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There are locations that sneak up on you. Locations you won’t anticipate to resonate with till you’re out of the blue standing in the course of them, glass of wine in hand, heat solar in your face, and considering, I might dwell right here (properly possibly in the summertime). For us, that was Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

On the tail finish of our weeklong highway journey by this gorgeous Canadian province (in partnership with Nova Scotia tourism), we landed in Wolfville for 2 nights. We thought it might be a enjoyable strategy to spherical off our journey with a bit wine tasting and rest. As a substitute, Wolfville drew us in with a lot extra.

The mixture of good summer season climate, a way of life that hums with the vitality of a college city but nonetheless feels laid-back, an agricultural area brimming with recent produce and world-class wines, and locals who radiate that uncommon capability to make you are feeling immediately at dwelling – it was all too attractive.

It reminded us a lot of wine area residing again in Australia – the winery views, the relaxed tastings, the meals that celebrates what’s grown close by, and the final ethos {that a} good life is lived in concord with nature, good firm, and good occasions.

In the event you solely have two nights in Wolfville, you’ll get a scrumptious style of all of it: wine, wellness, historical past, meals, and that intangible sense of pleasure that appears to float by its streets and vineyards like a breeze off the Bay of Fundy. Right here’s an itinerary of how we spent our two nights in Wolfville and the way you would possibly plan yours. And because it’s solely an hour from Halifax, you may also simply go to on a day journey!

Be aware: Nova Scotia Good Cheer Path is Canada’s first and solely vineyard, brewery, cidery, distillery and Meadery path. Accumulate stamps by visiting a surprising wine area, making an attempt a craft beer tasting, sampling a cider or taking a distillery tour.

However first: Examine into Planters Ridge Vineyard

We arrived in Wolfville within the late afternoon, driving in from Lunenburg, simply in time to verify into Planters Ridge, our vineyard dwelling for the following two nights. There’s one thing additional particular about staying proper at a winery, particularly in a area that’s rapidly changing into generally known as Nova Scotia’s “wine nation.”

We saved all our exploring for the following day and spent the rest of the afternoon and night having fun with the fruits of this vineyard come inn.

Planters Ridge is housed in a superbly renovated 1864 farmhouse, perched amongst rolling vineyards with extensive valley views. Although we arrived simply on closing time, the employees warmly welcomed us as friends of the inn.

A desk was ready on the patio, the place we might watch the solar spill its golden mild over the vines whereas sipping a flight of their premium wines: an unoaked chardonnay, a Riesling, and a pinot noir.

It was the right first style – actually – of why Wolfville is so beloved. We ordered forward for meals from the kitchen (a lot of gluten free choices) that we might get pleasure from on the patio.

We loved the recent flavors of salmon crostini – so scrumptious with the pineapple salsa on tip -, a grazing board, backyard salad with hen, hen sandwich with a aspect of soup. All of this paired with a calming bottle of their Tidal Bay, Nova Scotia’s signature white mix.

Sitting on that patio felt like stepping right into a scene from dwelling in Australia’s Hunter Valley or Barossa Valley. Relaxed, scrumptious, and downright dreamy.

Our farmhouse room was simply as inviting: trendy and splendid but grounded in its rural setting. Outsized bogs with soaking tubs and walk-in steam showers, customized birch furnishings, heated flooring, and considerate touches like wi-fi cellphone chargers and Netflix-equipped TVs made it laborious to depart. However the star of the present was the view — vineyards stretching throughout the horizon, the type of view you wish to get up to with a espresso in hand.

Professional tip: In the event you’re arriving late, you possibly can at all times save the wine tasting for the following day. As friends, we popped again within the following afternoon for one more complimentary glass (chardonnay for me) earlier than heading into city for dinner. Friends obtain one complimentary wine!

Day One: Wellness, Lobster, and Native Flavors

Our morning started with artisanal breakfast at Planters Ridge — gluten-free granola and bread for me, because of their gracious hospitality — earlier than driving a 30-minute drive north to the Bay of Fundy within the Annapolis Valley.

Cease 1: Morning at Saltair Nordic Spa

Tucked down a brief drive alongside a mud highway above the shoreline is Saltair Nordic Spa & Wellness, a sanctuary that rapidly grew to become one in all my favourite stops of our complete Nova Scotia highway journey.

The setting is sort of otherworldly: infinity-style cold and hot swimming pools overlooking the Bay, panoramic saunas with wall-to-wall home windows framing the tides, fireplace bowls, and strolling paths by 14 acres of coastal woodland.

We began with a guided class referred to as All of the Feels, which wove breathwork, meditation, and mild teaching into the hot-cold-rest cycle of Nordic spa custom. It was the right strategy to settle into the rhythm of the spa.

Over the following three hours, we floated between steaming saunas, icy plunge swimming pools, mud masks, and silent rest rooms the place the one sounds have been birdsong and waves.

When starvation struck, Saltair’s café — run in collaboration with a neighborhood chef — provided recent snacks, espresso, and even a scrumptious gluten-free brownie that paired superbly with the view. Rumor has it they’re including on-site lodging quickly, and if that’s true, I’d return in a heartbeat. I’d return even with out it!

