After all, events like Festival acadien de
Clare (www.festivalacadiendeclare.ca/en)
and the Musique de la Baie concert series
(www.yarmouthandacadianshores.com/e
n/things-to-do/view/musique-de-la-baie)
are tuneful testaments to the strength of
francophone culture here. Mi'kmaq com-
munities carry on the legacy of this land's
original residents through powwows and
other special programs (www.novascotia.com/
travel-info/our-culture), while contributions
made by new arrivals are celebrated at the
moving Canadian Museum of Immigration
at Pier 21 (www.pier21.ca).
MUST SEE, MUST DO
Feast on fresh seafood. Lobster . . . scallops . . .
salmon: from waterfront shacks and roadside
restaurants to fine dining rooms, you'll find
seafood topping menus everywhere
(www.tasteofnovascotia.com).
Ogle Lunenburg's Old Town. Hundreds of
heritage buildings have earned this port
community's downtown core recognition
from UNESCO (www.explorelunenburg.ca).
Explore the Fortress of Louisbourg National
Historic Site. Turn back time to the mid-18
th
century at North America's largest historical
reconstruction (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/
louisbourg).
Snap a picture at Peggy's Cove. It's almost
obligatory to visit this seaside hamlet where
one of the world's most iconic lighthouses
sits atop a slab of wave-blasted rock
(www.peggyscoveregion.com).
Follow the Good Cheer Trail. On the first
winery, cidery, craft brewery and distillery
trail of its kind in Canada, you can sip
beverages from dozens of local producers
(www.goodcheertrail.com).
Tap your toes to old tunes. Be entertained the
traditional way at a Cape Breton ceilidh or opt
for the francophone alternative, a rousing
Acadian soirée (www.novascotia.com/
travel-info/about-us).
SCENIC DRIVES
The Cabot Trail delivers one of the most
dramatic drives anywhere. The 300-km
(186-mi.) road runs straight through Cape
Breton Highlands National Park and, in
places, rises and falls like a roller coaster as
it follows the Atlantic coast.
Hugging the South Shore for 339 km (211 mi.),
the Lighthouse Route boasts over 20
postcard-perfect beacons, including those at
Peggy's Cove and Cape Forchu. Charming
towns like Mahone Bay and Lunenburg make
ideal stopovers.
The 291-km (181-mi.) Evangeline Trail
connects Yarmouth and Mount Uniacke.
Named for Longfellow's tragic narrative,
Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie, it showcases the
scenery that inspired his setting.
FAMILY FUN
Animated by buskers, glass-blowers and tour-
boat operators, Halifax's working waterfront
has proven kid appeal. Along it lies the
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (maritime
museum.novascotia.ca), the Canadian
Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (www.pier
21.ca), plus the hands-on Discovery Centre
(www.thediscovery centre.ca). When
hunger hits, refuel at the Halifax Seaport
Farmers' Market (www.halifaxfarmers
market.com). Experience the Bluenose II on a
2-hour cruise in Lunenburg or Halifax
(bluenose.novascotia.ca).
NS
81
National Parks and Historic Sites:
www.parkscanada.gc.ca
1-888-773-8888
Park Pick
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Besotted by Cape Breton, Alexander
Graham Bell chose to spend his last 37
summers in Baddeck—arguably the
Island's prettiest resort town. Today, it is
home to an eponymous national historic
site which spotlights the famed inventor's
achievements. On display you'll see
personal photos and artefacts along with
intriguing models of the telephone and
many other Bell creations, including an
early airplane, a manned kite and a full-
scale hydrofoil boat. Special activities,
which run the gamut from kid-friendly
experiments and kite making sessions to
virtual reality races and detailed behind-
the-scenes tours, draw visitors of all ages
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/
alexandergrahambell).
THE PROVINCE'S WINE INDUSTRY HAS A
LONG HISTORY; CHAMPLAIN PLANTED
THE FIRST GRAPEVINES HERE IN 1611.
Quick Fact
FORTRESS OF LOUISBOURG • SHUTTERSTOCK/PAUL MCKINNON
