Just under two hours northeast of Halifax, New Glasgow is a historic small town with some of Nova Scotia’s biggest sandy beaches within easy reach. Melmerby Beach Provincial Park is regarded as one of Eastern Canada’s best sandy shorelines, with warm waters ideal for swimming and plenty of room for kayaking and boating. Big Island Beach is a long pebbled stretch that attracts walkers, with lovely views across to Prince Edward Island. Waterside Beach Provincial Park provides quiet, calm waters for swimming and opportunities for bird watching.

Along the banks of the East River, the Riverfront Trail System is a six-kilometre route that winds along a former rail line with lovely views of the water. Downtown, you’ll find a selection of small shops as well as restaurants offering seafood chowder, a local favourite. For a hit of culture, you can visit the highly regarded Glasgow Square Theatre, which presents a range of dance, music, theatre, and comedy performances.

Halifax International Airport (YHZ) is around a 90-minute drive to New Glasgow. The easiest way to get to town is to rent a car at the airport, giving you the flexibility to explore the wider region. You can catch a bus from the airport to Dartmouth, then change for a bus to New Glasgow. If you’re travelling from Montreal, the train to Halifax passes through three times a week. Once you arrive, New Glasgow is compact, with shops and restaurants within easy walking distance, and you can walk to nearby communities like Stellarton and Trenton. But if you plan to make regular trips further afield, a car will be your best option.

New Glasgow experiences a mostly moderate climate, rarely getting extremely hot or cold. Summer is a great time to stay in one of the many vacation rentals around the town, with plenty of long sunny days for enjoying the outdoors and nearby beaches. In July, the Festival of the Tartans celebrates the town’s Scottish heritage with five days of Highland games, pipe bands, and traditional dancing.

In spring and autumn, you can expect a mix of pleasant and rainy days, so make sure you pack for both. In September, the Multicultural Fusion Festival offers food from various cuisines, a marketplace, entertainment, and a fashion show of traditional clothing from around the world. In winter, the snowy streets are illuminated with holiday decorations. Make sure you come prepared with your best waterproofs, boots, and thermals, though, as temperatures can get quite cold.

The New Glasgow Farmers Market

The stalls at this vibrant market offer a range of locally grown produce and meats, baked goods, and arts and crafts. Apart from the shopping, you can catch live music and enjoy meals and snacks from local vendors. The market is open every Saturday, with Wednesday evening markets during the Christmas holidays.

Nova Scotia Museum of Industry

Make your way to the neighbouring town of Stellarton to browse Atlantic Canada’s largest museum, which is dedicated to preserving the history of the region’s various industries and workers. You’ll find early-19th-century steam engines, vintage automobiles, a collection of pressed glass, and coal mining equipment. There are interactive displays, a play area on a wooden train, a chocolate factory production line, and fun water demonstrations.

Arisaig Provincial Park

About a 40-minute drive from New Glasgow, Arisaig Provincial Park has 400-million-year-old fossils layered in sedimentary rock along the shore. A 1.6-kilometre trail winds along the shoreline, where you can hunt for your own fossils before visiting the picture-worthy Arisaig Point Lighthouse — a replica of the 1898 original, which was destroyed by fire in 1939. This is also a popular spot for birders.