Nova Scotia's coastal views and quirky towns are calling

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is the perfect way to explore the major role the ocean has played in Nova Scotia's history and culture. It's the country's oldest and largest maritime museum, located on the site of a former ship chandlery. The museum boasts loads of exhibits, including displays of steamships, Navy ships, the golden age of sailing, shipwrecks, and a re-creation of a 1900s chandlery. The most unique gallery, though, is the one dedicated to the Titanic. Halifax has a tie to the tragedy; it's where the effort to recover bodies and wreckage from the sunken ship were centered. Cable ship crews braved treacherous waters that took down the "unsinkable" Titanic to retrieve and identify those who lost their lives in the disaster. In addition to detailing the passenger experience on the Titanic before it went down, there are some sobering artifacts on display, like a pair of baby shoes and a mortuary bag.

Canada is home to pretty special wildlife, and you're able to get up close and personal with some favorite animals, as well as exotic ones, at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park. The park rehabilitates and cares for injured and orphaned wildlife as well as animals born in captivity. Explore Wetland Centre, Moose Meadow, Reindeer Row, Wolf Trail, Horse Stables, Critter Hollow, and more. Trails through different ecosystems explain about different habitats as you encounter the animals. The black bears are especially adorable. Plus, the park is open year-round. Each season brings new sights, so there's no bad time to visit.

The Museum of Industry is one of Nova Scotia's most surprising museums. It's not just about factories and complicated engineering; it's about Nova Scotia's people, their past and future. Artifacts and hands-on exhibits delve into topics like mining, steam power, iron and steel, the railroad, WWII, technology, and even modern-day industries like tourism (which grew in popularity as industrialization created free time for workers). The museum also offers awesome daily demonstrations in the sawmill, printshop, and machine shop, which add an even deeper appreciation for how far society has come.

Nova Scotia was home to many Scottish settlers back in the day, and their culture can still be felt. The Highland Village Museum is on a beautiful 40-acre property with 11 historic buildings. The village shows what life would have been like for these early Gaelic Nova Scotians, specifically between the mid-18th and early-20th centuries. Costumed interpreters demonstrate blacksmithing, wool-dyeing, weaving, farming, cooking, and more as they would have been practiced centuries ago. Beyond preserving historical structures and traditional crafts, the museum also is home to a Scottish music collection and genealogy/family history center, where staff members and volunteers research and promote the Gaelic language.

Nova Scotia's most famous resident was Alexander Graham Bell. The Scottish-born inventor had a home in Nova Scotia and spent many productive years here. This historic site has a museum that sheds light on his craziest inventions, like Canada’s first powered flight (on an airplane called the Silver Dart), and the world’s fastest boat at the time (an experimental HD-4 hydrofoil that clocked in with a speed of 70 miles per hour). You will also find giant kites and, most famously, his telephone. The site sits on the edge of the lovely Bras d’Or Lake, overlooking his beloved home, Beinn Bhreagh. The home is still privately owned by his descendants, who donated many artifacts to the museum.

At the very edge of Nova Scotia is a small town called St. Ann's, which is best known for its Colaisde Na Gaidhlig (Gaelic College), another institution dedicated to preserving the Gaelic heritage of the Scottish people who settled Cape Breton. The college's museum, The Great Hall of the Clans, features an interactive look at the history of Scots on the island, their culture, traditions, and stories that the College has preserved. You can watch or listen to clips of Gaelic songs, dances, crafts, and stories. The main draw is the daily demonstrations, which include kilt displays, Gaelic lessons, bagpipe performances, and more.