Just two hours northeast of Halifax sits an historic little town called Antigonish. The town and region has become an attraction for a lot of visitors some of whom have loved it so much that they have set up summer homes here. Actors like Ethan Hawke, musicians, writers and artists have discovered this wonderful haven. It’s time you did too. It’s a great destination for a girls weekend – family activities or a romantic getaway. And when you come be sure to visit Aphrodite and find out why people are declaring it to be the best fashion store in Nova Scotia. Here’s a short primer on the area.
Antigonish is in known as the Highland Heart of Nova Scotia because it’s surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian shield leading, just a short distance, to Cape Breton Island. The town of Antigonish is perhaps best known for its university – St. Francis Xavier University – which inadvertently supports a wealth of culture and services emanating from the faculty and students. Local theatre is of the highest caliber and musical talent runs in the blood of the regions inhabitants. Shops and galleries inhabit the charming and authentic downtown core.
The area is known for having some of the best beaches in the province to which you can walk or drive. As you walk the wide sandy beaches you’ll be struck by the fact that you’ll be sharing all that space with very few others. There just aren’t enough people to fill all the beaches! In recent years the County of Antigonish has developed an excellent hiking trail system that’s easy to follow yet vast. You will enjoy bursts of natural and unspoiled beauty as you work up your heart rate and assuage any guilt for the great meal you had the night before.
The Harbour Road weaves and climbs along the coast to the Cape George Lighthouse and then back along the top through Malignant Cove and eventually returning to town. This is such a beautiful trail; it has earned the nickname of the mini- Cabot Trail – or the mini-trail as locals call it. It is dotted by several fishermen’s coves such as Cribben’s Point and Ballantyne’s Cove where you can drive out to the wharf, take in the sights and treat yourself to some of the best chowder and fish and chips anywhere.
Directions
We have some new roundabouts that can be confusing. As you approach take Exit 33 and follow the signs to Antigonish. Once you’re on the straight road leading in just follow straight until you get to Main Street. Then you’re downtown.
Highlights
All of the above represent just the highlight of the local attractions and services. The Visitor Information Centre at the mall in town has lots more info for day trips and more detail about what’s here. Or you can browse in some of the local websites.
Happy Antigonish
In late spring of 2014 the downtown merchants got together to get happy – after an unusually long winter. It’s a good demonstration of the spirit that lives here. Have a look.
Attractions
Shopping
Downtown Antigonish comprises mostly independent local businesses that offer a microcosm of city selections: clothing of course, shoes, lingerie, jewellery, gifts and crafts. You will find Aphrodite in the heart of town beside the town hall at 292 Main Street. Across the road on the next block is the Antigonish Five to a Dollar – an old fashioned department store that feels like a time warp when you walk inside. Except they have a state of the art photo department that competes with the best of them on digital camera sales and photo processing. Proprietor Steven Jewkes is a virtual wealth of knowledge on all things related to digital photography. His brother Lloyd takes care of the rest. No matter what obscure item you may need, you can probably find it there.
The Sunshine Health Food store is one of the best stocked in the province. And they have terrific knowledgeable staff.
There’s also a mall that connects to the Trans Canada Highway. More of the chain stores show up there including Canadian Tire, Cleve’s Sporting Goods, The Source and numerous and sundry clothing retailers plus Boston Pizza. In that parking lot you’ll find the Visitor Information Centre with knowledgeable staff who will bend over backwards to help make your experience in Antigonish fabulous.
The mall also houses one of the largest and most current liquor stores, known as the NS Liquor Commission. You won’t believe their selection of scotch whiskey. Remember, Antigonish was founded by the Scots. It links up to Sobeys, the Canadian grocery store giant that originated in neighbouring Pictou County. Further down the highway is the Atlantic Superstore.
The best pharmacy is Halliburton’s Pharmacy on Main Street or the Pharma Save across the street. There is also a mega Shoppers Drug Mart with a full scale cosmetics department and just about everything else including some foods.
If you really want to get down and dirty with the natives, check out the Saturday morning market. It’s on James Street at the back of the arena. Lots of fun. www.antigonishfarmersmarket.com
Dining Out
Antigonish is becoming known for having some of the best dining anywhere – most of it centrally available right on Main Street.
