Amherst

Couple walking around down town Amherst, Nova Scotia

Learn More About Amherst

As the gateway to Nova Scotia, Amherst welcomes travellers crossing the border from New Brunswick. Stroll the downtown’s Victoria Street, featuring historic sandstone architecture and stately Victorian homes. Try rug hooking at the award-winning Deanne Fitzpatrick Rug Hooking Studio and browse shops and artisan markets, including Maritime Mosaic and Maritime Tartan Company. Amherst is the perfect base for exploring two very distinct coastlines: the dramatic cliffs of the Bay of Fundy, home of the world’s highest tides, and the sandy, warm water beaches of the Northumberland Shore.

Begin your Nova Scotia adventure in Amherst, an ideal jumping-off point to Your Ocean Playground!

Things to Do around Amherst

Amherst Shore Provincial Park

Walk the shoreline to see distinctive red sandstone cliffs towering 12 metres (40 feet) above the water
Hike the 2.5 km (1.5 mile) wooded trail with views of the Northumberland Strait
Swim in some of the warmest saltwater north of the Carolinas
Offers 42 wooded campsites (30 serviced + 12 unserviced; 2 accessible) with showers, flush toilets, disposal station, and playground

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Deanne Fitzpatrick Rug Hooking Studio

Deanne Fitzpatrick is an award-winning artist, who received The Order of Canada for her work in advancing rug hooking as an art form
Learn how to hook colourful rugs and try creating your own during a workshop
Visit the year-round shop to browse and purchase rug hooking kits, supplies, and an original handcrafted creation

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Cumberland County Museum and Archives

Discover the region’s diverse cultural heritage and manufacturing past, including ships and railways
Book a guided tour with a knowledgeable museum interpreter
Explore the art gallery and browse the gift shop for local books and crafts
Bring a picnic and relax in the onsite gardens

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Cozy Accommodations

Choose from a variety of familiar hotels or stay in a Victorian home, like the 100-year-old, restored Brown’s Guest Home Bed & Breakfast, located downtown
Wake up next to the ocean at nearby D’s B & B by the Sea, surrounded by rolling countryside
Stay in a cottage or inn at Amherst Shore Country Inn and enjoy locally inspired and seasonal 3-course dinners, where everything is made and baked inhouse

Joggins Fossil Cliffs UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visit the Joggins Fossil Centre to learn about the “Coal Age” through fossils, exhibits, and displays that tell a 300-million-year-old story
Join a guided tour to explore the fossil cliffs, where fossilized trees and roots from an ancient forest are preserved in the cliffs
Uncover and discover fossils on the beach, as almost every rock contains a fossil, and each tidal cycle reveals new fossils

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