Nova Scotia Holidays Coach Tours & Travel

Nova Scotia has all the right ingredients for an unforgettable seacoast vacation. Here you'll enjoy clean air, spectacular seascapes, rolling vineyards and hills of maple, and the friendliest people you'll ever meet. It's where cosmopolitan cities meet small town charm.

Enjoy the unique charm, hospitality and quality of life Nova Scotia has to offer — a clean, safe place to visit with a varied cultural life and abundant natural beauty. With so much on offer, is it any wonder why people want to stay?

View all our holidays to Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Holidays - Where Is Nova Scotia?

An intriguingly located landmass, Nova Scotia is admittedly not the first place people think of when they consider going on holiday, due to its relative isolation. Let's be honest, how many people could take a map of the world and point out exactly where Nova Scotia is?

Well, wonder no more; the 580 kilometre long peninsula of Nova Scotia is located off the east coast of Canada as is surrounded by 4 bodies of water. These are: the Atlantic Ocean, home to Newfoundland to the north and east, whilst New Brunswick lies in the Bay of Fundy to the East, the Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Prince Edward Island to the north and the Gulf of Maine and the United States to the south and west.

It may come as a surprise to you to learn that Nova Scotia is actually larger than Denmark, but somewhat smaller than Scotland, after which it was named. With an average width of 128kms and a landmass area of 55,491km2, residents and indeed holidaymakers are never far form the craggy shorelines, tranquil harbours or beautiful ocean beaches.

Territorially, Nova Scotia is framed by the rocky Atlantic Uplands, the Cape Breton Highlands and the wooded Cobequid Hills. The agricultural areas of Nova Scotia are predominantly lowlands. Along the coast, you will find sheer cliffs, cavernous coves, salt marshes, vibrant fishing villages and busy harbours. Indeed, the entire country has a distinct seafaring feel to it.

Nova Scotia Holidays - Local History

Nova Scotia has an intimate relationship with the sea. Explore the seafaring heritage of this island-like province and discover a legacy of famous sailors, pirates, shipbuilders and schooners. One of Nova Scotia's most historic and scenic towns is Lunenburg, home of the world famous racing schooner Bluenose. The provinces seafaring heritage is reflected in the preservation of the colourful waterfront, narrow streets and delightful architecture.

On the waterfront, Historic Properties takes you back to the golden age of sailing with its restored buildings and cobblestone streets. In summer, dine outdoors in one of many restaurants and pubs, listen to a live band, and let the salt breeze cool your skin.

For the history buff out there, the Nova Scotia Museum is a treasure trove of Nova Scotian history, exhibiting dinosaur fossils plus many more artefacts of a more modern era, allowing you to taste just a snippet of Nova Scotia's varied past. Parrsboro's Fundy Geological Museum and Halifax's Museum of Natural History are excellent venues of interest, the later housing the world's finest collection of Mi'kmaq quillwork. See impressive beadwork and learn of Nova Scotia's First People at the University College of Cape Breton's Mi'kmaq Resource Centre in Sydney. Perhaps you may bend your ear to the sounds of the pioneers at the reconstruction of Samuel de Champlain's 1605 fort at Port Royal, the oldest European settlement north of Florida.

Since the early 1600s, a wave of immigration has borne to Nova Scotia's shores hundreds of thousands of people from all over the globe. Peer into the lives of these settlers at the Colchester Historical Society Museum, Mahone Bay Settlers Museum, the Cape Sable Historical Society Centre, the Shelburne County Genealogical Research Centre, the Highland Village at Iona and Halifax's Pier 21. Investigate the story of African Nova Scotians at the Black Cultural Centre in Dartmouth.

Be moved by the story of the Acadians' perseverance in the face of adversity at the Grand Pré National Historic Site. Stroll through historic homes, stores and workshops at the Fortress of Louisbourg, Sherbrooke Village and Ross Farm Museum. Sample the fair, try your hand at old-time tasks and chat with costumed animators who delight in bringing Nova Scotia's colourful history to life. Discover the simple pleasures of country living in the mid-1800s at the MacDonald House Museum and the Parkdale-Maplewood Museum.

Historic homes, with their period furnishings and personal mementoes, offer an intimate portrayal of the characters who've populated Nova Scotia's past. Admire beautiful antiques in dwellings with charming Georgian influence, like a vintage farmhouse at the North Hills Museum; Prescott House Museum, former residence of apple horticulturist Charles Ramage Prescott; and Uniacke Estate Museum Park, with its seven scenic walking trails. Experience Victorian-era Windsor at stylish Shand House Museum and at Haliburton House Museum, where Judge Thomas Chandler Haliburton penned the famous "Sam Slick" stories.

