Solo Trip To Nova Scotia (Perfect Fall Vibes)
As an October-born gal, I might be biased but fall is my favorite time of year. The colors! The leaves! The crisp air! The fashion! Pumpkin patch! Yummy warm foods! The candles! And let me tell you, if you’re looking for an off-the-beaten path trip, Nova Scotia is a pinterest-worthy autumn destination.
This was one of the most spontaneous trips I’ve ever taken. I was in Playa del Carmen to go skydiving with friends, so I was really close to the Cancun airport. I had been in Mexico for a few months so I was really missing the autumn atmosphere. As it was only September, I knew I’d need to go pretty far north for “proper fall weather.”
I used the google search feature where you can explore flights to anywhere in the world, then filter by price. I found a one-way flight to Halifax, Canada (granted I had a layover in DFW but any excuse to visit the Capital One Lounge is a win and a layover in Philadelphia) for $209.46 so I booked it right away.
At the time, I didn’t know anything about Nova Scotia, but I had multiple creative projects I wanted to work on, so I figured even if I wasn’t enjoying the island, at least I would be productive in a quiet environment.
I used my time wisely on the flight to do some research. I quickly realized that I wouldn’t want to stay in Halifax (the capital and largest city), but instead go to the countryside. I booked a cozy tiny house cabin that was about $100/night with taxes and fees. The cabin is in Tatamagouche, which is 1.5 hours from the Halifax airport.
When my flight landed, I went to the counter and rented a super cute Audi. The National staff was really helpful and didn’t give me any grief over not having a reservation in advance. The rental car was about $80/day with taxes and fees. In total, I spent about $100 on gas because I did a lot of driving. I skipped insurance since my Capital One Venture X has rental car coverage.
Side note, I had Peaches with me so we had to go through the pet screening area. I had all her paperwork printed, she’s microchipped and a super good traveler so this was really easy.
I was truly on cloud 9 the entire drive from Halifax to the cabin. I could not believe how beautiful the scenery was and I fell in love with the farmhouses along the way. When I pulled up to the cabin, I was so happy with my choice of accommodation. The place is called Kabina and I will definitely return some day. I know Clay would absolutely love it. The property has 7 (I think?) tiny houses, each crafted with local lumber. The houses have comfy beds, a kitchen, a bathroom, a patio, bonfire pit, EV chargers and big windows. Plus, they are dog-friendly.
I spent like 5 days here - just relaxing, walking around the area, going into town for fish & chips, and working on my projects. One day I went to Truro (45 minutes away) to do laundry and it was also a nice town.
After my time in the Tatamagouche area, I road-tripped up the northeast part of the island along the “Cabot Trail,” a scenic 185 mile highway. I was really surprised by the coastal landscape. One of my favorite aspects was all of the road-side stands - everything from eggs to blueberries to a mini pumpkin patch. I car camped during this portion of the trip since I was never in one area. If you’re into tent camping, that probably would be more enjoyable but I didn’t have any gear and honestly felt safest in the car cuddled up with Peaches.
After that, I went to south side of the island to see the Mahone Bay area and Peggy’s Cove. The airbnb I stayed at in Mahone Bay was significantly more expensive than the tiny house, almost $250/night with taxes and fees. Since I booked last minute, my options were limited. With more planning, I am sure I could have found something in the $100-$150 range. However, if you are traveling as a pair or couple, than it would probably be perfect. I enjoyed the kitchen amenities, private yard, and comfortable bedroom. View listing here.
I read an article that said Peggy’s Cove had some of the best sunrises on the island, so one morning I woke up at like 5am in order to make it happen. I was so enamored the entire drive, that I kept stopping to take it all in. By the time I got to Peggy’s Cove, it was about 8am so the sun was already up but it was still really pretty and worth it.
I was also planning to do a day-trip to Lunenburg, but the town of Mahone Bay was so charming that I was happy to spend a few days there. I ate at a restaurant called Betty’s three nights in a row… amazing wood-fired pizza. Then after dinner, Peaches and I would walk around the cove. It seemed like a very family-friendly and community-oriented town.
On the day of my flight out of Halifax, I spent some time in the city because I felt like I should at least see if it was worth it. In my opinion, it reminds me a lot of Portland, Oregon. I went to a cool coffee shop but overall the city wasn’t really my cup of tea so I’m glad I didn’t spend more than a few hours there.
All in all, this was one of the most enjoyable and relaxing trips I’ve ever had and I would 10/10 recommend Nova Scotia!
