If you're looking for a trip of a lifetime to make priceless memories with your kids, I bet you don't think of Nova Scotia, Canada. Well, you should!
Last Summer we took a leap of faith, grabbed our two young kids, packed the car, and ventured north to meet with our good friend and start our trip of a lifetime. I'm so glad we did! Nova Scotia is filled with adventure, scenic views, history, a foodie's paradise, and great people that sometimes do say "eh".
Brace yourselves, this is gonna be a long one!
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9 Day Itinerary for a family vacation to Nova Scotia, Canada.
Day One - Halifax
We drove from Long Island, NY to Halifax, NS. This was about a 16 hour drive. We left at midnight to avoid traffic although I firmly believe Nova Scotians don't know what traffic truly means.
Upon our arrival to Halifax, Nova Scotia, we immediately checked in to our hotel. We chose to stay at The Hollis Halifax - A DoubleTree Suites Hotel by Hilton (link) because of it's central location, valet parking, family friendly atmosphere, and amenities. It was a great choice and a fabulous experience.
Since we were so close to the boardwalk, we decided to explore a little before crashing after our long drive. We grabbed a bite to eat and then grabbed some ice cream to go at the famous Cow's (link). Ice cream in hand, we walked the boardwalk stopping to admire some of the historic properties along the way.
Day Two - Halifax
Start your day by grabbing breakfast at the onsite restaurant at The Hollis. The food was great and the staff were beyond friendly and accommodating. True story, we now compare every waiter to the server we got that day.
Head towards the boardwalk to hop aboard the Harbour Hoppers Tour (link) to see Halifax from the land and the sea. This tour is done from the comfortable seats of an amphibious bus/boat.
After the tour, continue to explore the Halifax Boardwalk. There are plenty of sites to see including the Georges Island National Historic Site pictured above and shops to venture in. When you work up an appetite, grab a lobster roll for lunch from one of the food vendors along the boardwalk.
Next, plan to spend quite some time at the Discovery Centre (link). This children's museum is educational, HUGE, and an absolute blast. If I knew just how fun and extensive this place would be, I would have planned to spend more time here.
If you still have the energy, walk up the extremely giant, steep hill towards the Citadel. At the Citadel Hill National Historic Site, you'll get an amazing view of the city and be able to join a guided tour that allows you to explore while enjoying the music of a live bagpipe performance.
Grab Dinner at Shuck Seafood + Raw Bar (link).
Take a stroll down Spring Garden Road towards your final destination of the night, a ghost tour (link). Along the way, stop to admire the Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica and the Halifax Public Gardens.
Day Three - Halifax & Dartmouth
Head to the other side of the city for a hearty breakfast at the Cheeky Neighborhood Diner (link).
Day 3 is what I like to call Titanic Day. True to it's completely made up name, the first touristy stop of the day is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (link). There were many highlights here including the very emotional Titanic exhibit, Morse code lessons, going aboard the CSS Acadia, and talking to a live parrot.
A short walk down the boardwalk will bring you to our next stop, the Alexander Keith Brewery (link). I HIGHLY recommend this tour. Of our party of 5, the only one who drinks beer is my husband. That being said, this tour was so good that all 5 of us including my 5 year old loved this tour. You get quite a few glasses of different beer to taste, a tour of the brewery, to walk through secret tunnels original to the building, and to join a party traditional to the 1800s.
Across the water of Halifax is its sister city, Dartmouth. After the brewery tour, take a ride to the other side. You can either drive to Dartmouth or take the ferry. Both are quick and easy. Here grab a lobster roll at Evan's Fresh Seafoods at Alderney Landing. The food is delicious, inexpensive, and the outside seating has beautiful views. When you've had your fill, head over to Fisherman's Cove for a beautiful walk, shopping, and ice cream!
On your way back to Halifax, don't forget to detour to the Dartmouth Quaker House. This site dates back to the 1700s and is worth the drive by.
Walk off some of that food by taking a stroll through Point Pleasant Park. You'll be blessed with beautiful views, nature, - Birders, I had a lifer here! - photo opportunities, and historical sites.
