On a beautiful 17-acre site overlooking Pubnico Harbour, the Historical Acadian Village of Nova Scotia helps you step back in time to discover the heart, life and work of Acadians of the early 1900s, and shows how this unique and colorful culture has survived the Great Upheaval (Le Grand Dérangement) deportations, to thrive until today.

See vintage buildings, old cemetery tombstones dating to the early 1800s, gift shop, statue of Baron Philippe Mius d'Entremont, the founder of Pubnico (1653). Phone 902 762-2530, or toll free 888 381-8999, for information.

Tens of thousands of French settlers/Acadians were removed by British forces from present day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Maine during the French and Indian War and in years after, as some allied themselves with the Wabanaki Confederacy Native Peoples to continue the fight. People were sent to other British colonies, or to England and France, from where many migrated to Louisiana. The loss of the civilian population devastated the regional economy for some time, and thousands died, mainly from disease and drownings.

The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow memorialized the historic event in his poem about the fictional character Evangeline.

The small rural community on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay, 43km (26 miles) southwest of downtown Halifax, is famous for the Peggy's Point Lighthouse (1868). The local economy depended traditionally on the fishery. Although tourism began to overtake fishing after World War Two, local lobsters still grace the tables of area restaurants. Attractions include rugged scenery, pristine beaches, hiking trails, kayaking, whale watching, birding, and golf courses.

The beauty of the region inspired many artists over the years, and the studios of painters, potters, sculptors, and woodworkers are still to be found here. A mid-July Peggys Cove Area Festival of the Arts presents opportunities to meet artists, view and purchase their works - along the road from Peggy's Cove to Upper Tantallon, and around the Aspotogan.

A car is necessary to get around, since public transit is scarce. There's souvenir gift shopping in the village, and coffee and cookies at Beales Bailiwick deck with their view of the cove. For lobster check out the Sou'Wester Restaurant (178 Peggy's Point Rd), or for lobster-to-go, see the Ryer Lobster Pound (15 Ryers Rd) in Indian Harbour. Lobster dinner sunset cruises are offered by Peggy's Cove Boat Tours.

The deGarthe Gallery and Museum across from the Visitor Information Centre, houses a collection of paintings, spanning forty years of the artist's work, depicting traditional Maritime fishing methods. William E. deGarthe (1907-1983) was born in Finland, then emmigrated to Canada in 1926.

A vibrant arts and cultural district, from Piers 19-23 at the south end of the Halifax waterfront. Cafés, galleries, artisan retailers, cruise terminals, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the NSCAD University Port Campus, and a farmers’ market, along with special events like the Halifax Seaport Beerfest in August, are the attractions here, popular with both locals and visitors. Harbourwalk, the world's longest harbourfront boardwalk leads to downtown shopping, dining and other attractions.