Guidebook for Mahone Bay
Food Scene
Oh My Cod!
567 Main StFriendly staff, great seafood.
Great food, great location overlooking the Lunenburg waterfront, reasonably priced.
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The South Shore Fish Shack
108 Montague StGreat food, great location overlooking the Lunenburg waterfront, reasonably priced.
Get The Scoop is about 5mins walk from the cottage and serves homemade ice cream made on-premises. Get there early before they run out of the favourites - it's a popular spot, especially on the weekends.
Get The Scoop
899 Feltzen South RdGet The Scoop is about 5mins walk from the cottage and serves homemade ice cream made on-premises. Get there early before they run out of the favourites - it's a popular spot, especially on the weekends.
A popular spot with locals and tourists alike, Rebecca's has a small bar in addition to the restaurant.
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Rebecca's Restaurant
249 Edgewater St A popular spot with locals and tourists alike, Rebecca's has a small bar in addition to the restaurant.
It's very close but can be a bit quiet at times. If that's the case, try one of the other bars listed here.
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Mug & Anchor Pub Ltd
643 Main StIt's very close but can be a bit quiet at times. If that's the case, try one of the other bars listed here.
Great restaurant with excellent seafood. Has music on occasion.
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Grand Banker Bar & Grill
82 Montague StGreat restaurant with excellent seafood. Has music on occasion.
The Biscuit Eater Cafe and Books
16 Orchard St Nice cafe, popular with locals and tourists.
Recardo's Pizza
586 Main StTakeout pizza and donairs - 5-10mins walk
Recommended by one of our guests for lunch - a busy spot with views of Oak Island. Food is good and reasonably priced.
15 minutes drive from the cottage.
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Island View Restaurant
6301 Hwy 3Recommended by one of our guests for lunch - a busy spot with views of Oak Island. Food is good and reasonably priced.
15 minutes drive from the cottage.
Great food - very friendly owners and staff. Highly recommended for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Circa 1860 Kitchen + Public House
436 Main StGreat food - very friendly owners and staff. Highly recommended for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Drinks & Nightlife
About 15-20mins walk, a great place to grab a local beer outside on the picnic benches or inside.
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Saltbox Brewery
363 Main St About 15-20mins walk, a great place to grab a local beer outside on the picnic benches or inside.
Good pub food and great atmosphere. The Fish Chowder is my favourite dish!
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The Knot Pub
4 Dufferin StGood pub food and great atmosphere. The Fish Chowder is my favourite dish!
Sightseeing
A beautiful little fishing village 10mins outside of Lunenburg – there is one road in and one road out. A drive down to The Point at sunset is highly recommended but it’s a special place any time of day.
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Blue Rocks
A beautiful little fishing village 10mins outside of Lunenburg – there is one road in and one road out. A drive down to The Point at sunset is highly recommended but it’s a special place any time of day.
Arguably one of the most beautiful beaches in Nova Scotia, Carter's Beach looks like something out of the Caribbean (search 'Carter’s Beach NS' online). It is worth the hour’s drive even if all you do is walk along it. Situated at the end of a narrow lane, it’s still something of a local secret and is a great place to find sand dollars. A word of warning though – the water here is unbearably cold, even for paddling!
Carters Beach Road
Carters Beach RoadArguably one of the most beautiful beaches in Nova Scotia, Carter's Beach looks like something out of the Caribbean (search 'Carter’s Beach NS' online). It is worth the hour’s drive even if all you do is walk along it. Situated at the end of a narrow lane, it’s still something of a local secret and is a great place to find sand dollars. A word of warning though – the water here is unbearably cold, even for paddling!
Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home port of the Bluenose II is 10mins drive away – just turn right and follow the road.
Walking tours – https://www.lunenburgwalkingtours.com/
Horse & Buggy – http://www.trotintime.ca/
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Lunenburg Waterfront
146 Bluenose DrLunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home port of the Bluenose II is 10mins drive away – just turn right and follow the road.
