Nova Scotia has so many interesting destinations! It is hard to choose when you have limited time and want to see as much as possible. One of the “must go” destinations in Nova Scotia for me was the south shore. First, I really wanted to see and enjoy the ocean, second, it has some of Canada’s most famous attractions, and last, but not least, I wanted to enjoy driving beautiful roads.

There are two possible ways to get to attractions on Nova Scotia’s south shore. First – a highway. Please don’t do that! It is dull and boring. Instead, drive the Lighthouse Trail! It is a one-lane road that follows the shore and offers amazing views! It is one of the best scenic routes in Nova Scotia. The pace is much slower, but it is totally worth it. I really wanted to stop every couple of minutes to take some pictures. And if you are a passionate driver, this road is for you – twisty, beautiful, with a lot of interesting corners, hills, crests. It is a ready WRC  stage!

First destination on my route is Peggy’s Point lighthouse. It is one of the most photographed places on Earth and iconic Canadian image. A 1915-built beautiful lighthouse stands on rocks on a shore of Atlantic Ocean. The view is breathtaking. People from all over the world come to see it! I’ve seen a lot of cars with US numberplates, camper built on Mercedes SK truck chassis with Germany plates and Toyota Land Cruiser from Australia!

 

A couple of kilometers down the road from Peggy’s Point is the Swissair Flight 111 memorial. On 2 September 1998 McDonnell  Douglas MD-11 was carrying 229 people on board from New York to Geneva  when it crashed into the ocean 8 miles from Peggy’s Point.

Having paid a tribute to perished people, I continued driving the scenic route which took me to a town of Lunenburg. When it was established in 1753, it was one of the first attempts made by British to settle Protestants in Nova Scotia. In 1995 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unique architecture and civic design, being the best example of planned British colonial settlement in Canada. It was interesting to see it, but I cannot say I really liked it. To me it feels too touristic, with lots of restaurants with sky-high prices and not much else to do. Just not my kind of place, but many people really enjoy it.

There is still many interesting places in Nova Scotia that I did not have enough time to see, like Annapolis Royal, Yarmouth, Cape Breton, Louisburg,  Cabot Trail and many others. I hope it will be destinations for my next trip to Nova Scotia some time in future!