Nova Scotia Beach Challenge

UPDATED June 19, 2023

The warm weather is back and we have begun our summer of 2023 beach hopping. We have added a few new NS beaches to our list and will continue to do so throughout the summer. Check out the amazing, must visit beaches below.

Before School Beach Challenge (2022) (Posted March 2023)

I was dreading the cold today and daydreaming of last summer when my daughter and I took on a beach challenge. I know, it is only March and the Nova Scotia beaches are still a tad cold and the ice flows make it a bit hard to swim , 🙂 but looking out my window at the lingering snow I thought it was time to turn my attention to warmer times. We can all dream – it will be here soon!

Last summer, just before school started my daughter decided that we hadn’t been to the beach enough – she had started working last year – opening her own ice cream shop near our home (See our Ice Cream, Anyone! post) and was missing our beach hopping adventures.

So…. We set out to see how many Nova Scotia beaches we could enjoy in the last two weeks before school.

On such short notice we couldn’t go to all the amazing beaches in Nova Scotia – I’m not sure we could do that in a year, there are so many great ones.

Nova Scotia boasts approximately 7 500 km (4 660 mi) of shoreline, not to mention the abundance of lakes and rivers we swim in. Our beaches range from rocky shore cliffs to white sand, red sand and pebbly beaches along the coast, natural and man-made lakeshore inlet beaches and both calm and rushing rivers, most of which are used for swimming and boating.

On our Before School Beach Challenge we focused on shoreline beaches of the North Shore and although we hit many close to home we did manage to make a few day trips visiting a new one or two on other NS shores. (Check back for posts featuring South, Eastern, Western Shore and Cape Breton beaches – coming soon!)

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Red Sand Beaches of the North Shore

As I mentioned above, Nova Scotia is known for it’s beautiful beaches and I have seen many posts dedicated to showcasing them. What always surprises me is that very few bloggers, YouTubers and travel site writers that post about Nova Scotia beaches capture the amazing red sand beaches of the North Shore.

I do understand that the locals keep our beach locations somewhat guarded as we love the quiet, uncrowded, relaxing solitude of a beach day. But I feel that in the true spirit of Nova Scotia hospitality we should share our good fortune with others.

The North Shore of Nova Scotia is located along the Northumberland Strait (boasting the warmest waters north of the Carolinas) and has some amazing beaches both public and private. I will focus mostly on public beaches – to ensure everyone can enjoy them!

On our challenge we managed to visit:

Melmerby

Located in Little Harbour, Pictou County.

Locally known as “The Merb”, Melmerby is a beautiful red sand, provincially owned beach. It has many amenities (change rooms, washrooms, a large parking lot and a life guard on duty throughout July and August). Stretching 2 km (1.25 mi) there is always room to find a spot to stretch out and revel in the sun and water or maybe enjoy a picnic!

For More Information visit the NS Parks website

Waterside Beach

Located at 649 R. Grant Rd, Waterside, Pictou County

This is a new beach stop for us and one I can’t believe we have never found before. It may be my new favourite! Like Melmerby it is a provincial beach and can be accessed from Waterside Dr., opening into a large parking area with boardwalk access to washrooms, changing rooms and over the dunes to the beach.

Note: It can also be accessed at the other end of the parking lot by a tiny (drivable) dirt road (path) past an old cemetery (another great place to check out – so much history).

For More Information visit the NS Parks website

Waterside is also a great place for bird watchers and photographers. While the girls were playing in the water I took a stroll to the rocky end of the beach and saw several species of shore birds walking among the foam and rocks.

Another plus, it doesn’t seem to be a very busy place…

Blue Sea Beach

Blue Sea is probably our closest beach, located in Malagash, NS. It can get busy at times, but there is always room to pull up a piece of sand and have a sit.

You probably won’t be sitting long tho’ – there is so much to see and do. The water is warm and the sand bars go forever so swimming is a must. It has a large parking lot, picnic area, washrooms and changing houses and the beach is bordered by a salt marsh where blue heron, ducks and various shore birds can always be seen. In the water you will find rock crabs, hermit crabs and the odd seal – swimming beyond the reef or sunning on the rocks, I have even seen a few squid.

There is a drop off out from the beach but no one gets out that far, there is too much room to swim before that and it gets much too rocky. The drop-off does; however, allow the fishing boats to come quite close to the beach and the Bluenose II has even made an appearance.

BlueSea Beach, Malagash NS — Low tide – sandbars forever

Bluenose !! - Halifax — This picture of the Bluenose II is actually in Halifax, I missed the Blue Sea sail by 🙁 – but you get the picture!

BlueSea Beach, Malagash — Playing on a sandbar

Robertson’s Beach

Located on Cape Cliff – Robertson’s is a private beach for local cottagers on the Gulf Shore (but some rent out their cottages, so you still may be able to enjoy this one like we did). We have rented here a number of times over the years and always have an amazing time.

As you can see from the photo above the seals come very close. There is a reef just off the beach that seems to be one of their favorite sunning spots. Seals are wild animals and I don’t suggest you go swimming with them, they can be very grumpy and nasty but the beach is large and there is definitely enough room to share and still give the seals the space they need. They love to pose for pictures, too!

Gulf Shore Picnic Park and Beach

Still my favorite! Located between Pugwash and Wallace on the Gulf Shore Road this beach and park hold many childhood memories for me. I grew up in the city – Halifax, but when I was two my parents bought a farm property on the North Shore and I spent many weekends and summers in the old farmhouse, loving the country.

