A Weekend at Peggy's Cove and Chester

Plan my Peggy's Cove weekend · What's on this weekend

Find a place to stay in Chester

Two days on the coast west of Halifax: a lighthouse, a granite headland, a memorial, a Nordic spa and a pub, with the sea at every stop. Day 1 covers the road around the head of St. Margarets Bay to Peggy's Cove. Day 2 settles into Chester, a harbour village with galleries, a playhouse and a pizza kitchen. It suits a first trip down the South Shore, and a cold-weather weekend that is as much about the shoreline as the table.

Start in Tantallon at White Sails Bakery & Deli, a family-run bakery and deli with an ocean view. It makes smoked-meat sandwiches and baked goods, and it can make any menu item gluten free. The take-home list includes cabbage rolls, lasagna and seafood chowder.

Then turn toward the point. Just before Peggy's Cove, past West Dover on the Prospect Road, Polly Cove Hiking Trail heads out across coastal barrens on unmarked, unmaintained trails. The trailhead is easy to miss. The only sign of it is parked cars.

In the village, an accessible viewing deck looks over Peggy's Point Lighthouse and the granite shore around it.

Down the road, the William E. deGarthe Memorial Provincial Park protects a rock carving made in honour of seafarers. It is a small park and a short stop.

Lunch is at the Sou'Wester, a 180-seat restaurant that cooks traditional Maritime and seafood dishes, with a two-level gift shop attached that sells souvenirs, kitchenware, prints and seashore finds.

Afterwards, drive Highway 333 to the Swissair Flight 111 Memorial Site. A 160 m walking trail leads to a monument for the 229 people who died when the flight went down at the mouth of St. Margarets Bay in 1998.

Dinner is back along the bay in Indian Harbour at Watermark Restaurant, part of Oceanstone Resort. The dining room faces St. Margarets Bay, the menu is built on seasonal dishes made with local ingredients, and it takes reservations and walk-ins.

Find a place to stay in Chester

Breakfast is at The Kiwi Cafe on Pleasant Street, which serves breakfast and lunch and bakes fresh through the day.

Walk to Queen Street for Going Coastal, a furniture store and art gallery that stocks only work by Nova Scotia artists and crafters, from fine art and home decor to jewellery. It also takes commissions for custom furniture.

Next, the Chester Playhouse on Pleasant Street stages theatre, music, comedy, movies and community events, from magic shows to encores of the Met Opera in HD. Tickets sell online. See what's on this weekend.

Lunch is at Il Ferramenta on Duke Street, a Roman-style pizza kitchen. The dough is made from scratch and rises for 72 hours, and the toppings run from meat to vegetarian and vegan.

The afternoon belongs to SENSEA Nordic Spa, up Sensea Road outside the village. Its thermal cycle runs hot, cold, rest, repeat, with outdoor saunas and hot baths, and the treatment list includes Swedish massage, facials and an Ayurvedic head treatment. Book the spa ahead through its website.

Finish at the Fo'c'sle Village Pub on Queen Street, directly across from Going Coastal. It is a village pub with a comfort-food kitchen and local drinks, and it runs year-round.

• Stay off the wet, dark rocks at Peggy's Cove. Rogue waves wash over them even on calm, sunny days, and the safe footing is the dry, white rock.
• Peggy's Cove is a working fishing village: park where the signs say, never on private property.
• Day 1 is a drive around the bay and Day 2 stays in Chester, so a car makes both days easy.

Start from this plan, set your dates and swap any stop you like.

Make this my trip