Discover Western Shore: Boat Tours and a Park by the Water

Three distinct themes can help you plan a stay in Western Shore: guided boat tours around Oak Island, picnics and walks by the water, and the Chester Connection route of the Rum Runners Trail.

Boat Tours and Time by the Water

Salty Dog Tours offers daily guided boat tours around Oak Island, departing from Oak Island Resort in Western Shore. On these narrated sea cruises, you can see important Oak Island sites from the boat. Check current tour times before planning if you want to fit the trip into a set daily schedule.

Wild Rose Park in Western Shore offers another way to enjoy the water. It is situated on the shores of Mahone Bay and is suitable for a picnic or a walk. The park also has a small boat ramp. This makes it easy to distinguish a sea tour from time spent on the shore, where walking and picnicking are the focus.

Western Shore Wharf is also a useful landmark: it is located at 6411 Highway 3, is privately owned, and is fully open to the public.

Getting Your Bearings on Roads and Trails

Highway 3 is the main road through Western Shore. Several roads crossing the Chester Connection of the Rum Runners Trail lead to this highway, providing a clear reference point for getting there.

The Chester Connection section heads toward the community of Western Shore. Along the way, the trail crosses a large trestle bridge over the Gold River. The bridge is a prominent feature on the approach to the community; this route should not be confused with a trail section within Western Shore. Check the route before your trip using current local information.

More Destinations in Lunenburg County

The wider destination of Lunenburg County offers other natural and cultural attractions. Holden Lake Wilderness Area protects about 1,700 hectares of mature mixed forest in the Gold River watershed and around much of Holden Lake. The protected area includes about 10 km of shoreline along Holden Lake and about 4 km along the Gold River.

Rissers Beach Provincial Park in Lunenburg County combines camping and swimming at a sandy beach with interpretive panels and a boardwalk through a salt marsh. If you plan to camp or swim, check current park conditions, as operations and facilities may change.

For a cultural outing, the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is located in Lunenburg. The red buildings on the historic waterfront once housed a fish-processing plant. The exhibits provide a comprehensive overview of Nova Scotia’s fishing industry, with a particular focus on its connection to Lunenburg County; they may change.

Old Town Lunenburg is one of only two urban communities in North America designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its streetscape along the hilly streets by the sea includes colorful buildings housing shops, restaurants, and private homes. Lunenburg therefore offers a different focus from the county’s natural and coastal landscapes.

Indian Path Common is also in Lunenburg County: this 350-acre site is a reclaimed Acadian forest area with 7 km of natural footpaths arranged in a series of loops. Its trail layout differs from the Chester Connection, which crosses a bridge over the Gold River on its way toward Western Shore.

Discover more destinations: Hubbards, Bridgewater, Chester, Barss Corner, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg

Return to the main travel overview: Lunenburg County.