Don’t Miss Peggy’s Cove In Nova Scotia

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse And More

Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg

Visit Peggy’s Cove In Nova Scotia

Even before we arrived, we knew we would visit Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia.  The iconic image of the lighthouse on the rock was a common stop for visitors to the east coast of Canada.

During our stay in Nova Scotia on this trip we used Halifax as a base.  There was a lot to do in the city.  But on a day trip down the coast towards Lunenburg we did not miss a stop in Peggy’s Cove.  

The iconic lighthouse is often the key attraction for a visit to Peggy’s Cove.  But we found more than just the lighthouse!  A local museum provided insight into the “Peggy” behind “Peggy’s Cove”.  We loved the quaint, colourful village and port.  Local art was on display.  And we even visited the SwissAir Memorial site.

Following The Lighthouse Route

On our travels around Eastern Canada we followed many small coastal roads labelled as the Lighthouse Route. When we did our road trip through New Brunswick, we had so many great lighthouse views.  In Newfoundland, we found even more lighthouse views.  So we when drove along the coast in Nova Scotia, we knew the Lighthouse Route took us to great local sights.

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We saw we were on the right route when we saw a small lighthouse in the midst of a colourful rock painting on the side of the road.  As we got closer, we saw a sign that said this was the Peggy Of The Cove Museum.  

Peggy of the Cove Museum - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg

This museum provided more information about the rescue of the sole survivor when a Schooner hit Halibut Rock off Lighthouse Point in the mid-1800’s.  This is the Peggy of Peggy’s Cove.

On this visit to Peggy’s Cove we had lots of stops on our road trip day.  So did not have time to stop at the museum.  

Entering The Small Town Of Peggy’s Cove

As soon as we entered the small town of Peggy’s Cove we knew we would be delighted.  Charming and colourful buildings surrounded us.  A Visitor Information Centre provided more information about the area.

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Colourful Town Buildings.jpg
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We found the small port and were entranced with the typical fishing village scene we found.   A set of brightly hued chairs were positioned for the perfect view.  Colourful boats lined the harbour.  Fishing floats and lobster traps covered the docks.  

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Harbour and Fishing Boats - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg
Harbour and Fishing Boats - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg
Harbour and Fishing Boats.jpg

Our first view of Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia charmed us.

Peggy’s Cove Iconic Lighthouse

We headed for the point and soon got our first view of the iconic lighthouse on the rocks.  A path led towards the lighthouse.  But it was soon evident that this visit meant a walk on the rocks.  Signs everywhere warned of the danger.

Lighthouse - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg

After we enjoyed the view from afar, we walked out on the rocks for a closer view.  We saw the waves as they crashed on the shore.

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Lighthouse Rocks - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg

When we got close we heard music.  A woman sat on a chair under the lighthouse and entertained the crowd with accordion music.

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When we walked around we saw a new platform under construction out over the rocks.  This platform provided a new spot for views of the iconic Peggy’s Cove lighthouse without scrambling out on the rocks.

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The SouWester Restaurant was located right at the lighthouse.  We grabbed a table outside in the sun and enjoyed our last view.

Sou Wester Restaurant - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg
Sou Wester Restaurant.jpg

On a visit to Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia the view of the lighthouse out on the rocks was the iconic image we could not miss.

An Artistic Stop In Peggy’s Cove In Nova Scotia

There was one more artistic stop in the small town of Peggy’s Cove.  Across from the Visitor Information Centre we saw the William DeGarthe Art Gallery.  We did not have time to wander and see the art inside.  But we did not want to miss the outdoor display.

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A long 100 foot stone wall was the canvas used to create the Fisherman’s Memorial.   This monument to Nova Scotia fishermen showed 32 fishermen, their wives and children, St. Elmo with wings spread, and the legendary Peggy of Peggy’s Cove.

William DeGarthe Art Gallery Fishermans Memorial - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg

When we visited Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia we found so many great things to see.

Remembering Swiss Air Flight 111

When we left we headed along the coast.  Off in the distance we was the lighthouse out on the point of rocks.

Lighthouse From Distance.jpg

On our way out of Peggy’s Cove we had one more stop to make.  The Swissair Memorial Site commemorated the 229 people on SwissAir flight 111 that crashed into the sea just off the coast of Bayswater near Peggy’s Cove in 1998.

Swiss Air Memorial - Lighthouse Peggys Cove In Nova Scotia.jpg

As a Naval Clearance Diving Officer, David was part of the huge military and civilian operation involved in recovering both the victims and the aircraft wreckage from the seafloor.  Many of the vessels involved used Peggy’s Cove Harbour as a berth. So it was fitting that we stopped to remember a time in history that was very personal for David.

On a visit to Peggys Cove in Nova Scotia, we paused for a moment.

A Great Visit To Peggy’s Cove In Nova Scotia

On a day trip from Halifax, we enjoyed a stop at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia.  We saw the iconic lighthouse on the rocky point. 

But we found more than just the lighthouse!  We saw the local museum that provided insight into the “Peggy” behind “Peggy’s Cove”.  The quaint, colourful village and port delighted us.  And we even visited the SwissAir Memorial site.

Did you visit Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia?  Were you glad you visited this iconic site?

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72 Comments

  1. Such a cute picture with your Nova Scotia mug! It looks like such a beautiful route along the coast. Lighthouses are such a favorite of mine, and they always have great views, of course. The colors in your photos are so lovely with everything from the boats to the houses. Such a great trip!!

  2. Peggy’s Cove looks such a quaint and charming town with all those beautiful boats. It must be specially cosy to watch the musician woman playing accordion close to the lighthouse.
    The landscapes remind me of Northern European landscapes.

