The Bay of Fundy & Annapolis Valley, long known for its fertile farms and abundant harvests is rapidly growing into Canada’s newest wine region. Imagine traveling through the magnificent valley visiting vineyards, sampling wines, enjoying delectable dishes featuring locally grown produce, and then taking in some of the area’s outstanding attractions.
Upper Clements
Located 8 km west of Annapolis Royal, the quiet settlement of Upper Clements is home to Atlantic Canada’s premier theme and adventure parks. On the shores of the scenic Annapolis Basin, Upper Clements Theme Park and Upper Clements Adventure Park provides a full day of family fun for all ages. The theme park features rides and games, live entertainment, handicrafts, and food outlets. The adjacent Adventure Park is home to 14 Ziplines and more than 43 challenge courses and elevated bridges.
- Cool off with a ride on the giant Flume
- Ride on the Tree Topper Rollercoaster
- Ziplines and Challenge Courses
Smith’s Cove
Smith’s Cove is a favored resort destination with many fine inns and cottage rentals. Breathtaking views of the Annapolis Basin and the Digby Gut can be seen almost everywhere. The scenic lookout provides a magnificent opportunity for photographers. The cobbled beach and hillsides let you indulge in seaside activities and enjoy the fresh air. Just minutes from Bear River, Smith’s Cove is easily accessed off Hwy. 101.
- Do some genealogical research or study local history at the Old Temperance Museum.
- Comb the beach for driftwood, shells, beach glass, and other treasures.
- Join in local celebrations during Good Times Days.
- Enjoy a tennis match, play chess on a giant board, or relax by a campfire.
Bear River
The Bear River rises and falls more than 20 feet with each tide change, pushed upstream by the Bay of Fundy influence. Nestled into a glacial valley four miles upriver from the Annapolis Basin, the historic settlement of Bear River – nicknamed the “Village on Stilts” – straddles the river and harnesses some of the water power for electricity. This eclectic community is a traditional home to the Mi’Kmaq peoples and now boasts the largest artistic community in Nova Scotia. The unique topography of this settlement also hosts the newest winery in the province and the largest collection of vineyards on the Fundy Coast.
- Tour nearly two dozen individual studios, watch the artists at work, and shop for truly unique gifts
- Immerse yourself in an ancient way of life at the First Nations Heritage & Cultural Centre
Digby – Discover Canada’s Most Romantic Town!
Welcome to Digby, Nova Scotia, the scallop capital of the world. The Town of Digby is the perfect fusion of a coastal fishing village and a modern business center, with a variety of high-quality hotels and cozy inns. Conveniently located just five minutes from Highway 101, take exit #26 to Digby, or arrive by ferry from Saint John, New Brunswick via the Princess of Acadia. Wander Digby’s Boardwalk, the center of all activities.
- Visit the Admiral Digby Museum.
- Visit the Trinity Anglican Church, built in 1878 it is a one-of-a-kind structure, thought to be the only one in Canada built entirely by shipwrights.
- Enjoy the Royal Fundy Seafood Market, cafés, a toymaker gallery, and historical sites.
- Take a Whale Watching Cruise, or dock your yacht at our modern marina.
- Photograph picturesque Fisherman’s Wharf and the world-famous scallop fleet, overlooking the Annapolis Basin.
- Tee off or just relax at Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa.
- Relax and enjoy the Digby Summer Concert Series, free concerts throughout the summer showcasing local Maritime talent.
- Take in the annual Digby Scallop Days Festival, and celebrate our seafaring heritage, or enjoy the Annual Wharf Rat Rally, Atlantic Canada’s fastest-growing motorcycle rally.
Digby Neck
The scenic peninsula stretching southwest from Digby toward Brier Island rests between the great tides of the Bay of Fundy and placid St. Mary’s Bay. Known as a nature-lover’s paradise, this unspoiled area has many opportunities for hiking and exploring small waterfront settlements. The marsh at Seawall provides a home for many species of summer birds and is a wonderful place to set up your easel to paint. The narrowest part of the “neck” can be found in Sandy Cove, with a wharf on both bodies of water and a beautiful sand beach on the Bay of Fundy side.
