Things To Do in Mahone Bay

The free Mahone Bay Settlers Museum, 578 Main St. (mahonebaymuseum.com; 902/624-6263), provides a historic context for your explorations. From June through September, it’s open daily 11am to 3pm. The little museum includes a selection of antique ceramics, an exhibit on local architecture, and another on boatbuilding. All are quite informative. Before leaving, be sure to request a copy of "Three Walking Tours of Mahone Bay," a handy brochure that outlines easy walks around the compact downtown.

Thanks to the looping waterside routes nearby, this is a popular destination for walkers and bikers. Rent a bike from Sweet Ride Cycling at 523 Main St. (www.sweetridecycling.com;  902/531-3026) where a regular bike is C$40 for a full day, and e-bikes are C$75.

And the deep, protected harbor offers superb sea kayaking. Contact East Coast Outfitters (www.eastcoastoutfitters.com; 877/852-2567 or 902/852-2567), based in the Peggy’s Cove area near Halifax, for rentals and tours. They offer half-day introductory classes and a 5-day coastal tour of the area. Among the more popular adventures is the half-day island explorer sea kayak tour, priced at C$99, and during which you’ll paddle around secluded beaches, protected bays, and the rugged coastline with a skilled guide, then stop on a pristine island for a snack. There’s the option to elevate the experience even further by adding a lobster feast on the wharf at the end of your trip for $80/person. Rentals are also available, starting at C$40 for two hours for a single kayak.

Ross Farm Museum (www.rossfarm.novascotia.ca;  877/689-2210 or 902/689-2210) at 4568 Rte. 12, off Route 103, is an unusually entertaining “living experience museum” that draws visitors in to life of the 1800s. Guests can ride horse-drawn sleighs, make horseshoes, pet lambs, “go to school” in the one-room schoolhouse and will smell cookies or stew cooking over a wood fire. The oxen that graze here are a highlight: big, lumbering, and beautiful. Costumed interpreters discuss heritage animal breeds and many things related to running a farm or a family home. This is one of my favorite stops winter or summer. I love the slowdown to quieter times, walking the interpretative trails, getting my hands dirty in the kitchen or the barn, and visiting the people and the animals. Allow half a day to truly enjoy country life.