Visiting Long & Brier Island, Nova Scotia

When you think of Nova Scotian islands, Long Island and Brier Island may not be the first ones that come to mind, but once you see them, I promise you’ll be packing your bags!

We recently visited Long Island and Brier Island for the first time. Part of Digby County, these islands are located in the Bay of Fundy.

How To Get To Long & Brier Island

At the end of Digby Neck, you’ll drive onto a short ferry ride to Tiverton, Long Island. To get from Long Island to Brier Island you’ll take a second ferry from Freeport to Westport. The ferries are short and usually cost $7 each and only take cash, however currently (August 2020) they weren’t collecting fares due to Covid-19 concerns.

Getting from Halifax to Brier Island takes about 4 hours. You’ll need to line up your driving time with the ferries. The ferry leaves the mainland at half past the hour, and then leaves Long Island to go to Brier Island on the hour. This lines up so that if you drive straight from one ferry to the other you won’t have to wait long.

If you stop anywhere on Long Island you’ll have to wait to catch the next ferry to Brier Island.

However in our experience if there are a lot of cars waiting for the ferry (enough for a full load) they will just run the ferry.

Brier Island Accommodations

As you can imagine, being a small place there aren’t too many places to stay. In fact there are no hotels on Long Island at all, but there are a few cute AirBnBs!

On Brier Island you have a few options for hotels, Brier Island Lodge is probably the most popular option. We didn’t go in but it looked lovely from the outside and the views from the rooms would be amazing!

The Dock and Doze Motel is a small 3 unit building, and it’s very central on the Island.

The Bay of Fundy Inn & Guesthouse is a 4 unit building + an entire house. The Guesthouse is a 4 bedroom house which you can rent nightly or weekly and is very convenient if you and the family want to stay a while!

Your last option is the most unique by far; Hooking By The Sea is a small Bed and Breakfast on a farm, where you can learn about caring for sheep, and see how fleece yarn is spun. It seems like the perfect place for a crafty girls weekend!

What To Do On Long Island Nova Scotia

On such small islands you might think there wouldn’t be much to do, but you’d be so wrong! I thought one day on the islands would be enough but of course it wasn’t! I think a lot of people pass through Long Island to get to Brier Island, but it’s worth spending some time here. Especially for Balancing Rock!

Balancing Rock

One of the first things I planned was the hike to Balancing Rock on Long Island, and if you’ve seen the photos you’ll know why! I just had to see it for myself.

The hike itself is very short, only 1.7km one way. Although it is short, it is a bit challenging as there are over 230 stairs to go down to see Balancing Rock and then you need to come back up! The whole hike took us about an hour.

Boars Head Lighthouse

On Long Island, not far from where you’ll get off the ferry you’ll find Boars Head Lighthouse. The current lighthouse was built in 1957.

Island Historical Society Museum & Fundy View Trail

The Island Historical Society Museum houses exhibits on how people lived and worked on the Islands throughout history. You can see fishing gear from the 1930s & 1940s, as well as boat models, and an exhibit on Joshua Slocum, who was the first man to sail alone around the world, as he left from Brier Island! Admission to the museum is by donation.

The Fundy View Trail trail begins at the Island Historical Society Museum. First you’ll walk through wooded areas and then along the coast of the Bay of Fundy.

What To Do On Brier Island

With a population of 210, this small island packs a punch! Don’t be surprised when you see side by sides or four wheelers on the road. Also note before you go that there aren’t many places to eat on the island. We ate at the only cafe; Lighthouse Cafe and it was delicious! You can also visit the restaurant at Brier Island Lodge.

Brier Island Whale Watching

Most of the reason people visit Brier Island is for whale watching, and I’ll admit, it is pretty amazing!

To see whales you’ll need to visit between June and mid October. During July and August you have the best chances at seeing multiple types of whales.

There are a few different companies but we decided to go with Brier Island Whale & Seabird Cruises. They have been doing tours for 34 years and I love that they also do research, and they are passionate about educating the public about whales and their habitat. I’d highly recommend them. We had an amazing tour and saw lots of whales!

Brier Island Lighthouse – Western Lighthouse

This lighthouse marks the beginning of the Bay of Fundy! It is also the 3rd oldest lighthouse in Nova Scotia. It’s a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.

Northern Lighthouse & Alarm

A working lighthouse and also a coast guard station. The views here are beautiful and there is also a hike close-by called Seal Cove. Sometimes you can even spot whales from the shore here.

Peter’s Island Lighthouse

This island is between Long and Brier Islands, and while you can’t visit Peter’s Island, you can see the lighthouse from Southern Point on Brier Island.

Nature Conservancy Trail

This is a 3.5km coastal trail that starts at the Western lighthouse, and ends at Pond Cove (or vise versa!). There are a few beaches along the route that you can stop to relax on. We only saw the Pond Cove end of the hike, but next time I’d do the whole thing!

Seal Cove Trail

Start this trail at the Northern Lighthouse. It is a short walk, only about 20-30 minutes but you should be able to see some seals off the coast! We sadly didn’t see any when we went, but for the best chance, bring binoculars and visit at low tide.

Final Thoughts

I told you there is lots to do! It’s definitely an outdoor lovers dream. I thought that Brier Island would be a one-and-done trip for me but I know we’ll be going back again. Sometimes the smallest places surprise you!

Let me know if you’ve been to Long and Brier Island! What did you think? Have I missed anything to do there?

Want to check out other small towns in Nova Scotia? Here are some of my favs: