How to go on a one week Nova Scotia Road Trip (2 itinerary options!)

Watch us explore Nova Scotia, including crazy rafting, epic hikes, charming seaside towns, and multiple National Parks.

In this guide we’re sharing how to go on a fun one week Nova Scotia road trip, including two different itinerary options to choose from. One will take you along the South Shore and through wine country, while the other focuses on the province’s mountains and dramatic scenery. Which one will you choose?!

You may be wondering, “how many days do I need in Nova Scotia?” And it’s a hard question to answer! It would be impossible to experience everything Nova Scotia has to offer in one trip. We spent about two weeks in Nova Scotia and were able to see a good chunk of the province, but still have many more spots we want to return to.

But since most people may not have two weeks to spend in Nova Scotia, we’re sharing two different one week Nova Scotia road trip itinerary options. You will not be able to visit everywhere we went in the province in just one week, but you’ll still be able to experience a lot of what makes it a very special and beautiful place.

Here’s a quick look at both itinerary options. To skip ahead to a Nova Scotia itinerary, click its name!

Nova Scotia Road Trip Itinerary- Option #1
Day 1: Halifax
Days 2-3: South Shore
Day 4: Kejimkujik National Park
Days 5-6: Annapolis Valley
Day 7: Tidal Bore Rafting

Nova Scotia Road Trip Itinerary- Option #2
Day 1: Halifax
Day 2: Tidal Bore Rafting
Days 3-6: Cape Breton Island
Day 7: Driving back to Halifax

Note: these itineraries do not include the travel time to and from Nova Scotia. But we crafted each Nova Scotia road trip itinerary with the assumption you start and end in Halifax.

For additional things to do in Nova Scotia, plus a two week itinerary, check out our Atlantic Canada eBook!

Today you’ll explore one day in Halifax, including some of its best local eats, historic sites, and waterfront.

Grab breakfast in town

Kick off your day in Halifax with some delicious breakfast from Dilly Dally Coffee Cafe. This spot came highly recommended to us from locals. Make sure to try one of their bagel dishes! 

Stroll around the Halifax Public Garden

The Halifax Public Garden is a free Victorian style garden that was established in 1867, the year of Canadian Confederation. So it’s as old as Canada itself! Here you can find various different plants and flowers, a pond, and walking paths. It’s a very peaceful place to walk around!

Visit the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

One defining feature of downtown Halifax is the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. The British founded Halifax in 1749 and quickly realized a need for a fort to defend against possible attacks, primarily from the French, so they built the Citadel. 

There have been four iterations of the Citadel and the current version, which is star shaped, was completed in 1856. And similar to the other three, it never saw a battle.

At the Citadel you can walk around various viewing platforms and rooms, including barracks, a school room, and even the moat! But the best part is that everyday at noon, they fire the noon gun. Make sure to arrive before noon to experience it! 

Try a donair

Donairs are the official food of Halifax, so you must try one when in the city. This is seasoned ground beef that is cooked on a spit, shaved off and wrapped in pita bread, and then topped with onion, tomato, and donair sauce, which is made of sweetened condensed milk, vinegar, and garlic powder. 

You can find donairs at just about any pizza shop in Halifax, but locals told us to go to Tony’s Famous Donair to try it. And it was delicious!

Explore the Halifax Waterfront

Pop into downtown Halifax, grab a coffee from Weird Harbor Espresso Bar, and then stroll along the waterfront.

There’s a 4 km (2.5 mile) long boardwalk that runs along the water, which is one of the world’s longest downtown boardwalks. It’s a great pathway, with a lot to see along the way, including different shops, restaurants, and unique sculptures (like The Wave and The Way Things Are).

Visit a museum

If you have more time, check out a museum as well. One popular option is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which shares about the area’s maritime history. We also have heard great things about the Canadian Museum of Immigration, which shares the stories of the many people who came to Canada, from past to present. It’s located at Pier 21, where a million immigrants arrived in Canada between 1928 and 1971.

Looking for more history in Atlantic Canada? Be sure to visit St. John’s, Newfoundland, the oldest city in North America!

Dinner at The Narrows Public House

For dinner, head to The Narrows Public House, which is located in an old 1896 Victorian home and is oozing with character. Plus, the food is incredible! We loved the Dutch Mess and the fish and chips. And whatever you do, do not leave without trying the sticky toffee pudding. 

