutes to complete. It leads out to the edge of the head with some pretty views along the way.
Ingonish Beach is right near the trailhead as well. It is a nice beach for swimming and there is also a freshwater lake for kayaking.
Cabot Trail Scenic Drive: This famed pretty route takes you around the island with a lot of pull-offs for views.
Jack Pine & Coastal Trail: This loop trail is a quick 1 mile long with 200ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The Jack Pine part is a bit boring but the Coastal part is scenic.
The popular Black Brook Cove Beach is right at the trailhead as well.
Oyster Bar: Yes, it is just called “Oyster Bar” I promise! This small spot is a hidden gem at Hideaway Campground. There are just a few tables and some oysters that are ridiculously good. It is the perfect spot to break up your drive around the island!
Skyline Trail: This hike is super popular and you now need reservations to complete it. You can do the loop trail or shorter out and back trail.
Stay at Lakeside Luxury Glamping Domes: These are located on Bras d’Or Lake, which is a massive, beautiful lake. The domes themselves definitely are luxurious with nice touches throughout. The only downside is they are quite close to each other.
Big Spruce Brewing: This brewery is on a beautiful property with nice views and forest-vibes. They have an indoor and outdoor bar, each with different tap lists so I would check both before ordering. They also have an onsite food truck with smashburgers and frequent live music.
La Provence Bakery: This is a great spot for coffee and breakfast off the main road of the island. It’s the perfect stop on your way to explore the park!
Explore Baddeck: This little town has a few restaurants, shops, and places to explore.
Alexander Graham Bell Park: A very pretty park on the waterfront with seating.
Main Street Restaurant: A popular spot with a nice deck, but I did not personally love it.
Stay at Sally's Brook Luxury Eco-Resort: Another unique stay in the area with chill vibes.
Skip Highwheeler Cafe & Bakery: A touristy spot for breakfast and lunch with average eats.
Halifax
Wander the waterfront: This area can be a little chaotic but it is very cute and has a lot of shops, restaurants, bars, and casual seating.
The BG Halifax Beer Garden: This is a very cool spot on the waterfront. They have a huge food menu, large beer list, and cocktails as well.
Explore the North End neighborhood: Another great area to bop around full of great spots to check out.
Unfiltered Brewing: Solid brewery with aggressive vibes.
Compass Distillers: Tasty cocktails and good happy hour specials.
Stillwell Beer Garden: Stillwell has 4 locations across the area. The Beer Garden is located downtown with classic German beer garden vibes. They have a small food menu as well.
Museum of Immigration at Pier 21: This museum is all about Canadian immigration with very informative exhibits.
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia: Your classic fancy art museum!
Peggy’s Cove
Peggy's Cove: This little village is extremely popular for its lighthouse on the edge of the sea. I would say 0/10 recommendation on visiting this area. It is swarming with people, parking is horrible, and it is literally just a lighthouse. It was probably charming 20 years ago, and now it is a horrible tourist trap.
Nearby Lunenburg looks like a cute town, but after my experience in Peggy’s Cove I decided it was not worth the extra drive. Let me know if you check it out!