The sea has been a way of life in Nova Scotia for centuries, and seafarers have spun many thrilling tales of their exploits on the North Atlantic. Drink in the drama of life at sea at Halifax's

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and Lunenburg's Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic , the most visited museums in Nova Scotia. Explore the boatbuilding traditions of Nova Scotia at the Dory Shop and Lawrence House Museums, and capture a glimpse of life in coastal villages at the Fisherman's Life Museum, the Yarmouth County Museum, and the Grassy Island National Historic Site.

Should you wish to learn about Nova Scotia's Industrialisation process, the Museum of Industry demonstrates innovations with hands-on exhibits that get you involved. Witness old-time technology at work in the Balmoral Grist Mill and the Sutherland Steam Mill museums. See how wool was processed from meadow to market at the Wile Carding Mill and Barrington Woollen Mill museums, and learn about Nova Scotia's glorious fruit-growing industry at the Kentville Agricultural Centre. At the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, be amazed at the wide-ranging inventions of this genius, such as the hydrofoil plane. Discover the role of the railway in Nova Scotia at the Sydney & Louisburg Railway Museum, the Orangedale Railway Museum and the Musquodoboit Railway Museum; and survey high-flying exhibits at the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum.

Nova Scotia Holidays – Halifax

Further proof of culture and commerce lies in the historic waterfront city of Halifax, which is steeped in history and rich in culture. The Halifax Citadel, Canada's most visited National Historic Sites, bus­tles with the sights and sounds of 19th century British military life. Kilted soldiers drill and bagpipes skirl and at 12 noon, cover your ears as the noon cannon goes off — a tradition dating back to the late 1800s. Citadel Hill offers commanding and panoramic views of Halifax Harbour.

Other sights to look out during your stint in Halifax included the impressive HMCS Scotian and Royal Canadian Navy dockyards, picturesque Seaview Park, and Hemlock Ravine Park with its heart – shaped Julie's Pond.

Nova Scotia Holidays – Cabot Trail and Cape Breton

Cape Breton's most famous resident, Alexander Graham Bell, once said "I have travelled around the globe. I have seen the Canadian and American Rockies, the Andes, the Alps and the Highlands of Scotland, but for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals them all." Bell fell in love with the region and built his beautiful estate, Beinn Bhreagh, on the shores of the Bras d'Or Lakes, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life.

The Cabot Trail is a destination for all seasons. In fall, the highlands explode in a vibrant palette of nature's fiery reds, oranges, crimsons and golds. The days are warm, the evenings cool and every road leads through a tapestry of brilliant autumn colours. In winter, the hills become a crystalline fairyland. Seemingly endless groomed trails open the winter beauty of the highlands for cross-country skiers and snowmobilers, and Ski Cape Smokey's 300-m (1000-ft) vertical drop is Atlantic Canada's unique downhill ski experience.

To the north, tour the breathtaking Cabot Trail as it weaves through the glorious Cape Breton Highlands and winds around rocky cliffs and rugged coastline. It is recognized as one of the world's most awe inspiring scenic drives.

In addition, if you are looking for a sporting venture whilst in Nova Scotia, then look no further than the Cabot Trail. An absolute golfer's paradise, there are many exhilarating world-class championship courses to be played, with the magnificent beauty of Cape Breton Highlands National Park or panoramic views of the Bras d'Or Lakes a perfect backdrop.

Nova Scotia Holidays - Bay of Fundy

Along Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy, visitors can experience one of the marine wonders of the world — the world's highest tides. Walk on the ocean floor as 100 billion tonnes of water rush out of the basin back wards or experience the thrill of whitewater rafting on the surge wave, or bore. Along the coast, the tides have carved fantastic shapes and provide feeding grounds for an incredible range of birds, fish and marine mammals. Furthermore, Nova Scotia I famously one of the finest places along the eastern seaboard for whale watching; look out for the Finback, Humpback, Pilot and Minke whales which frequent the coasts.

Nova Scotia Holidays - Lighthouse Route

Along the Lighthouse Route, follow the seacoast through historic towns and weathered fishing villages. More than 20 lighthouses from Yarmouth's Cape Forchu Light to the dramatic beauty of the famous lighthouse at Peggys Cove dot Nova Scotia's quaint South Shore.

Whilst along the roads, you'll come along quiet country roads where ox teams still haul lumber, and coastal villages where fishermen still row wooden dories out to sea. Explore historic towns like Liverpool, with its privateer legends, and Lunenburg, where a working blacksmith still plies his trade amidst the beautifully preserved buildings of the old town district.

