Canada As You Like It Blog
From Whale Watching to Wine Tasting
- by Tourism Nova Scotia
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- 07 Feb, 2018
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18 New Experiences in Nova Scotia to Explore in 2018
2. Discovery Fun. Featuring four floors of incredible exhibit and programming space, the Discovery Centre’s new waterfront location in Halifax is home to an Immersive Dome Theatre and an Innovation Lab, which are both the first of their kind for Atlantic Canada.
3. Sail the 2nd Largest Natural Harbour in the World. The J Farwell Sailing Company was created with this adven-ture in mind. This brand new seafaring experience creates lasting memories of Halifax’s stunning coastal setting.
4. Something New to Sea. Visitors to the Halifax water-front won’t want to miss one of its latest additions … a 50 ft geodesic dome theatre that features 360° movies. The Sea Dome’s immersive shows are just 15-20 minutes length - perfect for a pit stop along the boardwalk.
5. Stellar Beach Feast. Indulge in a gourmet beach feast by firelight and starlight. This constellation-inspired feast is at White Point Beach Resort on their beautiful white sand beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and is hosted by your own private Chef and Sommelier. Amid the glow of candles and the setting sun, you’ll indulge in a local feast prepared tableside and expertly paired with Nova Scotia wines, before exploring local legends of the night sky.
6. Tidal Bay Wine Tasting Adventure. Savour this pro-gressive dinner at three award-winning wineries, where each course is deliciously paired with a private wine tasting. Uncorked Nova Scotia’s exclusive tour includes a vine-yard dinner party featuring the freshest lobster exquisitely paired with Nova Scotia’s signature white wine, Tidal Bay. Be the first of your friends to discover this must-try Nova Scotia wine.
7. Kitesurfing. Our province boasts excellent conditions for this exciting sport and we have world-class operators offering opportunities for beginners and the experienced on our beaches in Lockeport, White Point, Port Maitland and Halifax.
8. Devour! The Vines. Le Caveau Restaurant at Domaine de Grand Pré Winery provides the breathtaking views of the Bay of Fundy and the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO World Heritage site while you take a seat at the harvest table to enjoy an intimate vineyard dinner. Each delicious course in this meal for locavores is prepared tableside by two cele-brated chefs, and perfectly paired with award-winning Nova Scotia wines and a short film, curated by Devour! The Food Film Fest team.
9. Our History in Alive in Our Culture and People. In Nova Scotia, we take great pride in preserving the things that make our varied historic cultures unique and fascinating. The traditions of our Mi’kmaq, Acadian, African Nova Scotian and Gaelic influences live strong in our everyday. With five UNESCO sites, three World Heritage Sites, 13 National Historic Site Attractions and 28 provincial museums and interpretive centres, we have a lot of history to explore.
10. Dining on the Ocean Floor. Savour the best of Nova Scotia’s flavours in the most unique “dining room” on earth at the site of the world’s highest tides. Meet a local brewer, winemaker, and foraging expert before taking a seat at an elegant dining table for an intimate dinner on the ocean floor! Toast your amazing culinary adventure around a sunset bonfire with your hosts from The Flying Apron Inn & Cookery.
11. Tidal Reveal: Dig for Canada’s Oldest Dinosaurs. To dig for Canada’s oldest dinosaurs, start your adventure by sea! Take an exclusive Zodiac boat excursion with the team from the Fundy Geological Museum past the colourful cliffs and red sands of the Bay of Fundy shore to take part in an active dinosaur dig. Led by a museum expert, you’ll dig for fossils, see the latest discoveries, and enjoy a delicious sea-side, lobster-infused picnic lunch on a Jurassic beach.
12. Nova Scotia's Ultimate Lobster Feast. Panoramic Bay of Fundy views, dramatic cliffs, and the Lighthouse at Cape d’Or are your backdrop to discovering stories about ‘life on the Bay’ from a local fisherman. Around an authentic lobster dinner, you’ll toast a glass of Tidal Bay wine with new friends, and enjoy lobster like you’ve never experienced!
13. A Bay of Fundy Camping Adventure on Your Own Island: This exclusive adventure with Advocate Boat Tours takes you to Isle Haute in the Bay of Fundy and features your very own island for the night, a guided hike and kayak tour to see playful grey seals, nesting Bald Eagles, and soaring Peregrine Falcons. After a day of adventure, relax at a luxurious island campsite for a deli-cious local meal, where everything is provided.
14. What Will You Tap Into? The Nova Scotia Good Cheer Trail, Canada’s first winery, craft brewery, cidery and distillery trail, is a toast to the craftmanship and creativity of our many wineries, craft breweries, cideries and distilleries. From Yarmouth to Sydney, discover new favourites as you sample locally produced wines, beers, ci-ders, and spirits at any of the 50 stops on the Good Cheer Trail. Whether you're interested in trying the latest vintage of Tidal Bay, meeting an award-winning brewmaster or sampling a fresh cider or single malt whisky straight from the barrel, the Good Cheer Trail has you covered. The newest member of the Good Cheer Trail family is the stunningly new and beautiful 50,000 sq foot hospitality centre at Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards.
