Spending one day in Lunenburg is plenty if you’re looking to catch the main sights, wander around and take some beautiful photographs of the colourful buildings. However, if you would rather be emersed in the laid-back culture of coastal Nova Scotia, then put your feet and stay a few days.
Have you ever visited a place and felt instantly at home? That was Lunenburg for me. I’m not sure what it was, could have been the vibrant buildings, the friendly residents or perhaps the never-ending views but whatever it was, we couldn’t get enough.
You may not know this but the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Without a doubt, it’s also one of the prettiest places in Canada and one of the only steeped in such incredible history. That’s definitely something we don’t get a lot of here in the North.
During our long weekend in Nova Scotia, I knew that we had to spend at least a day in Lunenburg. It’s a short drive from Halifax, roughly an hour and 10 minutes. You could easily do a day trip back and forth but if you want the full experience I would highly recommend staying at least one night.
What to do in Lunenburg:
If you’re driving in for a day make sure to wake up super early and plan to be there around 8am. I always find exploring cities before anyone else has the chance to wake up is the best. You can get the best shots that way as well so if you’re up for it get there early!
Wander around:
The best thing to do in Lunenburg truly is to wander around and get a bit lost. Although there’s little chance you’ll actually lost in this beautiful town because it really isn’t all that big. The town is actually known as the “best surviving planned British colonial town in Nova Scotia”, claimed of course by Nova Scotia Tourism.
As you walk through the main streets of Lunenburg, you’ll notice plaques outside of many doors. The signs tell you the occupation of the person who built the house originally. As you walk through you’ll see things like Butcher, Doctor and many other main positions that would have existed back then it’s really cool. Make sure you get outside of the main area though, we found the current residential homes to be absolutely gorgeous.
Of course, you can’t miss a wander down by the water either. That view of the hill from below is iconic. Walk from one side to the other to really get a sense of the waterfront views. Stop and also watch the other boats float by or dock in the harbour. It’s hard not to get
Check out the Ironworks Distillery:
Now I’m not really one for hard liquor and Gin to be exact but honestly, this distillery had some pretty delicious options. Founded in 2009, owners Pierre Guevremont and Lynne MacKay aimed to create all of their products from scratch. They also source as much of their raw ingredients as possible from Nova Scotia. I know when we were there we were told some of the berries were hand-picked from nearby bushes. I mean really, how cool is that?
The distillery is now located inside of the old Blacksmith’s Shop. Inside the original owner, Thomas Walters used to build ironworks for shipbuilders in the harbour. Hence where the distillery got its name!
Take a tour on the Bluenose:
At one time the Bluenose was known as being the world’s fastest racing schooner. In fact, it held onto that title for a crazy 17 years! It became an icon in Canada and remains one today, especially for the province of Nova Scotia. While you can’t actually ride the original Bluenose, you can ride a replica the Bluenose II which was launched in 1963.
The Bluenose II isn’t always at home though. This infamous boat travels around sharing its beauty residents of Nova Scotia. If you’re looking for the schedule (especially if you’re only staying for one day in Lunenburg) to make sure it’s there when you are visiting you can find the schedule here.
Devour the fish:
Believe it or not, the first time Ben (who was born and raised in the United Kingdom) ate fish and chips was in Nova Scotia. I know it dumbfounded me as well! Needless to say, it was definitely a great spot to try it for the first time. Nova Scotia, in general, has some of the best fish in the country.
For a small town, there are more restaurants than we had a chance to eat at during our visit. Start off with an afternoon cocktail at The Old Fish Factory. Situated along the waterfront it’s really a great way to watch the afternoon come to a close.
We ate our dinner at the Grand Banker Bar and Grill and had an amazing meal. The views were beautiful as we were situated a little way up on the hill and could view the water. The meal was also delicious!
Take photos of the doors:
I’m not sure what it is but I have this weird obsession with beautiful doors. Honestly, I can’t get enough of them. I don’t think a place has fuelled my love for doors as much as Lunenburg has though if I’m being honest. There were so many I just couldn’t stop taking photos!
For the best doors, stroll into the residential area. It’s like a requirement to live in Lunenburg, have a unique door. I could get used to that :P.
Where to stay:
Lunenburg Arms Hotel –
I have nothing but amazing things to stay about this spot. I did a lot of research before going to make sure we were staying somewhere perfect. After all, we were only visiting for one day in Lunenburg and I wanted to make sure we were going to enjoy our time as well.
We managed to snag a two-floor suite with the most epic landscape from our window. I almost couldn’t believe what we were seeing when I looked out the windows. The entire harbourfront was at our disposal, not to mention the colourful buildings below as well. The bed was super comfortable and the hospitality was great. I wouldn’t rely on the breakfast for a gourmet meal but if that was the only complaint, it’s not so bad.
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