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Several destinations around Halifax offer easy access to quiet coastlines, working harbours, and preserved historical areas. These places to visit near Halifax provide scenic views in distinct landscapes or a local tradition that sets them apart. Short drives take you to lighthouses still in use, gardens rooted in centuries of planning, and beaches shaped by Atlantic tides. Whether you’re planning a few hours out of town or a full-day trip, these locations give you options that are close by but far from routine.
10 Best Places To Visit Near Halifax
These places to visit near Halifax offer history, coastal scenery, and quiet nature spots all within a short drive, making them ideal for day trips throughout the year.
1. Peggy’s Cove
Peggy’s Cove is best known for its lighthouse, but the setting around it holds equal interest. This small coastal village still functions around its fishing roots. Boats rest in the harbour as they have for decades, and locals continue daily routines without spectacle. You can walk the coastline without marked trails, pausing on wave-splashed rocks that define the geography. Art galleries and local studios operate year-round, with many artists using the cove’s weather and sea as their subjects. Photography is one of the main draws, especially in the early morning when the light sharpens the outlines of boats, nets, and buildings.
Distance From Halifax: 42.6 km
Timings: 24*7
Major Attractions: Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, coastal rocks, art galleries, fishing village scenery
2. Lunenburg
Lunenburg offers more than a glimpse into Nova Scotia’s past; it lives it. The town’s grid of brightly painted wooden buildings follows the original 18th-century layout, and most structures remain in use for homes, shops, and workshops. You walk through a place still shaped by shipbuilding, with dry docks, boatyards, and marine supply stores tucked along the waterfront. The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic anchors the harbourfront, where you can step aboard heritage vessels and learn how fishing shaped the town’s economy. Bluenose II, the replica of the legendary racing schooner, often docks here and allows public tours.
Distance From Halifax: 98.3 km
Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM
Cost: $7 / ₹600
Major Attractions: UNESCO Old Town, Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Bluenose II schooner
3. Wolfville
Photo: Maple League / Wikimedia Commons
Wolfville sits along the upper edge of the Annapolis Valley, bordered by sloping vineyards and wide tidal plains—the town centres around Acadia University, where the campus blends naturally into the surrounding streets. Academic life gives the area a steady pace as lectures, public talks, and student performances fill much of the calendar. The main roads are lined with independent businesses of bookshops with handpicked selections, family-run cafés, and wine retailers who often stock bottles from nearby estates. Most shops have been part of the community for years and reflect local ownership, not franchise design.
Distance From Halifax: 89.2 km
Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM
Cost: $10 / ₹900
Major Attractions: Acadia University, wine country tours, Grand-Pré National Historic Site
4. Mahone Bay
Photo: Paul / Wikimedia Commons
Mahone Bay offers a quieter setting compared to nearby Lunenburg, but the detail here lies in the small scale. The town faces a sheltered harbour dotted with anchored sailboats, and its three historic churches sit side by side along the waterfront, often photographed, but still in use. The main road runs close to the shoreline, lined with shops that focus on local crafts, home goods, and textiles rather than souvenirs. You will find weavers, glassmakers, and potters at work inside many of the storefronts. Among the places to visit near Halifax, Mahone Bay provides a slower pace grounded in craft and coastal routine.
Distance From Halifax: 85.2 km
Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM
Major Attractions: Three Churches view, artisanal shops, scenic waterfront
5. Lawrencetown Beach
Photo: Justin Ziadeh / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Lawrencetown Beach lies on the Eastern Shore and has long been known for consistent surf conditions shaped by open Atlantic exposure. The beach forms part of a protected provincial park, and most of the shoreline remains undeveloped. Surfing is the primary draw, with year-round wave activity attracting experienced boarders, especially during autumn when the swells are strongest. Surf schools operate from spring to early autumn and offer private instruction and equipment hire without permanent structures. A boardwalk above the dunes provides stable footing and connects parking areas to the coast.
