Nova Scotia BeachesWith Nova Scotia beaches being abundant along the 6500 kilometer (4039 mile) coastline, you basically have a choice. If you prefer a sandy, sun filled beach with warm water for swimming, or a deserted stretch of sand where you can search the waterline for sea shells or pieces of driftwood, the choice is yours. And because the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia is influenced by the cold Labrador current coming from the north, while the northern coasts are influenced by the warmer waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence you would expect the beaches to be different. Well, they are. Just remember to keep this in mind when planning your beach vacation on one or more Nova Scotia beaches. Basically, the beaches on the south coast of Nova Scotia, facing the Atlantic, would be somewhat cold for swimming, but ideal for strolling, beach combing for sand dollars and other shells, or just casually looking for that perfect piece of driftwood. These Nova Scotia beaches tend to be less crowded with people.
The beaches with warmer water, such as on the Northumberland coast, or the western side of Cape Breton, are ideal for playing and swimming or just relaxing by the sea. It's here where you'll find crowds (relatively speaking) of people. The Bay of Fundy's water is always cold, and as a result, there are really no beaches suitable for swimming. While the opposite is true in the lakes of the Bras d''Or region, where the water is warmer, and you can always find a beach suitable for swimming. Mid-July through September is the ideal time to take a trip to the beach, for these are the months where the water temperatures and air temperature are at their warmest. Let's take a quick survey of the Nova Scotia beaches that exist throughout the province. Bay of FundyUnless you're a polar bear, the water here is too cold for swimming. But the outstanding feature of the Bay of Fundy is the exposure of its mudflats at low tide, making it ideal for clam digging or rock searching.Mavelitte Beach Although too cold for swimming, this large expanse of sand makes it an ideal place to take a walk on the beach, entertain birdwatching or even enjoying a picnic.
Scots Bay This beach is also too cold for swimmers, but its a great place for rock hounds to explore the area for agates. It's also a great place to go and explore for the various small crustaceans that become exposed on the mudflats atlow tide. Port Greville Beach At Greville Bay, outside of Parrsboro, stretching from Fox Point to Cape D'Or, you can find this beach, with firm and gravelly sand. Because of the cold Fundy Bay waters, this beach is primarily a walking and beach combing experience, where you can find sea shells and driftwood galore! South Shore of Nova ScotiaThere is a plentiful quantity of white sand beach here, but the cold water temperatures keeps the crowds away. The best of these Nova Scotia beaches are pretty much located between the towns of Lunenburg and Yarmouth.Rissers Beach Provincial Park This fine sand saltwater beach, that, in places, has patches of very dark sand is known for its shell collecting -- sand dollars, razor clams, moon shells and even fossilized shells are found here. The beach has two campgrounds, a picnic area and change rooms. As it is an Atlantic coast beach, the water is clear but cold. Cherry Hill Because there are no facilities here, this makes this beach pretty much desolate. If you like solitude, and prefer to walk upon the wet sand when it's quiet, this is the beach.
Summerville Beach Of all the Nova Scotia beaches found in this vicinity, this one is the most accessible, right off the Lighthouse Route in the town of Summerville. The long stretches of greyish-white sand usually lapped by perfectly breaking waves, makes this provincial park attractive. It also has good facilities and plenty of parking. But despite all the good things it has going for it, it is not a crowded beach. And remember, it is a chilly Atlantic coast one. Sand Hills Beach Near the southern most tip of Nova Scotia, near the community of Barrington, you will find thisbeach, which just in the last few years came under the protection as a provincial park. At the parking lot, you will find several boardwalks leading to the beach. Take the right boardwalk, and follow it down to the end, where you will come to a wide expanse of beach, which, when the tide is out, a long expanse of mudflats is exposed. The solar heat that these mudflats collect, are then released to the incoming tide, making this beach one of the warmest in the area. Merrymakedge In nearby Kejimkujik National Park, you will find this freshwater beach. It is a small, sandy beach with warm water. It is completely supervised. This is an ideal beach if you have really small children. There are no waves or rip currents to be concerned about. Halifax AreaOf course, the description of beach locations in this southern area for Nova Scotia beaches, would be incomplete without beach descriptions within the major city area.Crystal Crescent Beach This beach is noted for its beautiful sand and clear, but cold water. But on warm, summer days, this beach tends to get crowded. Rainbow Haven This is another expansive sand beach, but it's close to downtown Dartmouth, making it an easy commuter jaunt.
Queensland Not to be forgotten is this popular beach in the Halifax area. It's a popular beach for the "boy meets girl" crowd. As a result, it can get very crowded. Bayswater Beach Unlike the beach mentioned above, this beach is not crowded, but because its located on the tip of a peninsular that juts out into the Atlantic, this beach can become rather cold and foggy. So much for the cold water beaches of the Atlantic. Next we'll go the warm waters of Northumberland and the west coast of Cape Breton where we can find the Nova Scotia beaches where we can actually go into the water and swim!
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