Prepare yourself for one of the best culinary experiences of your trip. Tonight you're eating at the Five Fisherman (link). Please remember to make reservations because this place is very popular. It is the appropriate end to the Titanic day since the building was used as a mortuary for the victims of the Titanic. It's also said to be very haunted. History aside, the food was fabulous. We had fresh oysters and local, Digby scallops. All to die for.
End the night with a round of miniature golf at the Halifax Putting Edge (link).
Day Four - Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay, & Lunenburg
Wake up real early and grab a quick breakfast onsite at the hotel.
Jump in the car and head over to the famous Peggy's Cove.
This is a well known, small fishing town famous for the lighthouse pictured above. It's a beautiful place with breathtaking views. That being said, it's crowded, small, and extremely overrated. Take a few moments to admire the lighthouse and then quickly head into the gift shop and walk up the steps to a sort of satellite post office location. Here you can get your passports stamped and mail out a postcard. I recommend taking a few moments to do this because it left quite the impression on our kids.
After your very quick stop at Peggy's Cove, you'll be hopping back in the car towards Mahone Bay.
Just before entering town, you'll see a small, dirt parking lot. You're going to want to pull over there and get out of the car. Here's where you'll get the famous shot of the three churches along the water shown above. After you get your photography on, drive into town and grab a bite to eat at the trendy Oh My Cod (link) for lunch.
Warning - If you linger at Peggy's Cove like we did, you'll run out of time for lunch. This is a serious regret because this small town is worth exploring!
After lunch, it's right back into the car. You're headed to your final destination of the day and to my favorite place we visited in all of Nova Scotia, Lunenburg.
Where to stay in Lunenburg?
We HIGHLY recommend the Smuggler's Cove Inn & Suites (link).
This Inn was right in the heart of Lunenburg with beautiful views. The owners were sweet as pie and super accommodating. They even gave up their parking space for us when it was near impossible to find one! Everything is clean, affordable, and their homemade breakfast is exquisite. When we checked in, I asked the owner where the breakfast is served. She said "Follow the smell of the croissants". I thought she was exaggerating. But, that next morning, I did exactly that! It was like something from a movie.
Alright, now you're in Lunenburg. You found parking and are checked in. It's time to do the next thing on your itinerary. You're heading to the wharf and booking a boat tour. I recommend the Bluenose II (link) tour, but it's not always available. I also recommend the Hidden Gems Tour (link). Walk around the wharf and see what you can grab. You don't want to miss the view of Lunenburg from the water. Plus, NS is full of wildlife. During our boat tour, we passed by Seal Island. It was unforgettable, especially for the kids.
While you're waiting for your boat tour timeslot, stop into Sweet Treasures Confectionary (link) for ice cream. This place is Instagram worthy and the only place we found the famous Moon Mist ice cream! Moon Mist ice cream is a NS specialty & pictured above.
Then swing into the Ironworks Distillery (link). Like all of everything in NS, they have very limited hours so make sure you get in there. They are a micro distillery located in an old blacksmith shop. I recommend trying the Rum Boat Rum which is an ocean aged rum made through traditional methods similar to what the pirates did.
After your boat tour and exploring the town, you must be hungry. Sit down for a relaxing meal with traditional, Nova Scotian comfort food at the Grand Banker Bar & Grill (link). This place boasts beautiful views of the Lunenburg waterfront while maintaining that low key vibe. I had my second favorite meal of the entire trip here. It was the traditional Nova Scotian fish cakes with a side of baked beans. The kids enjoyed their food and the relaxed atmosphere while my husband enjoyed their local beer selection.
Day Five - Blue Rocks, Annapolis Valley, & Liverpool
As suggested, wake up and follow the smell of the croissants to breakfast. Enjoy the homemade meal that comes with your stay at the Smuggler's Cove Inn. Then, wave goodbye and make a mental note to return someday. Take some time to walk the Lunenburg waterfront at the very early hours of the morning. The crowds have disappeared and now you can really enjoy the beauty of it all.
On the way to The Valley, make a quick stop at Blue Rocks, NS (link). It's only a few minutes from Lunenburg and worth the stop. This small fishing town boasts some of the best views in all of Nova Scotia. Drive through and pull over to snap some pictures, then be on your way.