Distance From Halifax: 31.6 km
Major Attractions: Surfing, sandy shoreline, boardwalks, beach trails
6. Annapolis Royal
Photo: WayeMason & John Van Gurp / Wikimedia Commons
Annapolis Royal holds one of the oldest continuous European settlements in North America, and its preserved architecture still shows that early history. The centrepiece is Fort Anne, a national historic site where you can walk through original earthen walls and view artefacts inside the 18th-century officers’ quarters. The town’s grid is lined with heritage homes, many marked with plaques showing the year they were built, some dating back over 200 years. Among the places to see near Halifax, Annapolis Royal offers the most concentrated site for early colonial history, paired with gardens, architecture, and museums that are all within walking distance.
Distance From Halifax: 196.7 km
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Cost: $4 – 10 / ₹350 – 900
Major Attractions: Fort Anne, Historic Gardens, Annapolis Royal Market
7. Burntcoat Head Park
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis / Wikimedia Commons
At Burntcoat Head Park, the tide not only rises but also transforms the entire coastline. Water levels along this section of the Bay of Fundy shift by more than 16 metres, and when the tide goes out, the seabed stretches open. You can step down and walk across what was the ocean just hours earlier, with the exposed floor firm underfoot and scattered with ridges carved by retreating water. The surface is firm but slippery, covered in ripples, red silt, and shallow tide pools. Wooden stairs lead down from the viewing area to the flats, where you can see fossil-like impressions, eroded cliffs, and rock stacks shaped by centuries of tidal activity.
Distance From Halifax: 96.2 km
Timings: 9 AM – 9 PM
Major Attractions: Highest recorded tides in the world, tidal walking, Lighthouse Park
8. Kejimkujik National Park
Photo: Patrick Keller / Unsplash
Kejimkujik National Park is the only national park in Canada that also holds national historic site status, recognised for both its ecological diversity and deep cultural significance. The inland park, set away from the coastline, includes old-growth Acadian forest, blackwater rivers, and a network of lakes used for centuries by the Mi’kmaq people. Some shoreline rocks within the park hold petroglyphs carved by Mi’kmaq communities centuries ago, now protected and viewable through guided access. Canoe routes follow the same water paths once used for seasonal travel, connecting several remote lakes and inlets.
Distance From Halifax: 164.9 km
Timings: 8 AM – 10 PM
Cost: $8.5 / ₹730
Major Attractions: Canoeing, Mi’kmaq petroglyphs, hiking trails, dark sky preserve
9. Shubenacadie Wildlife Park
Photo: Julian Terenzio / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Shubenacadie Wildlife Park covers over 40 hectares and is home to species native to the province, including black bears, lynx, moose, and bald eagles. The enclosures are spaced apart along paved and gravel walking paths that form a loop through woodland. Each habitat is designed to reflect the animal’s natural environment, and many of the residents are long-term rescues that cannot return to the wild. Informational panels explain behaviours, seasonal habits, and conservation efforts. The wetlands at the edge of the park attract waterfowl and are part of a larger protected area.
Distance From Halifax: 63 km
Timings: 9 AM – 6:30 PM
Cost: $6 / ₹520
Major Attractions: Native animals, wetland trails, interpretive centre
10. Martinique Beach
Photo: Jean & Nathalie / Wikimedia Commons
Martinique Beach extends for over five kilometres, making it the longest sandy beach in Nova Scotia. It forms part of a designated provincial park and includes dune systems, salt marshes, and protected nesting areas for shorebirds such as the piping plover. The beach is divided into access zones, each with parking areas and basic facilities like pit toilets and picnic shelters. Winds along the coast attract kitesurfers during late spring and summer, though conditions vary by tide. The surrounding conservation area supports a variety of coastal plants, and birdwatching is most active early in the day.
Distance From Halifax: 59.5 km
Timings: 8 AM – 8 PM
Major Attractions: Longest sandy beach in Nova Scotia, birdwatching, picnic spots
The places to visit near Halifax go beyond scenic views—they show how Nova Scotia lives and works. Small towns follow their own pace, coastal paths remain untouched, and historical sites still serve their purpose. These nearby destinations reveal everyday life, local trades, and landscapes shaped by time. They offer a grounded view of the province, just beyond the capital. Start exploring them with TripXL today.
Cover Photo: Sue Conrad / Unsplash
