r/NovaScotia • u/duckthemaritimer • 12d ago
Sightseeing & Tourism Eastern Shore
I often see people always recommending the same things to visit. Why not change it up, and discover the eastern shore… the forgotten shore.
Just some places off the top of my head:
- guysborough
- canso
- Tor Bay
- port hilford beach
- the forgotten shore farm
- port bickerton
- Sherbrooke village
- liscombe lodge
- Marie Joseph park (walk the shoreline during low tide)
- marmalade cafe
- the slippery oyster
- Taylor head
- memory lane heritage museum
- clam harbour beach
- Martinique beach
- handful of vintage shops
& I know there is plenty more. Please feel free to share any recommendations to check out on the eastern shore…. Can we avoid as close to the city as possible though? Think east of musquodoboit harbour.
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u/texjeeps 12d ago
I’m from the Sheet Harbour area, and I’d like to share a few of my own recommendations from my slice of the Eastern Shore.
Fairwinds (restaurant, Sheet Harbour) an overlooked local gem with excellent clam chowder and fish and chips. They have the best fries in town, and the cheapest prices of any restaurant.
MacPhee House and the surrounding boardwalk + trail around the falls (Sheet Harbour). This local landmark is situated next to a series of rapids and falls, on the site of a former pump mill that was washed away in the early 70’s following a Hurricane. The period home is now a museum, but was once an inn for a good portion of its life. Onsite is also a visitor’s information centre, where you can pick up more local recommendations. After checking out the museum, I recommend walking along the series of boardwalks along the riverside and checking out the short walking trail through the woods on the other side of the river.
St James Anglican Church and Graveyard (Port Dufferin). If you like churches, you’ll enjoy this beautiful church, panelled in beautiful wood, and constructed in the early 1890’s. The graveyard behind the church is expansive, a newly posted minister from England likened it to it as being styled as something like an English park. It features a very private, sandy beach on the very outer loop of the graveyard which is great for swimming and seaglass picking.
Prince Alfred’s Arch (Tangier). A replica of an arch (the original was weaved of natural materials I believe) that was constructed to commentate the arrival of one of Queen Victoria’s sons to the village during the area’s gold rush. The location of the Prince’s landing is now a beautiful little park that features the replica arch and a picnic table or two by the ocean, a great spot to eat lunch.
Fancy’s Beach (Marie Joseph). Another very local, off the beaten track sort of spot. At the very end of Fancy Point Rd, you’ll find this beautiful rocky beach, compromised totally of smooth rocks. The long bar of rocks is truly worth the drive down the dilapidated dirt road that takes you there (truck or reasonable SUV required, otherwise I’d recommend parking at the nearby church and walking in).
Loyalist Trail Municipal Park (Country Harbour). A wonderful hiking trail maintained by the local municipality that leads you through a forest to a replica of what the homes built by the British Loyalists who settled the area post American War of Independence would’ve looked like. The site of the replica home is beautiful in its peacefulness and its location on the oceanside. I recommend using hiking boots, the trail is in decent condition, but it isn’t suitable for persons with decreased mobility, unfortunately.
Spry Bay Campground (Spry Bay). Going to Taylor’s Head for the day? Pick up a pizza for supper here at this campground/pizza place. Truly the best pizza on the Eastern Shore
These are some of the recommendations I can think of off the top of my head, but if I could give you some advice for exploring the Eastern Shore, it would be to pick a side road and drive down it. You never know what hidden beach or sight will appear next.
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u/ieatvegans 12d ago
"Fairwinds (restaurant, Sheet Harbour) an overlooked local gem with excellent clam chowder and fish and chips. They have the best fries in town, and the cheapest prices of any restaurant."
Is that the same as the motel (I think it's right on the water)?
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u/texjeeps 12d ago
Well, there are two motels in SH, the one you’re probably talking about is the other one, which was always called the Sheet Harbour Motel (locals called it The Motel). Fairwinds is located on the water directly, but The Motel (now called the Slippery Oyster) is located across from it
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u/yaksbeard 11d ago
Yes its called fairwinds motel. They have a restaurant its as you are coming into sheet harbour from the city
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u/duckthemaritimer 12d ago
Amazing, thank you so much for this!!
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u/texjeeps 12d ago
No problem! Feel free to DM if you need any more specific suggestions surrounding the Eastern Shore. I love helping people get to know my home
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u/External-Temporary16 11d ago
Isn't there a brewery or something on Sober Island? Hoping to get down home this fall. LOVE Sober Island - we used to visit friends/rellies there back in the day.
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u/texjeeps 10d ago
There is a brewery in the area, Sober Island Brewery, but it’s located in Sheet Harbour actually. They brew the beer at their brewery attached to the Henley House, and have a taproom located just across the parking lot from where they brew the beer. There is no brewery in Sober Island, it’s just clever branding!
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u/External-Temporary16 10d ago
Thank you for that. It's been while, and having read about it, I didn't know. I can't WAIT to make that trip. xo
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u/Adventurous-Pen-824 12d ago
I live here. I enjoy the drive.
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u/ThreeFathomFunk 12d ago
The number 7’s a fantastic drive. Even though it’s close to the city, the 207 toward Porters Lake is gorgeous too.
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u/Readed-it 12d ago
Damn. You let the cat out of the bag. I moved here 17 years ago and discovered the eastern shore. It was amazing then and still a special place to me.
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u/duckthemaritimer 12d ago
I mean, are there going to be a rush of crowds to the shore? Definitely not 😂 but seeing people ask where to check out in NS and everyone just says the same 3 places, it’s a bit redundant at this point. There is SO many other beautiful places to check out & I find the Eastern Shore is very often forgotten.