Today you're spending the majority of the day in Annapolis Valley, NS. You'll be starting with exploring the sites of the Fort Anne National Historic Site (link). Take in the views. Explore the fort, including walking into the historical, underground bunkers. Walk the full loop to see the historical cemeteries, including the Acadian cemetery, and other historical buildings. There is an option of paying for a guided tour, but we explored at our own pace because, ya know, we have kids.
Walk the town and stop into the Fort Anne Cafe (link) for a simple yet very tasty lunch. While exploring the town, make sure to stop by the Annapolis Royal Lighthouse and the Annapolis Royal Gardens. There's also a scenic walk along the waterfront that would make for a great way to burn off that lunch. When you're content, return to the car to head towards your final stop of the day, Liverpool.
Where to stay in Liverpool?
We stayed in the Lanes Privateer Inn right in the heart of town. While it's location is convenient, I do not recommend this hotel for many reasons but mostly because it doesn't meet my basic standards of clean. Instead, stay at the Quarterdeck Resort (link). The resort is seaside, clean, and highly recommended by the locals.
Day Six - Beach Day & Shag Harbour
Start your day at the Canadian hot spot, Tim Hortons. It's located right in town and has some great coffee.
After you eat, head to Port Joli beach. This was recommended to me by a local and became such a memorable part of our trip. You need to follow the tide schedule. During low tide, the ocean virtually disappears exposing the sea floor. We saw thousands maybe even millions of snails and seashells along miles of exposed ocean floor. The kids were even more taken aback by this then we were. They had a blast splashing through the leftover puddles and "walking across the ocean". We came prepared with a bag to collect seashells. Here we grabbed many natural souvenirs that we have on display in our garden. Being mindful of the tide schedule, we only lingered for an hour or so until we headed out to our real beach spot.
Our beach day was at yet another local recommendation, Summerville Beach Provincial Park (link). Here there is an ocean side and a freshwater side. Where they meet, the water is filled with foam. We lingered on the freshwater side since the sand is soft and the water is calm. Across the water is an old train bridge. It makes for a beautifully different backdrop and is also what the locals use to jump into the water. Ever jump off a bridge? Here you can! The kids and the men had a blast playing seaside while I went off to go bird watching. Here I stumbled across two other lifers and plovers galore! If you're into nature or photography, take some time to venture off alone while you're here to see what you find. I promise you'll be happy you did!
Head back to the hotel to shower in preparation for the second half of the day.
On the way to Shag Harbour, stop in Barrington, NS for the best lobster we had the whole trip. This local recommendation is called Capt. Kat's Lobster Shack (link). My hubby indulged in the full lobster and I opted for a lobster roll. Both were SO yum.
If you have time and/or great weather, we didn't get blessed with either, you can stop at the Barrington Museum Complex or the Keji Adjunt.
Enjoy a delicious meal and drinks at the Quarterdeck Resort (link) while overlooking the ocean. Afterwards, play a few rounds of bowling in town.
Day Seven - Acadia, Smuggler's Cove, & Yarmouth
For your last full day in NS, you'll be staying the night in Yarmouth. On your way there, you'll be making a few stops.
Where to stay in Yarmouth?
We stayed in the Rodd Grand Hotel (link) and would recommend you do the same. The location is perfect, the price was right, the rooms were clean, and the amenities including an onsite, indoor pool were perfect.
But, we're getting ahead of our ourselves. Check in isn't until much later.
Today we're starting off at Le Village historique acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse (link). This is a real life Acadian village, something that is near extinct today.
We all LOVED this stop. Period dressed actors met you in each historical building to give a mini tour, describe what life was like, and to answer all of your questions. There was a working farm with animals which was a huge win for the kiddies. A real blacksmith was onsite that did an interesting demonstration. The same blacksmith had the children wide eyed as he made them monogramed nail heads to take home as a free souvenir. There was a nature trail with stunning views, an antique car exhibit, traditional codfish salting, a historical lighthouse, and much more. For lunch, stop into the cafeteria onsite and indulge in traditional Acadian food, including the famous rappie pie!