- Visit an Emu farm in Gulliver’s Cove and beachcomb for agate and beach-glass along the shore
- Sign the Loving Tree in Tommy’s Beach Look-off, Little River
- Book yourself onto a boat to visit the whales in their own environment
Parker’s Cove
Settled by British immigrants in the mid-1600s, Parker’s Cove is home to the largest and most active fishing fleet on the Shore Road. The substantial wharves here provide a graphic demonstration of the world-famous Bay of Fundy tides and provide an ideal location for watching the sunset into the ocean. The local seafood market features lively lobster, succulent scallops, and fresh fish for your supper, and will cook your lobster to order. The studio of award-winning abstract painter Wayne Boucher is located in Parker’s Cove Place, and visitors are welcomed during weekdays.
- Time your visit to coincide with low tide and walk on the bottom of the ocean – 30 feet below the high tide line!
- Set up your lawn chair and watch for whales feeding on schools of herring
- Interview the crew as fishing boats unload their daily catch
Long Island
Between the riptides of Petite Passage and Grand Passage lies Long Island, featuring rugged coastlines and striking basalt formations. The five-minute ferry ride from Digby Neck lands you in Tiverton, where the Island Museum is located. A few kilometers down the road is the trailhead to the world-famous “Balancing Rock,” a spectacular columnar basaltic sea stack. On the southwestern end of the island you will find the community of Freeport, with a beautiful harbor and a large fleet of lobster and fishing boats. Long Island boasts plenty of phenomenal views and tasty seafood.
- Turn right off the ferry to visit Boar’s Head Lighthouse, where the strong tides have eroded the shape of a boar’s head into the rocks
- Hike along the Balancing Rock Trail to view this unusual structure consisting of a column of basalt standing straight in the air, balanced on only a tiny portion of its tip
- Hop onto a zodiac or hard bottom boat for a whale-watching trip
Explore Nature – Experience Recreation – Embrace Community. Discover Bountiful Kentville
Nestled among rich agricultural land, bountiful orchards, and the spectacular Bay of Fundy, Kentville is a town of charming character with everything you need to make your visit a memorable one. Kentville offers quaint shops, lively restaurants, unique galleries, historic museums, live theatre, annual festivals, various accommodations, recreational facilities, parks, and trails.
Experience a vibrant night out with live music at one of our pubs, or relax over dinner at one of our restaurants and take in a show at CentreStage Theatre. Spend the night at one of our four B&Bs or motels and spend the following day browsing Kentville’s many shops. Culture and heritage also play an important role, with two museums showcasing the town’s history. Kentville’s Memorial Park Complex is regarded as one of the best in Atlantic Canada and plays host to many tournaments. Recreational facilities include lighted ballparks, a running track, soccer pitches, lighted tennis courts, playgrounds, an outdoor swimming pool, and wading pool, basketball courts and a 7km nature trail system. Outside the park, facilities include the Centennial Arena. Come indulge in one of our celebrations.
The Apple Blossom Festival is celebrated in late May; Rhododendron Sunday takes place at the Kentville Research Station in early June; and during the month of October, come to witness the magic and mystery of the world-famous Pumpkin People! You will find them in fields, on doorsteps, in front yards, around town and in shop windows. The atmosphere that the Pumpkin People creates is contagious and energetic. There is an adventure waiting around every corner for all who come and take part in the Kentville Pumpkin People Festival!
Make Kentville your next travel destination, where there really is something for everyone! Kentville is centrally located in the picturesque Annapolis Valley, only one hour from Halifax, the South Shore and Digby and 2.5 hours from Yarmouth.
