Have you ever travelled somewhere and fell so in love you didn’t want to leave? That’s exactly how I felt about Nova Scotia.  From the picturesque views on Cape Breton Island to the buzz of Halifax to the fairytale feel of Mahone Bay, there’s something about this peaceful province that had me at hello.

I’ve been getting a lot of messages from you guys requesting more details on my east coast trip, so I’m excited to take you on a journey through our favourite province, Nova Scotia! NS has been on our bucket list of places to visit for quite some time, so Nitin and I decided to spend the most amount of time here during our trip. We drove into Wallace NS from New Brunswick, and spent a night there before heading to Cape Breton, Halifax and eventually on to PEI.

WALLACE

Where we Stayed – Fox Harb’r Resort

We spent our first night in Nova Scotia at the Fox Harb’r Resort, which is nothing short of spectacular. Despite the rainy weather, Nitin and I made the most of our time at this gorgeous oceanfront resort, taking up as many activities as we could within our 24 hour window.

Where to Eat

Cape Cliff Restaurant: We dined on the resort at the Cape Cliff restaurant for dinner and breakfast. The service is wonderful, the wine selection is great and the food is seriously delicious! Recommended Appetizers (dinner): Oysters and lobster bisque. Recommended Mains (dinner): Scallop risotto and lobster ravioli (yum, yum and yum!). Recommended Breakfast: Lobster eggs benny and traditional breakfast.

Whirligigs Café: Located around the corner from Fox Harb’r, we stopped at this cute little cafe to grab a coffee and quick snack before heading to Cape Breton.

What to Do

While this resort is essentially in the middle of nowhere, there is plenty to do on the grounds:

• Rent a bike: When visiting new places I love renting a bike and riding around. Nitin and I rented bikes (well, technically borrowed because they don’t charge for bike rentals) and rode around the resort, checking out the golf course and different buildings. We would stop, take pictures and go for a short walk when we found a nice area we enjoyed.
• Shooting Class: Nitin decided to try a shooting class for the first time (came back with a massive bruise on his shoulder, tsk tsk), while I continued riding around the resort enjoying my time with mother nature.
• Rent a golf cart: Similar to the bikes, you don’t need to book in advance or sign out the golf carts. Nitin and I took a cart and drove around to the further areas of the resort.
• Other: While Nitin and I booked just one night at this resort (our only regret was not staying longer) I would have loved more time to check out the spa, go horseback riding and do a little golfing.

If you plan on staying here be prepared that it’s located in a quiet town, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Make sure you have your GSP with you because it can be a bit tricky to find ..or you can always fly your private jet directly onto the resort ;).

CAPE BRETON

Where we Stayed – Keltic Lodge at Highlands

Full disclaimer, I’m pretty fussy when it comes to where I like to stay when travelling. We heard great things about Keltic Lodge so decided to booked a few nights here, and to sum up this lodge in two words: lunchbag letdown. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the views are breathtaking and the hiking trails are incredible, but the dingy accommodations and medicore dining are not worthy of the same praise. The great thing, however, about Cape Breton is that you want to be out and about exploring, soaking up as much as you can, so Nitin and I packed our days with activities and tried to spend as little time as possible at the lodge.

Where to Eat (and avoid)

Arduaine Restaurant – Two thumbs down. While Cape Breton is home to some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen, it isn’t exactly filled with the best of dining options. Our first night in Cape Breton we decided to keep things low key and eat at the Arduaine Restaurant at the Keltic Lodge. In short, the food is terrible, the chairs are uncomfortable and the décor is extremely outdated.

The Purple Thistle Dining Room – Located within the main lodge, we found the food is better than the Arduaine, but doesn’t live up to the advertising of an upscale restaurant. Our stay included a buffet breakfast at The Purple Thistle Dining Room, and after a bad experience the first morning we grabbed breakfast at the Bean Barn Cafe the rest of the stay.

Bean Barn Café – Nitin and I love this quaint café, located close to the lodge. The food is all homemade, and it’s a cozy little spot to relax.

Coastal Restaurant – This restaurant was featured on the Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here!, but I wasn’t overly impressed with the food or basic atmosphere.