Learn our full overview of Saltair Nordic Spa & Wellness on the Bay of Fundy

Cease 2: Lunch at Corridor’s Harbour Lobster Pound

After such serenity, it was time for one thing quintessentially Nova Scotian: lobster. Simply west of Saltair is the tiny fishing village of Corridor’s Harbour, the place the tides of the Bay of Fundy rise and fall dramatically, leaving fishing boats excessive and dry at low tide earlier than lifting them dozens of toes again up once more.

The tidal actions listed here are the most important on the planet (rise has excessive as 54 toes with motion change averaging 11.6 m) – a truth I’ve recognized since we labored at Kuri Bay pearl farm in Western Australia, dwelling of the second greatest tidal actions on the planet. So being on the Bay of Fundy was a particular expertise for us.

Besides… I clearly can’t learn a tidal chart as we arrived at excessive tide and missed the expertise! I suppose I actually do have to return again now. (You possibly can stroll on the ocean ground twice in a day – so that you do have two probabilities to get it proper)

However we nonetheless loved a hearty lunch on the Lobster Pound and Restaurant, a well-liked spot to get pleasure from some recent native seafood. Craig’s lobster roll was recent and traditional, whereas I attempted a lobster poutine — a decadent twist I didn’t know I wanted.

Confession: lobster has at all times felt a bit overrated to me, however there’s one thing about consuming it in Nova Scotia that feels nearly like a ceremony of passage. In order for you the total “lobster within the tough” expertise, time your go to with low tide for essentially the most dramatic views.

Be aware: The Nova Scotia Lobster Path highlights eating places, retail and fisheries which have a few of the freshest lobster dishes and lobster-related experiences in Nova Scotia.  

Cease 3: Afternoon espresso and gardens

On the way in which again to Wolfville, we stopped at Simply Us! Espresso Roasters, Canada’s first truthful commerce natural espresso roaster. Their Grand-Pré café served up a superb flat white — proof that Australia has skilled my espresso palate for all times.

Subsequent, we wandered the quirky grounds of Tangled Backyard, a labyrinth of overgrown herbs, sculptures, and flowers. It felt a bit wild and unkempt, however that was a part of its attraction.

The proprietor transforms her harvest into jewel-like jellies, vinegars, and even liqueurs, and the entire place smelled like a therapeutic apothecary. In the event you’re brief on time, you may skip it, however backyard lovers will get pleasure from its eccentricity.

Cease 4: Wine and cider tastings

Again in Wolfville, it was time to dive deeper into what the area does greatest: wine and cider.

• Domaine de Grand Pré Vineyard – The oldest farm vineyard in Atlantic Canada, run by the Swiss-born Stutz household because the Nineteen Nineties. Their wine flights showcased the range of Nova Scotia varietals, from crisp whites to daring reds, all in a convivial environment. Their on-site restaurant, Le Caveau, is world-renowned for effective eating if you wish to splurge on dinner.

• Annapolis Cider Firm – Whereas we’re not normally cider drinkers, we couldn’t resist stopping by after studying they’d simply gained Canadian Cidermaker of the 12 months. Their tasting flight included a Geneva crab rosé, a conventional Gravenstein, and a hopped pear — mild, fruity, and surprisingly complicated. We sat on their outside patio watching downtown Wolfville hum with life. I appreciated the friendliness and cider ardour of the servers who shared the cider firms’ tales and ciders with us.

By this level, Wolfville had totally labored its attraction on us. The small city buzzed however by no means rushed, and each dialog we struck up with locals appeared to finish in laughter.

Cease 5: Dinner in Wolfville

Downtown Wolfville is a energetic place to be of a night so value consuming at one in all their many eating places.

A neighborhood favourite is Church Brewing Firm, set inside a restored stone Presbyterian church, which took me again to residing in London and visiting a number of pubs in church buildings. The hovering structure, landscaped outside patio, and elevated pub meals made it a spotlight of the journey.

My maple soy-glazed salmon dragon bowl was each hearty and refined, whereas Craig declared his brisket sandwich among the best he’d eaten in Nova Scotia. Bonus: they usually host dwell music, making it a vibrant night spot should you can time it.

In the event you’re after one thing extra intimate, locals raved about Juniper Meals & Wine., a comfortable, farm-to-table restaurant with a pared-down however beautiful menu. A tip given to us by the homeowners of Nature Folks Nordic Spa in Halifax – extra on that later.

And should you’re not fairly able to name it an evening, head to The Library Pub, a comfortable tavern the place cabinets of ale exchange cabinets of books. We popped upstairs for dwell music — they host bands on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays — and it felt just like the type of place the place conversations with strangers simply flip into friendships.

Day Two: Farmers’ Market and a Farewell Feast

Cease 1: Breakfast at Wolfville Farmers’ Market

On our remaining morning, we headed to the Wolfville Farmers’ Market — and wow, what a neighborhood hub. Each Wednesday and Saturday morning from Waterfront Park, greater than 50 distributors collect right here with recent produce, meats, breads, cheeses, crafts, and ready-to-eat meals.