15. The Way Playing “A-Round” Was Meant To Be. Forbes Magazine named Cape Breton the “hottest island in Golf”. Our courses are recognized as the best in the country and feature Cabot Links, Canada’s only true Links course; the award winning masterpiece Cape Breton Highlands Links; and the latest member of the Cape Breton golf family, Cabot Cliffs, ranked 19th in the world by Golf Digest.
16. Lighthouse Bites: Full Moon Kayak Adventure. As the sun sets, your kayak adventure begins! Take a thrilling nighttime kayak tour to Kidston Island with North River Kayak on the beautiful Bras d’Or Lake, part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, for an unforgettable evening of fun, gourmet local flavours and Cape Breton music under a full moon.
17. Radical Kayak Surfin’. Nova Scotia’s coastline fac-es the open Atlantic, providing some of the best surfing op-portunities along the eastern seaboard. Whitewater and sea kayakers have been taking advantage of these breaks all year round. Several operators now offer kayak surfing tours with access to the good point breaks at locations like Martinique Beach, Cherry Hill Beach, Clam Harbour Beach, Summerville Beach, Lockeport Crescent Beach and White Point Beach.
18. Crack Open Our Seafood Trails. The Nova Scotia Seafood Trails brings together a collection of restaurant, retail and fisheries experiences that highlight our province’s incredible seafood products. Discover some of the freshest seafood experiences that our province has to offer - from seaside lobster boils, authentic seafood chowder, freshly shucked oysters and many other mouthwatering seafood dishes - as you wind your way along our beautiful seacoast. Whether it’s a stop on the Chowder Trail, Lobster Trail, Oyster Trail, or Fish & Chips Trail, it’s time to let adven-ture out of its shell and truly get a taste of Nova Scotia.
In the northwest of Canada where eighty percent of the area
is wilderness, lies the Yukon. With friendly locals, wildlife to observe,
activities to immerse yourself in and fascinating history to explore, this destination makes
for the perfect fly-drive holiday.
Lace up your boots and hit the back country. With trails at your doorstep for exploring, hiking is the best way of seeing the province on a fly drive holiday. There are areas suitable for all levels of hiking, from the congenial leisure walk to the avid hiker. Head to Saskatoon at the Meewasin Valley, this area offers over 105 km of trails across 67 square km of land. It provides year-round adventure and sightseeing opportunities in the heart of beautiful Saskatoon. Benefit from the well-maintained, multi-use pathways to cycle, jog or walk the scenic riverbank trails. Sections of the Meewasin Trail are also part of the Trans Canada Trail which extends almost 24,000 km across Canada from coast to coast. Keen for a challenge? Look at some of the best back country hiking at places like Prince Albert National Park, Lac La Ronge, Meadow Lake- and Narrow Hills Provincial Park in the north or Grasslands National Park and Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park in the south.
With three different water ways and an UNESCO heritage site, Ottawa is the place to explore. Take a trip down the Rideau Canal or explore the ByWard market. Walk along Parliament Hill and through acres of woodland and royal trees planted by dignitaries.
Imagine swimming thousands of miles to find that special someone. Whales complete this every single year, known as a whale migration, to find suitable habitat for feeding and reproducing. In British Columbia, these stunning orcas, also known as killer whales, are a prominent site and seeing them is a once in a lifetime experience. As well as orcas, expect to find humpback whales, grey whales and minke whales. These amazing creatures call BC their home from April to October. When the sun is out the whales come to play. From tail flukes to pectoral slaps, go for a whale watching trip and you can bask in their playful nature and enjoy the sunset with a relaxing drink, perfect for families and solo travellers. You can also go paddleboarding with orcas for a unique perspective from the water to see these magnificent creatures. You must, of course, always keep four hundred metres away from them for their safety and yours.
Welcome to the province of Saskatchewan, Canada – a place of breath-taking landscapes, wide-open spaces and hospitality that is second-to-none. This province is big – 651,900 km2, in fact, and has nearly 100,000 lakes and waterways. Natural beauty is not the only thing this province is known for though. Join us on a culinary journey of Saskatchewan, where food and drink abound, and you will find something good to eat around every corner!
Welcome to the fourth largest province in Canada. With five National Parks and six UNESCO Heritage sites, Alberta is a wonderful and varied place to visit. This blog will explore this great province and expose you to the unique qualities that make this area a location sure to be your next travel destination. A playground for outdoor adventure, popular summer activities include hiking, biking, horse riding, rafting, and fishing. As the seasons change and snow begins to fall, head to Alberta for world-class winter activities including skiing, snowboarding, dogsledding, snowshoeing, heli-skiing, ice climbing and more. From wildlife in the Rockies to Waterton Lakes National Park, and art and culture to explore, Alberta is a wonderland packed with options for every traveller.
Atlantic Canada is famous for its fresh and abundant seafood, from succulent lobster, to scallops, mussels, oysters and cod – but it offers so much more. Dine at a seaside restaurant, take a stroll through a local farmers' market, or take in one of the many culinary festivals. It’s truly a foodie’s paradise.
Here's a round up of a few amazing foodie events and experiences that we thought you might want to try:
Head to Northern Manitoba for a wild and exciting trip. Waterways provide refuge to an abundance of wildlife and the land holds the stories of Indigenous peoples.