Disclaimer - Rappie pie is not very good, but when in Rome Nova Scotia...
On the way to Yarmouth, take a quick detour to Smuggler's Cove. Here you'll see the cave that was used by Rum Runners and visited by famous explorers.
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Head over to the Cape Forchu Lighthouse (link) and don't forget to stop at the famous, Instragam worthy, Buoy Wall for a picture.
For my fellow bird watchers, this place was a gold mine! I found a lifer here and was even able to leave my mark on NS by making a bird alert. It was so cool to follow the bird alert along to see all the birders that went to find the lark sparrow I originally spotted at the lighthouse.
At this point, you'll want to check into the hotel and explore Yarmouth. This is a small town with lots to do before 4pm. We opted to visit the Firefighter Museum (link) at the request of my son. This small museum was full of vintage fire trucks and interesting artifacts. The kids enjoyed playing on their interactive firetruck display.
Afterwards, we explored the town and grabbed dinner at Rudder's Seafood & Brewery (link). The atmosphere was relaxed and the food was good. It was a popular spot in town so it was crowded, but worth the wait.
After a late night swim in the hotel's pool, we said goodnight and prepared to leave Nova Scotia early in the morning.
Day Eight - Yarmouth & Bar Harbor, ME
Not quite ready to end my trip, I woke up before the sun came up. My daughter & friend were having similar feelings of nostalgia, so they came with me on an small adventure. I grabbed my camera and headed to the park across the street from the hotel. The park is called Frost Park. It was beautiful and unique. What makes it different are the tombstones scattered throughout the lawn. Frost Park was built on top of a historical graveyard.
We watched the sun rise and lingered in that compass as long as we could. When time was up, we headed back to the hotel, grabbed breakfast, said our goodbyes to our good friend, and headed towards The CAT.
The CAT (link) is a high speed ferry that takes passengers from Yarmouth, NS to Bar Harbor, ME in record time. This ferry cut hours off of our drive home and allowed us to go on one last adventure but at a huge price. This was a ROUGH ride. I was so seasick that I couldn't even open my eyes. According to my hubby, I wasn't the only one feeling this way. If you opt for this traveling hack, come prepared with medication to help.
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Ladies and gentleman, Bar Harbor is BEAUTIFUL. It's not NS, but it helped ease the pain that our international adventure came to an end.
Where to stay in Bar Harbor, ME?
We stayed in the Main Street Motel (link) which is in the heart of town. Where it lacked in amenities, it made up for it in cleanliness and location. The free parking onsite was what sealed the deal for us. Parking in Bar Harbor is insanity so this alone was a huge perk. I highly recommend this hotel.
When we arrived in town, we immediately grabbed a bite to eat at the Peekytoe Provisions (link). The food was so good! We had the monkfish nuggets, local oysters, and a lobster roll. Everything was PERFECT.
From there we boarded a trolley for the Oli's Trolley Tour (link). We wanted the tour that takes you into the Acadia National Park. Unfortunately, this was fully booked for the day so we couldn't grab it. Instead we did their basic tour which was just OK. Afterwards, we drove through Acadia National Park ourselves. We made sure to stop at the super intimidating Thunder Hole while in the park. We ended the day with exploring the town and hopping from gift shop to gift shop. Being back in the states, the gift shops were open way past 4pm.
I wanted to highlight one shop in particular. The Bar Harbor Tea Company (link) was my favorite find. I purchased a few boxes of this high quality tea, including some souvenirs for my family. Many stores in Bar Harbor were "uppity" and seemed bothered by tourists and children despite the fact that they were catering to both. This shop was welcoming and the attendants were happy to assist. I highly recommend stopping in!
We ended the night with a later dinner on the strip. Tip - Make reservations for dinner. It took us forever to find a place to eat with room for a walk in family!
Day Nine - Bar Harbor & Home
Enjoy the town in the early hours of the morning. Take a walk along the strip towards the waterfront while enjoying the quiet of the morning.
Stop in Jeannie's Great Maine Breakfast (link) for a hearty and delicious meal. It's exactly what you'll need to end your trip and start the journey home.
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