Walking tours – https://www.lunenburgwalkingtours.com/
Horse & Buggy – http://www.trotintime.ca/
The Bluenose II, a replica of the iconic ship that appears on the Canadian dime has Lunenburg as its home port. It does tour so check the schedule to see if it is in Lunenburg during your stay - https://bluenose.novascotia.ca/schedule
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Bluenose II
121 Bluenose DrThe Bluenose II, a replica of the iconic ship that appears on the Canadian dime has Lunenburg as its home port. It does tour so check the schedule to see if it is in Lunenburg during your stay - https://bluenose.novascotia.ca/schedule
Harbour tours including a visit to the seal colony - http://www.novascotiasailing.com/reservations.html
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Star Charters
124 Bluenose DrHarbour tours including a visit to the seal colony - http://www.novascotiasailing.com/reservations.html
Definitely for the kids – Theodore takes you on a tour of Halifax harbour
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Theodore Tugboat- Halifax, Nova Scotia
47 Discovery DriveDefinitely for the kids – Theodore takes you on a tour of Halifax harbour
Not your standard brewery tour, the guides are in full costume and stay in character the whole time. Highly recommended.
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Alexander Keith's Brewery
1496 Lower Water StNot your standard brewery tour, the guides are in full costume and stay in character the whole time. Highly recommended.
No visit to Nova Scotia is complete without getting photos at Peggys Cove lighthouse and fishing village.
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Peggys Cove
No visit to Nova Scotia is complete without getting photos at Peggys Cove lighthouse and fishing village.
Parks & Nature
The trail that runs along seaside cliffs offers great views and access to the sea caves after which the park is named. Small children need constant supervision because of the cliffs. Bring suitable walking shoes.
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Ovens Natural Park
326 Ovens RoadThe trail that runs along seaside cliffs offers great views and access to the sea caves after which the park is named. Small children need constant supervision because of the cliffs. Bring suitable walking shoes.
The closest beach – turn right out of the driveway, drive for 2-3mins and then take the first left – Maders Cove is signposted. It’s a small beach with a mix of stone and sand and nice views of the islands in the bay.
Maders Cove
The closest beach – turn right out of the driveway, drive for 2-3mins and then take the first left – Maders Cove is signposted. It’s a small beach with a mix of stone and sand and nice views of the islands in the bay.
The beach is drive-on, which is good if you want to retire to the car but, because there are cars on the beach, you need to keep an eye on children. Crescent Beach is quite exposed so it can get windy there and the waves can be pretty powerful too – it depends on the day. It’s bit of a drive and you have a couple of choices on how to get there:
Via Bridgewater – the fastest route (35mins)
Through Lunenburg and along the Lighthouse Route to the LeHave ferry. I would recommend this drive at least once on your visit – not a lot of lighthouses unfortunately but lots of spectacular sea views and includes a short ferry ride if you want to avoid Bridgewater (50mins).
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Crescent Beach
The beach is drive-on, which is good if you want to retire to the car but, because there are cars on the beach, you need to keep an eye on children. Crescent Beach is quite exposed so it can get windy there and the waves can be pretty powerful too – it depends on the day. It’s bit of a drive and you have a couple of choices on how to get there:
Via Bridgewater – the fastest route (35mins)
Through Lunenburg and along the Lighthouse Route to the LeHave ferry. I would recommend this drive at least once on your visit – not a lot of lighthouses unfortunately but lots of spectacular sea views and includes a short ferry ride if you want to avoid Bridgewater (50mins).
30mins drive – We have visited this beach several times and it was relatively quiet each visit. It is pretty exposed though so you need a warm day.
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Hirtle's Beach
Hirtle Beach Road30mins drive – We have visited this beach several times and it was relatively quiet each visit. It is pretty exposed though so you need a warm day.
Very nice sheltered beach – probably the best in the area. It does get busy though and it’s a provincial park so there is an entrance fee. They restrict access on particularly busy days. There is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach itself so bear this in mind if you have a lot of items to carry.
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Rissers Beach Provincial Park
5366 Highway 331Very nice sheltered beach – probably the best in the area. It does get busy though and it’s a provincial park so there is an entrance fee. They restrict access on particularly busy days. There is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach itself so bear this in mind if you have a lot of items to carry.
The trail actually runs behind the cottage but it’s a ways back and you are separated from it by woodland and marsh so you access it from Fauxburg Road. Once you reach the access point, taking a left will bring you to Lunenburg – about 30mins bike ride. Take a right for a nice 25min walk back into the village but you can go further too if you wish.
Bay to Bay Trail
Bay to Bay TrailThe trail actually runs behind the cottage but it’s a ways back and you are separated from it by woodland and marsh so you access it from Fauxburg Road. Once you reach the access point, taking a left will bring you to Lunenburg – about 30mins bike ride. Take a right for a nice 25min walk back into the village but you can go further too if you wish.
Dynamite Trail
Dynamite TrailThe other side of the bay and accessible from the Bay to Bay Trail.
