A SEA-BOUND COAST
The scenery alone can make you want to
linger indefinitely. After all, Nova Scotia is
essentially surrounded by water, and every
stretch of its 7,600-km (4,722-mi.) coastline
promises adventure opportunities as well as
oh-so-fresh seafood. Yet each also has its
own distinctive character.
The Minas Basin, for one, is a magnet for
migrating shorebirds, hundreds of thousands
of which descend each summer to dine on its
mud flats before flying to South America.
Nearby, the constant beating of the Bay of
Fundy tides uncovers 300-million-year-old
fossils in Joggins' UNESCO-designated cliffs.
The South Shore, conversely, is dotted with
centuries-old towns and sheltered coves once
frequented by privateers; the Eastern Shore
boasts pounding surf; and between them is
Halifax, home to one of the world's largest
natural harbours. Northumberland Strait,
meanwhile, is notable for warm, sandy
strands, whereas much of Cape Breton is
marked by loch-like inlets and rocky
highlands that drop dramatically to the sea.
Inland, the geography is equally varied, which
is why A-type vacationers can explore the
orderly vineyards of the agricultural heartland
and the wondrous wilds of the Southwest
Nova Biosphere Reserve within a single day.
BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB
NOVA SCOTIA
Time
and Tides
Tenuously connected to New Brunswick by a slim sliver of
land, then tethered by ferries to P.E.I. and Newfoundland,
Nova Scotia acts as Atlantic Canada's anchor. Yet this small
but mighty spot—the most populous and prosperous of the
four sister provinces—offers travellers within the region far
more than a convenient location. Its sensational sites are
must-sees in their own right.
1,002,586
Halifax
www.novascotia.com
Halifax Stanfield International
Airport, 35 km (22 mi.) from
downtown
NS
76
PEGGY'S COVE LIGHTHOUSE AT SUNSET •
SHUTTERSTOCK/GERALD ZAFFUTS
