10 Fantastic Places to Visit During Fall in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia, a truly magnificent place to escape to be surrounded by a warm symphony of colour!  The spectacular views are plentiful, in every direction, whether you’re looking at the thousands of acres of forestry with their leaves turning from green to orange, yellow, or red, or the ocean along the coastal areas, there are few better places in eastern Canada to visit during the Fall than Nova Scotia.

Here are 10 places to visit in Fall (if you are looking for Fall events & festivals, see Things to do This Fall in Nova Scotia):

1. Cape Breton Island

 Perhaps the most famous and popular destination among visitors to Nova Scotia is Cape Breton Island. It is infamous for it’s rolling hills and stunning scenery of the Minas Basin and the Bay of Fundy beyond. Not only does it provide beautiful seaward views, but the trees lining the inlet roads make for some perfect fall Instagram photos. When the trees are turning to oranges, yellows and reds, Cape Breton Island is THE road-trip to be taking in Eastern Canada. But it’s not just the drive itself, there are many small communities located along the drive which make it special, you’ll get to explore the many different cultures that have contributed to the Island over the centuries, including Gaelic, Acadian and Aboriginal cultures, all of whom have left their mark on Cape Breton Island.

Celtic Colours Music Festival

In celebration of Cape Breton’s Irish cultural history and heritage, the Celtic Colours international music festival takes place from October 11th to 19th. Right in the middle of fall, the Celtic Colours Music Festival is well placed and well-attended, and if you’re a fan of celtic music, then Celtic Colours is the Fall Music Festival for you. It takes place at several venues all throughout Nova Scotia, so if you wanted to experience more than just one location, then you could make it a short road-trip and experience all that Nova Scotia’s natural fall beauty, alongside it’s fantastic showcase of international folk musicians.

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2. Lake Charlotte

Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Regional Municipality, Lake Charlotte is a popular cottage community in Nova Scotia, and home to the Forest Festival, which takes place in October (26th October, 2019).  The Forest Festival is set in the 1940s Heritage Village known as Memory Lane, which is in the Lake Charlotte Area. The heritage village is a throwback to the 1940s and the people who live there, live as they did during the Second World War, providing a unique insight into the history of Nova Scotian families during the period. Those wishing to soak in the area can rent a cabin on the shores of Lake Charlotte, or visit the Lake Charlotte Provincial Park Reserve.

3. Devour Fest

Wolfville is a charming town in the Annapolis Valley plays host to Devour Fest, a festival which combines two of your favourite things: food and film. Devour Fest takes (that takes place from the October 22-27, 2019) is a perfect lead-up to Halloween for the younger members of the family. It features several different films and food prepared by renowned chefs, a must-attend for all visitors to Wolfville near the end of October. Aside from Devour Fest, Wolfville is in and of itself a beautiful University town, home to walking and hiking trails, brooks and lakes, and boardwalks — all of which provide ample opportunity to get outdoors and experience Fall as the leaves change, and Wolfville goes from green to shades of red, orange and yellow, it is visually stunning and well worth the visit.

4. Halifax

Although you’re in the provincial capital of Nova Scotia, that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying fall beauty in the city and many attractions within the city. On your list should be  – if you’re a lover of oysters, the Halifax Oyster Festival (from October 4 to 5, 2019). For those outdoorsy and historical people, nothing beats a walk among the fall colours in the Halifax Public Gardens, or a walk up to Citadel Hill — a military fortress that defended the shores of Halifax when called upon throughout the ages. If you’re a lover of the ‘big-city’ feel, whilst still being on vacation, then Halifax is the Nova Scotian city for you. It’s blend of history and modernity, culture and art, cityscape and landscape, coupled with an abundance of natural beauty makes Halifax the perfect big-city getaway during the fall months.

5. Lunenburg

 

Lunenburg has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s easy to see why. ‘Old Town’ is home to the Bluenose and Bluenose II — two of Canada’s exemplars of ship-building, it’s also home to an array of brightly-coloured shore-side houses, on a backdrop of some wonderful trees, which makes for some fantastic images as they change colour in the fall. The oranges and reds and yellows beautifully compliment the already-colourful mosaic of houses before them. It is like something out of a postcard. Lunenburg is a must-stop along anyone’s tour of Nova Scotia, particularly in the Fall.

6. Windsor & the World’s Largest Pumpkin

Windsor, Nova Scotia is another of the province’s to-be places in the Fall. It’s known as the birthplace of hockey, as it is where the students of King’s College first adapted the game of hurley to ice, and the sport evolved over time to become ice hockey. But wait, you’re a season too early! Before hockey kicks in, Windsor is better known for producing some of the world’s largest pumpkins, setting world records at over 1,000lbs! And nothing quite says fall weather like the pumpkin. Howard Dill’s farm is where you’ll find these huge pumpkins, and as Fall moves into October, you can expect there to be Halloween festivities surrounding the farm, so, if you’ve got kids, Windsor is probably the place you’ll want to be right around Halloween.

7. Kejimkujik National Park

Kejimkujik, sometimes shortened to ‘Keji’, is unrivalled for camping in Nova Scotia.  Kejimkujik is also home to the Dark Sky Preserve, a space for astrologists and astronomers, or aspiring cosmonauts or simply stargazers, where people can examine the intricacies of the Milky Way. During the daytime, however, Keji provides visitors with all of the remarkable splendour that you’d expect of a Nova Scotia National Park during the fall months. Spectacular views of rows of brightly-coloured trees and gorgeous lakes, which you can canoe on, and experience the beauty of fall from the water.Participate in the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest, the Haunted Jaunt, and take the plunge at the annual Cold Turkey swim. It’s the perfect weekend to spend with friends and family and enjoy the cool crisp air. If the outdoors is your thing, then Kejimkujik National Park is a stop to make as you soak up the Fall in Nova Scotia.

8. Brier Island

Brier Island is located off the southwest coast of Nova Scotia, best known as the place where the Bay of Fundy begins, Brier Island is a firm favourite for whale-watching during summer, but aside from the whale watching, the Island itself presents a fall beauty, with many acres of forestry, all with the leaves turning in full swing, a tour of the island by car is highly recommended!

9. Cape Split Provincial Park Reserve

 Cape Split may rival Cape Breton in terms of its natural beauty and during the Fall, that beauty is exemplified and more reverent than ever. Overlooking the Bay of Fundy, Cape Split makes the most of it’s natural environment with a hiking trail stretching for 6 kilometres in one direction, hugging the side of the Provincial Park, providing stunning views of the Bay of Fundy. All around you, you’ll see nature’s beauty as the leaves change from green to oranges, yellows and reds. On the hiking trail, you’re surrounded by such changes taking place and it provides gorgeous photographic opportunities.

10. The Cabot Trail

Perhaps even more famous than Cape Breton Island is the circumnavigatory trail known as the Cabot Trail which loops for 300km from Baddeck, around the shoreline and through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, before looping back down the western shoreline, through Cheticamp, St. Joseph du Moine, and follows the Maragee River back to it’s beginning in Baddeck. The highlights of the trail are the myriad fishing villages it connects along the east coast and, of course, Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The Cabot Trail in the Fall is one of the world’s best road trips.

Whether it’s rolling hills lined with gorgeous trees made of reds and oranges, or fall festivals including large pumpkins, oysters and cultural music — there’s no time quite like Fall in Nova Scotia, which makes it the perfect place for a getaway for you and your loved ones.

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