Travel to Nova Scotia

Bay of Fundy Competes for New7Wonders of Nature Crown

Kim — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:30:28 +0000

Canada’s Bay of Fundy (straddling New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) is one of 28 finalists competing to become one of the New7Wonders of Nature. To add your voice to make this spectacular area a natural wonder go to www.New7Wonders.com to vote in this final and important stage of the contest.

The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world and over 100 billion tonnes of seawater flows in and out each tide cycle. Not only that it is the preferred feeding grounds of many species of whales which migrate here throughout the year.

The sea-carved, sandstone cliffs abound with fossils and the beaches below produce the best clams in the world.

Go to www.New7Wonders.com and make your vote count!

The Season of Wines in Nova Scotia

Kim — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:07:51 +0000

Just like Nova Scotia spells “summer” this great part of the world also goes all out in the fall with a spectacular showing of autumn folliage and harvest festivals. Nothing can top visiting a working winery for an autumn visit. Here they are!

Annapolis Highland Vineyards
Located in Bear River East, Annapolis Highland Vineyards is just minutes from the historic town of Annapolis Royal and is Nova Scotia’s 14th licensed winery.
view details | website

Blomidon Estate Winery
The winery offers award winning wines like L’Acadie Blanc and Baco Noir and is very proud of its 100% Nova Scotia grown Chardonnay. Visitors are welcome to enjoy a stroll or picnic in the vineyard, or purchase items from the on-site wine shop.
view details | website

Gaspereau Vineyards
35 acres of vineyards overlooking the beautiful Gaspereau Valley, 3 km from Wolfville. Award-winning wines.
view details | website

Grand Pré Wines
Nova Scotia’s first operating winery; award-winning wines, cobblestone courtyards, beautiful gardens, art gallery, European pergola. Summer Wine and Autumn Harvest festivals. A Bay of Fundy Recommended Experience.
view details | website

Jost Vineyards
Award-winning wines from numerous varieties of grapes grown on site; producer of Canada’s Wine of the Year 2000.
view details | website

L’Acadie Vineyards
L’Acadie Vineyards, specializing in Traditional Method Sparking wines, is Nova Scotia’s first certified organic winery. For a unique Nova Scotia wine experience, visit the geothermal winery and tasting bar overlooking their certified organic vineyard in the Gaspereau Valley.
view details | website

Lunenburg County Winery
Tours of winery where traditional country fruit wines are made from local berries, grapes and honey; U-pick.
view details

Muir Murray Estate Winery
Located 3km from the town of Wolfville on 20 acres of vineyards, Muir Murray Estate Winery offers complimentary tours and tastings.
view details | website

Sainte Famille Wines Ltd.
30 acres of premium vineyards on the hilly land of an original Acadian settlement. Nova Scotian crafts, gifts and premium wines available.
view details | website

The “Queen Elizabeth” Visits Halifax

Kim — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:58:47 +0000

The newest Cunard liner “Queen Elizabeth“, or “QE” as she is affectionately called, arrived in Halifax on a beautiful fall day and took the area by storm. Launched in October 2010 this vessel is a “blue water” ship in the great tradition of the “Queen Mary II” and luxury liners going back to the mid-1800′s.

To tie the ship to its namesake, the Queen, a bronze statue of a young Elizabeth sits near the entrance and a portrait of her in modern times was commissioned for the vessel.

In 2004 the “Queen Mary II” visited Halifax.

?To sail on this vessel for 2 1/2 weeks is not really expensive ($4,000 to $11,335) for a trip aboard a “queen.”

Wild Blueberry Harvest Festival

Kim — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:17:21 +0000

Nova Scotia is not the biggest producer of wild blueberries. That honor goes to Maine. However it is close behind as #2. Nova Scotia’s wild blueberries are renowned for their health benefits having the highest levels of antioxidants of all fruits and vegetables. And to celebrate this vaunted berry the communities have come together for the Wild Blueberry Harvest Festival.

August 19 thu September 3rd

The central region of Nova Scotia is known for its abundance of wild blueberries. A variety of smaller festivals and events have now joined forces to create the Wild Blueberry Harvest Festival. From northern Amherst down to Truro, and from western Parrsboro to eastern Tatamagouche, Wentworth Valley and the Stewiacke Valley, communities throughout Central Nova Scotia are celebrating the wild blueberry harvest from August 19, 2011 – September 3, 2011.

Look For U-Picks

The key to the blueberry festival is the u-pick format but thyere are various other spin-offs like quilting and other fruit harvests. Check on Wild Blueberry Harvest Festival

Plan a Cruise to Halifax

Kim — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:29:37 +0000

For those who want to plan a cruise think of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The tour season begins in the late spring and winds down with a feast of fall colors. In fact a map of Nova Scotia shows that almost every part of the province is a haven for fall colors begiing with pictures of fall in Cape Breton . However, don’t miss out on summer or spring either!

