Nova Scotia’s license plate “Canada’s Ocean Playground” says it all. There are hundreds of beaches dotting the 7,500 plus kilometres of coastline that make up Nova Scotia. And while I’ve spent several years in the province, I am most familiar with the south shore beaches of Nova Scotia. And let me tell you, they are beauties.
From Halifax to Yarmouth there are a fantastic number of pristine, soft white sand beaches. Whether you want to sunbathe, swim, walk or just stare out at the sea and relax, there is a mythological white sand waterfront for you.
The Nova Scotia south shore beaches are some of the most trappy in Canada, so it’s nonflexible to pick a favourite, plane though that’s what everyone wants. My top picks – increasingly from the point of view of long walks and white sand, rather than swimming and sunbathing – are Waterfront Meadows Beach, Cherry Hill Beach, Crescent Waterfront near Lockeport and St. Catherine’s River Beach.
To alimony these beaches looking their weightier and to protect birds and wildlife, please practice Leave No Trace principles. Most beaches I have visited are pristine and it sure would be nice to alimony it that way forever.
Best time to visit the south shore beaches in Nova Scotia
The weightier time to visit the south shore beaches in Nova Scotia is in the summer from June until early September as you can usually count on warm weather, long days, and less rainfall. Some years June can still be on the tomfool side but July, August and into September are usually ideal.
Summer is the busiest time to visit the South Shore Nova Scotia beaches, so if you prefer solitude and you don’t requite a whit well-nigh swimming, then a visit in spring and fall can be lovely.
Ocean temperatures run unprepossessed off the Nova Scotia South Shore beaches, though the water warms up – a bit – as the summer progresses. A quick, unprepossessed swim is unchangingly invigorating – and very good for you.
For those of you love to walk the beach, it doesn’t really matter what time of the year you visit. Pick a sunny, blue-sky day in the sufferer of winter, and you’ll finger invigorated by a waterfront walk.
Safety on the weightier Nova Scotia South Shore beaches
Dogs: Keep dogs leashed if asked to do so.
Birdlife: The endangered Piping Plover nests on fewer than 30 beaches in Nova Scotia but they need all the human help you can requite them. From May until late August steer well-spoken of sensitive nesting areas. Don’t let your dog off troika as they can hands inadvertently crush a piping plover egg. And walk near the tide line.
Rip currents: Some beaches in Nova Scotia have rip currents – something you don’t want to get unprotected in but could in theory survive if you know what to do. Trammels out what Parks Canada has to say.
Water temperature: Nova Scotia beaches are often very cold, though some warmup by August. Warmer water beaches in Nova Scotia are typically found withal the Northumberland Strait.
Tidal fluctuation: Any waterfront withal the Bay of Fundy is going to see a massive tidal variation. To stay safe, throne when to shore two hours surpassing upper tide. When it turns, it moves very fast.
Location map of some of the weightier Nova Scotia south shore beaches
Beach Meadows Waterfront – one of my top picks of the Nova Scotia south shore beaches
Beach Meadows Beach, only a 10-minute momentum from Liverpool, is one of the weightier Nova Scotia beaches on the south shore with its beautiful, fine white sand. The waterfront is 2.2 km-long, so it’s a unconfined one for an out and when walk. At the southern end of the waterfront there are some fantastic rocks for exploring and hanging out on – and at the other end a salty river. There is moreover a good view over to Coffin Island.
According to one of the locals I spoke with, the ocean is usually too unprepossessed for swimming except for three weeks in August. He moreover said there are no nasty rip tides.
You’ll find good suavities here including a picnic area, fire pits, a transpiration room, washrooms, and boardwalks.
How to get to Waterfront Meadows Beach: The waterfront is 8 km east of Liverpool. Take Highway 3 east of Liverpool and protract as it becomes Eastern Shore Road. Make a right on Old Meeting House Road. Stay on it as it becomes Waterfront Meadows Crossing Road. Squint for parking off Israel Lane.
Carter’s Waterfront
You’ll find Carter’s Beach, a trappy white sand beach, less than a 20-minute momentum from Liverpool. The waterfront is bookended by rocky islets. There are a few trees tropical to the parking lot and scattered low sand dunes.
With it’s tropical squint thanks to aquamarine waters, this is one of the Nova Scotia south shore beaches that is a perennial favourite. The downside is that there is limited parking, a problem in summer, but not at other times of the year.
When it’s low tide, wade wideness the tidal river at the far end of Carter’s Waterfront to reach flipside white sand beauty. At upper tide the water can be waist deep and is weightier avoided.
