Nova Scotia · best-of list
11 Top Things to Do in Nova Scotia
All 11 things to do our route editors picked in Nova Scotia, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. 6 come with an insider tip, and 5 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
11 things to do in Nova Scotia, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Halifax 4 picks
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
Halifax · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Former ocean-liner terminal where a million immigrants landed, now a national museum.
Photo: Skeezix1000 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
Halifax · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Star-shaped hilltop fort with costumed soldiers and the noon gun.
Tip: Be there by noon for the daily cannon firing.
Photo: Corey W · Google
Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk
Halifax · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Four-kilometre harbourside walk past ferries, tall ships and food kiosks.
Tip: Ride the Dartmouth ferry for cheap harbour views.
Photo: Jordan Carter · Google
Peggy's Cove
Halifax · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Fishing village on bare granite with a 1915 lighthouse, 45 minutes from downtown.
Tip: Stay well back from the black rocks; waves sweep people off.
Photo: Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0
Lunenburg & Mahone Bay 4 picks
Bluenose II
Lunenburg & Mahone Bay · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Replica of Canada's famous racing schooner, offering harbour sails when in port.
Tip: Check the sailing schedule; it travels some summers.
Photo: Yodaman Solo · Google
Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic
Lunenburg & Mahone Bay · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Harbourfront museum with vessels, an aquarium and stories of the Grand Banks fishery.
Photo: Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic · Google
Mahone Bay
Lunenburg & Mahone Bay · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Harbour town known for three churches lined up along the water and craft shops.
Photo: Shawn M. Kent · CC BY-SA 4.0
Old Town Lunenburg
Lunenburg & Mahone Bay · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
UNESCO-listed 1753 grid of brightly painted wooden houses climbing from the harbour.
Tip: Shoot the waterfront from across the harbour on Tannery Road.
Photo: gragan1000 · Google
Cape Breton Highlands & Cabot Trail 3 picks
Cabot Trail
Cape Breton Highlands & Cabot Trail · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
298 km loop road of switchbacks and sea cliffs; the park section is the dramatic core.
Tip: Drive counterclockwise for ocean-side pullouts.
Photo: Elviroyage · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chéticamp
Cape Breton Highlands & Cabot Trail · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Acadian fishing town known for hooked rugs, music and the Les Trois Pignons museum.
Photo: Shannon Andrus · Google
Pleasant Bay Whale Watching
Cape Breton Highlands & Cabot Trail · On our Nova Scotia Coast & Cabot Trail route
Boat trips from Pleasant Bay spot pilot whales, minke and dolphins in summer.
Photo: Rachel Clark · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Nova Scotia?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 11 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Nova Scotia has the most things to do on this list?
Halifax and Lunenburg & Mahone Bay lead with 4 each; the other picks are spread across 1 more destination.
Are any of these free?
5 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Cabot Trail, Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk, Old Town Lunenburg, Peggy's Cove and Mahone Bay. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Nova Scotia
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Halifax 4 on this list
- Lunenburg & Mahone Bay 4 on this list
- Cape Breton Highlands & Cabot Trail 3 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.