Driving Tours in Minas Basin and Cobequid Bay
The 110km (68-mile) drive along Route 1 from Wolfville to Annapolis Royal is the best way to see the small towns, farms, and scenic countryside of the Annapolis Valley. Once you get past the busy commercial district of New Minas and the much nicer town of Kentville, you’ll stumble upon farmers markets stuffed with local produce, pleasant small picnic parks, u-picks, and historic attractions.
The first stop on a tour of this agriculturally rich valley has to be Noggins Corner Farm Market beside the road on Rte. 1 at 10009 (tel. 902/542-5515) for heirloom variety apples like Cox’s Orange Pippin and Russet, along with other fruits and vegetables. Check the freezer for wild boar sausage. Out back, the 8-acre interactive Corn Maze is a hoot and quite difficult to solve. It’s open weekdays 10am to 4pm and 10am-6pm on weekends.
More Instagrammable fruit, berries, vegetables, plus creative condiments like Fire Engine Jelly and Lebanese Pickles are available at Dempsey Corner Orchards at 2717 Route 221 off Exit 16 near Aylesford (tel/ 902/679-8701), a fifth-generation family-run farm with a fantastic u-pick—57 varieties of apples and lots more of cherry, plum, peach, pear, blueberry, raspberry, and much more. There’s a petting zoo where witty co-owner Allison Maher might introduce you to a rooster named Russell Crowe or Hamlet the piglet. There’s even an apple-driving range for golfers with a sense of humor. Closed Nov.-May.
For a family-oriented place to stay in central Annapolis Valley, you gotta pick Yogi Bear Jellystone Park which is at, get this, 43 Boo Boo Blvd, 4km (2[bf]1/2 miles) from Kingston. The overnight options are many, from cabins to serviced RV sites to tenting. Fun activities like free archery with an inflatable bear, bumper cars, jumping pillows, swimming pool, playground, mini golf . . . and of course, Yogi Bear cartoons are all part of the deal. From Kingston, head north on Maple Street onto Bishop Mountain Road. Turn left onto Brooklyn Street, then right onto Boo Boo.
The first stop on a tour of this agriculturally rich valley has to be Noggins Corner Farm Market beside the road on Rte. 1 at 10009 (tel. 902/542-5515) for heirloom variety apples like Cox’s Orange Pippin and Russet, along with other fruits and vegetables. Check the freezer for wild boar sausage. Out back, the 8-acre interactive Corn Maze is a hoot and quite difficult to solve. It’s open weekdays 10am to 4pm and 10am-6pm on weekends.
More Instagrammable fruit, berries, vegetables, plus creative condiments like Fire Engine Jelly and Lebanese Pickles are available at Dempsey Corner Orchards at 2717 Route 221 off Exit 16 near Aylesford (tel/ 902/679-8701), a fifth-generation family-run farm with a fantastic u-pick—57 varieties of apples and lots more of cherry, plum, peach, pear, blueberry, raspberry, and much more. There’s a petting zoo where witty co-owner Allison Maher might introduce you to a rooster named Russell Crowe or Hamlet the piglet. There’s even an apple-driving range for golfers with a sense of humor. Closed Nov.-May.
For a family-oriented place to stay in central Annapolis Valley, you gotta pick Yogi Bear Jellystone Park which is at, get this, 43 Boo Boo Blvd, 4km (2[bf]1/2 miles) from Kingston. The overnight options are many, from cabins to serviced RV sites to tenting. Fun activities like free archery with an inflatable bear, bumper cars, jumping pillows, swimming pool, playground, mini golf . . . and of course, Yogi Bear cartoons are all part of the deal. From Kingston, head north on Maple Street onto Bishop Mountain Road. Turn left onto Brooklyn Street, then right onto Boo Boo.
