Nova-Scotia Travel Guide
Nova Scotia proves cagey to characterize. It generally feels more cultured than wild . . . but then you stumble upon those blustery, boggy uplands at Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which seem a good home for druids and trolls. It's a province full of rolling hills and cultivated farms, especially near the Northumberland Straits on the northern shore . . . but then you find the vibrant, edgy, and lively arts and entertainment scene in Halifax, a city that has more intriguing street life than many cities three times its size. It's a place that earns its name -- Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland" -- with Highland games and kilts and a touch of a brogue here and there . . . but then suddenly you're amid the enclaves of rich Acadian culture along the coast between Digby and Yarmouth. The place resists characterization at every turn.
This picturesque and historic province is an ideal destination for travelers who are quick to hit the remote control when parked on the couch back home. There's an extravagant variety of landscapes and low-key attractions, and the scene seems to change kaleidoscopically as you travel along the winding roads: from dense forests to bucolic farmlands, from ragged coast to melancholy bogs, and from historic villages to dynamic downtowns. (About the only terrain it doesn't offer is towering mountain peaks.)
Nova Scotia is twice blessed: It's compact enough that you needn't spend all your time in a car. Yet it has fewer than a million residents (and one in three are in and around Halifax), making it unpopulated enough to provide empty places when you're seeking solitude. Even along the more populated shoreline it's possible to find a sense of remoteness, of being surrounded by big space and a profound history. More than once while traveling here, I've had the fleeting sense that I was traveling in New England, but 60 or 70 years ago, well before anyone referred to tourism as an industry.
Visitors to Nova Scotia would do well to spend some time poring over a map and this travel guide before leaving home. The hardest chore will be to narrow your options before you set off. Numerous loops and circuits are available, made more complicated by ferry links to the United States, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. Figuring out where to go and how to get there is the hardest part.
The only people I've ever heard complain about Nova Scotia are those who tried to see it all, and to see it within a week. Such an approach will leave you strung out and exhausted. Instead, prioritize your interests and decide accordingly. Looking for those picture-perfect scenes of coastal villages? Focus mostly on the south shore, specifically the trio of Chester, Lunenburg, and Mahone Bay. Drawn to hiking amid rocky coastal scenery? Allow plenty of time at Cape Breton. Looking for more pastoral ocean scenery? Head for the Fundy Coast. Want to spend a quiet day canoeing? Make your stop Kejimkujik National Park. Dying for some gourmet dining and urban buzz? Factor in a few days in Halifax. Above all, schedule plenty of time for simply doing not much of anything. It's the best way to let Nova Scotia's charms unfold at their own unhurried pace.
