John’s best friend, his partner, and her son came to visit us for a whirlwind tour of Nova Scotia last weekend. With less than two full days together, we couldn’t do it all…but we managed to pack in plenty of highlights!
Friday: Lawrencetown Beach + Peggy’s Cove
Our friends drove over from Prince Edward Island, and we met mid-morning at Lawrencetown Beach, just outside Halifax. (Back in their bachelor days, John and his friend surfed all over the world, so starting the visit on surfboards felt fitting.)
We had most of the gear we needed, but rentals are easy to find at the beach. Lawrencetown is well-equipped for surfers, with change rooms, outdoor showers, and accessible bathrooms near the boardwalk.
Summer waves aren’t the most dramatic, but everyone had a blast catching what they could.
I happily stuck to managing all the gear, watching the incoming tide (moving our stuff when necessary), and playing photographer while the rest of the group braved the surf. There were a few bumps and scrapes, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed this start to the day.
After rinsing off, we headed straight for Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, eating a picnic lunch in our vehicle en route. No matter where you’re coming from, it’s a bit of a trek. But I’d also argue it’s always worth it. (If you’re planning to visit Nova Scotia, here’s a lot more information about Peggy’s Cove, which happens to be my absolute favourite lighthouse in Nova Scotia. The kids and I went with Kyria last fall and you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to drag Birchie, Kae, and Sarah there, too!)
The weather was perfect, and the kids loved climbing all over the rocks. One of the adults was sidelined with a twisted ankle from surfing, but the kids made their own fun, rescuing a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses wedged between boulders. After plenty of strategizing and teamwork, they pulled them out cheering like they’d just won an Olympic medal!!
From there, we drove to our favourite local pizza spot — Pizza Twice in Canning. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but trust me: three large pizzas for under $40 (tip included!) is the best. deal. around. We carried our feast up to The Lookoff for gorgeous views of the Annapolis Valley. It was a great way to end the evening.
Saturday: Beach Meadows
The next morning, we set off for my favourite beach in Nova Scotia: Beach Meadows. It’s quiet, serene, and somehow still under the radar. No flashy amenities, though they do have outdoor showers and some accessible bathrooms. It was practically empty on a beautiful sunny day. We enjoyed having plenty of space to play.
We spent a few hours exploring, throwing a frisbee, kicking a ball, boogie boarding, and even sneaking in some surfing. As always, we walked the length of the beach to the giant boulders so the kids could splash in the tide pools and climb more rocks (as if they didn’t get enough of that at Peggy’s Cove).
Here’s a little photo dump from the day. I especially appreciated the colourful kites which looked so pretty against a cloudless, blue sky!
We ended the weekend back home with a Maritime classic for supper — homemade donairs with this sauce (minus any added salt). After dinner, the boys went bass fishing while the girls cozied up in living room chairs for a round of the infamous “36 Questions.”
And then we got up on Sunday morning and all headed separate directions: our visitors to Brier Island (for whale watching), John to Finland (for work), and the kids and I took some friends to visit my parents in New Brunswick. But that’s a story for Happy Things Friday tomorrow…
Your turn:
Of the places we visited — Lawrencetown Beach for surfing, Peggy’s Cove for lighthouse views, The Lookoff for pizza, or Beach Meadows for a lazy beach day — where would you choose to go?
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Oh my goodness, look at those photos!! If anything says “fun beach time,” it’s your fabulous weekend. I especially love the under-the-radar Beach Meadows – it looks so peaceful.
And of course, I had to click your donairs link, not knowing what they were… amazing!! How is this dish not a global hit already?
Looking forward to the Happy Things Friday tomorrow!
Donairs are one of the most iconic eastern Canadian meals!!
I love the vibe of Beach Meadows. I recommended it to a friend a few years ago; she went and then said: everyone there seemed so old. That’s why I like it! It’s quiet, and most of the people that go there are older and so it’s such a relaxed, gentle pace. And there is always so much room to spread out.
Must remember your pizza recommendation. And I really missed visiting Beach Meadows this year (it’s much prettier than the PEI beaches). My group of writer friends rented The Mighty Atlantic in Beach Meadows for a few years – it’s not cheap, but if you have a big group sometime, they have four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and it’s a ten-minute walk to the beach (or you can climb over the rocks for a more direct route). Stan and Brian were great hosts.
I would love to spend some time at Beach Meadows. How delightful it would be to stroll the beach at sunrise and sunset.
Pizza Twice is really good pizza and the prices really CANNOT be beat. It’s in the Freshmart (?) on the Main Street in Canning.
That is a whirlwind 48 hours!!! Looks amazing, all of it!
I thought donairs were just a European thing. Looks very yummy! I’d love to go to any of those sites. That was nice of you guys to show them around.
It’s like shawarma, but the sauce that gets added to donair meat sets it apart!
I see you’re trying hard to convince me to move to NS! : ) All those places look amazing, but to answer your question, I would love Peggy’s Cove the most. I guess, living in Florida, I’m a little less interested in sandy beaches and more interested in lighthouses and rocks.
Can’t wait to hear about your time with your parents!
I promise to take you to Peggy’s Cove WHEN you visit me.
I would love to see you move to Nova Scotia, but alas I think you would find the winters pretty miserable. Maybe you could split your time between Greenville and Wolfville???
I love your photos and the places you go. Big sigh of envy. However, your lengthy winters might mitigate the envy somewhat. It seems so weird that surfing is normal in Nova Scotia (hmmm, some California snobbery might be leaking out a bit here. . .)
Donair is a completely new word and recipe to me. I read the link and almost passed out from the amount of sugar in the sauce. No wonder they taste good!
I don’t actually use that sauce! I make my own. Oops. Forgot to mention that in the blog post and will go back in and correct it! Though that one is sweet, too. A little goes a long way!
This looks like a great visit. Amazing pictures. I would be all about the relaxing beach day. The cloudless sky- like not a single cloud?! The sun glasses story is so funny.
They worked so hard to get those glasses and were so proud of them! I imagine a 5-year old lost them at some point and likely cried over the loss but no adult hands could have wiggled down through the crack to retrieve them.
I would love to see Peggy’s Cove. Every photo you’ve posted of there looks gorgeous.
It’s so pretty. I hope you make it to Nova Scotia one day and I will gladly be your personal tour guide 🙂
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The palette of blue in these photos is incredible, absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing these photos, it is like a mini holiday for readers!
Awww. Thanks! The sky has been so blue!
Exciting 48 hours and so much adventure and exploring.
The beaches are gorgeous.
Sounds like your really enjoyed the visit.