Anne-Charlotte PasseraOur unplanned overnight stop in Antigonish on our way to Cape Breton Island was a pleasant surprise and we kinda wished we had had more than half a day there.
This small town is located on the Northeastern shores of Nova Scotia, on St-George’s Bay to be exact. The name derives from the Mi’kmaq and means “where the bears tear branches off trees”.
As you travel in that area, you’ll see green rolling hills, gleaming beaches and road signs in Gaelic. Don’t be surprised. Nova Scotia means New Scotland. Scottish settlers, about 15,000 of them, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the late 18th century to mid-19th century to settle predominantly on Cape Breton Island and the eastern part of what Nova Scotia is today. These Highlanders were seeking adventure and better opportunities in the new colony. (source: electricscotland.com)
Driving around the outskirts of Antigonish, making your way to Cape Breton Island, you’ll notice the strong Gaelic and Celtic heritage it comprises, setting it apart from the rest of Nova Scotia.
So welcome to the Highland heart of Nova Scotia, and discover some of the fun things to do around Antigonish in one day.
Antigonish
Antigonish is located on the main route to Cape Breton Island. It is ideally located roughly 2 hours away from Halifax, the provincial capital, and from Cheticamp, the eastern gateway to Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
We arrived in Antigonish from Shelburne through Halifax. Originally we were going to drive from point A to point B. However, our itinerary had to change due to back problems and so we cut our driving time in half and ended up spending the night in Antigonish.
While driving out from Halifax on 118N to Antigonish, we were unpleasantly surprised to come face to face with a toll booth. The cost: $1.25. It’s cheap, yes. But it was cash only. We didn’t have any, not even 25 cents. Luckily, the toll booth guard let us through as there was no way in pulling a U-turn.
The drive from Halifax isn’t very exciting, but luckily we had Radio Breeze 94.1 keeping us company.
Antigonish is mostly known for two things:
- Every early July it holds the oldest continuous Highland Games outside Scotland.
- It has one of the oldest University in the country: St Francis Xavier University.
The university was first established in 1855 and the campus is fairly big. During the summer months, while the students are away, a building housing the dormitories converts itself into a hotel. That is where we spent the night.
Sleeping in Antigonish
Finding last minute accommodations during peak travel months can be tough and expensive. If you have dogs travelling with you, as such was our case, it can be even trickier.
We got lucky and found a room at StFX University through Booking.com. It is completely pet-friendly. They charge 30$ extra for dogs per room.
In case you wondered, the dormitory building was initially built as a hotel. So it makes the transition from student life to hotel life run smoothly.
There is a kitchen facility and living area on each floor, accessible by an elevator. The room isn’t big but it does come with a decently size fridge and a comfortable bed.
There is free overnight parking.
It is located close to main street where you’ll find plenty of restaurants and bars.
Cape George lighthouse
The road to Cape George lighthouse will take you along the windy coastline of St-George’s Bay.
You’ll get a wonderful view of the area and the access is free. There are also hiking trails that can be found from the lighthouse first parking lot.
It’s a good spot to go for a walk with dogs and possibly have a picnic.
The lighthouse is located 30 minutes from Antigonish.
Iona
The town of Iona is home to the Highland Village Museum and is located about 1h30 from Antigonish.
If you are interested in learning about the early Scottish settlers and how their dwelling and life improved throughout the years, it’s a great place to visit.
Dogs are allowed on a leash on site and in the buildings.
Cost: $11 per adult
Duration: about 2 hours
The outdoor museum
This museum is outdoors. You’ll start off your visit chronologically and get to see how their homes first started and then improved once they started working the land.
Most of the staff speaks Scottish Gaelic which will make you feel like you travelled else where for a short while.
The first stop: black house. The occupants would be kept warm while the sheep were sleeping on top. It was built into a hill so that the roof could slope down.
As you make your way around, you’ll visit a church, a general store, see farm animals, get explained how wool is treated. Our dogs seemed to get along really well with the pigs and scared the sheep away. One of the first homes you’ll see was dismantled and brought on site. It is hard to picture that a family of 9 originally lived there.
On top of the hill, you’ll get a good view of Bras d’Or Lake which is salted. It has one natural opening and one man-made canal leading into the Atlantic ocean.
We asked around, and there is a beach close to the museum, but we didn’t get the chance to go there.
Inverness Beach
This beach makes a great pit stop on your way to Cape Breton Highlands National Park. But you can easily go there for the day from Antigonish as it is 1h30 away.
It is a beautiful, long, white sandy beach. The water is warm. Oddly enough, there is a golf course adjacent to it. If you don’t feel like walking on the beach, you can take the boardwalk that follows the sand dunes the whole stretch of the beach.
Inverness used to be a coal mining town and I found it to be a lot more charming than Cheticamp. There is the Church of Stella Maris built in 1904 that overlooks on the town. I spotted it from the road and made my husband turn around so that I could go and look at it. It is quite attractive from the outside in a style that you don’t really come across in the region.
Sunrise Trail
The Sunrise Trail is a scenic route that crosses the Northumberland Shore following in some instances the coast line. You’ll pass by many beaches and go through different towns. The choice is yours to make. Here are two towns we stopped by to stretch our legs and take a break with our dogs.
Pictou
The coastal town of Pictou is located 50 minutes away from Antigonish.
We stopped there to grab lunch on a dog-friendly patio by the port. The food was ok, the service friendly, and parking was free.
Like many places in Nova Scotia, store owners leave water bowls outside for dogs to quench their thirst.
On the pier you’ll find lounge chairs and hammocks to unwind.
As we walked around the small historical part of town, it reminded us of Lunenberg, just not as crowded.
There is a museum to visit about the first Scottish descendants. It seems fitting as Pictou is heralded as the birthplace of New Scotland since it was the home of the first Scottish settlers in 1773.
Tatamagouche
Tatamagouche is further away, about 1h30 drive from Antigonish.
It is home to the Tatamagouche Brewery which we talk about HERE. It’s a good place to do some beer tasting while eating and buying local food.
There are also some nice and small boutiques on the bustling Main Street. It’s a good place to gas up if you are making your way back home, in our case Montreal.
It’s possible to spend the night in Tatamagouche in a private railway caboose or just dine in a railway car HERE.
If you are looking for some beaches, you can stop by the Blue Sea Beach Provincial Park (Free).
I’m sure that there are a lot more things that you can do in one day from Antigonish, but that is all we had time for. Maybe next time?
