Shopping in Nova Scotia
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada.
Although Nova Scotia's dining scene—famous for seafood—is definitely one to rave about, so is the province's shopping scene. As travellers explore Nova Scotia's picturesque regions, they can find the perfect keepsakes with which to remember their vacations. Whether after the latest fashions or local crafts, countless retail options await across the province.
HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY
Visitors who love to shop won't leave the Halifax Regional Municipality disappointed. Comprised of Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Cole Harbour and Sackville, the Halifax Regional Municipality features a wide selection of retail options. A great place to start exploring Halifax's shopping scene is the bustling Spring Garden Road, which features over 200 retail stores. On and around Spring Garden Road visitors can shop for books, gifts, clothing, jewellery, music and numerous other items, then unwind in trendy restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Tourists shopping for token souvenirs will want to head down to Historic Properties, located on the Halifax harbour front, for postcards, magnets, artwork and gifts. The Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market is one of North America's oldest farmers markets and is a shopping must. Open year round, the market is a hot spot on weekends with vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, bakery items and other local foods and gifts. Big box store enthusiasts can pick from places like Bayers Lake Business Park in Halifax and the Dartmouth Crossing, while mall shoppers can spend the day at the Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth or Bedford Place Mall in Bedford.
SOUTH SHORE REGION
South of Halifax, the South Shore Region boasts both postcard scenery and retail gems. Peggy's Cove, famous for its picturesque red and white lighthouse, is a great centre to find a South Shore souvenir with stores selling postcards, jewellery, books, artwork and other gifts. The town of Lunenburg features captivating 18th and 19th century architecture along with intriguing stores specializing in antiques, artwork and keepsakes. The town of Bridgewater, the largest town in the South Shore Region, features the region's highest concentration of stores. Visitors can browse Bridgewater's vibrant downtown or hunt for bargains at the Bridgewater Mall.
YARMOUTH & ACADIAN SHORES
Located about 300 km (186 mi) south of Halifax, the town of Yarmouth serves as the shopping hub for southwest Nova Scotia. Yarmouth's historic downtown is dotted with local stores, while the Yarmouth Mall has a collection of popular chain stores. Home to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Western Branch and bundle of other galleries, it's no surprise that Yarmouth is a wonderful place to shop for an eye-catching piece of artwork. Situated downtown, Acadian Glass Art specializes in colourful stain glass works and jewellery, while At the Sign of the Whale, just outside of town, has Nova Scotia-made crafts.
EASTERN SHORE
Although the Eastern Shore region has a significantly smaller population in comparison to its neighbour—the Halifax Municipality—visitors will have no problem keeping busy. The Eastern Shore is known for recreational opportunities like surfing at Lawrencetown Beach and hiking in Taylor Head Provincial Park. Shoppers after unique gifts have several choices in the Eastern Shore Region such as Sherbrooke Village, which depicts a typical Nova Scotian village from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The Sherbrooke Village features over 25 historical buildings to explore and the Company Store, which sells pottery, kitchen items, hand creams and other items made at Sherbrooke Village.Sheet Harbour, Canso and Guysborough and other small communities in the Eastern Shore Region offer a collection of retail options worth exploring.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Stretching along the Northumberland Strait, the Northumberland Region offers beautiful Maritime scenery with charming communities. The town of Amherst, not far from the New Brunswick border, is a popular spot to pull in for a shopping trip with its chain stores and local favourites like the Deanne Fitzpatrick Rug Hooking Studio, which sells hooked rugs, wools and rug hooking patterns. The town of Antigonish, home of North America's oldest continuous highland games and the town of Pictou, nicknamed the “Birthplace of New Scotland,” are a few of the centres in the Northumberland Region where visitors can experience Nova Scotia's Scottish roots and purchase Scottish gifts like tartans and bag pipe music. The community of New Glasgow features a quaint downtown with antique stores, clothing shops and gift stores and the Highland Square Mall, which has over 55 shops and services.
FUNDY SHORE & ANNAPOLIS VALLEY
Lining the Bay of Fundy, the Fundy Shore and Annapolis Valley region is a scenic and shopping delight. The region's largest centre, Truro—nicknamed the “Hub of Nova Scotia”—offers a hub of retail options with department stores, local shops and shopping malls all included in the mix. The Valley communities of Kentville, Wolfville and New Minas are a source of deliciousness with juicy apples, fine wine and cheese produced in the area. Shoppers can stock up on local fare in places like Wolfville's Hennigar's Farm Market, which sells produce, baked goods, cider, jam and numerous other Valley foods and gifts. Wine connoisseurs can give their tastebuds a treat in top-notch wineries like Gaspereau Vineyards, while cheese lovers can try various cheeses at Fox Hill Cheese House in Port Williams. Further south on the Bay of Fundy, the town of Digby is famous for mouthwatering scallops, which shoppers can buy along with other fresh seafood at the Digby Farmers' Market.
CAPE BRETON ISLAND
Highlands, Celtic culture, fiddle music, delicious food and shopping are just a few of the reasons to visit Cape Breton Island. Sydney is the island's largest city and a terrific place to spend a day shopping in Cape Breton. Sydney's lively downtown has a plethora of shops ranging from boutique clothing to Cape Breton gifts. Sydney's Mayflower Mall is a source for fashions, electronics, books, sporting goods, craft supplies, chocolates and other items. North east of Sydney, the community of Glace Bay has a collection of stores selling apparel, fashion accessories, jewellery and other items. Along the world-famous Cabot Trail visitors can stop in such scenic communities as Cheticamp to stretch their legs and shop for local arts and crafts.
HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY
Visitors who love to shop won't leave the Halifax Regional Municipality disappointed. Comprised of Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Cole Harbour and Sackville, the Halifax Regional Municipality features a wide selection of retail options. A great place to start exploring Halifax's shopping scene is the bustling Spring Garden Road, which features over 200 retail stores. On and around Spring Garden Road visitors can shop for books, gifts, clothing, jewellery, music and numerous other items, then unwind in trendy restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Tourists shopping for token souvenirs will want to head down to Historic Properties, located on the Halifax harbour front, for postcards, magnets, artwork and gifts. The Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market is one of North America's oldest farmers markets and is a shopping must. Open year round, the market is a hot spot on weekends with vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, bakery items and other local foods and gifts. Big box store enthusiasts can pick from places like Bayers Lake Business Park in Halifax and the Dartmouth Crossing, while mall shoppers can spend the day at the Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth or Bedford Place Mall in Bedford.
SOUTH SHORE REGION
South of Halifax, the South Shore Region boasts both postcard scenery and retail gems. Peggy's Cove, famous for its picturesque red and white lighthouse, is a great centre to find a South Shore souvenir with stores selling postcards, jewellery, books, artwork and other gifts. The town of Lunenburg features captivating 18th and 19th century architecture along with intriguing stores specializing in antiques, artwork and keepsakes. The town of Bridgewater, the largest town in the South Shore Region, features the region's highest concentration of stores. Visitors can browse Bridgewater's vibrant downtown or hunt for bargains at the Bridgewater Mall.
YARMOUTH & ACADIAN SHORES
Located about 300 km (186 mi) south of Halifax, the town of Yarmouth serves as the shopping hub for southwest Nova Scotia. Yarmouth's historic downtown is dotted with local stores, while the Yarmouth Mall has a collection of popular chain stores. Home to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Western Branch and bundle of other galleries, it's no surprise that Yarmouth is a wonderful place to shop for an eye-catching piece of artwork. Situated downtown, Acadian Glass Art specializes in colourful stain glass works and jewellery, while At the Sign of the Whale, just outside of town, has Nova Scotia-made crafts.
EASTERN SHORE
Although the Eastern Shore region has a significantly smaller population in comparison to its neighbour—the Halifax Municipality—visitors will have no problem keeping busy. The Eastern Shore is known for recreational opportunities like surfing at Lawrencetown Beach and hiking in Taylor Head Provincial Park. Shoppers after unique gifts have several choices in the Eastern Shore Region such as Sherbrooke Village, which depicts a typical Nova Scotian village from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The Sherbrooke Village features over 25 historical buildings to explore and the Company Store, which sells pottery, kitchen items, hand creams and other items made at Sherbrooke Village.Sheet Harbour, Canso and Guysborough and other small communities in the Eastern Shore Region offer a collection of retail options worth exploring.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Stretching along the Northumberland Strait, the Northumberland Region offers beautiful Maritime scenery with charming communities. The town of Amherst, not far from the New Brunswick border, is a popular spot to pull in for a shopping trip with its chain stores and local favourites like the Deanne Fitzpatrick Rug Hooking Studio, which sells hooked rugs, wools and rug hooking patterns. The town of Antigonish, home of North America's oldest continuous highland games and the town of Pictou, nicknamed the “Birthplace of New Scotland,” are a few of the centres in the Northumberland Region where visitors can experience Nova Scotia's Scottish roots and purchase Scottish gifts like tartans and bag pipe music. The community of New Glasgow features a quaint downtown with antique stores, clothing shops and gift stores and the Highland Square Mall, which has over 55 shops and services.
FUNDY SHORE & ANNAPOLIS VALLEY
Lining the Bay of Fundy, the Fundy Shore and Annapolis Valley region is a scenic and shopping delight. The region's largest centre, Truro—nicknamed the “Hub of Nova Scotia”—offers a hub of retail options with department stores, local shops and shopping malls all included in the mix. The Valley communities of Kentville, Wolfville and New Minas are a source of deliciousness with juicy apples, fine wine and cheese produced in the area. Shoppers can stock up on local fare in places like Wolfville's Hennigar's Farm Market, which sells produce, baked goods, cider, jam and numerous other Valley foods and gifts. Wine connoisseurs can give their tastebuds a treat in top-notch wineries like Gaspereau Vineyards, while cheese lovers can try various cheeses at Fox Hill Cheese House in Port Williams. Further south on the Bay of Fundy, the town of Digby is famous for mouthwatering scallops, which shoppers can buy along with other fresh seafood at the Digby Farmers' Market.
CAPE BRETON ISLAND
Highlands, Celtic culture, fiddle music, delicious food and shopping are just a few of the reasons to visit Cape Breton Island. Sydney is the island's largest city and a terrific place to spend a day shopping in Cape Breton. Sydney's lively downtown has a plethora of shops ranging from boutique clothing to Cape Breton gifts. Sydney's Mayflower Mall is a source for fashions, electronics, books, sporting goods, craft supplies, chocolates and other items. North east of Sydney, the community of Glace Bay has a collection of stores selling apparel, fashion accessories, jewellery and other items. Along the world-famous Cabot Trail visitors can stop in such scenic communities as Cheticamp to stretch their legs and shop for local arts and crafts.
Ramada Plaza Park Place Hotel Dartmouth
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Bras d'Or Lakes Inn St. Peter's
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