There was dwell music and even a dance class throughout our go to, giving the entire house a joyful, communal vibe. In the event you’re the kind who likes to style your manner by native specialties, don’t miss this market. You might spend hours sampling jams, chatting with farmers, and filling a basket with picnic provides.

Cease 2: Downtown Stroll and Espresso

Earlier than leaving city, we wandered Wolfville’s boutique outlets. Market Basic Retailers provided artisan items, whereas Wild Lily was a classy clothes boutique value a browse. Take note of the road artwork as you wander the primary streets of Wolfville and you might come throughout some lovely plant coated buildings like this one …

For one final espresso repair, we popped into TAN Espresso, a neighborhood roaster dedicated to truthful commerce and sustainability. Their flat white was spot-on.

Cease 3: Lunch at Luckett Vineyards

We had saved among the best wineries for final: Luckett Vineyards. Perched on a hill overlooking the Gaspereau Valley, it’s some of the picturesque spots within the area.

A crimson phone field sits in the course of the winery — sure, the traditional British sales space — and you’ll even name wherever in North America without cost from it. Naturally, it’s develop into some of the Instagrammed spots in Nova Scotia.

We sat on the coated patio for lunch, and it was one in all our favourite meals of the journey. My taco al pastor with braised lamb, pineapple, and roasted poblano was excellent, paired with a crisp chardonnay. Craig went for a shrimp and lobster roll, which he declared his journey favourite.

The wines have been excellent, and we realized we’d really loved one in all their reds earlier within the week with out figuring out it. Even higher, we had lunch with very long time journey running a blog buddies, Dalene and Pete Heck (who helped manage this journey) and we lastly received to satisfy in actual life and study much more about why this area of Canada is so particular they selected to dwell right here!

It was the right be aware to finish on — bellies and hearts full, overlooking a valley that felt each rooted in historical past and brimming with risk.

Further Recommendations

By 2:30 pm, it was time for us to go to the airport. However should you’re something like us, you’ll already be plotting your return. We have been meant to go to lunch at Lightfoot & Wolfville, as advisable by Dalene and Pete, but it surely was closed for a personal occasion. So, if you’re searching for one other vineyard to go to, this one’s additionally liked by locals!

You probably have extra time in Wolfville, listed here are a number of extras value contemplating:

• Wine Excursions: From the Magic Vineyard Bus (a hop-on-hop-off expertise by a number of vineyards) to chauffeured classic automotive excursions, there are various methods to discover with out worrying about driving. We met folks on the wineries on this tour having a good time.
• Grand-Pré Nationwide Historic Website: A shifting monument to Acadian historical past, telling the story of the 18th-century Deportation and celebrating the tradition that endures in the present day. Go to this website to see totally different sights throughout the Panorama of Grand Pre UNESCO website.
• Extra Wineries: Lightfoot & Wolfville, Gaspereau Vineyards, and Blomidon Property Vineyard are all inside minutes of city.
• Devour! The Meals Movie Fest: In case your go to coincides with this worldwide occasion, don’t miss it. It’s the biggest pageant of its variety on the planet, celebrating meals and movie aspect by aspect.
• Actual Scoop Ice Cream – In hotter months, the Actual Scoop is alleged to be the place to go to get award-winning scratch made ice cream
• Deep Roots Music Pageant – Going down on the finish of September, this pageant is the biggest annual celebration of tradition and heritage in Wolfville. It’s run by the City of Wolfville and Acadia College and is a charity occasion that includes dwell music and community-focused occasions.
• Blomidon Look Off – A viewpoint in North Mountain with sweeping views of forests, Wolfville, and the Bay of Fundy within the distance.

Remaining ideas

Wolfville is wealthy in historical past. Simply exterior city lies Grand-Pré Nationwide Historic Website, a UNESCO World Heritage Website marking the Deportation of the Acadians within the 1700s, a tragic chapter that formed the tradition of this area.

As we speak, Wolfville feels just like the epicenter of renewal, a spot the place vineyards flourish, creativity thrives, and foods and drinks festivals draw guests from world wide.

I’ll be sincere: earlier than this journey, Nova Scotia wasn’t on the prime of my journey listing. I’d heard it was fairly, however I didn’t anticipate to fall so laborious. Wolfville, particularly, left us smitten. It was the right finale to our highway journey for its mix of wine, wellness, meals, historical past, and people intangible vibes that make you wish to linger.

From sipping Tidal Bay because the solar set over the vines, to plunging into icy spa swimming pools overlooking the Bay of Fundy, to chatting with buddies in a sure wine model paying homage to dwelling, Wolfville provided us a style of life well-lived. And isn’t that what we’re all trying to find once we journey?

In the event you’re planning a Nova Scotia journey, make sure that Wolfville is in your listing. Keep two nights should you can — extra if attainable. As a result of when you arrive, you might discover, like we did, that two nights simply isn’t sufficient.

Learn extra from our Nova Scotia Street Journey