Optional: head to a Mooseheads game!

While Halifax doesn’t have a NHL team, they do have a CHL team: the Halifax Mooseheads. And for a fun evening activity (during the fall through spring), head to a game! We had a blast cheering them on as they took on the Moncton Wildcats.

You’re off to the South Shore Today you’ll begin exploring some of the gems along this beautiful region of coastline.

Watch the sunrise at Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse

Leave Halifax bright and early to get to Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse. It’s said to be one of the most photographed lighthouses not only in Nova Scotia, but in Canada as a whole. 

And because of this, it can get MEGA busy! As in, tons of tour buses full of people. So we suggest coming at sunrise. But if that’s too early, try to be there by 9 AM at the latest.

While this might be the most popular lighthouse in Canada, we also loved many of the others in the area like the ones on the Bonavista Peninsula and the Twillingate Islands in Newfoundland. So we highly recommend you visit those ones too when you visit places in Newfoundland!

Explore Peggy’s Cove Village 

And after you see the lighthouse, make sure to wander around the village, with its buildings perched among all of the rocks. Holy Mackerel is a really neat store and the lobster rolls from Tom’s Lobster Shack are amazing!

Visit Mahone Bay

About an hour down the coast is the town of Mahone Bay. Mahone Bay is a bay with hundreds of islands, including the famous Oak Island with its hidden treasure. And the town of Mahone Bay itself has been listed as one of the most beautiful towns in Canada. 

It is probably most famous for three picturesque churches next to each other along the waterfront, but besides that, it has a bunch of colorful Victorian homes and local shops. We really enjoyed walking around here, grabbing coffee at The Barn Coffee & Social House (which is adorable!), and seeing how pewter jewelry is made at Amos Pewter.

Head to Lunenburg 

Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of only two urban communities in North America with this designation. It is considered to be the best surviving planned British colonial town in North America, with 70% of its original colonial buildings remaining!

You’ll explore more tomorrow, but for tonight, grab dinner at Lightship Brewery for both food and beer with one of the best views of town!

Today you’ll explore the charming town of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Grab coffee in Lunenburg

Start the morning at No 9 Coffee Bar in downtown Lunenburg. Make sure to check out their garden in the back!

Wander around the streets of Lunenburg

Lunenburg is filled with colorful buildings, tons of different shops, and restaurants. It’s a great place to walk around. One of our favorite shops was Lunenburg Bound!

Sail on the Bluenose II

One of the most iconic things to see in Lunenburg is the Bluenose II. This is a replica of the Bluenose, which is the most famous ship in Canadian history, so much so that it is now on the Canadian 10 cent coin! The Bluenose was a two-masted schooner that was both a fishing and racing vessel in the 1920s and 1930s, known for its impressive speed and winning the International Fisherman’s Cup many times. It unfortunately hit a reef and sank in the 1940s, so they created the Bluenose II in the 1960s to honor it.

From June through September you can actually go sail on the Bluenose II from Lunenburg! You can see their schedule here.

Visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic

If you can’t sail on the Bluenose II or want to do something else instead, visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. This museum has multiple floors with different exhibits and artifacts from the area’s maritime industry.

Grab lunch

For lunch, head to Salt Shaker Deli. This restaurant has a mix of soups, salads, seafood, sandwiches, and more!

Drive out to Kejimkujik National Park’s Seaside Unit

After exploring Lunenburg, head about an hour to Kejimkujik National Park’s Seaside Unit. This is where your adventures will begin tomorrow!

Your fourth day is all about Kejimkujik National Park (pronounced “Keh-jim-uh-koo-jick”), or Keji for short. This is one of Nova Scotia’s three National Parks.

Keji has two different areas to explore, an Inland unit and a Seaside unit, which provide vastly different experiences. And they are located close enough that if you get an early start, you can experience both in one day.

WARNING: Ticks are VERY common here (we encountered multiple). Make sure to cover up, spray yourself with bug spray, and do frequent tick checks.

Kejimkujik National Park (Inland Unit) has a fee to enter. The Seaside Unit is FREE though! If you’re visiting multiple Canadian National Parks, we suggest getting the Discovery Pass, which gets you into all Parks Canada sites for one year.

Hike the Harbour Rocks Trail

The beach at Keji’s Seaside Unit (St. Catherine’s River Beach) is absolutely pristine. The sand is soft and white, the water is crystal clear and blue, and you can see tons of seals!

