Lighthouse Route
Halifax to Chester The first leg of your journey will take you southwest along Highway 333 to Whites Lake, on your way to Peggy's Cove's timeless beauty. Continue on Route 3 until you enter Lewis Lake Provincial Park, which is just before Upper Tantallon. Since the mid-nineteenth century, Hubbards, a full- service community at the mouth of St. Margaret's Bay, has been a popular tourist destination. Before arriving in East River, the Lighthouse Route takes you along the Aspotogan Peninsula's ruggedly beautiful coastline, passing through small coastal villages like Blandford, Bayswater, and Northwest Cove. The Lighthouse Route continues to Chester, a historic seaside town known for sailing, tennis, stately homes, studio galleries, and a laid-back attitude. Chester is also the starting point for a trip to the Tancook Islands at the mouth of Mahone Bay, one of Nova Scotia's hidden gems. From Chester, a passenger ferry service operates for 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the islands of Big Tancook and Little Tancook. Driving Distance – 138 KM
Chester to Bridgewater (via Lunenburg) Today's colour and coastal elegance will not let you down. The Lighthouse Route continues to Martin's River, where an elegant shoreline park provides spectacular views of the bay and its islands. The Lighthouse Route continues on Route 3 to Mahone Bay from here. The view will entice you to pull over, park your car, and take a walk along the water. A exclusive array of studios and galleries of some of Canada's finest artists and craftspeople, specialty and general- needs shops, a bar, restaurants and cafes, and a visitor information centre line the narrow streets. The Lighthouse Route continues along the scenic coastline to Lunenburg, one of Nova Scotia's most historically significant and beautiful cities. Lunenburg's vibrant waterfront, winding streets, and captivating architecture evoke the town's maritime history. C ontinue on the Lighthouse Route to Bridgewater, a bustling town on the LaHave River's western bank. Bridgewater, also known as the "Main Street of the South Shore," provides a variety of services and amenities to locals, including restaurants, lodging, a bustling mall, banks, hospitals, museums, recreational facilities, and a visitor information centre. Driving Distance – 55 KM
Bridgewater to Liverpool Since you only have a short distance to travel today, we recommend that you spend some time in Bridgewater before leaving. The DesBrisay Museum, which is located on a 10-hectare (25- acre) parkland, has exhibits about Lunenburg County's past. The Wile Carding Mill, which was built in 1860 and houses the original carding machines, is now a provincial museum. The Halifax & Southwestern Railway Museum preserves the South Shore's rich and colourful railway heritage. Turn right before entering LaHave to visit the Fort Point Museum, which is a former lighthouse keeper's house and is part of the Fort Sainte-Marie-de-Grace National Historic Site. The Port Medway Lighthouse Park, the Old Meeting House Museum, and the Medway Head
2074 Steeles Avenue E, Unit 1 & 2, Brampton, ON, L6T 4Z9 Phone: (416) 425 8001 | E-mail: [email protected] Tico License # 50011535
Lighthouse are among the attractions in Port Medway. Mill Village is a charming town at the mouth of the Medway, one of Nova Scotia's best whitewater rivers for canoeing and kayaking. To get to Beach Meadows, continue along this scenic coastal loop. Brooklyn is the next stop on the way to Liverpool. The Lighthouse Route continues on to historic Liverpool, North America's privateering capital. Liverpool, located at the mouth of the Mersey River, offers a diverse range of attractions, waterfront trails, art galleries, and gift shops. Driving Distance – 75 KM
Liverpool to Shelburne This day begins with one of three off-route explorations: visiting the village of Port Mouton for white sand beaches, Port Joli for sand dunes and coastal forest exploration, or Port L'Hebert for hiking the scenic trails of Thomas Raddall Provincial Park. You can't go wrong by visiting these Nova Scotian secret gems. Following that, you'll travel along the Lighthouse Route until you reach Lockeport, which is known for its fine white sand beaches. Returning to the Lighthouse Path, your next stop will be Shelburne, a town known for its rich history and picturesque charm. Driving Distance – 156 KM