1. Gabrieaus Bistro on Main Street has recently been renovated and inside you’ll feel like your’e in Tuscany or New York. Chef Mark Gabreau is an accomplished sommelier and has won numerous awards including the distinguished Pineapple Award for best restaurant in Nova Scotia www.gabrieaus.com This is a not to be missed experience in town!
2. Around the corner on College St. is Townhouse Pub – great food and great atmosphere – music on Sundays.
3. A real hangout for locals is the hippie styled Tall and Small Café just a few doors down from Gabrieau’s. During the day they serve up free trade coffee and lots of teas along with a Moosewood style cuisine. Always fun.
4. New in town is the Brownstone, bistro style noisy and cheerful with delicious casual fare.
5. The Dreamcatchers Cafe – a nice stop for lunch.
6. In the warmer months it’s fun is to take Main Street to the end where it becomes the harbour road – Hwy 337 – past the hospital toward Cape George. Stop and have some chowder or fish and chips on the wharf at Boyd’s Restaurant at Cribbens Point. Further up in Ballantyne’s Cove is a little kiosk style fish and chips place. Both are excellent and just open in the summer months.
Accommodations on Main Street
1. The Antigonish Victorian Inn on Main Street. An original experience in an old manse in the heart of town.
http://www.antigonishvictorianinn.ca
2. The Maritime Inn http://www.maritimeinns.com/en/home/antigonish/default.aspx
Art
The Lyghtesome Gallery– on Main St. offers a great selection of some of the best local artists including prints, paintings and crafts. It’s definitely worth a visit. www.lyghtesome.ns.ca The Down to Earth Gallery further down the street is a great framing gallery that also carries and interesting variety of Nova Scotia art. StFX University has an art gallery. It’s in the basement level of the Bloomfield building on campus. The region has an active arts council that works diligently to get our artists seen. The main annual event is The Gathering of the Arts which is a group show in the old court house on Main St. that takes place the week of the Antigonish Highland Games.
Music
One of my early impressions upon moving to Antigonish was the prevalence of music everywhere! You can’t go to a party that doesn’t break out into live music and dancing – often the Celtic genre! The pubs in town are always featuring acts from around the province. Pipers Pub, www.piperspub.ca and The Split Crow are the main venues where you swig beer and settle in for great music; jazz, blues, traditional (Celtic), hip-hop and good old rock and roll! If you venture here in early July you might want to check out the famous Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, Guysborough County www.stanfest.ca. For one low price per day or for the three day event, you’ll see some of the best performers anywhere – and lots of them! Most of Antigonish clears out of town for this event. Just one thing if you go – bring very warm clothes! The nights are freezing!
Theatre
Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre is a big deal in these parts. There are performances every night and some nights there are shorter and edgier late night performances as well. The Festival home is the Bauer Theatre, on the StFX campus. It’s a cozy 200 seat facility where you can’t have a bad seat. www.festivalantigonish.com
Cinema
Those fancy and expensive Cineplexes have bypassed Antigonish altogether. Seems there’s yet another time warp – our local cinema. But it still brings in good and current films in an old fashioned theatre that probably hasn’t changed since the 60’s. Tuesdays are cheap night.
Local Culture
The main event each year is the Antigonish Highland Games the longest running consecutive games in North America. Columbus Field, in town, comes alive with hundreds of highland dancers, pipers and athletes. The caper toss is a favourite. The games take place in the second week of July and last for three days with a finale on the Saturday night replete with the famous beer tent where you’ll get a really good taste of the locals! www.theantigonishhighlandgames.com
The Riverside Speedway
Now that’s something you wouldn’t expect to find in these parts. The late John Chisholm, affectionately known as John Nova (Nova Construction) was passionate about stock car racing and Nascar. He sank millions into the refurbishing of this racetrack and turned it into the finest one in the Maritimes. www.riversidespeedway.ca
St Francis Xavier University
It’s a beautiful campus with some grand new buildings including the Keating Millennium Centre where they play hockey in the winter and host great concerts from time to time. If you’re really interested in the Scottish heritage of the area you might want to check out the Hall of Clans and the Angus L. MacDonald Library. It exhibits a variety of tartans and coats of arms of the Highland Clans. www.stfx.ca
Churches
In case you didn’t know, Antigonish is known as the Little Vatican. While Catholicism is the dominant religion, others flourish here as well such as United and Anglican churches. There’s a Jehovas Witness Hall and a Gospel Hall in town. I have been impressed by how tolerant the natives are. It matters not your religion, your sexual persuasion, your nationality or your heritage, all are welcome and accepted. The only thing we don’t like is arrogance and unfriendliness. People have been run out of town for having those traits.
