Lunenburg, CA

Lunenburg's most-talked-about modern restaurant, with seasonal Nova Scotia sourcing, a creative cocktail bar, and the polished room that punches well above the town's size.

A long-running deli-and-restaurant on the waterfront with wood-fired pizza, lobster rolls, and the most-loved casual dinner in Old Town. Family-friendly, reliable.

A working-fish-plant-converted restaurant on the waterfront with seafood-centric mains, harbour views, and the kind of bay-window dining that earns the tourist trade. Real, not kitschy.

A chef-owned modern dinner room on Lincoln Street with a menu that changes with the local farmers' market, shareable plates, and a casual-fine vibe that earned the town's #1 restaurant ranking.

An outdoor oyster bar and seafood patio in the heart of the waterfront, with Atlantic oysters by the dozen and seafood towers that draw the dinner crowd. The seafood-celebration room.

A casual pub-and-grill on the waterfront with a long taps list, the Lunenburger (beef patty with bacon-wrapped scallop and lobster), and the patio that catches afternoon sun. The default casual dinner-and-drinks on the harbour.

A 1798 heritage building turned pub with a long taps list, traditional pub fare, and live music on weekends. The most-loved pub in Old Town.

A waterfront breakfast-and-lunch cafe on Montague with harbour views, fish cakes, smoked salmon, and the town's go-to morning room. The Lunenburg breakfast anchor.

An Indian dinner room blending tandoori, traditional curries, and fresh-baked naan with Nova Scotia ingredients. The town's most credible non-seafood dinner and the rare South Asian option on the South Shore.

A micro-batch roaster on Lincoln Street pouring its own fair-trade organic coffees alongside baked goods and light fare. The local coffee bar that supplies most of the town's other cafes.

A 5 km loop trail along the Back Harbour, the inland-facing harbour of Lunenburg, with views back to Old Town and quiet residential streets. The locals' walking loop.

A 30 km rail-trail from Lunenburg to LaHave, with the first 10 km running through quiet rural farmland west of town. Flat, family-friendly, good for biking.

An 8 km coastal loop from Hirtle's Beach around Gaff Point with cliffs, dramatic Atlantic shore views, and the kind of wild-Atlantic scenery that earns its reputation.

A privately-owned coastal park 10 km southwest of Lunenburg with sea caves, gold-rush history, and a 4 km coastal cliff-edge trail. The other wild-coast destination.

A flat 5 km loop through the fishing village of Blue Rocks and the surrounding harbour shoreline. The accessible coastal walk that captures the working-Maritimes character.

A flagship maritime museum on the Lunenburg waterfront in the original 1924 Adams & Knickle fishery building, with three floors of Atlantic fishing history, an aquarium, and three heritage ships docked alongside.

The 1963 replica of the legendary Lunenburg fishing schooner, on the back of the Canadian dime. In port at Lunenburg most of the summer with sailing days and dockside tours.

A craft distillery in a heritage 1893 marine blacksmith shop, making vodka, gin, brandy, and apple-and-blueberry liqueurs from Nova Scotia produce. Tours and tastings in the original ironworks.

Lunenburg's professional theatre in a heritage building on Pelham Street, with a summer season of drama, comedy, and the family-friendly programming. The town's serious theatre.

The town's restored 1895 Victorian school building on a hilltop, now operating as a cultural centre with rotating gallery shows, concerts, and tours of the heritage building.

A working heritage schooner offering sailing trips from the Lunenburg waterfront, with the kind of authentic Maritime sailing experience that's the town's signature offering.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 — North America's best-preserved example of a planned British colonial settlement, with the brightly-painted wooden houses laid out on the original 1753 grid. The reason the town has its name in the world.

The active fishing-and-tourism waterfront with the iconic Smith & Rhuland shipyard, working schooners at the dock, and the Bluenose II when she's in port. The image of Lunenburg.

An 1754 Gothic-Revival church rebuilt after the 2001 fire with the original details meticulously restored. The most architecturally significant building in Lunenburg.

A working fishing village 5 km east of Lunenburg with weathered houses, lobster boats, and the rugged Atlantic coast scenery. The locals' quiet alternative to the busy main waterfront.

A 2 km wild Atlantic beach 11 km south of Lunenburg with smooth pebbles, dunes, and the famous Gaff Point coastal walk. The wild-Atlantic-coast experience close to town.

The working shipyard where the Bluenose was built in 1921 and the Bluenose II in 1963, still active as the repair yard for traditional wooden vessels. Watch from the wharf.

A 1793 heritage house museum in the centre of Old Town, restored and furnished in the 1830s style. The most thoughtful furnished interior visit in Lunenburg.