Shelburne to Yarmouth Barrington Bay's eastern shore is skirted by the Lighthouse Path. Sand Hills Beach Provincial Park provides a stunning natural setting with two curved beaches, one leading to the other, if you're ready to stretch your legs. Barrington, an attractive village with many historic attractions, is your next stop. The Lighthouse Route continues to Barrington Passage's busy service centre, where it turns left onto Route 330 to Cape Sable Island. Returning to the road, ascend the Chapel Hill Museum's tower in Shag Harbour for a panoramic view of the sea and outlying islands. Off Route 3 to the left, Route 335 leads to the French• speaking communities of West Pubnico, Middle West Pubnico and Lower West Pubnico. A 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) interpretive trail runs through the Goose Creek Marsh wetlands conservation area on Roberts Island. The Lighthouse Route leads to Tusket along the beautiful coast. Pinkney's Point, a prosperous small Acadian fishing village on a peninsula, has remnants of Acadian dykes off Route 334. The Butte-de-la-Croix in Wedgeport is a historic site commemorating the first mass held here for the returning Acadians in 1769. Appropriately, the Lighthouse Route ends at one of Nova Scotia's most dramatic and historically important lighthouses. The Yarmouth Light is located on Cape Forchu, a rocky outcropping named by Samuel de Champlain in 1604. Driving Distance – 156 KM
Yarmouth to Digby As you leave Yarmouth and head north, the Lighthouse Route becomes the Evangeline Trail. A few kilometres south of Yarmouth is Sandford, a small picturesque fishing village with a picturesque harbour spanned by the world's smallest wooden lift-bridge. A picnic area by a beautiful beach can be found at Port Maitland Beach Provincial Park. Enjoy your drive along Route 1, which runs between Beaver River and St. Bernard and passes through twelve
2074 Steeles Avenue E, Unit 1 & 2, Brampton, ON, L6T 4Z9 Phone: (416) 425 8001 | E-mail: [email protected] Tico License # 50011535
picturesque French-speaking villages. Mavillette Beach Provincial Park, located off Route I in Mavillette, is one of the region's most common sand beaches. I'Eglise St. Alphonse, located in the village of St. Alphonse, is one of the most charming Acadian churches along this coast. Smugglers Cove Provincial Park, located further along the Evangeline Trail, is a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch, with stunning views of the coastal cliffs and St. Mary's Bay. Grosses Coques is named for the massive clams that can be found there, which are said to be the biggest on the east coast. Local residents built an awe-inspiring granite church in St. Bernard, which seats 1,000 people, between 1910 and 1942. Weymouth, a quiet town on the Sissiboo River with lumbering origins, was established in 1783 by United Empire Loyalists. A restored lighthouse at Gilbert Cove offers picnic facilities as well as panoramic views of the bay in all directions. You arrive in Digby, which is home to one of North America's largest scallop fleets, harvesting the world-famous Digby scallop. Long and Brier Islands, off the end of Digby Neck, are worth a visit and can be reached by short ferry rides. If you're driving down the Neck, make a stop in Tiverton to walk the 2.5-kilometer path to Balancing Rock, Long Island's most photographed basalt formation. Driving Distance – 145 KM
Digby to Annapolis Royal Make Smith's Cove your first stop on your way to Annapolis Royal today if you're continuing on Route 1. Cornwallis, where the military museum is worth a visit, is also on the Evangeline Trail. The old church of St. Edward, which was consecrated in 1797 and is now a museum, is located just off the Evangeline Trail in Clementsport. Visitors with children can pay a visit to Upper Clements Park in Upper Clements, where they can find entertainment for children of all ages. The Evangeline Trail's next stop is Annapolis Royal, which has a captivating mix of heritage and elegance that has made it a famous stopping point. The town has over 150 heritage houses, including the deGannes-Cosby House, which was built in 1708 and is Canada's oldest wooden house. The Adams-Ritchie House (1712) and the Runciman House (1712) are two other historic houses in town (1817). The Annapolis and Allain River mouths are visible from Fort Anne National Historic Site. The fort has well-preserved earthen fortifications, an officers' quarters museum, and a gunpowder magazine. After visiting Fort Anne, take a stroll down lower St. George Lane, Canada's oldest town street. Driving Distance – 64 KM