The only way to get to this beach is by hiking the Harbour Rocks Trail, which is 4.8 km (3 miles) and a relatively flat and easy journey through some trees, before ending at the beach. Once at the beach, there are various coves to explore, plus a long stretch of beach. This is the perfect spot to go for a long walk and have a picnic!

Important note: Bears are common to spot in this area. So make sure to make noise when you hike and keep your distance if you see one. We unfortunately didn’t see any!

Head to the Kejimkujik National Park Inland Unit

There is not much more to do in the Seaside Unit, so after spending time at the beach, head to the Inland Unit. This is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away.

Explore the Kejimkujik National Park Inland Unit

Keji’s Inland Unit is home to forests, waterfalls, more than 30 streams and rivers, and over 46 lakes. And the best way to experience it is by getting out on the water! This area of the park is the perfect place to go canoeing, either for a few hours or for an overnight adventure.

For the rest of the day, you have some options. If you own your own kayak, canoe, or SUP board, we suggest hitting the water. Depending on the time of day, you could rent from Whynot Adventure, but it may be too late. (And for more kayaking adventures, checkout our guide to the Hopewell Rocks!)

Another option is to hike the short and easy Mill Falls Trail, which takes you along the river, with multiple views of the Mersey River.

Enjoy a relaxing evening in the park

Spend the evening around the campfire, cookin’ up a feast, and enjoying s’mores. 

For the next two days, you’ll be exploring the Annapolis Valley region, with a mix of history and beverages.

Head to Annapolis Royal

Enjoy breakfast at your lodging in Kejimkujik and then hit the road to Annapolis Valley. This area is home to some of the province’s earliest recorded history. And today you can not only experience some of its history, but also its vast farmland and highly praised wineries.

You’ll have about a 40 minute drive to Annapolis Royal, your main destination for today.

Grab coffee in Annapolis Royal

Before exploring, grab a quick coffee from Sissiboo Coffee Roaster Cafe.

Stroll around the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens

The Annapolis Royal Historic Garden is an award winning garden known for its roses, as well as its reconstructed Acadian House. It does have a fee of $17.50 CAD per adult. 

Enjoy lunch in town

For lunch, either head to Fort Anne Cafe or Mad Hatter Wine Bar for wine and charcuterie.

Spend the afternoon visiting the Fort Anne National Historic Site

This region is home to many historical sites, but while in Annapolis Royal, you must visit Fort Anne National Historic Site. At one point, this was one of the most contested pieces of land in North America, with the Scottish, French, and English settlers, plus Mi’kmaq fighting over it.

Note: This is a Parks Canada site, so it does have a fee of $4.50 CAD per adult, unless you have the Discovery Pass.

Drive to Wolfville

After exploring the area a bit, make the 1 hour and 15 minute drive to Wolfville, another popular town in Annapolis Royal. Enjoy dinner at The Port Pub And Bistro!

Today is all about exploring the Wolfville area, including its many wineries!

Prefer nature over wineries? You could alternately spend another day at Kejimkujik and condense days 5 and 6 into one day, visiting the spots that interest you the most!

Grab breakfast and coffee in town

Before starting your Wolfville adventures, grab coffee at Just Us! and have breakfast at The Naked Crepe.

Visit the Grand-Pré National Historic Site

Another must-visit historical site in Annapolis Valley is Grand-Pré National Historic Site. This site shares the history and struggles of the Acadiens. There is also a 110 km bike path, called the Harvest Moon Trail, that you can ride to Annapolis Royal.

Go winery hopping

Spend the afternoon visiting different wineries in the area. Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards is a popular choice! Or you could spend this time visiting different fruit farms, like Stirling’s Farm Market (Greenwich) or sampling a cider flight at Annapolis Cider Company.

If you need a food break, head to The Noodle Guy!

Stroll around Wolfville

After an afternoon exploring wineries or farms, spend the rest of the day walking around Wolfville. Including its waterfront park!

For the rest of the evening, you can either grab dinner in Wolfville at Juniper Food + Wine or head to Truro for the night. A couple good restaurants in Truro are Hub Grub for burgers and Murphy’s Fish & Chips.

For your final day in Nova Scotia, you’re going tidal bore rafting along the Shubenacadie River! 

