YOUR ARRIVAL IN NOVA SCOTIA

As soon as you arrive it's time to locate your rental car.  In order to ensure there is availability for the type of car you need, as soon as you have settled your accommodations, settle the car rental. Most guests rented vans if they were doing a lot of driving with 4 or more people. The airport is exactly 1 hour and 10 minutes from our door. The ferry in Yarmouth is about 2 1/2 hours away and if your driving in then we are about 3 hours from Amherst. Getting here is very simple. See our map for details. You should drive directly here and settle into your room at the Delft Haus so we can make sure you are well-organised for the next day.

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Halls Harbour & Your First Lobster Dinner 

After you have had time to relax, we will give you a tour of the Delft Haus. Next we will organize an evening sunset lobster dinner in Halls Harbour just 10 minutes form our door. Halls Harbour is one of the most picturesque places in Nova Scotia, next to Peggy's Cove. Living Magazine? or one of them anyways, said it was the best place to have Lobster in NS and all our guests agree. Its a fabulous harbour with all the classic ocean scenery. The Lobster Pound specializes in lobster and fish and chips etc. What really makes Halls Harbour so special is that it is the focal point of the highest and lowest tides in the world. Did you know that every 6 hours the harbour fills and empties equal to the height of the Delft Haus? That's about 50 feet or more. You will visit this twice during your stay, once at high tide and once at low. The rugged shore line entices you to walk the ocean bottom looking for fossils under million year old rocks. The Halls Harbour cliffs drop hundreds of feet into the ocean floor. All this is once again covered at high tide.

Later when you return we will all sit together in the Gallery and lay out your final itinerary based on what you have read and would like to do in the time you have. I will have a special map for you that will show all the locations clearly marked. 

DAY 1

Here is where we start keeping your legs hopping and your eyes popping for between 4 and 6 days, depending on you, your schedule and time spent at each location. You will start your day with a Delft Haus breakfast designed to keep you from having to eat  lunch. This is the secret to getting in a full day of sightseeing and keeping your vacation costs as low as possible.

BAXTER'S HARBOUR

It's time to start with Baxter's Harbour, which is just 10 minutes from our door. We need low tide for this one and that is important. This is one of our best kept secrets. It is where you will walk on the ocean floor on terrain that can only be described as unbelievably beautiful and quite lunar-like when the tide is out. You will walk between rocks that tower above your heads like tall buildings. Some of these rocks are as high as the Delft Haus itself. Remember the tide rises and falls near 50 feet and when it does, everything you walked on, except the trees of course, is covered up in just 6 hours.

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MINAS BASIN FLOWER POTS

Next it's the opposite terrain down in the Minas basin just 15 minutes from Baxter's. You will walk again on the bottom of the ocean floor on beaches that run for miles in soft red clay that squeezes between your toes. Tide times are important here again and we will calculate the perfect time to visit this location. This terrain is very Martian-like in contrast to the Bay of Fundy. We call these the Flower Pots. They are like huge sand dunes, but under the ocean. You will climb and walk between these for miles. Again they are like tall buildings of sand towering over your heads as you walk. 

ANNAPOLIS VALLEY LOOK OFF 

Many people cannot get more than these two items in, in one day. As soon as they get out on the beach, 3 hours is gone just walking and looking at the amazing scenery. But if you can make it, here is another stop for the day - the Annapolis Valley Look Off, or commonly known everywhere else in the world as a Look Out. Here you will stand over the entire Annapolis Valley 1000 feet up. You see the entire Evangeline Trail and the Minas Basin all the way back to Digby. Quite a view for sure. If we add in the fact that the scenery, while driving to and from all these locations, is something to take your breath away,  then you can see how this makes for a very full first day.

TIME FOR DINNER

There are several lovely restaurants to eat at for dinner and of course we know and hear about them all. If it is good family food at an affordable price you want, then it's Rosie's Restaurant in Kentville just 10 minutes down the highway. Two people can have a fabulous meal for under $40 Canadian. If it is fine cuisine you want then it is off to nearby Wolfville where you will find several high end places to eat like Acton's , the Tempest, Blomidon Inn or Le Caveau at the Domain de Grand Pre winery. All this we will cover when you arrive.

