MUST-SEE SITES
Like its scenery, Nova Scotia's man-made
attractions cover a broad range, from
museums to amusement parks, art galleries
to golf courses. Historic ones, however, are
especially plentiful here because the region
once played a crucial role in the imperial
plans of both British and French forces.
The star-shaped Halifax Citadel, for
example, is a literal highlight of any visit to
the capital city, and the meticulously
recreated Fortress of Louisbourg lures
history lovers north to Cape Breton
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/halifaxcitadel;
www.parkscanada.gc.ca/louisbourg). The
Annapolis Valley, which contains some of
the continent's oldest European settlements,
has even more in store. Witness Port-Royal,
founded by the French in 1605, three years
before they established their base at Québec
City (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/portroyal);
Fort Anne, a.k.a. "the most attacked site in
Canadian history," originally erected in 1629
as an Anglo counterbalance (www.parks
canada.gc.ca/fortanne); and gorgeous
Grand-Pré, another UNESCO World Heritage
site where politically-neutral Acadians were
forced into exile for refusing to pledge their
allegiance to the British crown in 1755
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/grandpre).
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Since Mother Nature and Father Time
happily coexist here, there are many places
where you can get a fresh perspective on the
past while inhaling fresh air. The Fundy
Geological Museum, for instance, has a tour
that combines a Zodiac boat trip with an
actual dinosaur dig (fundygeological.
novascotia.ca). And perhaps that's Nova
Scotia's biggest asset: it offers the best of
both worlds.
WHAT'S NEW?
Last year Travel+Leisure again named Cape
Breton "Canada's #1 Island." See why on
Great Earth Expeditions' four-day package
(www.greatearthexpeditions.com/
tour/cape-breton-tour).
Move over Peggy's Cove: the towering Cape
Forchu Lighthouse near Yarmouth gets its
star turn in Lighthouse: a new cinematic
release featuring Willem Dafoe and Robert
Pattinson (www.capeforchu.com).
Taking off from Halifax Harbour, Vision Air
Services' Heli-Picnic Island Escape pairs a
helicopter tour with a beachside repast on
secluded Sambro Island (www.visionair
helicopters.ca/heli-picnic-island-escape).
The Discovery Centre's newest exhibit, Voyage
to the Deep, is a kid-sized submarine which
allows children to explore how submarines
work and discover weird and wonderful sea
life (www.thediscoverycentre.ca).
Based in Lunenburg, Seaweed Tours'
sightseeing bus promises visitors new ways
to explore the South Shore and beyond with
a seasoned storyteller. Private charters are
also available (www.seaweedtours.com).
The Halifax Citadel debuted an immersive,
multimedia exhibit—Fortress Halifax: A City
Shaped by Conflict—which chronicles the
history of Nova Scotia's capital, recounting
stories of the Mi'kmaq and British, French,
Acadian, Black Loyalists and other immigrant
cultures (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/halifax
citadel).
Thanks to virtual reality, you can now play
the role of an 18
th
century messenger at the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic
Site, surmounting obstacles along the way
(www.fortressoflouisbourg.ca).
At Port-Royal, A Meeting with the Governor is
a new immersive experience. Visitors take
on the role of new colonists arriving at the
settlement receiving orders for work—a
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SYDNEY MARINE TERMINAL • SHUTTERSTOCK/PAUL MCKINNON