The Shubenacadie River is a 72 km (44 mile) tidal river that cuts through the middle of Nova Scotia and meets up with the Bay of Fundy. When the tide rises and pushes into the Shubenacadie River it causes a surge of water, called a tidal bore, which creates waves perfect for rafting!

The tide varies day to day, but we chose an “extreme” day to go on a 4 hour tour with Fundy Tidal Bore Adventures and it was a BLAST! It felt like a thrilling natural rollercoaster, where you get absolutely drenched, plus get to play and slide in mud. We laughed the entire time!

Make sure to pack a lunch and some snacks, as dining options are very limited out here! Once you’re done with your tour, head back to Halifax for the night.

Not interested in tidal bore rafting? Head to the Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre to watch the tide roll in and see the rafters, plus visit Burntcoat Head Park!

Nova Scotia Itinerary #2: Halifax, Tidal Bore Rafting, & Cape Breton Island

This second one week Nova Scotia itinerary is for those who love mountains, rugged coastlines, and waterfalls. Instead of visiting the South Shore, Kejimkujik, and Annapolis Valley, you’ll instead head to Cape Breton Island to road trip the Cabot Trail. In our opinion, this is the more epic of the two Nova Scotia road trip options!

Day 1: Halifax

Follow the first day (Halifax) from the first one week itinerary option! 

Today you begin your journey to Cape Breton Island! Located on the northeastern end of Nova Scotia, this island is known for its dramatic coastal scenery, highlands, Celtic and French heritage, and outdoor adventure. And the best way to experience it is along the Cabot Trail, a 298 km (185 mile) drive that is said to be one of the most scenic in the world. 

To learn more about the Cabot Trail and the best things to do (especially in the fall!), check out our guide to road tripping the Cabot Trail!

Hit the road!

Grab a quick coffee in Truro (Aroma Maya Coffee & Donuts is one option) and hit the road! Your destination for the day is Baddeck, a small town on the southern end of the Cabot Trail. It’s just under a 3 hour drive from Truro.

Grab lunch in Baddeck

Once arriving in Baddeck, have lunch at Highwheeler Cafe & Bakery.

Visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

One of the most popular things to do in Baddeck is visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. This is a Parks Canada site ($9 CAD per adult) where you can learn about Alexander Graham Bell, who created the first patented telephone, and see different artifacts! 

Have dinner at Baddeck Lobster Suppers

Want to enjoy all you can eat seafood? At Baddeck Lobster Suppers you can! For $65 CAD per person you can get all you can eat mussels and chowder, plus an entree of your choice, dessert, one non alcoholic beverage, and coffee/tea.

Attend the Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh

A ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”) is a community party with Cape Breton fiddle music. These usually take place at pubs or community halls and are a ton of fun! And in Baddeck, you must go to the Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh. This costs $15 CAD per adult, which includes the entertainment, tea, and oatcakes (a Cape Breton speciality!). We LOVED this experience so much! It was a feet tappin’ and non stop smilin’ good time!

For your fourth day, you’re going to tackle the eastern side of the Cabot Trail!

Drive to Ingonish.

The drive from Ingonish from Baddeck is about 1.5 hours, but you may want to stop a few times to soak up the views! We suggest getting an early start, so you can get to your first hike early!

Hike the Franey Trail

The Franey Trail was one of the hikes we were most excited to tackle during our time on the Cabot Trail. It’s 7.7 km (4.8 miles) round trip and relatively steep, with 362 meters (1,190 feet) of elevation gain.

From the top, you should have amazing views of Middle Head, the coast, plus the mountains. However, we mostly just had fog. But based on the photos we have seen, on a clear day, it’s one of the best views along the drive.

Enjoy a post-hike brunch 

After your hike on the Franey Trail, grab coffee and brunch at Salty Rose’s & the Periwinkle Café. It is a beautiful old house turned cafe, with a small local shop inside as well!

Check out Ingonish Beach 

Spend a little bit of time walking along Ingonish Beach. This beach is unique in that it has the ocean on one side and a freshwater lake on the other. However it’s not your typical sandy beach. It has large rocks instead, which make a beautiful noise when the waves crash on them.

Hike the Middle Head Trail

Right by Ingonish Beach is the Middle Head Trail. This 4.5 km (2.8 mile) hike is relatively easy and takes you along the peninsula, with great views of the coastline.

Visit Groovy Goat Farm

Groovy Goat Farm Co is such a gem on the Cabot Trail. Here you can meet some adorable goats, buy goat milk based soaps, and indulge in gelato!