Annapolis Royal to Wolfville Route 1, the Evangeline Trail, follows the north side of the river in this section of the Annapolis Valley, while Route 201 follows the south side. Consider heading to Port Royal and then driving a short distance to Delap's Cove, where excellent hiking trails lead along the rocky splendour of the Bay of Fundy shore to a beautiful 13 m (43 ft) waterfall. C ontinue on the Evangeline Trail to Bridgetown, a quaint small town with colourful shops, lodging, and a variety of services. A road leading north off Route 1 from Bridgetown leads through North Mountain to the Bay of Fundy, which is 10 kilometres (6 miles) away. On the brow of North Mountain, Valleyview Provincial Park offers picnic and camping facilities as well as a panoramic view of the valley. Lawrencetown is
2074 Steeles Avenue E, Unit 1 & 2, Brampton, ON, L6T 4Z9 Phone: (416) 425 8001 | E-mail: [email protected] Tico License # 50011535
reached via the Evangeline Trail. Middleton has museums, a colonial streetscape, tree-lined streets with shops and boutiques, and activity parks. A detour on Route 362 from Middleton leads to Margaretsville, a seaside village on North Mountain. A lighthouse, old fishing shacks, a waterfall, and stunning sunsets over long stretches of pebble beach make Margaretsville a photographer's dream. Kingston is a peaceful, pleasant country village nestled in one of the Annapolis Valley's most fertile and plentiful regions. Take Route 360 north to Harbourville, a charming fishing village with a restaurant, gift shop, cabins, and a lobster pound, for a scenic side trip. The Evangeline Trail reaches Kentville after continuing on Route 1. Kentville, the Annapolis Valley's largest village, retains a lot of its small-town charm, with bars, colourful stores, and galleries. Route 359 leads north of Kentville via Centreville and over North Mountain to Hall's Harbour. Spend some time along Route 358 at The Lookoff, one of the Evangeline Trail's most famous attractions, to take in the stunning view of the Annapolis Valley and Minas Basin. The Lookoff, which is 200 metres (600 feet) above the valley floor, offers a panoramic view of the valley's rolling farmlands, orchards, and forests all the way to the Minas Basin's majestic shore. Canning, a lovely village, was once a major port for the area. At the turn of the century, huge wooden sailing ships constructed along the banks of this now-lazy river were used to transport apples and potatoes to major cities. Wolfville, back on the Evangeline Trail, is a quaint university town with stately trees and beautiful heritage homes. Driving Distance – 158 KM
Wolfville to Halifax The first stop on today's itinerary is in Grand Pre, which is home to Nova Scotia's oldest operating winery. Continue via Avonport to Hantsport on the Evangeline Trail. Hantsport, located on the Avon River, has a long history of shipping and shipbuilding. Visitors to Falmouth will enjoy a round of golf on a world-class 18-hole course or take a tour of a vineyard on the site of an Acadian village. Windsor is a busy city with a diverse range of attractions. Hockey fans will rejoice to learn that the "Little Town of Big Firsts" is the birthplace of their favourite sport. Route 14 runs cross-province from Windsor to Chester on the Lighthouse Route, which is 57 kilometres (36 miles) away. Route 14 follows the Avon River to Windsor Forks, a farming community renowned for its spectacular fall foliage. In the fall, Martock, a famed ski area, offers trips on the ski lifts to see the vibrant colours. A side road from Vaughan leads to the Ross Farm Living Museum of Agriculture in New Ross. The gypsum underlying much of this area can be seen as spectacular white cliffs along the St. Croix River between Windsor and Mount Uniacke on Route 1. The Evangeline Trail continues on Route 1 through the suburbs of Upper, Middle, and Lower Sackville until ending in Bedford in the Halifax metropolitan area. Spend the final night of your lighthouse and Evangeline Trail tour near Halifax. Driving Distance – 102 KM
2074 Steeles Avenue E, Unit 1 & 2, Brampton, ON, L6T 4Z9 Phone: (416) 425 8001 | E-mail: [email protected] Tico License # 50011535