DAY 2

THE AMAZING TIDAL BORE

Day 2 starts with the amazing Tidal Bore and again this depends on the tides for that day. If it is in the morning you will leave straight after breakfast. If it is later in the day you will then modify your day accordingly. The Tidal Bore is one single ocean wave that is forced backwards up our rivers by the Mighty Fundy Tide, thus boring its way against the river's flow. You can well imagine the effects of 800 million gallons of water per second moving up the Bay of Fundy and into the Minas Basin at 6 knots per hour and what happens when all that water hits the local rivers. The tide itself rises at a rate of 1 inch per minute. This means you cannot really see it rise unless you are standing on a piece of shoreline that had only a rise over-run of 1 inch over several feet. Then in one minute that area would be covered. It is important to realize this when venturing out on any shore line. Often people get cut off by the rising tides. On the other hand when the tide pushes backwards up a tidal bore river, it moves at an amazing 8 kilometres per hour (5 miles per hour) and is a wave that sometimes stands 2 feet high. In certain areas of Nova Scotia you can surf The Bore. This is quite unbelievable and people come from all over the world to see this phenomenon. I was shocked last year at how many people mixed up the tides and The Tidal Bore and many did not even know it existed or what it was. The Bore is 30 minutes from our door, down in Windsor - also where the birth of hockey took place. They have a nice museum there for you to visit if you are a hockey fan.

DOMAINE DE GRAND PRÉ WINERY

On the way back from the bore is a short detour to Domain de Grand Pre, Nova Scotia's premier winery. If you visit their website at www.grandprewines.ns.ca  you will see many fabulous pictures of our area and exactly what the winery is all about.  This will take half your afternoon. They have wine tasting and guided tours twice daily. If you like wine this is a must visit.

GRAND PRÉ HISTORIC SITE

Right next to the winery is the Acadian Historic Site. This is where all the American Cajuns, who now live in Louisiana, came from. They were expelled by the British hundreds of year ago. There is a fabulous memorial as well as a wonderful visitor centre managed by the Canadian Government.

HOW FAST THE DAY GOES

Well it is time once again for a nice dinner at one of our recommended restaurants and if you can make it down to Halls Harbour before sunset, that would finish your day perfectly. There's nothing like the Bay of Fundy sunsets. They are out of this world.

DAY 3

HIKING CAPE SPLIT 

Now its time for some easy hiking to one of the most beautiful places in Nova Scotia, Cape Split. The Split, as it is known here, is a 1 3/4 hour easy hike out into the middle of the Bay of Fundy into the heart of the Mighty Fundy tide. As mentioned earlier, the Fundy tide runs twice a day at a rate of 800 million gallons per second. That is more water flowing in one second than all the fresh water rivers flowing in the world at one time. It is hundreds of feet deep at some points. Once there, you will not believe your eyes. You will be standing on an eroding peninsula tip that is hundreds of feet above sea level. It is the most rugged and outrageous place you can imagine. It can be gentle and amazing or terrible to be at depending on the weather. You can hear the raging tide 10 minutes before you reach its tip. I have never had any guest say, who has walked it, that it was not worth the effort. This is an all day event as you will spend several hours there and the only thing you want after that is a good dinner and some R&R.

DAY 4

TIME TO SWITCH TO THE SOUTH SHORE 

Now it is off to the south shore and Chester Basin, which is right on the Atlantic Ocean. From  this quaint village you will travel to Peggy's Cove and later detour to Aspotogan off of Highway 103.

PEGGY'S COVE

Peggy's Cove is the most photographed place in North America and some say the world. I have to warn you that there are 750,000 people who visit this place every season and there will be a lot of people there. Nonetheless its worth the effort to see this fascinating and most beautiful place. Don't worry, I will be sending you to places that are as, or more, beautiful than this and you will not see a soul there. After viewing the lighthouse itself, wander off to the left along the shore over the huge smooth rock formations. That is where the real beauty lies. This time you might want to have lunch in the Peggy's Cove restaurant. On your way there you will see harbour after quaint harbour that you will undoubtedly stop at for photo opportunities. Make sure, though, that you save the late afternoon for the next gem.

ASPOTOGAN 

Next it is off to the opposite peninsula just across from Peggy's Cove called Aspotogan, a very special place that few outside of Nova Scotia know about. If you only have time to visit Aspotogan and nothing else, you will leave saying you have visited heaven and stood next to God. I know that is how I feel when I go there. Words cannot describe how you will react when walking over the tops of these rolling rocky cliffs, right on the ocean's edge, and have waves crash like thunder 20 feet over your heads. If you enjoy nature a lot then your day is gone again, because it is so easy to spend 3 hours walking along this shoreline experiencing its every mood as the Sun constantly changes position, recasting the shadow and light of its every surface.

ROSS FARM 

If you have time on your way back to the Delft Haus up Highway 12, then drop into Ross Farm, a Nova Scotia historic village where they have preserved a part of our history. People live and work on the farm just as they did hundreds of years ago. The grounds are littered with old barns and farming equipment of that period. This will show you another side of Nova Scotia - the side the pioneers had to endure.