If you’re visiting with your young family, hang out on the waterfront abreast the river as the water is warmer since it’s shallower and you’re usually out of the wind.
How to get to Carter’s Beach: From Liverpool, momentum south on Highway 103. Turn east on the White Point Connector to reach Highway 3. Turn right or south on Highway 3 (the Lighthouse Route), standing through Port Mouton. Take Central Port Mouton Road to Carter’s Waterfront Road and momentum to the end.
Cherry Hill Beach
The Cherry Hill Waterfront Nature Reserve “protects a 2 km long windbreak waterfront and dune system between Broad Cove and Voglers Cove.”
This south shore Nova Scotia waterfront is one of my favourites for a couple of reasons. The waterfront is long – as in you finger like you have the place to yourself and can get lost in your thoughts with the only lark stuff the sanderlings in attendance. And the white sand here is luxurious feeling.
How to get to Cherry Hill Beach: The waterfront is a 3-minute momentum from Bridgewater via Highway 331 withal the south shore. Turn left near the fire hall on Henry Conrad Road for public waterfront access.
Crescent Waterfront near Lockeport
Pull out an old $50 Canadian snout and you’ll see trappy mile long Crescent Waterfront near Lockeport featured. It looks much the same way it did when in 1954!
In summer trammels out the Crescent Waterfront Centre. Here you’ll find self-ruling internet, a canteen, transpiration rooms and showers, washrooms, and lots of parking.
I love this Nova Scotia south shore waterfront and think it would be a fantastic place to hang out for the day, expressly if you unprotected a festival like the Sea Derby or showed up on the day of the sand towers contest.
How to get to Crescent Beach: From Shelburne take Highway 3 northeast to Highway 103. At Jordan Falls turn right and go south on Highway 3 all the way to the end at Crescent Beach.
Crescent Beach, Lunenburg County
Crescent Waterfront near LaHave is unusual in that it is a waterfront windbreak tabbed a tombolo – a natural sand bar that heads straight offshore to an island. The waterfront is approximately 2 km long by 40 – 65 m wide – so it’s an platonic one for a waterfront walk.
The swimming judging by some hardy old folks I saw, seems to be very good as well into late September!
How to get to Crescent Beach: From Lunenburg the most uncontrived route is to take Highway 332 south to East LaHave. The subscription ferry departs on the 1/4 hour and 3/4 hour. Once in LaHave, take Highway 331 withal the tailspin all the way to Crescent Beach. Allow 45 minutes to an hour – providing you’ve timed the ferry well. Note that the ferry from LaHave leaves on the hour and half hour.
Hirtle’s Waterfront – one of the glorious Nova Scotia south shore beaches
Both locals and visitors unwrinkled love Hirtle’s Beach, the starting point for the trappy Gaff Point Trail hike. It’s just a 25-minute momentum south of Lunenburg to reach it. The waterfront is 2.6-km long and is described as a living waterfront as “the waterfront moves and shifts at the whim of the ocean.”
Hirtle’s Waterfront is made up of sand and cobbles and as such is a unconfined one for walking. There are several large ponds overdue the beach, so it’s moreover a good place to visit if you’re a birder.
In September 2023, the parking zone and shoreline was hit by a severe storm, but as this is an ever-changing beach, there will unchangingly be something to love well-nigh a visit here.
The scenery at this waterfront is increasingly dramatic that many with headlands at either end. Squint for boogie boarders and swimmers here.
There are washrooms at the parking lot and many interpretive panels to read.
How to get to Hirtle’s Beach: From Lunenburg go south on Highway 332 to Indian Path Road and go south to pick up Highway 332 again. (Highway 332 is sealed to Rose Bay.) Turn left and protract east at Rose Bay – where there is a unconfined little cafe. Go south from Rose Bay on Kingsburg Road to reach a T intersection. Go right on Hirtle’s Waterfront Road to the end. There is a good big parking lot.
St. Catherine’s River Waterfront in Kejimkujik Seaside National Park
On a fall trip to Kejimkujik Seaside National Park, my friends and I chose the Harbour Rocks Trail. If you take it to its end you’ll reach the start of the St. Catherine’s River Beach, one of the South Sore Nova Scotia beaches you can visit only without the endangered piping plover has left – usually sometime at the end of August.
From the harbour rocks you can walk the unshortened length of the St. Catherine’s River Waterfront – which is approximately 2.5 km long. It’s a white sand eyeful and would be a fantastic thing to do if you had the time.