Halifax and other eastern Canadian cities have been busy upgrading their docking facilities and many of the attractions are within walking distance. Transportation is readily available to help make the day in Halifax one to remember.

Here are some tour examples:

1. 7 Days Round-Trip From New York

2. 2. 5 Days Round-Trip From New York

3. 38 Night Grand Tour from Copenhagen to New Yotk

4. 17 Day Iceland, Greenland, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland

5. 14 Day Classic: Southampton to New York

New Halifax Convention Centre Will Draw Bigger Events

Kim — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:30:52 +0000

The new Halifax convention facility is a go and will be open for 2016. This comes on the heels of a $51.4 million federal addition to the funds already provided for the construction. Peter MacKay, Nova Scotia’s minister in the federal cabinet announced this today at a meeting of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

What this means to Nova Scotia is that the province as a whole will be able to compete for world-class conventions against such centers as Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and dozens of American destinations. This will revitalize the downtowen of Halifax which is in need of a sprucing up to compliment its historical look. It will also help the job market with both the building and running of the operation.

However, the Halifax convention facility is dependant on a larger project that includes an 18-storey financial services centre.

Planters 250 Anniversary

Kim — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:48:27 +0000

Truro and Colchester County are marking Planters 250 Anniversary, the 250th anniversary of the arrival of New England/Irish Planters, English-speaking settlers from New England and Ireland, in Cobequid.

The “Planters” were the settlers who occupied rich, dyked farmlands following Expulsion of the Acadians. These lands are now known as Truro, Onslow and Londonderry townships, which today include Truro, Bible Hill, Onslow, Old Barns, Glenholme, Londonderry and coastal communities from Great Village to Economy-Five Islands.

For more information go to Planters 250th Anniversary.

Dutch Mason Blues Festival: August 12th-14th

Kim — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 15:38:07 +0000

This year the Dutch Mason Blues Festival will be held from August 12th – 14th. The Dutch Mason Blues Festival pays tribute to “Dutchie,” Canada’s Prime Minister of the Blues, each summer presenting the best in North American and Canadian Blues. The festivals features 3 days of blues, bikes & barbecue with outdoor concerts, a custom motorcycle show, barbecue competitions, Tattoo competitions, acoustic showcases, artist fan fair, late night blues jams, vendor market.

Fresh from the Eric Clapton’s Festival he line up of artists for this year’s 7th annual summer event includes blues legend James Cotton!

JAMES COTTON
LOS LONELY BOYS
ROBERT RANDOLPH
GARY CLARK JR.,
ROBBEN FORD
MICHAEL LANDAU
SONNY LANDRETH
LUKAS NELSON,
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR
And more!

Other Dutch Mason Blues Festival Highlights

Blues Idol Singing Competition
Best BBQ Ribs Competition
Best Tattoo Competition

Peggy’s Cove Bicentennial 1811-2011

Kim — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:26:22 +0000

One of Canada’s defining icons is turning 200 this year. Few places in the country have been photographed more than Peggy’s Cove especially the lighthouse. One of the most endearing pasrt of the experience is the legend of Peggy, itself:

Bill deGarthe writes in his book, This is Peggy’s Cove:

“Many have asked, “How did Peggy’s Cove get its name? There are two versions in existence and the first has more generally been accepted, because of its romantic and dramatic appeal to most people. The story goes that a schooner was wrecked on “Halibut Rock” off the Lighthouse Point, in a “Southeaster”, in sleet and fog on a dark October night. The ship ran hard aground and with high waves washing her decks, some of her crew climbed to the masts, but the waves washed them into the boiling sea. Everyone on board was lost except a woman, who managed to survive the turbulent seas, swam ashore and was finally rescued by the people on the shore.

Her name was Margaret, and she married one of the eligible bachelors of the Cove. The people from near-by places used to come and visit Peggy of the Cove, and before long they began to call the place Peggy’s Cove. How true this story is, no one knows, and there are no documents available to confirm or refute it.

In the second version, perhaps not so romantic, but more logical, Peggy’s Cove, being situated at the entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay, was shortened from Margaret’s Cove, to the more intimate name of Peggy’s Cove, a name world famous now for a place of scenic beauty, where tourists gather from far and near.“

The events of the year can be found on this site: Peggy’s Cove Coastal Region:

Buskers Descend on Halifax for 25th Anniversary

Kim — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:08:57 +0000

Tomorrow, August 4th, the 25th annual Halifax International Buskers Festival kicks off 11 days of fun and international entertainment on the Halifax waterfront.

The Buskers Festival is celebrating over two decades of family fun and amazing performances. Billed as the oldest and largest in Canada a collection of Canadian and International performerswill take over the Halifax waterfront for 11 days where they will perform hundreds of shows on 5 outdoor stages. In some cases the audiences often exceed 500,000 people who are treated to a wide variety of street theatre including acrobatics, music, visual arts, comedy, fire shows, etc.

Click onto Halifax International Buskers Fetsival for more information on venues.