Nature lovers will fall in love with the trail; in quiet inlets, herons stand motionless in the shallows, whilst in sandy coves, grey seals bask on the offshore rocks. The winding trails make for great adventurous biking jaunts, or alternatively, for those of you that may want to take on the sea, there's world-class sailing, windsurfing and kayaking to enjoy!

Further quaint wonderment is added by the inclusion of many artists studios, shops and workshops along the coast, positioned deliberately to capture to the fullest the superb beauty of this awesome panorama.

Nova Scotia Holidays – Cuisine

As you may expect, seafood is widely available in many a guise in the plentiful restaurants and eateries of Nova Scotia.

However, the tantalising cuisine of this fair land is by no means limited to dishes based on the luxurious food types plucked from the bountiful surrounding seas.
Why not savour the perfection of award-winning native wines, swilled with a mouthful of fresh planked salmon, followed by a delicious dessert flavoured by sweet Annapolis Valley apples and juicy Oxford blueberries.

Indeed, the culinary diversity of Nova Scotia is best reflected in the meals on offer in the restaurants of the capital, Halifax, where everything and anything seems to be available on the menu!

Reflective of the diversity in dinner options, venues for a night out are just as multiple and varied! You may find yourself out in a bright – light city casino restaurant, or perhaps a cosy, candlelit eatery that will wow you with romance.

Sample dishes to be found include ‘Coastal Bend Texas Beef Tenderloin'; a juicy and succulent local beef dish consisting of a tenderloin of beef rubbed in shallots, garlic cloves, brown sugar, coriander seeds and peppercorns, which, when baked to a medium rare finish, make for a delicious, spicy and hearty affair, fantastic with a glass of red wine. Or perhaps you would like to savour the local seafood; in which case we recommend the gingered garlic shrimp, a beautiful concoction of lemon/garlic drizzled shelled king prawns sitting on a light base of angel hair pasta, ready to be ripped open and enjoyed at it's fullest like all good finger foods should.

Nova Scotia Holidays - Weather

As you would expect from a country surrounded from all sides by the sea, the climate of Nova Scotia is heavily decided by the conditions of the waters around it.

Winters can bring snow and ice sheets, whilst springs are reluctant, summers are invigorating and autumns brown and plentiful due to erosive sea winds, tinted with salt. Precipitation and snowfall are commonplace throughout the year, as are misty sunlight and dawns and thick fogs, such is the inherent precipitation levels.

The southwest coast around Cape Sable is frost free for over half the year, longer than any other place in Atlantic Canada. Most agricultural areas experience a period without frost for 120 to 130 days between late May and early October, which is the effective growing season for most crops. The Annapolis Valley has up to 140 frost-free days, but the higher highlands on Cape Breton Island have less than 100 days.

Winter temperatures are moderate along the coast. Yarmouth's average January temperature of -2.7C is the highest of any mainland station in the Maritimes. Inland, January means are between -4 and -6C. The most significant aspect of winter is the marked day-to-day variation caused by the alternation of Arctic and maritime air.

Summers are relatively cool in Nova Scotia. Afternoon summer temperatures reach 25C in the interior, but along the coast are frequently 4 to 6C cooler. At night the ocean remains a cooling source, keeping minimum temperatures along the coast about 2 to 3C below those inland. Halifax's July average temperature of 17.4C and Yarmouth's 16.3C compare favourably to most of mainland Canada's.

Archers Direct Holidays

Archers Direct offer a huge range of great holidays including touring holidays (coach holidays), cruises, beach & resort holidays, river cruises, short breaks, multi centre holidays & twin centre holidays, special interest holidays, rail holidays, & safaris.

We offer year round holiday travel so we have hundreds holiday ideas for summer holidays, winter holidays, Christmas holidays & Xmas holidays, New Year holidays, half term holidays, Easter holidays, school holidays and bank holidays (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November & December).

We fly direct from the following UK airports: London airports - Heathrow airport, Gatwick airport, Luton airport & Stansted airport as well as Birmingham airport, Bristol airport, East Midlands airport, Edinburgh airport, Glasgow airport, Manchester airport, Newcastle airport & Belfast airport.

Booking direct holidays with Archers Direct means you don't pay travel agent's commission, which is great news if you're searching for cheap holidays, bargain holidays, last minute holidays, holiday deals, discount holidays, package holidays & budget holidays. We offer great deals on trips for single travellers and groups and we are we are members of ABTA & ATOL.

View all our holidays to Nova Scotia