Lunenburg Nova Scotia

Located around an hour away from Halifax, Lunenburg is a charming coastal town. Its harbor is postcard worthy, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lunenburg has historical significance, and is known for not only the fishing industry, but also for its ship building. The world famous Bluenose was built in Lunenburg, and was once a record winning schooner. Bluenose wrecked at sea in 1946, and it’s replica was constructed in 1963, and still sits in the wharf today.

Seafood

There were many dining options to choose from in town, but I ultimately chose the Grand Banker Bar & Grill. The restaurant was only A few minutes of walking from the wharf, and provided scenic views of the wharf.

For my first course, my fiancé and I shared the crab spinach and artichoke dip. This was a very filling appetizer, that had a lot of freshly made chips. For the main course, we both had a lobster roll. The lobster roll was fresh, and flavorful, but we felt it was a bit overpriced. The quality was fantastic, but many other places in the area serve larger lobster rolls for a few dollars cheaper. The service was average, and the atmosphere was relaxed.

Colorful Buildings

Within Lunenburg are a wide array of colors to enjoy. Starting a bit away from the wharf, you will find St John’s Anglican Church. This church is a dazzling white with black accents, and was built in 1753. If you head down the hill, you will find buildings of all different colors. Turquoise, yellow, green, blue, orange, pink, and red are some of the more common colors in this town. Down by the wharf, you will find some of Lunenburg’s most iconic and colorful buildings.

Lunenburg’s Historic Waterfront

Along Lunenburg’s Historic Waterfront, you can learn more about the history of the town. Enjoy a scenic boat tour, board the bluenose, or enjoy the Fisheries Museum Of The Atlantic; or do all three!

Bluenose

The Bluenose was once an award winning schooner, during its run from 1921-1946. Constructed in Lunenburg, it served as an ambassador to both Canada, and Nova Scotia. During its fabled history, it won many awards, and was the fastest schooner in the world. Towards the end of its life it was a trade ship, and was even said to be stopped by Nazis; who let the ship sail off peacefully, because it was the Bluenose. Unfortunately tragedy struck in 1946 when the Bluenose struck a coral reef and sank to its watery grave.

Fortunately in 1963 the replica Bluenose ii was constructed, and continues the legacy. You can board this ship while it’s docked at the wharf, and if you are lucky you might be in town on days it offers rides through the harbour. We came in early June, the new crew were still being trained, so the ship was not available for tours. However we did get to see the ship sailing on the harbour, and we boarded it while it was docked.

Boat Tour

Taking a boat tour is one of the best ways to experience Lunenburg Historic Waterfront. There are a few companies in town that you can use, we chose Lunenburg Whale Watching Tours. The tour was directed towards whale watching, but unfortunately there were no whales to be spotted. In retrospect, I should have known better to trust the company, because most of their reviews said there were never whales. Oh well, you live and you learn.

Anyways, if you treat this like a scenic tour, it was a good time. We saw a porpoise, and some seals, and enjoyed the scenery past the harbour. The tour took us past two lighthouses, and we saw a third way out in the distance. We were up close to Battery Point Breakwater Lighthouse, and Cross Island Lighthouse. Cross Island Lighthouse was far away and was seemingly vacant, and much of the island seemed to be abandoned. Battery Point Breakwater Lighthouse is small, and protects the edge of the harbour area.

Fisheries Museum Of The Atlantic

The Fisheries Museum Of The Atlantic is located next to the wharf, and is housed in a former icehouse. At this museum you can learn more about the history of fishing, and ship making in Lunenburg and Nova Scotia. Additionally you can learn about the conservation measures that Nova Scotia has made to protect their pristine fisheries for future generations. Education is a major factor in protecting the environment, this museum has interactive exhibits that do just that. A good way to ensure that you are eating sustainable seafood is to check the standards of your seafood on the seafood watch.

An integral part of Lunenburg’s history, is the shipbuilding industry. Although many ships have been built in Lunenburg, the Bluenose is the most famous. Relics from many ships are in this museum, including the original bluenose, and even some of its awards. You can learn more about the efforts to replicate the Bluenose, after the original was lost to the world. Unfortunately many fishermen and boats have been lost at sea and never returned again, and the museum pays tribute with their memorial.

In Addition to the memorial, the museum also educates the public on the importance of wearing proper flotation devices while boating. Nova Scotia is Canada’s Ocean Playground, but the ocean must be treated with respect and safety. These are some of the missions that the museum takes. Overall I had a great time at the museum, it was also very affordable. I spent about 2 hours in the museum, and learned a lot, and had some fun. This is definitely a highlight of Lunenburg and is surely a must see attraction.