Mahone Bay, first settled in 1754 by European Protestants, is picture-perfect Nova Scotia. It's tidy and trim with an eclectic Main Street that snakes along the bay and is lined with inviting shops. This is a town that's remarkably well cared for by its 1,100 residents, a growing number of whom live here and commute to work in Halifax. Architecture buffs will find a range of styles to keep them ogling.
A visitor information center (tel. 888/624-6151 or 902/624-6151; www.mahonebay.com) is located at 165 Edgewater St., near the three church steeples. It's open daily in summer 9am to 7:30pm, until 5:30pm in shoulder seasons.
Each year in late July, Mahone Bay celebrates the Wooden Boat Festival, where you can see some of the most beautiful crafts on the eastern seaboard put through their paces. Entertainment and workshops are offered as well; admission is free.