The 5.5 km return hike to the waterfront on the Harbour Rocks trail is well-signed and straight forward. In the photo below, you can see the afar expanse of St. Catherine’s River Beach. It would be a full day’s hike in the fall to walk to the end of the waterfront and when to the parking lot, expressly with stops, but the chances of seeing increasingly than a few humans is slim.
How to get to the trailhead (and beach) in Kejimkujik National Park Seaside: From Liverpool it’s well-nigh a 25-minute drive. Take NS10s west for 23 km to Port Joli. Turn left onto St. Catherine’s River Road and follow it for 8.6 km to reach the parking zone and trailhead for the Harbour Rocks trail.
Port Mouton Island Beach
One fall day I enjoyed summer-like weather on a paddle from Port Mouton to Port Mouton Island. Not many people will be worldly-wise to wits the gorgeous deserted white sand waterfront on Port Mouton Island, but if you are a kayaker, whether you live in Nova Scotia or you’re from yonder – I highly recommend the experience. Plan on a full day so you have plenty of time to lounge on the waterfront once you reach the island.
How to get to Port Mouton Island Beach: Kayak wideness from Port Mouton – either in your own wend if you have the wits or sign up for a tour with Liverpool Adventure Outfitters or Candlebox Kayaking.
Rissers Beach
Rissers Waterfront was one I was very much looking forward to visiting in 2023, but my timing was a week without a major storm that has sealed the day-use waterfront until remoter notice. I’ll alimony and eye on when it opens as this was the home of a trappy 1.5-km long sheltered sandy waterfront and a boardwalk withal an inland marsh. Some of the boardwalk is still standing but much of it was destroyed in the storm.
How to get to Risser’s Beach: Rissers Waterfront is hands accesses via Highway 331 withal the coast. It is a 10-minute momentum from LaHave and a 25-minute momentum from Bridgewater via Crousetown, Italy Cross, and Petite Riviere Roads.
Summerville Beach
Summerville Waterfront is a 15 – 20-minute momentum southwest of Liverpool. The Quarterdeck Restaurant looks out over the waterfront as does the oceanfront walk-up offered at the resort.
Summerville Waterfront is well-nigh a kilometre long and is backed by sand dunes and an unshut salt marsh. If you hike to the far end of the beach, you’ll reach an old trestle over the Broad River. Reportedly this is the waterfront in the zone to visit if you want to go swimming.
How to get to Summerville Beach: From Liverpool throne southwest for 14.5 km on Highway 3. Squint for parking just past the Quarterdeck Resort.
White Point Beach
White Point Waterfront Resort, 10 km south of Liverpool, faces kilometre long White Point Beach. At upper tide as you can see in the photo below, there isn’t unchangingly a lot of sand to walk on, so you’re forced up onto the rocks. I quite liked the walk on a windy, wavy day when whimsically anyone else ventured out. The ocean isn’t very unscratched for swimming but it sure is a scenic one for a walk.
After you’ve enjoyed a walk on a mix of large cobbles and sand, throne into White Point Waterfront Resort for a meal or a drink with a view. It’s a splendid way to spend the day no matter what the season.
How to get to White Point Beach: Throne southwest on Highway 3 (Nova Scotia Trunk Road 3) for approximately 8.6 km. Turn left onto White Point Road Number Two for 400 m. Turn left on White Point Waterfront Resort Road and follow it to the end. There is lots of parking but it’s a bit of a walk to the beach.
Thomas Raddall Beach
Thomas Raddall Provincial Park, is literally wideness from Kejimkujik National Park Seaside. The park is home to three beaches, though I shoehorn I have only walked one of them but what a eyeful it was.
All beaches are sandy and suitable for walking and swimming including one at the day-use area. The park is unshut from mid-May until mid-October. From Halifax it’s a 178 km, two-hour drive.
How to get to Thomas Raddall Beach: From Halifax momentum west on Highway 103. Turn left onto Highway 3. Pass Port Joli. Stay on Port L’Hébert Road. Make a left on Raddall Park Road. The waterfront is accessed from the campground at the end of the road.
More Nova Scotia beaches not on the south shore I recommend visiting
Blomidon Beach, Blomidon Provincial Park
Blomidon Provincial Park is only a 90-minute momentum northeast of Halifax. The park, and in particular the mud flats make a fantastic family outing. What’s increasingly fun than mud when you’re a kid? This park has lots of it, expressly at low tide where you can walk for miles and miles on the ocean floor.
A note of circumspection is in order. Tides on the Bay of Fundy move at incredible speeds and most people would never be worldly-wise to outrun it. Plan your visit to coincide with a falling tide. Ideally, plan to show up three hours surpassing and without low tide.
