101 Things to Do in Nova Scotia

No visit to Atlantic Canada is complete without a stop in Nova Scotia. There are no end to the fun and unique things to do in the province. Whether you want a trip filled with fiddles, lobsters, and local brews or a vacation jam packed with hiking, donairs, and live music, Nova Scotia has what you’re looking for. 

This Atlantic Canadian province is a unique place where Celtic, Acadian, and Indigenous cultures live side by side. Where music is a way of life and you’re never more than 67km from the ocean. A province that birthed hockey legends, artists, and some of the country’s most beloved singers like Anne Murray.

To help you kickstart your exploration of Canada’s ocean playground, I put together a little (completely unordered) list of some of the best things to do in Nova Scotia. Where will you start? 

1. Drive the CABOT TRAIL in the fall
2. Get a selfie with the WORLD’S LARGEST FIDDLE in Sydney
3. Have a drink at the LOWER DECK
4. Visit the GIANT BLUEBERRY in Oxford
5. Go down a MINE in Springhill
6. Fortress of LOUISBOURG
7. Meet the wild horses of SABLE ISLAND
8. Hunt for buried treasure on OAK ISLAND
9. Go back in time at PORT-ROAYL
10. Sleep in a COCOON TREE BED above Ingonish Beach
11. Enjoy some DIGBY SCALLOPS
12. Go TIDAL BORE RAFTING
13. Be a soldier for a day at CITADEL HILL in Halifax
14. Photograph PEGGY’S COVE Lighthouse
15. Have fun at UPPER CLEMENTS PARK
16. Explore the HALIFAX WATERFRONT
17. Go WHALE WATCHING
18. Have a YURT VACATION in Church Point
19. Fill your belly with some LOBSTER ROLLS
20. Commune with nature at KEJIMKUJIK National Park
21. Yuk it up at the HALIFAX COMEDY FEST
22. Toast the perfect vacation at BENJAMIN BRIDGE winery
23. Play 18 holes at FOX HARB’R
24. Stage a DONAIR showdown: King of Donairs vs. Tony’s
25. Tour the ALEXANDER KEITH’s brewery
26. Collect stamps on your GOOD CHEER TRAIL passport
27. Sample local brews at STILLWELL Beer Garden
28. Stare into deep space at the DEEP SKY OBSERVATORY
29. Get your ceilidh on at the CELTIC COLOURS FESTIVAL
30. Learn about the Scottish connection aboard HECTOR
31.  Go out on the MIRA
32. Go on a MI’KMAQ MEDICINE WALK
33. Have a paddle and a pint in YARMOUTH
34. Take in a MEN OF THE DEEPS performance in Glace Bay
35. See a movie at the VALLEY DRIVE-IN in Cambridge
36. Take part in the MUD CHALLENGE during Mud Creek Days in Wolfville
37. Meet some happy hookers at the HOOKED RUG MUSEUM of North America
38. Go for a sail on the BLUENOSE II
39. Learn something new at the DISCOVERY CENTRE
40. Visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at PIER 21
41. Stomp your Blundstones at the STAN ROGERS FOLK FESTIVAL
42. Take in the ROYAL NOVA SCOTIA INTERNATIONAL TATTOO
43. Get your groove on at the HALIFAX JAZZ FESTIVAL
44. Discover your next favourite movie at the FIN ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
45. Catch a show by TWO PLANKS AND A PASSION Theatre
46. Smell the roses at the ANNAPOLIS ROYAL HISTORIC GARDEN
47. Get a selfie with Halifax boardwalk’s DRUNKEN LAMPPOSTS
48. Hop on the BEER BUS for a tour of Halifax’s breweries
49. Shop for souvenirs at the AMHERST ARTISANS GALLERY
50. Pick up the cutest mussel bowl at CAPE BRETON CLAY
51. THROW SOME AXES at HaliMac in Kentville
52. Pet a kid at the GROOVY GOAT FARM & Soap Company in Ingonish
53. Indulge your whimsical, but fancy side with a NOVASCOTIAN CRYSTAL curling rock bowl
54. Dine at THE BICYCLE THIEF in Halifax
55. Be a big kid at ATLANTIC SPLASH ADVENTURE
56. FISHERIES MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC
57. See Halifax from land and sea on the HARBOUR HOPPER
58. Go LIGHTHOUSE HOPPING
59. Try your hand at HIGHLAND DANCING
60. Stroll the HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS
61. Shop at one of the many FARMERS MARKETS
62. Tour the HMCS SACKVILLE
63. Be a little bit country at the HANK SNOW HOME TOWN MUSEUM
64. Be a little bit rock ‘n roll at a JOEL PLASKETT show
65. Visit Cole Harbour, the home of SIDNEY CROSBY
66. Enjoy the unique venue that is the LOUISBOURG PLAYHOUSE
67. Get fairytale vibes from SAINT MARY’S, the largest wooden church in North America
68. Meet MARVIN, the life-size replica of a mastodon in Stewiacke
69. Wander around OLD TOWN LUNENBURG, a UNESCO World Heritage site
70. Go for a run in POINT PLEASANT PARK
71. Sample some HASKAP GIN in Mahone Bay
72. Indulge your sweet tooth in hand-crafted maple syrup from SUGAR MOON FARM
73. Go out of this world at the SHAG HARBOUR UFO CENTRE
74. Enjoy rose-petal ice cream in the TANGLED GARDEN
75. Visit the SCOTTISH HIGHLAND CATTLE at That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm
76. Climb JACOB’S LADDER at Victoria Park in Truro
77. Learn the history of CANADA’S BLACK LOYALISTS
78. Get to know the inventor of the telephone, ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
79. Walk the ocean floor at BURNTCOAT HEAD PARK
80. Go clam digging in CLAM HARBOUR
81. Find the grave of J. Dawson, passenger on the TITANIC
82. Fall in love with MOON MIST ice cream
83. Visit MAUD LEWIS’ painted house at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
84. Dig into the mystery of the FACE IN THE WINDOW at St. Paul’s Church
85. Hunt for 300 million year old fossils at JOGGINS FOSSIL CLIFFS
86. Surf at MARTINIQUE BEACH
87. Try your hand at GIANT BLUEFIN TUNA fishing
88. Get the blues with Joe Murphy at YOUR FATHER’S MOUSTACHE
89. Explore the coastline in a SEA KAYAK
90. Make a call from the phone box in the middle of LUCKETT VINEYARDS
91. Take a CANDLELIGHT GRAVEYARD TOUR in Annapolis Royal
92. Raise a pint at the RED SHOE PUB
93. Hike the SKYLINE TRAIL
94. Pick out your dinner at the Hall’s Harbour LOBSTER POUND
95. Explore the prettiest small-town downtown at MAHONE BAY
96. Pretend to be a privateer in LIVERPOOL
97. Drop in to the GLENORA DISTILLERY, the first single malt whisky distillery in North America
98. Hike out to the UISGE BAN waterfall near Baddeck
99. Partake in an Ingonish AFTER DARK LANTERN WALK
100. Meet the GHOST AT THE GALLEY in Chester
101. Pick up a treat for yourself at PEACE BY CHOCOLATE in Antigonish