We would, most often, head to the beach – “The Gulf Shore” in the evening. We would either eat supper first (letting it settle on the way) or pack a BBQ or picnic and eat there after swimming. As everyone else was leaving to go home for supper, we were just pulling in. The best part, it meant we had the beach almost to ourselves.

The beach where I grew up!

The experience starts at the picnic park, on top of the hill by the roadside. It has covered and uncovered picnic tables, washrooms and change houses and huge grassy areas for playing games, throwing frisbees, flying kites and relaxing.

Then a quick run down the hill and the shore opens up to a vast sand beach with a lot of dry sand area at the top and many, many sand bars for building castles and sand sculptures. The sand bars also create wonderful tide pools that often feel like bath water in the warm sun. Not only are these little pools warm to walk and splash in, but they are home to many small sea creatures. We have seen: rock crabs, multitudes of hermit crabs, fish, krill-like creatures, jelly fish, barnacles and periwinkles.

Both the krill and periwinkles we like to call tickle fish – but for different reasons. The krill-like creatures tickle your toes as you walk through the tide pools and, if you are quick enough, you can pick up a periwinkle, turn it over and gently tickle it, causing it to pull back into it’s shell. (Be sure to put them back in the water quickly though, so they can continue or their journey.)

Tidnish Dock

Tidnish Dock Provincial Park – is not always great for swimming – it is quite rocky and the beach area depends on the tide, but if you would like to see seals or local shore birds – Tidnish Dock is a must stop on a North Shore Adventure. It also has a wonderful picnic area and interpretation / information area reporting on the interesting Chignecto Marine Transport Railway project and includes a 3.7 km (2.3 mi) walking trail to the nearby visitor centre where you can learn more about the area.

Some other beaches in the area that we love but did not get to visit during this challenge:

North Port Provincial Park

Heather’s Beach

Cameron’s Beach

Rushton’s Beach – *** Rushton’s Beach is temporarily closed due to Hurricane Fiona damage!

Skinner’s Cove East and West

Cape John Beach

and

Pictou Provincial Park

White Sand Beaches of the South Shore

Queensland

As a child, growing up in Dartmouth, NS, I swam in the lakes – a lot and loved it. It was always a treat; however, when we would all pack in the car on an early summer morning and head down the south shore to Queensland.

Queensland Beach provincial Park is an amazing, supervised, white sand beach a little less than an hour outside of Halifax on Highway 3. It is a very popular beach and can get very busy on warm days.

My most vivid memory of Queensland, as a child, was learning to body surf on the huge waves. When I was 6 years old, my father decided I was old enough and could swim well enough to learn to ride the waves like my older brothers and sisters. My dad had been a champion swimmer growing up and had become a lifeguard and swimming instructor in his teens – my brothers and sisters and I could swim before we could walk…

So Dad, my 8 year old sister Debby and I swam out to meet the next wave. I was so excited! I was finally old enough to be included! My dad trusted my swimming ability and believed in me enough to let me participate. It was a BIG day for me!

As the wave drew near dad yelled “3, 2, 1, Jump!!!” He and Debby jumped as he said jump – I; however, took a second to respond and gave a great leap (well, as much as you can leap when you are treading water and your feet don’t reach the sandy bottom) – instead of riding the wave; as they did, I got caught inside it. What a nightmare! I I was tossed and flipped and summersaulted through the wave along with the seaweed and sand. I opened my eyes and saw everything swirling around me – aggh! Just when I thought I couldn’t hold my breath any longer I was deposited on the shore- face down and the wave washed back over me heading back out to sea. As the wave traveled back out it covered me from my head to my knees with sand – I was buried – great!

Dad to the rescue! He grabbed me by the ankles, pulled me out of the sand, stood me up, shook me off and said: “Want to go again!” Still a little stunned and clearly not thinking straight, I said, “Sure”. he grabbed my hand and led me back into the waves to await the next BIG one.

This time I jumped on que and WOW! I rode the top of that wave all the way to the shore. I was never so proud of myself. Six years old, standing tall! I could have won a million dollars and not been happier. I still ride the waves and now – so do my daughters!

the surf was pretty quiet – sometimes the waves are huge!!!

Eastern Shore

Lawrencetown Beach

Lawrencetown Beach is a provincial beach park 19 km (12 mi) east of Dartmouth on Route 207 along the Eastern Shore.

The beach is kind of in two parts – one used for swimming and the other primarily used as a surfing beach as the waves are incredible and there is a surf school onsite. The water is great and the East Coast Surf School has everything you need to start riding the waves.

Taylorhead Beach

Way out on the end of the point – 6.5km into the Atlantic Ocean, the drive to Taylorhead beach is rugged, scenic and beautiful. The drive can seem a little long once you turn off the highway onto the park road but it is well worth it.

Taylorhead is an amazing white sand beach right on the Atlantic Ocean boasting 14.2 km (8.8 mi) of hiking trails with scenic look-offs and secluded beaches. You can explore for hours!

Port Shoreham Beach

Located 1 km (0.5 mi) off Highway 344, Port Shoreham beach is at the opposite end of the Eastern Shore from Lawrencetown Beach – not far from the town of Guysborough. It is a white pebbly-sand beach with pristine, cool water. The day we visited the air temperature was running close to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees F) and we were the only ones there. The water was cool, OK quite cold – it is part of the Chedabucto Bay – but the beach is gorgeous and no one???