Relax for the rest of the day 

After a lot of driving and hiking, spend the rest of the day relaxing at your lodging! Whether that’s enjoying a campfire at your campsite, or cozying up at a charming cottage or inn.

Your Cabot Trail road trip continues! Today you’ll be driving about 2 hours, with many beautiful stops along the way.

Head to Beulach Ban Falls

After enjoying some breakfast and coffee, hit the road and drive about an hour to Beulach Ban Falls. This is a gorgeous 21 meter (69 feet) tall waterfall along the Cabot Trail. And the best part? It’s just steps from the parking area! You do have to go down a short unpaved road to get here, which isn’t suitable for large RVs. But it’s worth the small detour.

Admire the various overlooks along the Cabot Trail

The stretch of the Cabot Trail from Beulach Ban Falls to Chéticamp has some of the best views of the drive! Spend the next hour stopping at various overlooks and soaking up the stunning scenery.

There are countless viewpoints to stop at, but a few of our favorites were the North Mountain Look-Off, McKenzie Mountain Look-Off, and this lookout that overlooks Cap Rouge! 

Grab some lunch at Last Chance Sandwich

On your way into Chéticamp, stop by Last Chance Sandwich to grab a sandwich or salad for lunch!

Walk around Chéticamp,

Chéticamp (Pronounced “shetty-camp”) is a French-Acadian fishing village that dates back to the late 1700s and is still loaded with Acadian culture. The town itself is pretty small, but there are some great restaurants and businesses to check out here, like Marguerite boutique et provisions, which is a coffee shop and small general store, with local and high quality items for sale. We recommend grabbing a latte and then walking along the town’s boardwalk.

Hike the Skyline Trail for sunset

Head back onto the Cabot Trail and backtrack a bit to hike the Skyline Trail for sunset. This is the most popular hike on the Cabot Trail and for good reason! While the hike itself is mostly through some trees, once you get to the end, you can walk down a series of boardwalks and steps, with a crazy view of the Cabot Trail and coastline. 

It is a very busy hike and because of this from June 26 to October 25 you now need a 4 hour reservation to park at the trailhead. Also, dogs are NOT allowed on this hike.

While here, keep an eye out for moose and bears! We saw a mama bear and two cubs off in the distance and got to watch them for an hour. It was magical!

For your final day on the Cabot Trail, you’ll visit some more southern spots along the route. 

Grab pastries in Chéticamp

Kick off your morning with some pastries from Aucoin Bakery, a popular bakery that often has a line out the door!

Hike the Gypsum Mine Trail

Located right outside of Chéticamp is the Gypsum Mine Trail (2.6 km/1.6 miles). Gypsum mining has been an important industry in Nova Scotia. At one point the province provided 6% of the world’s gypsum production. And this hike brings you to an old Gypsum mine that is now filled with water and is a popular swimming spot and viewpoint to walk to!

For the best view, follow the trail to your left once you get to the lake. It is steep and rocky (there are some ropes to help you), but the views from up here are the best!

Hit the road and drive to Margaree

On the southwest end of the Cabot Trail is Margaree, which is an area with a bunch of different communities along the Margaree River. Unlike the rest of the drive, there aren’t many coastal views here. But instead you have a mix of flat, grassy farmland lining the river, plus mountains off in the distance. It is extremely picturesque and we loved driving through here!

Grab lunch at Dancing Goat Cafe & Bakery

Quite possibly the most popular restaurant along the Cabot Trail is Dancing Goat Cafe & Bakery. This cafe has amazing sandwiches, bread, and baked goods. Plus the best pumpkin spice lattes, if you visit in the fall!

Hike to Egypt Falls

Last but not least, head to Egypt Falls. Which technically is not on the Cabot Trail, but it’s a short drive away and a must-visit! This wide, multi-tiered waterfall, tucked into the forest, is picture perfect! 

Important Note: Do NOT start at the trailhead on Google Maps. Start here instead. There is a small parking area (and a sign for the falls). We used AllTrails to get down to the falls this way (the left side of the trail on the AllTrails route). Make sure to look for the Canadian Flag along the trail to find the stairs that take you to the falls. We also recommend going back the same way you came, as the other side of the trail is said to be very treacherous.

After finishing your hike, you can either drive back to Chéticamp or continue south towards Truro (3.5 hours), to make tomorrow’s drive shorter.