What to Do

When surrounded by some of the most breathtaking trails and views in the country, enjoy every second with them:

• Hike: There is no shortage of trails available in Cape Breton, each offering a unique view. To quote a famous Disney princess, ‘every turn a surprise‘ …literally, One of our favourite trails is the Middle Head Trail, which is a quick walk from Keltic Lodge. If you’re anything like me and love catching the sunset/ sunrise, there are some great spots to do this in Cape Breton. The morning of our anniversary Nitin and I woke up extra early to watch the sunrise, and it was every bit as beautiful as I hoped.
• Golf: If you’re into golf (and even if you’re not) I recommend checking out the courses in Cape Breton, as it’s home to some of the best in the world.
• Do for a drive: It was raining our first day and a half in Cape Breton, so we drove around finding little gems within the area. I loved walking by the harbours and small beaches. The ultimate experience is driving the Cabot Trail as it offers surreal views, so much so you feel like you’re in another world
• Other popular attractions in Cape Breton include; Highlands National Park (our lodge is within the park, so we had easy access to a lot of trails), Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site and the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

INVERVNESS

Nitin and I spend a night in Inverness at Cabot Links, and had a phenomenal time! You can read more about our visit in this post.

HALIFAX

I looove Halifax! Love, love, love, love, love it! It’s like Toronto without the crazy traffic and constant hustle and bustle ..and with better seafood. Even in rush hour, it’s still easy to maneuver around the downtown core, where the restaurant selection is great and the people are uber friendly.

Where to Stayed – The Prince George Hotel

I highly recommend this hotel to anyone travelling to Halifax. A quick drive/ less than 10 minute walk from the downtown core, this hotel offers a modern and sophisticated vibe with spacious rooms, a lovely terrace and apparently the best Sunday brunch in town (we unfortunately missed this).

Where to Eat

The Bicycle Thief – North American food with an Italian sole as they call it, the food is fantasic and the atmosphere is fun, lively and where you want to be on a Friday/ Saturday night. Be sure to make reservations in advance because this place books up quickly, especially on the weekend.

Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino – This place is a must visit! The breakfast here is AH-mazing and the coffee is great as well. It’s not a fancy breakfast spot by any stretch, but it’s the perfect casual joint to grab a bite before a busy day.

Smiling Goat Organic Espresso Bar – Great café for your morning/ afternoon latte.

The Wooden Monkey – Nitin and I grabbed a drink here before dinner. The drink selection isn’t the biggest, but it’s a nice little place between our hotel and the waterfront.

Gio – We didn’t get a chance to eat here, despite the fact it’s located in The Prince George, but we’ve heard great things about the food at Gio.

Jo-Ann’s Deli, Market & Bake Shop – Located in Mahone Bay, it’s home to the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten! The I.C.U. (Ice Cream Unit) offers 16 delicious flavours with homemade waffle cones. The Deli/ Market carries a great selection of produce, cheese homemade products, and baked goods. Truly, your one-stop shop.

What to Do

There are so many places to explore in and around the Halifax area, and here are some of our favourite things to do:

1. Waterfront – Food trucks – ✔️. Bars – ✔️. Resturants – ✔️. Boat tours ✔️. Shopping – ✔️. Strolling along the waterfront and trying out the food trucks is a great way to spend an afternoon.
2. Alexander Keith’s NS Brewery – This was on Nitin’s to-do list, and while I’m not an avid beer drinker I enjoyed the interactive tour and mini history lesson ………and the beer.
3. NS Hall of Fame – If you’re a Pittsburgh Penguins or Crosby fan, the Sidney Crosby exhibit is a must-see (bonus – the famous dryer is here!).
4. Cole Harbour – Nitin and I were fortunate to be in Nova Scotia during Sid’s Stanley Cup Parade, so we of course made the short trip to Crosby’s hometown of Cole Harbour for the parade. What an experience! Can’t wait to do it all over again next year ;).
5. Peggy’s Cove – A hour drive from Halifax, the world famous Peggy’s Cove lighthouse is absolutely breathtaking. Nitin and I came here for sunset, and despite the strong winds we found a quite spot to relax and enjoy the view.
6. Mahone Bay – This is hands down one of my favourite places in Nova Scotia! I keep trying to convince Nitin, to no avail, to move here because I am so in love with this town. It looks and feels like something out of a fairytale. Lined with unique, colourful homes, beautiful shops and the most adorable cafes/ restaurants, Mahone Bay is the most picture-perfect town I’ve ever visited. I’m currently using this section of their website to try and win my battle to move here.
7. Lunenburg – When you google Lunenburg images of colourful homes fill your screen, so I of course went on a hunt for that perfect spot to view the town. I soon realized that if you want views like in the google images a boat tour is your best bet. Lunenburg is a  lovely town, but it pales in comparison to Mahone Bay in my opinion. It’s still a great place to check-out, eat and shop.

If you’re planning a day trip outside Halifax, I recommend starting in Mahone Bay, heading to Lunenburg and ending the day at Peggy’s Cove. There are also some great wineries in the area, and if you’re interested in that information just let me know.

Up next, PEI!

xo, Kiki