Delaps Cove
Delaps Cove is located on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, just 24 kilometers from historic Annapolis Royal. Here you will find the Delaps Cove Wilderness Trail which meanders through 130 acres of canopied forests. Nature enthusiasts may enjoy the natural splendor of the scenery and breathe in the briny, salt air from the windswept coastline of the Bay of Fundy. This wilderness retreat offers wonderful opportunities for hiking, bird watching, and photography.
- Use the Delaps Cove Wilderness Trail Guide to identify the fauna and flora or to provide a historical perspective to the area.
- Try one of two nature trails – Bohaker Trail, a 2.2 km loop (one hour walk), and Charlies Trail, a 1.9 km loop. Both trails are linked by the Shore Road Trail (2.7 km one way). The return walk will take approximately 3-4 hours.
- Make your way to the 13-m (43-ft.) waterfall.
Brier Island
The most westerly point in Nova Scotia and the official entrance to the Bay of Fundy, Brier Island is internationally known for whale watching opportunities. Tall cliffs on the south side of the island, three lighthouses, and a rich collection of rare species of wildflowers combine to make this location a scenic paradise. The unique ecosystem sustains migrating birds along the Atlantic Flyway and is recognized as the #1 bird watching location in Nova Scotia. A wealth of fine trails has contributed to this island being rated as one of the top ten locations in the province for coastal hiking.
- Take your camera, binoculars and bird book to Pond Cove, the Nature Conservancy site on the island
- Follow the shore trail from the Northern Light Coast Guard Station to Pea Jack Cove to view a year-round seal colony
- Shop for hand made quilts, crafts and artwork
Gilberts Cove
Just south of Digby on 101 Highway, Gilbert’s Cove is located along the shoreline of St. Mary’s Bay. Situated on a point of cleared land is the Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse. Built in 1904 with a square floor plan and centrally mounted lantern, this is one of only two known lighthouses of this style to remain. Tended by only two keepers over 68 years, both from the Melanson family, this light remained in active service until 1972. De-commissioned in 1984 and restored in 2004, today it operates as a small museum, gift shop, and teahouse.
- Tour the Gilbert’s Cove lighthouse and partake of some refreshment
- Photograph your family on the giant anchor in front of this picturesque waterfront setting
- Launch your kayak from the gently sloping gravel beach
Weymouth
Since the settlement of the United Empire Loyalists in 1783, Weymouth has been culturally and geographically diverse. The rolling country roads will take you along the Sissiboo River and through woodland where lumberjacks and shipwrights thrived in the 1800s. The Village of Weymouth celebrates life in a gentler time, the great outdoors, and our cultural roots. See the Sissiboo Landing Video Tour!
- Visit the Cultural Interpretive Centre and meet the five distinct cultures (French, Acadian, Mi’kmaq, African Canadian and Loyalists) shaping our heritage.
- Walk the Storybook Trail along the waterfront to learn more about these cultures and their stories.
- Be adventurous and go sea kayaking or take a canoe trip.
- Relax at the spa, and remember those gentle times.
- Go to New France and visit the Electric City, where electricity was used in 1892 (30 years before neighboring communities).
- Hike, bike, ski or snowshoe all or parts of the 45km trail from the Sissiboo River to Norwood Corner.
- Stop in at the Trading Post, one of the oldest general stores in Canada.
- Saddle-up for some riding lessons or a lakeside horseback ride in Southville at Vintage Farm.
- Trace your ancestry through the genealogy sources available at Sissibo Landing, Weymouth’s Heritage and Cultural Centre.
Margaretsville
The Margaretsville lighthouse dates to 1859, and the village wharf provides a spectacular view of raw, red cliffs towering over the Bay of Fundy. In the days of schooner traffic these bluffs were used by “wreckers” to lure unsuspecting vessels to their tragic end. In an old fish shack near the wharf a co-operative studio gallery displays the work of crafters from the area, and visitors are able to watch an artist at work. There is a small picnic park known as Willett Park, and parking and washrooms are available in the village.
- Enjoy a picnic lunch at the Margaretsville lighthouse
- Treat yourself to an old fashioned, homemade ice cream sundae
- Shop for local crafts