Lunenburg And Mahone Bay Day Trip

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Lunenburg and Mahone Bay make a perfect day trip destination. Here’s where to eat, where to shop and what to do when you’re in Lunenburg County.

Lunenburg and Mahone Bay are two of the most popular tourist destinations in Nova Scotia, and once you visit you’ll know why. They are both lovely towns where you won’t mind spending time just strolling around, visiting shops and taking in the views. Here’s what to do if you only have one day to experience Lunenburg and Mahone Bay.

How To Get To Lunenburg and Mahone Bay

Lunenburg and Mahone Bay are very easy to access, especially from the city of Halifax. To get from Halifax to Lunenburg you’ll take Highway 103 and get off at Exit 11 where you’ll drive straight into downtown Lunenburg. Driving from Halifax to Lunenburg will take just about an hour. 

Visiting Halifax as well? Check out What To Do With 1 Day In Halifax!

If you’re coming from the Annapolis Valley area, you can take NS Trunk 12-S before merging onto Highway 103 and taking Exit 11. It will take about 1hour and 20 minutes from Wolfville. 

To get from Lunenburg to Mahone Bay you can drive The Lighthouse Route along the coast, or Route 324-N, which is just slightly shorter.

Lunenburg

I like stopping in Lunenburg first, it is a bigger town with more to do. Plus so many places to eat! The town of Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s easy to see why. The colourful buildings and classic architecture are perfect for Instagram! Finding parking downtown can be a bit of a pain, but luckily once you park the rest of the town is walkable. 

Best Things To Do

Shopping

Perhaps one of my favorite things to do in Lunenburg is to wander around the shops. There are so many unique stores, you’re sure to find something to bring home as a little souvenir of your trip. Some of my favorites are Jenny’s Jib, Dots and Loops,  and if you’re into second hand shopping, definitely check out Mom’s Buy & Sell. 

St. John’s Anglican Church

The St. John’s Anglican Church was the first church built in Lunenburg in 1754, and it is the 2nd oldest Anglican church in Canada. On Halloween night in 2001 there were over 22 different fires in the town of Lunenburg, the church caught fire and suffered significant damage. The bell tower was completely destroyed by fire, and unfortunately firefighters had to damage windows in order to fight the blaze. The church was restored and reopened in 2005. The fire was completely devastating to those in Lunenburg and around the South Shore. When you visit the church you can see how they’ve restored it, go down to the crypts where 18 people are buried, and get a sense for how old this church is and how much it means to the community.

Fisheries Museum Of The Atlantic

If there’s one thing that has shaped the South Shore of Nova Scotia it is the ocean. Fishing has been a huge industry in Lunenburg county, and Nova Scotia in general. This bright red building is a former fish processing plant where you’ll learn about traditional and current methods of fishing. 

Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is open seasonly

Adults $13, Children ages 6-17 $3.50, Children under 6 free. Discounts for seniors and students with valid ID.

Lunenburg Academy

You can’t miss this huge building towering over the town of Lunenburg. The Lunenburg Academy was built in 1895, and is one of the few large scale wooden buildings still standing in Canada. Some of the interior is original including door handles, trim, staircases and some classrooms. It still functions as a school, but it also houses a public library, a music performance school, and other offices. Even if you don’t go inside, walking around outside is worth the trip up the hill!

Walking Tour

If it’s your first time in Lunenburg, or you want to make sure you don’t miss anything, you might want to check out a walking tour.

The walking tour starts from Lunenburg Academy daily at 10am and 2pm during the summer months for $25 per adult, $15 for youth ages 6-17, and free for children under 5.

Best Places To Eat & Drink

Sweet Treasures

Once you walk into Sweet Treasures, you’ll know you made the right decision. The smell of homemade waffle cones fills the air, and they have several flavors of homemade ice cream, as well as commercially made flavors. I always stop here when I’m in town. 

Big Reds

I love Big Reds. Maybe it’s nostalgia but I can’t get enough of their pizza when I’m in town. The dining room has a lovely view of the waterfront and their menu is very family friendly! We like to get a takeout pizza and eat it down on the waterfront.

The Old Fish Factory

Like the name says, The Old Fish Factory was once a fish factory (it’s attached to the Fisheries Museum of The Atlantic), however now they are a restaurant with a focus on local seafood, wine and beer. They also have lots of options for gluten free, vegetarians or those that prefer chicken/beef. 

Ironworks Distillery

While not a place to eat, I had to mention one of the best places in Lunenburg to get something local to drink. Ironworks micro distillery makes rum, gin, liqueurs, vodka and brandy. My favorites are the flavored liqueurs, cranberry and the rhubarb was delicious! Don’t forget to get some samples, and they do tours daily in the summer months which you can book online. Ironworks is also part of the Good Cheer trail, so don’t forget to get your stamp in your passport!

Lightship Brewery Taproom

Just outside of the main downtown area, the new Lightship Brewery Taproom is such a great place to grab a beer, cider, coffee or a snack and enjoy the views! Bring a sweater though, it gets a bit windy!

Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay is a smaller town, a 15 minute drive from Lunenburg. I love this little town, especially during the Scarecrow Festival in the Fall. The people are friendly, there’s lots of coffee shops and patios to enjoy.

While you’re in the area, you might want to check out Oak Island! Especially if you’re addicted to The Curse Of Oak Island like I am!

Best Things To Do

Shopping

Similar to Lunenburg, there are lots of unique shops to stop into. If you’re a shoe lover make sure to check out the Mahone Bay Trading Company, they have a huge selection to choose from! 

3 Churches

The view of Mahone Bay you’ll see on the post cards is of the 3 churches. The 3 churches are side by side, each of them being built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. One Anglican, one Evangelical Lutheran and one United church, they hold concerts in the summer months. 

Image from Dennis Jarvis from Flickr

Amos Pewter

Amos Pewter has been in business since 1974, making beautiful pewter jewelry, home decorations, Christmas ornaments and more! My favorite part about stopping into Amos Pewter in Mahone Bay is that you can watch them make their items! See how molten hot pewter becomes a beautiful ornament in the mold and through the polishing process. 

Best Places To Eat

Oh My Cod

Besides the super fun name, Oh My Cod also has delicious food! We loved sitting out on their patio for a light lunch. As the name suggests, there is a lot of fish on the menu, but if that’s not your thing, there are also salads and fancy grilled cheese. 

Mug and Anchor

If you’re looking for classic pub food, then this is it! Mug & Anchor has lots of delicious options from chicken wings and potato skins to burgers, fishcakes and meat pies. Their patio also has a great view over Mader’s wharf.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! All my favorite things to do around Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. You can definitely hit up both towns in the same day, or stretch it out a little longer and stay the night, then you don’t have to miss anything! Let me know if I’ve missed your favorite thing to do in either Mahone Bay or Lunenburg so I can check it out.