The lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove is a photogenic location that’s a relatively short drive from Halifax and thus, a very popular spot. In fact, there are several tour buses that drop here each day.
If you’re lucky enough to be travelling in an RV, the best way to see this location is to arrive later in the day, enjoy the sunset, boondock in the parking lot, and have the lighthouse nearly to yourself in the morning.
Just a few miles up the road on Cranberry Cove there is a memorial to Swissair Flight 111. This international flight from NY headed for Geneva, Switzerland crashed southwest of Halifax in 1998. All 229 passengers and crew on board were killed in the crash after a fire spread through flammable material used in the aircraft’s structure. It was the deadliest crash in McDonnell Douglas’ history.
Following the coastline around the southern portion of Nova Scotia, there’s a pretty provincial park at Cleveland Beach on St. Margaret’s Bay. This is a great little rest stop before reaching Mahone Bay.
Mahone Bay has a history of wooden boat building but today, it is known for the 3 prominent churches that line its shoreline. Photographed from the water, this iconic Nova Scotia scene is often featured on postcards and calendars. Like many waterside towns, its bright colored homes and buildings include upscale shops and restaurants that cater to tourism.
Lunenburg is a former rum running and ship building town that flourished in the late 1800s and much of the architecture is from this period. The brightly painted British Colonial buildings here are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Restaurants overlook the harbor and the main street is lined with bake shops, boutiques, and galleries. There’s history to be discovered on a stroll around town where you’re sure to see a distinctive school, well-kept homes, and a fairy-tale church.
From Lunenburg, we turned north and towards the Bay of Fundy, which is known for its extremely high tides. I’m glad though that we took this southern coast detour from Halifax, rather than driving straight towards the Bay of Fundy, as the road swept through pretty country and each of these small, throwback towns was worth the stop. Their historical significance was interesting and they provided a better understanding of the culture and traditions of the area.
