14 Perfect Things To Do In Nova Scotia During Winter

Heading to Nova Scotia this winter? Culture Trip has got you covered with this list of the best winter activities around the province.

Downhill skiing

While Nova Scotia might not have the ski conditions comparable to the West Coast, it does have some great hills for ski lovers! Check out Ski Martock and Ski Wentworth on the mainland and Ski Ben Eoin and Ski Cape Smokey in Cape Breton.

Snowshoeing

In the summer, Nova Scotians hike, and in the winter, they snowshoe! Snowshoeing is an enjoyable way to explore Nova Scotia’s backcountry, and you can choose between going on your own or signing up with a local tour group. A number of community centers in the province provide free snowshoe rentals, and Shubenacadie Wildlife Park offers free snowshoeing!

Head to the Annapolis Valley for the annual NS Icewine Festival, which pairs wines from across the provinces with delicious local snacks. The festival only runs for two weekends every year and fills up quickly, so make sure to get your tickets well in advance!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ6RrjAh5hX/

Sledding

Relive your childhood with a day of sledding! You can pick up a cheap toboggan or magic carpet at places such as Wal-Mart and hit the hills. Everyone has their favorite hills, so ask for local hot spots.

Go to the beach

Go to the beach in the winter? Yes! You might need to swap your bikini for a parka, but a trip to the beach is a lovely way to spend a winter day. Bundle up and enjoy the peaceful beauty of an empty beach. If you’re really brave, grab your dry suit and head to Lawrencetown Beach for some winter surfing.

Sleigh ride

Partake in a quintessential old-fashioned activity with a cozy sleigh ride. Hatfield Farm Cowboy Adventures and Ross Farm Museum both offer sleigh rides that are fun for the whole family!

Cross-country skiing

Another great way to explore the Nova Scotia’s backcountry is cross-country skiing on one of the province’s 24 official trails. For information on trails and conditions, head to Cross Country Nova Scotia’s website.

Visit Sugar Moon

What’s better than a day of exploring trails and eating pancakes? Head to Sugar Moon in Earltown to enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, maple tours, all-day maple breakfast, chef nights, and so much more.

Cabot Shores “Snow Much Fun” Package

Unwind this winter at the wellness-focused, eco-conscious Cabot Shores in Cape Breton. Enjoy a weekend getaway with their Snow Much Fun packages, which include accommodations in either a yurt or the lodge, snowshoeing, infrared sauna sessions, qigong sessions, and so much more.

Skating

There are lots of great spots around the province to go skating, but if you’re in Halifax, you need to check out the Emera Oval. Originally built as a temporary rink for the 2011 Canada Games, Haligonian’s loved the rink so much that they voted to make it permanent. Located in the Halifax Commons, the Oval offers free skate and helmet rentals.

Eagle-watching

January and February are the best months to go eagle-watching in Nova Scotia, and there’s actually an annual event dedicated to it! The Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch takes place every year in the Annapolis Valley and includes eagle exhibits, a pancake breakfast, live music, and, of course, eagle-watching. Head to their site for more details.

Cheer on the Mooseheads

What’s more Canadian than a hockey game? Cheer on the Halifax Mooseheads, the city’s QJMHL team, at the Scotiabank Centre and join local fans in “Moose Country.”

Holiday Show at Neptune Theatre

Neptune Theatre’s annual holiday productions are a Christmas tradition for many locals. In 2017, the Halifax theater is presenting A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life.

In the Dead of Winter Festival

Halifax’s annual songwriter-based music festival is a great place to discover new sounds and celebrate local music. In its 12th year, the festival showcases songwriters from across Canada and the United States. You can find this year’s lineup here.

SaveSave

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.