Last Updated on July 29, 2025
Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s maritime provinces, and the second smallest province in the country. It’s known for its history and culture, its wildlife, and dramatic coastline.
So, is Nova Scotia worth visiting? In short – Yes! Read on to find out why, as well as 10 specific reasons to visit Nova Scotia.
Is Nova Scotia Worth Visiting?
Yes, Nova Scotia is absolutely worth visiting. This east coast Canadian province is known for its gorgeous natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, diverse outdoor activities, delicious seafood, and the friendly city of Halifax.
Spending time in Nova Scotia will give you the chance to experience Nova Scotian culture, which is a melting pot of heritage, including Acadian and Indigenous culture.
Nova Scotia, Canada: The Basics
If you’re thinking of visiting Nova Scotia, here are some basics about the province you should know.
When is the best time to visit Nova Scotia?
The best time to visit Nova Scotia is July, August and September. However, spring and late fall are still a lovely time of year. In October, there is beautiful fall foliage throughout the province, and there are a couple fun festivals, like Nocturne, the Art at Night festival in Halifax, and the Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton.
How to get to Nova Scotia?
The best way to get to Nova Scotia is to fly into Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport. This airport is the Atlantic Canadian hub for all domestic, regional, and international flights. However, you can also get to Nova Scotia by car, or by train. Via Rail, Canada’s intercity passenger rail service, runs trains to Halifax. By car, Nova Scotia can be accessed via New Brunswick.
How long should you spend in Nova Scotia?
To really get to know Nova Scotia, I recommend planning to spend at least 10 days. This gives you enough time to experience one or two regions of the province, like Halifax, the Bay of Fundy, and Cape Breton. For a more in-depth experience, plan to spend 2 weeks or more. This way, you can dedicate several days to various regions of the province.
10 Reasons To Visit Nova Scotia
Let’s unpack the details of why Nova Scotia is worth visiting. Here are 10 reasons why you should visit.
1. Eat Delicious Seafood
Nova Scotia is known for seafood, particularly scallops, lobster, and crab. You simply can’t visit the province without indulging in some seafood dishes.
Digby, Nova Scotia, is world-renowned for its giant scallops, which are fittingly called Digby scallops. These scallops are caught just off the shores of the Bay of Fundy.
Although the best place to eat them is definitely Digby itself, you will find them in restaurants throughout the province, served in a variety of ways, including battered and deep fried.
You’ll also want to go for a traditional lobster supper in Nova Scotia. This typically means freshly boiled lobster, dinner rolls, and dessert.
One of the most classic places to have a traditional lobster supper is the Shore Club, which is in Hubbards – about a 45 minute drive from Halifax.
2. Go Whale Watching
Just off the coast of Nova Scotia are migratory routes of various types of whales, including fin whales, minke whales, pilot whales, and humpback whales. There are also dolphins, including Atlantic white-sided dolphins.
Whale watching season in Nova Scotia runs from late spring to early fall. There are tour operators all over the province, including in Lunenburg, the Bay of Fundy, and Cape Breton.
If you’re wanting to see whales in the wild, consider booking a tour out of Cheticamp, Cape Breton. There are several operators that run tours out of Chéticamp, so you can book a tour from town.
Tours will typically have two options: tour by fishing boat, or by zodiac. Going by zodiac isn’t quite as comfortable as a proper boat, but you do get to go closer to the whales if you go this way. Captain Zodiac Whale Cruise offers departures from Cheticamp, with a money-back guarantee.
3. Enjoy Indigenous Tourism Experiences
What not to do on Cape Breton? Don’t skip Indigenous tourism experiences.
Indigenous Peoples have lived in Nova Scotia for thousands of years. The Mi’kmaq are the predominant Indigenous nation in the region, but there are others as well, like Membertou First Nation and Acadia First Nation.
While in Nova Scotia, you can learn about Indigenous traditions that have been passed down over hundreds of years.
Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Centre is just outside Truro, Nova Scotia. At the centre you’ll learn about the Mi’kmaq perspective about the importance of the Bay of Fundy to the Mi’kmaq People of Se’ke’pne’katik. Tours also cover the history of how Indigenous people have struggled to cope with rapid changes to their landscape, political structure, and lifestyle.
Membertou Heritage Park in Membertou, Cape Breton is a cultural center that shares information about the Mi’kmaq way of life, culture, and history. See their exhibits, and check out their programming and workshops.
I also recommend popping into Kiju restaurant in Sydney, Cape Breton, to try traditional Mi’kmaq-inspired recipes or to tour the medicine gardens.
Eskasoni Cultural Journeys is a tour that is run in Eskasoni, Cape Breton. On the tour, you get to hear stories about Mi’kmaq culture in Eskasoni First Nation, while walking a 2.4 kilometer trail on Goat Island in Bras d’Or Lake.
You have the opportunity to observe or take part in a smudging ceremony, see a traditional dance, and more. Just be sure to book a tour in advance!
4. Learn About Acadian Culture and History
Nova Scotia has a long Acadian history that influences life on the island today. This history began more than 400 years ago with the arrival of the first European settlers.