What’s on your Nova Scotia bucket list?

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Best time to visit Nova Scotia

While Nova Scotia is a great destination year round, the best time to visit Nova Scotia is in the summer and early fall, between June and September. The weather is warmer and drier and there are a ton of festivals and special events happening. If you’re a shoulder season traveller like me, and want to avoid some of the peak tourist crowds, May and October can also be quite spectacular in Nova Scotia.

How much time do you need in Nova Scotia?

I would recommend spending at least a week in Nova Scotia on your visit, especially if you want to see anything beyond Halifax. Though really, the longer you can spend, the better it gets. There is just so much to see and do in this oceanside province that any less and you’ll feel rushed trying to get it all in. You could easily spend a month exploring all of its parks and towns, sampling the best restaurants with local food, and listening to the incredible array of local music.

Do you need a car in Nova Scotia?

If you’re content to spend your time in just Halifax you can get around by either walking, taxis, or buses, but to visit Nova Scotia properly, you’re going to need a car. With your own vehicle you’re free to explore the small towns and off the beaten attractions on your own schedule. Maritime Bus does operate some inter-city routes, but it’s not very convenient for visitors.

Is Nova Scotia worth visiting?

Nova Scotia is absolutely worth visiting. It has both the Maritime’s largest city and some of the most vibrant small towns, beautiful nature, and fresh, delicious food, along with some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. Whether you’re visiting for a week or if you have a whole month to explore you’ll find something interesting to keep you engaged in Nova Scotia.