Thursday, March 22, 2018
Travellers are motivated to travel by authentic, unique and coastal experiences in Nova Scotia. They want to create memories they will cherish for years, and tell great stories on social media and to friends and family back home.
Tourism operators across Nova Scotia are innovating and collaborating with local partners to create these experiential opportunities for visitors. They’re developing unique, world-class experiences that can only be found in Nova Scotia. These experiences enable visitors to engage with local culture, culinary fare, and natural landscapes in a unique and authentic way, motivating travellers to choose Nova Scotia over other destinations.
Participants from 2017’s World-class Experience EXCELLerator Program are bringing 12 new experiences to market in 2018 (with some launching as early as the end of March!).
Check out these exciting new travel experiences.
This experience includes a chef-prepared dinner featuring fresh local seafood, authentic Acadian stories and live Acadian music. Visitors join locals in a seaside kitchen party on the shores of Lobster Bay, where they can try playing the spoons or singing an Acadian tune.
Learn more about the Acadian Kitchen Party and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
On this adventure, visitors island-hop by kayak to colourful fishing communities and pristine coasts, indulge in fresh seafood prepared on the beach, try yoga on stand-up paddleboards, and glamp in maritime-furnished canvas tents under the stars. All meals and snacks are prepared by a wilderness chef over an open fire and feature local produce and product, such as fresh scallops seared in award-winning Ironworks Bluenose Rum and lobster steamed in seaweed.
Learn more about the LaHave Islands Glamping Adventure and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Visitors meet at the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre in Judique for delicious Cape Breton specialties like crab cakes and oatcakes, Nova 7 sparkling wine, and local craft beer before walking down the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail for an afternoon of oceanside music, food and fun. Cape Breton stories are told by a local Celtic culture guide to the sound of fiddles, followed by a lobster dinner overlooking the fishing wharf. Visitors then board a lobster fishing boat for an exclusive sunset ceilidh and Glen Breton single malt whisky tasting from the Glenora Distillery.
Learn more about the Ocean Ceilidh & Seafood and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
On this adventure, visitors kayak through secluded bays, between granite islands, and into hidden inlets, such as Rogue's Roost. They explore the small fishing village of Lower Prospect from the sea, where they’ll meet local fishermen. Next, they sample a typical day on the water aboard a working lobster boat, as they’re shown how to set and haul lobster traps. Upon return to East Coast Outfitters' dock, visitors are greeted with the catch of the day—smoked oysters and an authentic lobster dinner served wharf side as the sun sets over the ocean.
Learn more about the Sea-to-Table Lobster Adventure and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Visitors get firsthand sailing experience from a professional mariner as they explore the beautiful Wild Islands. Landing on a pristine, white sand beach, they’re welcomed with a delicious lunch prepared with local delicacies, such as smoked salmon and homemade seafood chowder. They enjoy an afternoon of guided hiking and snorkeling in the area’s crystal-clear waters before learning about wild island edibles during a guided walk and dining on a succulent seafood boil dinner on the beach.
Learn more about the Wild Islands Camping Adventure and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Authentic Acadian and Mi’kmaw music, local flavors, and 400 years of stories are featured in this exclusive after-hours dinner party at Port-Royal National Historic Site, one of North America’s first European settlements. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by Samuel de Champlain himself. At dinner (featuring lobster, scallops, Nova Scotia wines, spirits, and micro-brews) Champlain inducts visitors into one of the oldest social clubs in North America, the Order of Good Time.
Learn more about the Good Cheer Lobster Feast and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Visitors enjoy a cliff’s edge yoga session overlooking the sunrise mirrored in the waters of the Bay of Fundy. Beside the lighthouse, they indulge in a lobster-inspired brunch featuring locally sourced ingredients, then take a guided kayak tour of the breathtaking rugged Bay of Fundy cliffs as the world's highest tides roll under their kayak.
Learn more about Fundy Sunrise Yoga & Kayaking and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
This experience kicks off with a trip to nearby Ryer’s Lobster Pound, where Oceanstone Resort’s Executive Chef helps visitors choose the best lobster and introduces them to a local fisherman to answer any questions. They then head over to must-see Peggy’s Cove and get access to a private wharf for an exclusive vantage point of the village and beverages to enjoy. Back at Oceanstone, visitors are welcomed with a warm fire and Nova Scotia oysters paired perfectly with a flight of local craft beer, followed by a gourmet, oceanside lobster dinner and a walk along the coastline.
Learn more about the Lobster Feast & Peggy’s Cove Adventure and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Visitors take a thrilling kayak adventure to a seal colony, snorkel hidden inlets, cycle winding coastal roads, and dine on local delicacie. After a full day of adventure, they sleep under the stars in a cozy yurt on their very own private island, just off the coast of beautiful Blue Rocks fishing village near Lunenburg.
Learn more about the Private Island Yurt for Two and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Visitors embark on a foodie tour of one of Canada’s finest gardens. Weaving their way through the Tangled Garden, they collect herbs and produce for their picnic lunch. Leading up to their meal, visitors indulge in tastings of salmon, lobster, scallops and local rum, all paired with herbs and flavours from the garden. Next, the group rolls out blankets for a summer picnic, overlooking the Bay of Fundy and enjoying the beautiful agricultural patchwork of the Grand Pré UNESCO World Heritage Site to the sound of live musicians.
Learn more about the Gourmet Garden Party and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
On this adventure, visitors take a thrilling Zodiac ride on tidal bore waves, feel the rush of mud sliding, float in waters of the world’s highest tides, and savour a sandbar wine and seafood tasting. Back on land, they indulge in an authentic lobster boil before bonfire fun with live music and a Nova Scotia rum flight.
Learn more about the Fundy Tides & Fireside Adventure and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Visitors join a crew of Nova Scotia lobster fishers for a morning at sea, returning to the seaside resort with the freshest lobster and ultimate bragging rights. Next they meet at a beachside bonfire, as White Point’s chef prepares the day’s catch for a cozy lobster dinner party inside.
Learn more about the Great Canadian Lobster Fishing Feast and check out additional photography assets from this new experience.
Interested in experience development? Contact Tourism Nova Scotia’s experience development team for more information: