6 top-rated Peggy’s Cove tours for your 2023 Nova Scotia vacation
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They say that Peggy’s Cove lighthouse may be the most photographed attraction in Canada. It’s also one of the most popular destinations and Peggy’s Cove tours are high on most people’s vacation planning list.
During our time in Nova Scotia, Jackie and I have been touring the province learning about all it has to offer so we can share that with you. Peggy’s Cove lighthouse has been high on our touring list and we’ve visited several times already.
Peggy’s Cove tours are very popular but beware — most combine a visit to Peggy’s Cove with visits to other destinations. So if you’re interested in quality time at the lighthouse, our top-rated-list includes the estimated time each tour will give you at Peggy’s Cove to help you make a decision about which Peggy’s Cove tour is best for you.
Our pick for the best Peggy’s Cove tour
Don’t have time to read through all the tours? Never fear — we’ve got you covered.
Our pick is the Nova Scotia Day Tour because it includes Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, and the Annapolis Valley and has a fantastic customer ratings record.
Visit the most iconic place in the Canadian Maritime
There’s something about the Peggy’s Cove experience that you’ll remember for years: the rugged rocky coastline, the swirling and crashing of the waves, the endless ocean background, the onshore breezes, and the lone century-old lighthouse that stands to defy nature and keep our seafarers safe.
And just a stone’s throw away is the classic picture-post-card fishing village of Peggy’s Cove with its colourful houses perched on a wave-washed and wind-swept Atlantic coastline. And there’s the Sou’wester Restaurant, where you can enjoy the lighthouse and ocean views while you dine on tasty seafood! It doesn’t get much better than this!
OK, with all that out of the way, let’s get to our list of top-rated Peggy’s Cove tours, starting with the Nova Scotia Day Tour, a great-value, full-day, multi-stop tour.
#1 Nova Scotia Day Tour: Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, and Annapolis Valley
▶︎ BOOK Nova Scotia Day Tour
Why choose this Peggy’s Cove tour? Billed as a relaxed day-long tour along the South Shore, this tour packs a lot into an almost 9-hour-day. Although they advertise no fixed schedule, the itinerary indicates you’ll have 45 minutes to explore Peggy’s Cove.
The rest of the day is filled with visits to Lunenburg, quick stops at Mahone Bay and Queensland Beach, and on to the Annapolis Valley for the Wolfville waterfront park and wine tastings at the Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards. Although it’s a busy day, you’ll see a lot of Nova Scotia’s natural beauty as well as the old and the new of the province.
The Nova Scotia Day Tour includes:
What past Peggy’s Cove tour guests have said:
“Peggy’s Cove is breath taking, a must see. Ian was an outstanding guide very personable, and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this tour.”
— John (see more reviews)
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#2 Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay, & Lunenburg tour
▶︎ BOOK Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay, & Lunenburg tour
Why choose this Peggy’s Cove tour? This 7-hour tour takes you to Peggy’s Cove for a full hour at the lighthouse. Next, you’ll move on to several other places on the South Shore’s “Lighthouse Route”: Chester, Mahone Bay, and Lunenburg. Your knowledgeable guide will tell you when and why they were settled, about the history of the fisheries and ship building, the natural history of the Atlantic Coast, and much more.
The Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay, & Lunenburg tour includes:
What past Peggy’s Cove tour guests have said:
“Our tour guide Jonathan was excellent! Super knowledgeable and entertaining. Peggys cove wasn’t too busy when we went (on a Sunday) which was great for photos. We had a lobster roll at Toms lobster shack in Peggys cove and it was SO delicious albeit a bit expensive (25$ per roll).
Lunenburg was beautiful as well and Jonathan was able to provide some great restaurant suggestions. We ate at Salt Shaker in Lunenburg and food was also great. Fish shack looked like they had good food as well. Not too much walking required for the day and you have free time to explore at each location. Overall super impressed with the tour and would definitely recommend!!”
— Jennifer (see more reviews)
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#3 Half-Day Small-Group Tour of Nova Scotia’s South Shore
▶︎ BOOK Half-Day Small-Group Tour of Nova Scotia’s South Shore
Why choose this Peggy’s Cove tour? This is an ideal tour for people with limited time and an interest in Nova Scotia history and culture. You’ll be chauffeured in an air-conditioned wi-fi enabled vehicle by a knowledgeable guide. You’ll see Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, and Mahone Bay with up to nine other folks (maximum of 10 passengers).
Note that admission to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, one of the stops of the tour, is not included and will cost $10 ($8 for seniors). Also, parking at the pickup point (if you drive there) will cost $10 for the day.
The Half-Day Small-Group Tour of Nova Scotia’s South Shore tour includes:
What past Peggy’s Cove tour guests have said:
“My husband and I had a wonderful time on the half-day tour of Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, and Mahone Bay. Our guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable about each area and provided a fascinating history lesson of Halifax and the surrounding area. He picked us up at the hotel right on time and returned us to Halifax a little over six hours later.
The lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove was an incredible sight, and we were allowed sufficient time to see it up close and go to the gift shop. We spent 1.5 hours in the picturesque town of Lunenburg, where we had lunch and explored this lovely town. Mahone Bay was our last stop before returning to Halifax; there we went inside a restored Anglican Church that was breathtaking. We highly recommend this tour with Paul as your guide!”
— Pamela (see more reviews)
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#4 Peggy’s Cove & Halifax tour
▶︎ BOOK Peggy’s Cove & Halifax tour
Why choose this Peggy’s Cove tour? This tour focuses on Halifax and Peggy’s Cove, so you’ll get to see some of the highlights of Nova Scotia’s historic port city as well as spending about an hour at the Peggy’s Cove community and the lighthouse.
The Peggy’s Cove & Halifax tour includes:
What past Peggy’s Cove tour guests have said:
“This trip was absolutely wonderful! The scenery was spectacular and it gave you a good feel of the Maritime region. But what made it so wonderful was our tour guide, Jonathan. The nicest, most patient tour guide I’ve ever encountered. Not only did he not rush us, he added some additional points of interest and made it a spectacular day. I would strong recommend Aberdeen Tours and most definitely request Jonathan!”
— Fred (see more reviews)
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#5 Peggy’s Cove Express Tour
▶︎ BOOK Peggy’s Cove Express Tour
Why choose this Peggy’s Cove tour? This tour is focused primarily on Peggy’s Cove and the lighthouse and you’ll get about two hours to explore the site. Ride in a high-end Mercedes van driven by a local knowledgeable guide to Peggy’s Cove, a picturesque fishing village and the century-old iconic lighthouse. The village offers unique shops you can explore and great spots at one of their benches to enjoy the stunning ocean views and a rugged rocky coastline.
Note that food and drink is not included in the price of the tour and a bit of walking is involved to appreciate the full experience of Peggy’s Cove.
The Peggy’s Cove Express Tour includes:
What past Peggy’s Cove tour guests have said:
“Sarah was the best, we could listen to her as a podcast, super friendly. We went to Peggy’s Cove for an hour and a half and it was the perfect amount of time there. We visited the shops and tried chicken bone candies and moon mist ice cream, which is a nova scotia thing of banana, grape and bubblegum, its not actually gross. Ate a killer lobster roll and the entire surroundings are beautiful. Definitely recommend.”
— No name (see more reviews)
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#6 Halifax: Guided Halifax Tour and Peggy’s Cove Visit
▶︎ BOOK Guided Halifax Tour and Peggy’s Cove Visit
Why choose this Peggy’s Cove tour? This tour combines the beauty of Peggy’s Cove with the history of Halifax and the Halifax Citadel. If your time is short, you’ll only need to allocate a half-day to see two of the most iconic sights in Nova Scotia with access to knowledgeable experienced guides throughout the day.
The Guided Halifax Tour and Peggy’s Cove Visit includes:
What past Peggy’s Cove tour guests have said:
“It was just what I was looking for. After spending the beginning of the week at a work function, I just wanted to relax and unwind before heading home to Ontario. I book a short tour out to Peggy’s Cove and a tour of the Citadel….it was fantastic. Will definately recommend.”
— Tammy (see more reviews)
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Key points to remember
- Many of the Peggy’s Cove tours start and end in Halifax, which is good for tourists since the proximity of the international airport and the cruise-line docks make it convenient for them to make Halifax their home base. Being able to do the round trip from-and-back-to Halifax makes Nova Scotia destinations much more accessible to vacationers.
- Most of these Peggy’s Cove tours cater to travelers arriving in cruise ships and some folks in your tour may be cruise line passengers. The schedules of the cruise lines tend to dictate the tour schedules as their passengers must be picked up and dropped off with precise timing. So if you see a Peggy’s Cove tour you’re interested in, book early to have the best chance of getting the dates you want and be considerate enough to watch the clock for tour start times and destination schedules.
- IMPORTANT: Once you’re at Peggy’s Cove, most people like to get close to the lighthouse by walking across the rocks (that’s us!). But be cautious and keep your distance from the crashing waves — they can easily catch you by surprise on the slippy rocks and sweep you off your feet. The safe way to enjoy the view is to walk on the dry, white rocks and not on the dark slippy ones. Signs are posted to show you how far you can safely walk, so please heed them.
Our wrap-up: the best Peggy’s Cove tours
Gazing at Peggy’s Cove lighthouse is certainly peaceful for your soul: standing on the new viewing platform or on the rocks of the barren, rocky shoreline, and gazing at the 107-year-old lighthouse flanked by a seemingly endless Atlantic ocean just leaves you breathless.
And if you’re there in the evening, the spectral sunset behind the lighthouse just defies description.
For me, the best Peggy’s Cove tour is the Nova Scotia Day Tour. It comes out on top because it shows you a great cross-section of Nova Scotia scenery with Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, and the Annapolis Valley — and because it’s been enjoyed and highly rated by so many travelers in the past.
But that’s just me — be sure to read through all the top-rated Peggy’s Cove tours above to find the one that’s the best fit for you.
Here’s a few things to remember when planning for your trip to Peggy’s Cove:
- First, Nova Scotia weather is changeable, and second, the temperature can change significantly between the city to the coast, so bring layered clothing that you can add or remove as the weather demands.
- Nova Scotia’s natural beauty is second-to-none, so definitely bring your camera and/or binoculars. And don’t forget the memory card (something I’d do!).
- Also, keep in mind that some of these Peggy’s Cove tours cater to passengers disembarking from cruise ships, which makes timing very important. So be sure to be on time to meet your group and also be sure to watch the clock at each stop along the way so the tour can get them back to the ship before it sails away!
Most of all, please enjoy your Peggy’s Cove tour and enjoy visiting Nova Scotia. People here are friendly and approachable and the natural beauty is breathtaking.
Thanks for joining us on this new adventure! Got a question or a comment? Go to the comments page and send a message using the form.