  3. Ah, the cute, cheerful and colourful area of NS! I’ve yet to visit this area, but it’s on my list for sure! It has everything you expect from the east coast – the lighthouses, the charm, and those friendly locals. I will have to keep the William DeGarthe Art Gallery in mind as I do enjoy exploring outdoor art.

    • Nova Scotia indeed had everything that you visit the Atlantic coast for. We were charmed on our day trip to Peggy’s Cove. Lots of treats along the way too.

  4. Peggy’s Cove is so pretty with its colorful houses and buildings. I will like sitting there, just doing nothing. The lighthouse reminded me of a lighthouse in Maine. I just knew something about David. That’s really great that he was part of the rescue team for Swissair flight 111 passengers and wreckage that crashed into the sea.

  5. Nova Scotia seems like such a world away from me and a great distance and I love seafood, so all the fantastic venues to visit here are amazing. I love rugged landscapes,art finds and even a lighthouse junkie so all of these places would be a lot of fun to visit and do a road trip

  6. Eye popping colors and beautiful photos! I’m just starting to learn about travel destinations in Canada. This is something that I am saving for later. I would love to spend some time in this cute village.

  7. What a lovely way to spend the day – those houses are way tooo adorable and I’d love to be able to discover this place proper!

  8. This looks absolutely amazing and sooo fun! In my childhood, I enjoyed the books by Astrid Lindgren and somehow I imagine that her little heroes where running around between exactly this style of colorful wooden houses. Actually, it looks very Scandinavic – the landscape as well as the structures. Interesting!

  9. With its vibrant structures, boats, and chairs, this small village of Peggy’s Cove is incredibly lively. The most thrilling part of getting to the lighthouse is walking onto the rocks, especially when you do get near and begin to hear music.

    • It was great that we were able to walk on the rocks in Peggy’s Cove. They put up a new platform for viewing and we wonder if one day walking on rocks will be banned.

  10. I am in the process of planning a fall trip to Nova Scotia, so this post is perfect for me! We will be taking the CAT ferry to Yarmouth and then traveling along the coast to our destination in Antigonish to see family. A stop in Lunenburg and Peggy’s Cove are on our itinerary. I know now exactly what I want to see when we visit at Peggy’s Cove based on your travels. Thank you for saving me the research time!

    • I am delighted to provide you with some input to planning your trip to Nova Scotia. There are a few more posts in the queue. You will certainly love a trip along the coast.

  11. This place is charming and is definitely worth the trip. We usually stay in Halifax so we’d love to explore this area during our next trip. Will put Peggy’s on top of our itinerary. Thank you for sharing this.

  12. You had perfect weather during your visit to Peggys cove. I love lighthouses, so I would be in for this daytrip. And I absolutely love the picture with the colorful chairs.

  13. The town looks so adorable. It reminds me of the small towns near Gloucester outside of Boston, which are cool fishing towns. So picturesque!

  14. I will drive for miles to see a lighthouse! I was intrigue by the fisherman’s memorial though. Amazing how that was carved into that stone.

  15. Love love loved this colorful post and all your gorgeous photos. It’s been so long since I was in Nova Scotia and I sure would love to go back. Hopefully next summer!

  16. What an adorable looking town! And that lighthouse is so picturesque. It’s neat you got to visit a site so personal to you as well. I would love to visit Nova Scotia one day, and will definitely add Peggy’s Cove to that itinerary!

  17. What a beautiful little town on the water with lots of color. Love the memorial to the 32 fishermen and also the Swiss Air Memorial Site. We should have made this trip from Halifax to see the lovely lighthouse

  18. What a charming little town. I loved the colorful houses and the long rock carved with the fishermen. Fishing villages are so much fun.

  19. Peggy’s Cove looks so charming, and now you have me trying to remember if I visited here before; it would’ve been more than 15 years ago, so I’m having trouble remembering! Either way, it looks like a lovely place to visit – or visit again! Thanks for sharing. Xx Sara

    • I too was not sure if I had visited Peggy’s Cove on childhood trips to Nova Scotia. But it was great to see all the things in the charming fishing village on this trip.

  20. What a delightful little town Peggy’s Cove is! Those waves at the rocks look so mild compared to what we are used to but I fully understand that the sea can turn nasty very quickly, so I think that viewing platform is a great idea. I could see myself happily exploring this area, but in the meantime it is great seeing it through your beautiful photos.

    • The platform was finished after we visited. I am sure it will give many more people the chance to see the iconic lighthouse. But I do suspect that access across the rocks will be limited one day.

  21. What a beautiful place Peggy’s Cove is! I loved exploring the town through your photos. The lighthouse and its miniature version, the colourful fishing boats and houses are some of the things that make me want to visit.

  22. I’m not surprised that this is iconic but even more so with some personal history for you too. Clearly an essential place to visit in Nova Scotia for all sorts of reasons. And your photos really do make it look beautiful

  23. I love the colors of the area, and the lighthouse looks like it would be amazing to hang out in, and it looks like you had some amazing weather. Thanks for sharing this wonderful location with us!

  24. I love it when I find musicians playing for crowds, especially when there’s a scenic view! At least, I love it when the music fits the scenery- LOL. what a fun town!

  25. I love the quaint Canadian coastal spots you have found. I can just taste the fresh seafood and feel the salt air.

  26. Peggy’s Cove looks like a delightful town to visit and so colorful too. I like these lesser known small villages, they’re more charming to see. So sad about the plane crash there in 1998, I never knew about it until reading your post. Nice that they put up a memorial for them.

  27. Peggy’s Cove looks like such a beautiful village! I love all the color, and it looks like you got amazing weather on your visit! It’s nice that they’re building a more accessible platform where you can view the lighthouse without climbing over the rocks, and I would love to see the intricate Fisherman’s Memorial.

  28. Linda, you always find places that I’m not familiar with! Love learning about them and adding to my bucket list!

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