Are you looking to experience Nova Scotia’s Fall colours? Autumn is without a doubt the most visually stunning season in Nova Scotia. The rolling hills and valleys are home to maple, birch, oak, beech and ash, which turn brilliant oranges, yellows, reds, and purples. The colourful canopy turns everyday tasks like driving to work, school, or home into a spectacularly exciting experience as you witness a new riot of colour at every turn.
Mid-October is the best time to catch the fall foliage putting on its peak performance. These are some of my favourite spots to catch the fall colours:
- The Lookoff on the North Mountain in Canning. No need to bring hiking boots for this one, just pull into the roadside parking lot to enjoy the aptly-named Lookoff for a stunning, golden view of the Annapolis Valley and its many farms rimmed in yellows and red.
- The most popular fall colours viewing location is undoubtedly the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton. There are dozens of hiking trails along the trail, but the scenery is equally gorgeous viewed from the car or the side of the road along this route. If you’re up for a hike, Franey Trail is my personal favourite. If you’re not up for the Franey, the Freshwater Lake Look-Off Trail is one of the shorter hikes on the Cabot Trail and offers incredible views of Ingonish Beach, Middle Head, Cape Smokey, and Freshwater Lake.
- Kejimkujik National Park (or Keji, as the locals call it) features thousands of trees that are the perfect backdrop for a hiking or biking trip.
- In HRM, Shubie Park is one of Dartmouth’s largest parks and home to huge maple, oak, and birch trees. This is a very popular dog-friendly park, with well-fed squirrels who have absolutely no fear of people.
- The quaint seaside town of Lunenburg on the South Shore is transformed by Mother Nature in the fall, and you won’t have nearly as many tourists to dodge if you visit as the weather cools.
I hope you enjoy touring the province to see the gorgeous display. Nature-based experiences like this are just one of the things we love about raising a family in Nova Scotia.