Activities
Fishing
Lobster season runs from May 1 to June 30 and it’s big part of life in these parts because hundreds of fishermen make their living trapping those lovely little crustaceans. You’ll see brightly coloured lobster boats and trap markers all over the region during this time. This area is also a main attraction for tuna fishing – in fact the largest tuna ever was caught off our shores.
You can visit the Tuna Interpretive Centre in Ballantyne’s Cove for the whole scoop. If you want to try your hand at fishing then please contact the St. Mary’s Fishing Association or the local tourism office for more information. www.geocities.com/stmarysriverassociation/main.html
Golf
The Antigonish Golf and Country Club is a pretty decent golf course – bring your clubs or rent them on site. Rates are reasonable. Have you ever golfed in a kilt? They do during the Highland Games. If you own a kilt – just bring it. Ya never know laddie. www.antigonishgolfclub.ns.ca
Racquet Sports
We love the free tennis courts right in town beside Columbus Field. It’s never a long wait – if there is one at all – to get one of the two recently refurbished courts. Bring your raquets. If you prefer squash or racquetball, then head for the StFX sports complex called the Oland Centre. Rates are reasonable and the facilities are good. www.stfx.ca/athletics/facilities.html
Swimming
Swimming on the beach is the best. The waters are pretty warm because we’re on the Northumberland Strait. If you like to do laps at a pool, then the Oland Centre has a large Olympic size pool that allows you to do just that. Check www.stfx.ca/athletics/facilities.html for hours.
Health Clubs
There’s a Goodlife downtown and StFX has a great gym that’s not too busy when the students are gone for the summer.
Hiking
The hiking trails in these parts are excellent. The trails all well laid out and maintained. The main ones are called Fairmont Ridge and the Lighthouse Trail. The Visitor Information Centre has details.
Beaches
I love this area best for the beautiful unspoiled sandy beaches. Here’s a list of the ones with names – all within short boating or driving distances:
Dunn’s Beach- large and unpopulated – goes on forever. Wonderful clean sand. It’s at the end of Southside Harbour Road.
Mahoney’s Beach- A long ismuth provides the entry point from the Antigonish Harbour into the greater George’s Bay. Accessible from Hwy 337.
Jimtown Beach- Great for kids – sandy and shallower waters. Accessible from Hwy 337.
Crystal Cliffs – Now owned by StFX this beautiful land has a gorgeous estuary that leads to the beach laden with orange crystal rock. Accessible from Hwy 337.
Cribben’s Beach- By the fishing wharf – its’ an all time favourite. Accessible from Hwy 337.
Pomquet Beach– Supervised by life guards – boardwalks – a real traditional type beach for the whole family. Just outside of town.
Bayfield Beach- Not good for swimming because of the rip tide, but great for a long stroll with lots of birds and wildlife. A short distance from town. Arisaig Provincial Park – A geological wonder with a trail leading down to the beach.
Maps are available to help you find these beaches.
Amenities
St. Martha’s Hospital
We are so lucky to have this facility – and so close!
Walk In Clinic
The Medi-Plex on Church St. in town is open after hours for those patients who need medical services that are not emergencies.
Massage Therapy
There are many choices of therapists in town, all of them excellent. The yellow pages will provide a list to choose from.
Chiropractor
The Highland Chiropractic Centre in town is excellent. No need to worry if you should have a mishap or a strain.
Day Spas and Aesthetic Services
There is no shortage of services to make yourself more beautiful or relaxed. Maybe a nice manicure and pedicure is just what the doctor ordered for your visit to these parts.
Highlights
All of the above represent just the highlight of the local attractions and services. The Visitor Information Centre at the mall in town has lots more info for day trips and more detail about what’s here. Or you can browse in some of the local websites.
Sounds so great… I want to move here!
You’ll need to apply for a visa.