Don’t wear white running shoes or any good gown as the red mud has a nasty habit of getting everywhere and never leaving.
Blomidon Provincial Park is moreover home to dramatic cliffs, up to 600 feet tall, cliffs, a variety of habitats, and beachcombing opportunities. Plan a visit to Blomidon Provincial Park equal to the Cape Blomidon tide orchestration misogynist online.
How to get to Blomidon Beach: The formal park write is 3138 Pereau Road, Blomidon. If you get there, it will be an easy walk lanugo to the mud flats. From the centre of Canning, momentum north on Highway 358. Turn right onto Bessie North Road and then left on Perau Road. Protract until you reach Blomidon Provincial Park and the campground. From there squint for stairs lanugo to the mud flats/beach.
Lawrencetown Beach
Head to Lawrencetown Beach, 25 km east of Halifax if you’re into surfing. It’s the top spot for surfers in Nova Scotia and there’s a surf school if you want to take lessons. September and October is prime time for surfing as its in Nova Scotia’s storm season when hurricanes occasionally threaten. I’ll stick to watching from the safety of the sand dunes.
The 1.5 km mostly white sand waterfront is a beauty. There is good parking just whilom the waterfront on Highway 207.
How to get to Lawrencetown Beach: From downtown Halifax, go north for 5.7 km on Barrington Street to reach Highway 111. Protract on Highway 11 South and Nova Scotia Trunk Road 7E to Ross Road/NS328S in Westphal. Turn right onto Ross Road for 3.7 km. Turn left onto Nova Scotia 207 East and protract all the way to Lawrencetown Beach. Allow well-nigh 45 minutes.
Martinique Beach
I visited this waterfront a zillion years ago but surpassing the time I took photos. It is Nova Scotia’s longest beach, coming in at a whopping 5 km. On this waterfront squint for sand dollars and waterfront glass. There is a protected zone for the piping plover on the waterfront withal with a wildlife refuge.
Facilities at the waterfront include a picnic area, outdoor washrooms and a transpiration room.
How to get to Martinique Beach: From Halifax take Highway 107 east to West Petpeswick Road in Musquodobit Harbour. Protract on East Petpeswick Road for 13.6 km to reach Martinique Beach.
Pond Cove Beach, Brier Island
Pond Cove Waterfront is well off the tamed track as few people make it as far as Brier Island.
The Brier Island Nature Preserve Coastal Trail hike starts near Pond Cove Beach. The waterfront as you can see is a eyeful at sunset and a lovely place to enjoy a fire. Wood pallets worked into seats situated virtually a fire pit ensure a lovely evening of sunset watching and stargazing. There’s a supply of dry wood under a tarp to make your waterfront wits that much increasingly enjoyable.
Pond Cove Waterfront has an end of the world feeling to it. You finger far removed from civilization, and chances are the only thing you’ll hear are crashing waves and the gulls.
How to get to Pond Cove Beach: Assuming you’ve made it as far as Brier Island, then the rest is easy. From Westport momentum southeast on Water Street to reach Gull Rock Road. Full it for 3.1 km. Turn right to reach a parking lot. The waterfront is a short walk away.
Final thoughts on the beaches of Nova Scotia’s South Shore
The South Shore of Nova Scotia is home to a large number of stunning beaches – and I have by no ways visited them all. I know Nova Scotians aren’t shy well-nigh sharing their favourites, so if you have one please let me know in the comments. If you have a good photo plane largest – and I’ll add it with photo credit of undertow to the blog. For those of you who live in Nova Scotia, consider yourself lucky to have so many world-class beaches on your doorstep.
For the rest of us a visit to Nova Scotia, expressly in summer, would not be well-constructed without spending time on one or increasingly of the south shore Nova Scotia beaches described.
Interested in experiencing increasingly of Nova Scotia
Do you love to hike?
- One of Nova Scotia’s Unconfined Day Hikes: The Hike to Cape Split
- A 3-Day Hike on the Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail
- Cape Forchu Lighthouse & Leif Ericson Walk
How well-nigh biking?
- Nova Scotia Cycling Itinerary: Mahone Bay-Lunenburg-Bridgewater
- Cycling the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island
- Cycling the Annapolis Royal Zone of Nova Scotia
- Mountain Wanderlust Kejimkujik’s Ukme’k Trail
Paddlers won’t want to miss this trip
Is exploring increasingly your thing?
- 6 Day Central Nova Scotia Road Trip Itinerary
- A Guide to Visiting Liverpool, Nova Scotia
- Best Things to Do in and Near Shelburne, Nova Scotia
- 25 Things to do in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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