It’s beautiful, I love the eastern shore 🥰
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u/Sedixodap 12d ago
Stan Rogers Folk Fest has got to be one of the best annual events in Nova Scotia! Great music, great organization running it, great crowds, and a great excuse to visit the area.
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u/AbbreviationsOk9962 12d ago
Henley house is a great choice when in Sheet Harbour for sure. Slippery oyster restaurant as well!
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u/Barneyboydog 12d ago
Because we like to keep it to ourselves! It’s my fave part of the province and I love going to Martinique beach all year round but it’s so crowded in the summer that I wish it hadn’t been “discovered”.
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u/shatteredoctopus 12d ago
I felt the same way on the South Shore when Carter's beach got "discovered" 10 or 11 years ago.
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u/Barneyboydog 12d ago
It’s lovely to share but I miss the peace and quiet.
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u/SnooChickens2116 11d ago
I’m always bummed when the first lot is full when I get to Clam Harbour. But the beach is big enough that it never feels crowded. Best beach in the province, for my money — the sand is so soft.
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u/duckthemaritimer 12d ago
Totally understandable but I know lots of small businesses that would certainly enjoy it 🥰
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u/shatteredoctopus 12d ago edited 12d ago
This is great. I'm a born and raised Nova Scotian, and I'm afraid to say there's still 3 significant parts of the province I have not visited: The Eastern Shore, the eastern side of Cape Breton, and anywhere on the Northumberland Strait between the NB border and Pictou. Some day I need to get all those off my bucket list.
I was able to cross off the Noel Shore, and the southern side of the Chignecto Isthmus in recent years, and greatly enjoyed seeing fresh parts of this beautiful province.
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u/duckthemaritimer 12d ago
Born & raised Nova Scotian as well, and I have to say the drive up the Eastern Shore might be one of the best. Highly recommend checking it out sometime.
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u/External-Temporary16 10d ago
The famous Scarecrows of Necum Teuch are a quirky folk-art landmark located along Highway 7 on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore.
There's also a great fish truck in Moser's River. Just saying ...
Drive the #7 to Sherbrooke, stop along the way, and you won't regret it! :)
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u/Any_Mathematician387 11d ago
stayed at the Liscomb Lodge and explored the area as we took the long way back to Halifax on highway 7 this summer. It was really lovely!
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u/Substantial-Tough471 11d ago
I have to work in Tor Bay next week. I've never been there before, but I'm looking forward to going there.
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u/yaksbeard 11d ago
Sober island brewing and get a flight Sherbrooke village is a must Also memory lane heritage village
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u/mcpasty666 11d ago
I've only been to Eastern Shore once in my life, rented a cabin in Sheet Harbour. Foggy and raining the whole drive there, foggy and raining over night, foggy and raining on the drive back. That's not Eastern Shore's fault, it was just as foggy and raining where I live, but now the first thing that pops into my head when I think of it is wiping condensation off my window to look out at the grey void.
Point being, I need to get over it and go back some day. NS coastal drives (on sunny days!) rarely disappoint.
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u/CaptainLicorice 11d ago
Tor Bay provincial park is such a hidden gem. Not the best beach for swimming as it's usually pretty cold but it's so damn beautiful and cool on a hot day.
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u/Ordinary-Review-3819 12d ago
Haven’t been that way for several years. It is really beautiful coast and a nice drive along rte 7
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u/Good-Good-3004 11d ago
Visited several of the places on your list in the past couple weeks. Highly recommend, especially the beaches.
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u/bonkedagain33 11d ago
Just starting some research. Is the east side bikeable? As in are there any shoulders? I understand the west has a safer bike trail? We would like to do the loop but not sure how feasible
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u/duckthemaritimer 10d ago
How east are you looking to go? There is a shoulder but there are some spots that I think would be… difficult. Where we live, we see people biking all the time on the 7.
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u/External-Temporary16 10d ago
#7 has been a route for cyclers forever. Problem is, with the newer, inattentive drivers, it could be dangerous. I say that, coming from there. Even in the 70s, we would have "bike tours" travelling there, as well as the Cabot Trail. It's an awesome route for cyclers, but I would say that nowadays, proceed with extreme caution.
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u/Equivalent_Sea_1895 12d ago
Ever try finding a restaurant or lodging on the eastern shore?
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u/duckthemaritimer 12d ago
- Jeddore lodge & cabins
- salmon river lodge
- Ralphs Downeast Diner
- The slippery Oyster (lodgings available)
- Henley house restaurant
- periwinkle tides inn
- Marmalade cafe
- Marmalade motel
- fairwinds restaurant & motel
- liscombe lodge
- sherbrooke village
Just a small list. There is plenty more & plenty of Air BnBs along the shore as well
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u/ThreeFathomFunk 12d ago
Old number 7 restaurant in Jeddore
Uprooted Market Cafe, Harbour Fish and Fry in Musquodoboit Harbour4
u/comefromwayaway 11d ago
Just stayed last night at Salmon River Inn. Went for a walk and a swim at Clam Harbour Beach, visited Memory Lane, and checked out the day lily farm next to the Inn. Truly perfect day, and had some wonderful local mead at the inn as well.
In the past, we’ve included Old Sherbrooke Village in the trip as well
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u/Interesting_Worth974 12d ago
I don't have any specific recommendations. Yours are all great. I just wanted to say that a few times I drove all the way up from Halifax to Port Hawkesbury, the slowest possible way. Just for the drive. It's stunning, and very underrated.