One of the best places to experience Acadian culture, and learn its history, is in a fishing town on Cape Breton, called Cheticamp. This small town has around 4,000 residents, and it’s known for being a worldwide leader in preserving Acadian Culture.
Cheticamp has a museum called Les Trois Pignons where you can learn Acadian history and traditions. You can also visit the Museum of the Hooked Rug and Home Life to learn about rug hooking, an artistic practice that originates in the area and dates back to the 1930s.
5. Learn Maritime History in Halifax
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a museum in Halifax that collects and interprets elements of Nova Scotia’s marine history.
I really enjoyed this museum because it touches on various interesting aspects of Halifax’s history, like the sinking of the Titanic, and the horrible Halifax Harbour Explosion.
On the waterfront wharf just outside the museum, you can see CSS Acadia, Canada’s longest-serving hydrographic vessel. The ship is over 100 years old!
For more maritime history, head to the Canadian Museum of Immigration. The museum has two exhibits that cover the history of trans-Atlantic immigration from Europe to Canada, with lots of detail around the experience of immigrants who arrived at Pier 21.
The museum is located inside part of Pier 21, a former ocean liner terminal and immigration shed that operated from 1928 to 1971. Pier 21 is Canada’s last remaining ocean immigration shed.
The Canadian Museum of Immigration also has a staffed research centre, where you can drop in and do some genealogical research. If you have family who immigrated to Canada via Halifax, you can check for their name within the museum’s database of ship’s records.
By giving the names of my Oma and Opa, who immigrated to Canada from The Netherlands in 1951, I was able to find out what ship they came on, and the date it arrived. The centre’s staff were also able to show me copies of the actual records of my grandparents arrival!
6. Catch Waves With a Surfing Lesson
That’s right! Nova Scotia is a globally recognized surf destination. The province is known for its year-round surfing conditions.
During the summer, when the ocean is warmer, the waves are perfect for learners. Larger waves hit the shores through fall, winter, and spring – more suitable for experienced surfers.
While in Nova Scotia, you can take surf lessons near Halifax. Halifax Surf School takes learners to Martinique Beach, about 40 minutes from the city. East Coast Surf School runs lessons out of Lawrencetown, which is 30 minutes from Halifax.
7. Experience the World’s Biggest Tides in the Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world. The difference in height of the tide ranges from just a few meters in some parts of the bay, and up to 14 meters (46 feet)!
Many visitors head to the New Brunswick side of the Bay of Fundy to see the tides at the Hopewell Rocks, but it’s possible to experience this beautiful phenomenon on the Nova Scotia side, too.
Drive just an hour and 15 minutes from Halifax to Burntcoat Head Park, where you take in views of the bay. When the tide is out, you can use the stairs to climb down and walk along the ocean floor. If you time it right, you can watch the tide slowly coming in.
Entry into the park is totally free, and walking along the ocean floor is a unique experience with gorgeous views of the bay. Just be sure to check the tide schedule before going – if you’d like to walk on the ocean floor, you’ll need to make sure you arrive when the tide is out.
8. Explore the UNESCO site of Lunenburg
Old Town Lunenburg is one of only two urban communities in North America designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town is special because despite being established long ago (in 1753!) it has managed to maintain its original layout and overall appearance.
In Lunenburg, you’ll enjoy simply wandering the old town, admiring the old wooden houses, and popping into the town’s shops. At the waterfront, you can see the famous Bluenose II, which is a replica of the fishing and racing schooner Bluenose.
9. Visit the Iconic Peggy’s Cove
Peggy’s Cove is a major tourist attraction known for its iconic lighthouse, and the small fishing village with a few shops and streets that you can wander.
Peggy’s Cove lighthouse is incredibly picturesque, and it’s fun to climb all over the rocks that surround the lighthouse. You can really get a sense of the power of the ocean, because the waves are so intense along this portion of Nova Scotia’s coast.
But, please be careful – stay away from any rocks that appear black. The black rocks are very slippery, and people have accidentally slipped into the ocean while walking on them.
10. Drive the World-Renowned Cabot Trail
The famous Cabot Trail is a 300 kilometer drive that starts and ends on the northern end of Cape Breton island. The drive passes through Canada’s Cape Breton Highlands National Park as well as a number of fishing villages.
Roughly two-thirds of the Cabot Trail goes along the Atlantic coastline, which means you’ll see beautiful ocean views as you drive.
While it’s possible to drive the Cabot Trail in one day, I don’t recommend it. It’s best to spend a couple days doing the loop, because there’s lots of epic stops to make along the way.
Stop at Ingonish Beach to admire the turquoise blue water, spend an afternoon at the Highland Links to play a round of golf, hike the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, and spend an evening in Cheticamp listening to traditional Celtic music.
Much of the Cabot Trail takes you through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Within the park you’ll see beautiful highlands, ocean scenery, steep cliffs, gorgeous beaches, forests, and river canyons. You can do a driving tour of the park, or pull over at points for lookouts, beaches, and trails.
Final Thoughts: Should You Visit Nova Scotia?
Nova Scotia is home to the beautiful city of Halifax, historic fishing towns, incredible museums, fantastic food, cultural history, wildlife, and beautiful national parks, like Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This maritime island is absolutely worth visiting!
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