DAY 5

MAHONE BAY

After another hearty Delft Haus breakfast it is off to Mahone Bay, another famous picturesque harbour with its famous 3 churches reflecting over the bay. This is between Aspotogan and Lunenburg. We bet there isn't a professional photographer in the world that has not taken this shot. There are fantastic shops to visit and a pewter manufacturer where you can see the entire process underway. We love it. There are several great restaurants there too such as our favourite, the Inlet Cafe. They make a fabulous carrot soup. Try not to spend to much time here because there is lots more to go in your day

LUNENBURG

After this you drive up the highway for about 10 minutes and you are in famous Lunenburg. What a place to visit. It is like being in Nova Scotia 200 years ago. This is where our famous Bluenose schooner was built. It is on the back of our 10 cent piece. There are so many things to see and do there. Tons of art galleries, but none compare to Daniel and Lesley's Montague Art Gallery situated in the heart of Lunenburg at 136 Montague. There are also countless places to eat. This will take care of your early-to-late afternoon. It's a pretty big place. Many people spend the whole day here.

BLUE ROCKS

Just north of Lunenburg at the tip of the peninsula lies the small fishing village of Blue Rocks. This is one of the most beautiful little harbours that we have found on our adventures. The photographs speak for themselves and the harbour is only 10 minutes up the road. This is the place to take photographs and you won't have a million people around either.  

DAY 6

MEDWAY

Now for the real gold. These last two places are the nicest that we have every visited when it comes to really feeling the ocean and its power. You are on your way to a place called Port Medway where you will end up at Long Cove. There is a lighthouse there and rock formations jutting out into the ocean that you only see in movies. The waves are constantly crashing against the shore and it is a place that makes you want to be an artist and a place you never want to leave. Its the kind of place that you
say you will come back to visit before your days are done. Its a place we will visit time and time again.

WESTERN HEAD

Last but not least just up Highway 103 a little farther is Liverpool. This is a quaint little town. Today you are really here to visit Western Head so don't spend too much time here. There is a famous lighthouse that sits in a place that can only be described as violently beautiful. I have read that on a windy day, the original lighthouse keeper could not open his door for the waves and the wind. This is another place where you will understand the power of nature. Waves 15 feet high on average are pulverising the rocks you stand on. There is a foghorn there that is so loud that if you are caught in front of it on a foggy day, special hearing protection is needed or serious damage to your hearing will result. No problem though on a sunny day. You instinctively know the fury of this place and what it must endure during even the smallest storm, when you look at the huge cement breakwater protecting the light house. This is a place of excitement and adventure

ADDITIONAL OR ALTERNATE LOCATIONS TO VISIT

 For those who may not wish to visit as many nature locations as we have included or find they have more time to do more, we have two more amazing places to visit. They are....

ANNAPOLIS ROYAL

Annapolis Royal was one of the first, if not the first, settlements in Nova Scotia. It is reminiscent of Lunenburg, but on a much smaller scale. There you will find quaint shops and old Fort Anne. You can also visit one of two only electric tidal stations in the world that generate electricity from the tides. What makes this place special for us is the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. There are acres and acres of beautiful rose gardens. Some say they are the finest outside of Great Britain. This is a half-day adventure and is only 45 minutes from our door.

DIGBY

Continuing on just a few minutes further up the Bay of Fundy along the Evangeline Trail is Digby, home to our famous Digby scallops. Here you can visit the harbour and taste the finest scallops available anywhere. Digby is a quaint town that is set in a natural harbour. Here the St. John ferry docks daily. There is an exceptional view of Digby that can only be seen from the main Highway 101 as you pass by high up looking down over the town -truly a magnificent view in either direction.

HALIFAX

If you have time there are several things worth seeing in Halifax. Along the wharf you have the amazing Fishery Museum. This is quite an adventure if you like history, boating and the sea. Next I would try Citadel Hill. This fort is an amazing spectacle. There are marching bands, cannon firings and music. This is an original part of Nova Scotia history worth experiencing. Other than this there are the usual trinket shops, but also some very nice boutiques worth visiting too. The harbour front is quite amazing and especially the containerisation where large ocean-going cargo ships stop to unload.

CAPE BRETON AND THE CABOT TRAIL

The final leg of any vacation to Nova Scotia should be Cape Breton and the Cabot trail. Missing this would be the equivalent of visiting Colorado or Vancouver and not going through the Rockies. Need we say more? 

GOLFING NEAR THE DELFT HAUS

For those who enjoy Golfing, there is the Eagle Crest 18 hole golf course that is literally 3 minutes from our door just down the highway. Our guests have said it is quit lovely and very affordable. If you are in for a real challenge, then there is the http://www.nsga.ns.ca/KENWO/KW.HTM 18 hole course just 15 minutes a way. Apparently its quit an internationally known course. I am not a golfer, but it is a very beautiful looking course. I drive by it often.

Your gracious hosts

Ray and Debra Ridley