The most beautiful lighthouses of the Lighthouse Route in Nova Scotia
As the name of this Canada road trip suggests, there are many lighthouses along the Lighthouse Route in Nova Scotia. No wonder - it is located on the Atlantic coast of the province of Nova Scotia and stretches from the capital Halifax to Yarmouth on the western tip of the peninsula. If you want to see the lighthouses, you should allow two to three days for the route, because only a few can be seen directly from the coastal road. There is also a lot to see along the way.
Some can only be reached if you accept detours that take up time. But the effort is worth it, because on a tour to the lighthouses on the coast of Nova Scotia you can learn a lot about the life of the people on this coast. On the way you travel through fishing villages, drive past abandoned houses whose owners have been building a new life elsewhere in Canada since the cod warming off the coasts of eastern Canada, and meet lobster fishermen, boat owners and shipyard workers who like to chat. A trip on the Lighthouse Route is a journey through maritime Nova Scotia.
Travel tips for the Lighthouse Route
Fort Point Lighthouse in Liverpool
Not all the lighthouses on the Lighthouse Route are slim and slender as the most famous among them in Peggy's Cove. There are also smaller ones that watch over the shipping traffic especially at the mouth of rivers or at port entrances. One of them is the lighthouse at Fort Point in Liverpool. It is somewhat hidden behind the Fort Point Lighthouse Park with its deciduous trees.
Seal Point Lighthouse in Barrington
Barrington's Seal Point Lighthouse is so far from the water, just off the coast road (Hwy. 3), that you wonder what it's actually watching over there. However, it has its justification at this point, as it is located on a hill above the entrance to a small port. Today it also houses a museum where you can learn about the history of lighthouses and the lives of lighthouse keepers on the Nova Scotia coast.
The southernmost lighthouse on the Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia
If you want to see the southernmost lighthouse in Nova Scotia, you definitely need binoculars or have to take a boat, because it is located on a sandbank south of Clarks Harbour. However, it is also worth the drive to Hawks Point south of Barrington. Along the way you will pass Clarks Harbour, a fishing port where fishing boats wait to go out to sea, sheltered from the Atlantic waves.
Lighthouse at Cape Fourchu near Yarmouth on the Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia
The Lighthouse Trail begins with a lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, and ends at Cape Fourchu near Yarmouth on the west coast of Nova Scotia with a watchtower over the elements of the Atlantic: the lighthouse at Cape Fourchu. Perched on the tip of a peninsula, the lighthouse watches over the harbor entrance to Yarmouth. The ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine, which brings US travelers to Nova Scotia with ease, also stops here.
What is essential in your suitcase?
- A rain jacket - Which is the best, you can read here
- If you want to hike on the coast, rainproof hiking shoes are essential.
- A backpack serves well on a trip to the Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia. Hiking trails and beaches invite you to go for walks and hikes.
- Check our hiking checklistwhether you have packed all the hiking equipment you need for your tour.
Travel Arrangements:
Check in:
Arrival by plane, bus or train*. Air Canada, Condor and Icelandair fly from Germany to airports in eastern Canada.
Car Rentals:
Rent a car - book quickly and easily!
Motorhome for the Lighthouse Route:
Hotels along the Lighthouse Route:
Hotels in Nova Scotia * You can also book through our partner booking.com.
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Source Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia: On-site research supported by Tourism Nova Scotia. However, our opinion remains our own.
Text Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia: © Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia: Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
The lighthouses in NS are really beautiful. Almost as beautiful as the one on Prince Edward Island !! The small island is often forgotten and has so much to offer !!