South Shore

Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth Counties

Sailor’s mecca, beachcomber’s delight – Nova Scotia’s famous South Shore is a magnet for the yachting set. While islands dot the attractive bays and inlets, a number of enticing lakes offer canoeing and kayaking opportunities.

Also known as the “Lighthouse Route” this region stretches west from Halifax along to coast towards Yarmouth. Along with more than 20 lighthouses, this scenic shoreline boasts attractive fishing villages, first-class restaurants and great shopping.

For the second-home property buyer, the South Shore offers easy access to Halifax International Airport, attractive towns, convenient services and some of the most expensive and desirable properties in the province.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg is just one of the gems of the region. This colourful fishing town is home to the Bluenose II, the replica of the famous schooner that features on the Canadian ten-cent piece. Liverpool, “Home of the Privateers” is a charming small town with a number of historic buildings. The yachting community of Chester and Mahone Bay with its three churches are other popular centres in the area.

Approximate distances:
Halifax to Lunenburg: 58 miles / 93 km
Halifax to Liverpool: 87 miles / 140 km
Halifax to Shelburne: 128 miles / 206 km
Halifax to Yarmouth: 186 miles / 299 km

Regional highlights and attractions:

• The route is dotted with a number of beautiful, sweeping white sand beaches – Sommerville, Carter’s, Cherry Hill and the wildlife sanctuary of the Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunt are among the highlights. www.pc.gc.ca/voyage-travel/pv-vp/itm2-/page15_e.asp
• Peggy’s Cove with its famous lighthouse is one of the most photographed spots in the province. The tiny harbour is surrounded by smooth granite rocks shaped by the sea. www.peggyscovearea.com
• Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers restaurants, shops, galleries, an annual folk music festival and folk art festival. Colourful historic buildings line the beautiful harbour, full of yachts and fishing vessels.www.town.lunenburg.ns.ca
• The Ross Farm Museum, inland from Chester at the small community of New Ross, is a living history museum where visitors can experience the life of the hardy early 19th-century settlers in the area. rossfarm.museum.gov.ns.ca
• The historic shipping centre of Liverpool (at the mouth of the Mersey River!) has a number of attractions, including the Fort Point Lighthouse Park, the Hank Snow Country Music Centre and the Queen’s County Museum which houses the original 1604 map of Samuel de Champlain, one of the earliest European explorers of the region. www.queens.ca
• At Pubnico, the Acadian Village is a historic site celebrating the life of the Acadians (French settlers) who arrived in the area in 1653. http://museum.gov.ns.ca/tour/av.htm

More interesting websites about the region:

• General visitor’s information at www.ssta.com.
• Learn more about the yachting community of Chester: www.district.chester.ns.ca, and its theatre.
• Rug-hooking is a traditional Nova Scotia craft, and the largest collection of hooked rugs in Atlantic Canada can be found at Mahone Bay’s Spruce Top Rug Hooking Studio.
• The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, in Lunenburg, gives a fascinating insight into the seafaring heritage of Nova Scotia; www.fisheries.museum.gov.ns.ca,
• www.lunenburgns.com.
• Sailing information about the Bluenose II can be found at www.schoonerbluenose2.ca.
• The Lunenburg County Winery makes traditional country fruit wines, as well has having a pick-your-own fruit farm.
• Walk the ocean trails, explore the caves or pan for gold at the privately owned Overns Natural Park near Lunenburg.
• Liverpool’s Rossignol Cultural Centre offers six museums and five galleries – and an eclectic group they are, too, including folk art, an outhouse museum and a hunting museum.