Planning A Trip To
The Annapolis Valley

So you have looked at your options and have decided on planning a trip to the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.

Hurray, I just know you will have a good time! There is just so much to see and do here. There are adventures for large groups, families or a single couple. Not everyone likes the same things, but here in the Annapolis Valley we have such a variety there is sure to be something here for everyone.

I want you to make the most of your time while you are here, so let's make a few plans ahead of time. A little planning now will save you more time while you are here to do even more.

This page is designed to help you out with planning a trip for yourself.

Let's start out with these few questions to answer:

• When are you coming?
• What do you need to bring?
• How are you traveling?
• How long are you going to be here?
• How many people in your group? Bringing Kids? Pets?
• Where would you like to stay?
• What Type of Accommodation Do You Want?

Most of these questions will be easy to answer. But for others you may like a little additional information before you make up your mind. I will try to provide you with some of this information here. It is all good questions to consider when planning a trip anywhere.

When Are You Coming?

What is the best time to come to the Annapolis Valley? Now there is a good question. There are great things going on all the time here. I guess it depends on which things interest you the most.

Spring

Spring is always a great time here, everything is so fresh and new looking. Our spring weather is not bad at all. Temperature wise the days are warm enough to go with a light jacket. We will get some wind and a few showers, but this brings on the May Flowers. In spring the whole valley is in-bloom with the very fragrant apple blossoms and the whole valley has events planned for the annual Apple Blossom Festival.

Summer

Summertime always seems to be the busiest time for tourist here in the valley. The days are warm, great for spending a day at the beach, and our evenings are just right for sitting out star gazing. Everything is open and the valley is busy with many great festivals and other events going on. Most people pick the summer to visit us, but we always have plenty of room for more.

Autumn or Fall

Fall is also great here in the valley. The exhibitions are still going on and the fall harvest festivals are in full force. Most of our accommodations in Annapolis Valley stay open during the fall. This time of year is great for pictures as our valley is ablaze with the brilliant fall colours. Our fall weather is still very comfortable, our days are still quite warm and most evenings you only need a light jacket or sweater.

Winter

Winter in the valley is not too bad weather-wise. We have snow storms, but we also have a lot of very nice days. We usually get enough snow to keep the skiers and snowmobiles happy. The many trails are just gorgeous after a nice snowfall. There are some tourist businesses open all year. During January & February the popular Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch is going on.

So almost any time is a good time to visit us. Your best bet is to check out what we have going on here and then choose which ones you want to be here for. You can check out a list of our seasonal events on my Annapolis Events Page.

What Do You Need To Bring?

While planning a trip what you need to bring will depend on several different things also. First of all what type of clothing do you need to bring?

Nova Scotia has several variables that affect our weather, the most effective one being the ocean temperatures and currants. It is impossible to say for sure what the weather will be like, but I can provide you with some statistics and weather trends for our area to help with planning a trip.

To read about our climate and weather you can check out my Nova Scotia Weather Page here.

However clothes is not the only consideration when planning a trip.

Nova Scotia, as a province of Canada uses Canadian Dollars so you should see about having some Canadian currency with you. Plan on enough to carry you over for your whole vacation, but if you do run low we have many various banks around the valley which will exchange your money.

The Nova Scotia Government has made a commitment to offer the whole province the opportunity to have high speed internet access. We are almost there with only some of the more remote areas without it now. Most of our accommodations do offer wireless internet or WiFi internet so you may want to bring along your laptops.

You will probably want to bring along comfortable walking or hiking shoes and try out some of our many great Walking & Hiking Trails.

Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley are changing to include many more interactive and adventure type vacations. A few of the adventures we offer include whale watching;

Wild Geese Have Made The Annapolis Royal Basin Trail Home.

geocaching; mountain biking; and canoeing and kayaking. This is just a small list, there is so much more starting up every year. Things like making your own souvenirs, try farming the old fashion way, join in on a fishing boat for a day.

You will need to decide on what type of activities interest you and pack accordingly when planning a trip. Remember you will not have to bring everything, we will provide you with some of the items you will need.

How Are You Traveling?

This is always a good decision to make early when planning a trip. There are several ways to enter Nova Scotia, depending on what direction you are coming from and how you are traveling.

We have a fine Trans Canada Highway entering the Province from New Brunswick and running throughout our Province.

You may also enter the Province by way of one of the many ferries. There are two that travel between the eastern States and Yarmouth and one that comes across the Bay of Fundy between Saint John, NB and Digby, NS.

You can also fly in to Halifax International Airport.

Make sure you check out my page on ways to travel here.

How Long Are You Going To Be Here?

Before you can make reservations in one of the accommodations in Annapolis Valley area you need to know how long you will be here. Of course this will largely depend on how long your vacation is. But it will also depend on how much you want to do while here.

I suggest you take some time looking over all that

Mackerel Fishing at the Annapolis Causeway

is offered here to do and see and make a list of the ones that interest you. This will also give you an idea while planning a trip, of which area you should look for your accommodations.

Check out the list of Museums here or a list of Historical Sites here and a list of Annapolis Valley Attractions here.

How Many People In Your Group? Bringing Kids? Pets?

How big your group is, if you have children with you or your family pet will influence what type of accommodations you will need for your vacation. We do offer many types of accommodations here in the valley, but it is a good idea to plan ahead.

If you are bringing the family pet you may want to check out the Pet Friendly Accommodations we offer.

It may also have an influence on what types of adventures you will be participating in. Many that we offer here are family oriented, but some may not welcome the family pet along. Some work better for a larger group of people while others are best for only a few at a time. These are all things to consider when planning a trip.

If the group is larger it is always wise to get together before you leave to decide on the activities everyone enjoys or doesn't enjoy. It would not be wise to plan a whale watching trip only to get here and find out some of the group are afraid of boats. The main difference between a good and bad vacation is the planning that went into it.

Where Would You Like To Stay?

By this point you should have an idea about when and for how long you will be visiting the Annapolis Valley. Now comes the decision of where in the valley should you stay.

This is not the big decision you may think because no matter what accommodations in Annapolis Valley you stay at, you are not far from everything here. From the most easterly point of the Annapolis Valley to the Western Lighthouse on Brier Island it is only a couple hours drive at most. Plus you are always only a short distance from the Bay of Fundy no matter where in the valley you are.

But here is where you would check out the list you made up of the things you want to do and then see which area is central to most of them.

What Type of Accommodation Do You Want?

Here in the Annapolis Valley and over at the Bay of Fundy shore we offer a wide variety of accommodations for your comfort and convenience. We have some of the most charming old houses that have been lovingly converted to Bed & Breakfast and Country Inns.

If you are looking for more privacy we have a big selection of Motels; Cabins and Vacation Homes to choose from.

For a little more adventure included with your accommodations we also have a good selection of Resorts.

Our many Campgrounds & RV Parks are great for families as most of them have family activities planned all through the season.

And for the backpackers we offer a few fine Hostels in the area.

As mentioned above there may be some factors regarding which ones are best suited for you. But by planning a trip early you have a good chance of finding the right accommodation for your needs.

I hope this page has helped you while planning a trip to the Annapolis Valley. You will probably have other considerations to think about depending on your situation, but this is a good general list for planning a successful vacation.

We want to assist you the best we can as we would like to see you enjoy yourself you will come back. Or tell others about your great vacation so they will come with you next time.