Discover over 120 accessible saltwater beaches across Nova Scotia. Many of our best beaches are part of the provincial park system. The diversities of the regions are represented in the types of beach you’ll find here, such as sea-washed cobblestones near Halifax, stretches of white sand in Queens County and the red sands of the North Shore.
Pomquet Beach on St. George’s Bay is a fully-appointed family favourite with all the add-ons from change houses to lifeguards. Explorers might prefer the beach in Five Islands Provincial Park, unsupervised except for the magnificent two hundred and twenty-five million year-old geological formations looking over your shoulder.
History buffs dig Cabot’s Landing, a National Historic Site with a picnic and beach area overlooking the bay where explorer John Cabot landed in 1497. Surfers flock like piping plovers to the waves at Lawrencetown on the Marine Drive. Families will love Nova Scotia’s popular Melmerby Beach situated on the warm shores of the Northumberland Strait. At Mavillette Beach experience the province’s Acadian culture with a guided heritage walk.
Get in on sand castle sculpting contests at Risser’s Beach or Clam Harbour. Hike the ten miles of headland at Taylor Head Beach. Soak up the sun on Martinique, Nova Scotia’s longest beach. Or join in an organized group day-long paddling excursion along the shores of Gabarus and Belfry lakes in Cape Breton.
Nova Scotia is rich with beaches and seacoast experiences to enjoy. Plan a route around the province that takes you to a different beach or two every day.
View beach listings by travelway:
Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive
Cabot Trail
Ceilidh Trail
Evangeline Trail
Fleur-de-lis Trail / Marconi Trail / Metropolitan Cape Breton
Glooscap Trail
Halifax/Dartmouth
Lighthouse Route
Marine Drive
Sunrise Trail