Denise LeBlanc
Things To Do in Yarmouth
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Yarmouth Attractions
The tourist bureau and the local historical society publish a very informative walking-tour brochure covering downtown Yarmouth that you can pick up there or access online at yarmouthmehistory.org/walking-tours.
The most scenic side trip—an ideal excursion by bike or car—is to Cape Forchu and the Yarmouth Light (tel. 902/742-4522). Head west on Main Street (Rte. 1) for 2km (1.25 miles) from the visitor center, then turn left at the horse statue. The road winds out to the cape, past seawalls and working lobster wharves, meadows, and old homes.
When the road finally ends, you’ll have arrived at the red-and-white-striped concrete lighthouse that marks this harbor’s entrance. (The lighthouse dates from the early 1960s, when it replaced a much older octagonal lighthouse that succumbed to wind and time.) There’s a museum, gift shop, and a solid restaurant that serves up a mean lobster mac ‘n cheese. The museum is open May-Oct.,Thu-Sun, 9am to 5pm, and the restaurant open Wed-Thu 11am to 6pm, Fri-Sat 11am-8pm, and Sunday 11am-6pm.
Leave enough time to ramble around the dramatic rock-and-grass bluffs—part of Leif Ericson Picnic Park—that surround the lighthouse. Don’t miss the short trail out to the point below the light. It’s a great place for a picnic. The grounds and observation decks are open year-round.
The most scenic side trip—an ideal excursion by bike or car—is to Cape Forchu and the Yarmouth Light (tel. 902/742-4522). Head west on Main Street (Rte. 1) for 2km (1.25 miles) from the visitor center, then turn left at the horse statue. The road winds out to the cape, past seawalls and working lobster wharves, meadows, and old homes.
When the road finally ends, you’ll have arrived at the red-and-white-striped concrete lighthouse that marks this harbor’s entrance. (The lighthouse dates from the early 1960s, when it replaced a much older octagonal lighthouse that succumbed to wind and time.) There’s a museum, gift shop, and a solid restaurant that serves up a mean lobster mac ‘n cheese. The museum is open May-Oct.,Thu-Sun, 9am to 5pm, and the restaurant open Wed-Thu 11am to 6pm, Fri-Sat 11am-8pm, and Sunday 11am-6pm.
Leave enough time to ramble around the dramatic rock-and-grass bluffs—part of Leif Ericson Picnic Park—that surround the lighthouse. Don’t miss the short trail out to the point below the light. It’s a great place for a picnic. The grounds and observation decks are open year-round.
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Western Branch)
A satellite of the famous art gallery in Halifax, this AGNS is housed in the former Royal Bank building at the heart of Yarmouth's downtown. Its changing exhibits draw from the mothership's permanent collections, and might include a rumination on the history of flight; a curated…Around Town
- Museum
Firefighters Museum of Nova Scotia
Here’s a real surprise, a museum to Nova Scotia firefighting that is truly engrossing to more than just emergency response workers. Kids will love the antique equipment, including hand-drawn pumpers and other historic fire trucks. They can climb up on some of the trucks and pretend…