If you brought your dog, it's 10mins drive to the dog parks in Lunenburg. Two parks mean that larger and smaller dogs are separated. Also, they are not the typical flat, open-space design - your dog will love it!
Lunenburg Dog Park
55 Starr StIf you brought your dog, it's 10mins drive to the dog parks in Lunenburg. Two parks mean that larger and smaller dogs are separated. Also, they are not the typical flat, open-space design - your dog will love it!
Essentials
Large grocery store in Bridgewater - everything you need for your stay. 20mins drive.
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Atlantic Superstore
200 Davison DrLarge grocery store in Bridgewater - everything you need for your stay. 20mins drive.
Walking distance - it’s fine if you are just looking to pick a few items up and don’t want to travel.
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Nick's Your Independent Grocer
543 Main StWalking distance - it’s fine if you are just looking to pick a few items up and don’t want to travel.
Medium sized store in Lunenburg, a little better than the one in Mahone Bay and only 10mins drive. The liquor store is attached.
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Francis Your Independent Grocer Lunenburg
143 Victoria RoadMedium sized store in Lunenburg, a little better than the one in Mahone Bay and only 10mins drive. The liquor store is attached.
NSLC
143 Victoria RoadLiquor store in Mahone Bay. 15mins walk.
Pharmasave Kinburn
522 Main StDrug store in Mahone Bay. 10-12mins walk.
Entertainment & Activities
A really enjoyable tour of the small distillery with tasting included
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Ironworks Distillery
2 Kempt StA really enjoyable tour of the small distillery with tasting included
Deep sea fishing. Even if you don’t snag a cod, Capt. Bill Flowers will keep you entertained with stories from the area and of his work on movies such as Moby Dick. Highly recommended but, if you are prone to seasickness, take your motion sickness pills before you go out.
Lunenburg Ocean Adventures
68 Bluenose DrDeep sea fishing. Even if you don’t snag a cod, Capt. Bill Flowers will keep you entertained with stories from the area and of his work on movies such as Moby Dick. Highly recommended but, if you are prone to seasickness, take your motion sickness pills before you go out.
No matter your skill level or even if you have never kayaked in your life, Karl and the staff at Pleasant Paddling will make you feel comfortable and safe. Kayaking through the islands off Blue Rocks has been the highlight of many of our trips out here. Single or double-kayak, guided tours or just rentals … lots of options.
https://pleasantpaddling.com/
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Pleasant Paddling
245 The Point RdNo matter your skill level or even if you have never kayaked in your life, Karl and the staff at Pleasant Paddling will make you feel comfortable and safe. Kayaking through the islands off Blue Rocks has been the highlight of many of our trips out here. Single or double-kayak, guided tours or just rentals … lots of options.
https://pleasantpaddling.com/
FISHING - You can catch mackerel, pollock and the odd squid off any dock in the area. Best time to fish is just before, during and after high-tide.
Mahone Bay – walk towards the village to the Government Dock.
Lunenburg – any of the public docks.
Indian Point – the Government Dock there has a reputation for being a great spot.
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Mahone Bay
FISHING - You can catch mackerel, pollock and the odd squid off any dock in the area. Best time to fish is just before, during and after high-tide.
Mahone Bay – walk towards the village to the Government Dock.
Lunenburg – any of the public docks.
Indian Point – the Government Dock there has a reputation for being a great spot.
Arts & Culture
For anyone, young or old, who has ever been fascinated by model trains. Great for kids, especially on a wet day. Reasonable ticket prices. It's a relatively quick activity - 45-90mins depending on how long you linger.
Halifax & Southwestern Railway Museum
11188 Nova Scotia Trunk 3For anyone, young or old, who has ever been fascinated by model trains. Great for kids, especially on a wet day. Reasonable ticket prices. It's a relatively quick activity - 45-90mins depending on how long you linger.
Not your average museum, the building also houses a small aquarium as well as two boats tied up on the dock that you can board. The museum offers plenty of activities for kids as well as demonstrations throughout the day. Highly recommended although it can get busy during high season as it’s a destination for many of the tour buses that visit Lunenburg on a daily basis. CAA members get a discount.
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Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic
68 Bluenose DrNot your average museum, the building also houses a small aquarium as well as two boats tied up on the dock that you can board. The museum offers plenty of activities for kids as well as demonstrations throughout the day. Highly recommended although it can get busy during high season as it’s a destination for many of the tour buses that visit Lunenburg on a daily basis. CAA members get a discount.