It was beautiful. Tides are well marked, and the grounds are clean and the washrooms were clean.read more

An amazing experience. There is a lot of natural beauty both filled and emptied. The guides are…read morevery accommodating and detailed. The most impressive part for me was the speed with which the Bay fills. You can watch the change happen and it is impressive! Definitely worth a trip.

Beautiful park located on a peninsula in a river. The sites are all grassy. Some are more private…read morein the trees (four are walk-in tent sites), others are open with views of the river on two sides. None of the sites have hookups. There is an event dump station. The Comfort Station has clean washrooms and free, hot showers. There is a boat ramp right in the campground. There is also a day-use park, separate from the campground. The surrounding forest is a good mix of hardwoods and evergreens; probably very pretty in the fall when the leaves begin to change. This park is quite far from everything. Be sure to bring everything you will need, including food, with you. The staff are happy to help you in any way they can, and told us that the park gets very busy during the peak season, so be sure to reserve a site online or you may be out of luck. If you take your chances and arrive without a reservation, you need to use a self-check in kiosk. (Government cut backs!) We were here in mid-June. During the week we were the only campers :)

Such a beautiful place to go in fall! There are trails for the adventurous hiker (you'll definitely…read morebe out of breath if you take jacobs ladder either way) and for those a little less adventurous like myself. The waterfalls are absolutely stunning. Everyone who walks by nods or greats you - and you might even get a few licks from a few four legged acquaintances! I'd definitely recommend this for anyone, it's definitely a great time and there are tons of places for picnics (stone ovens included!) Can't wait to go back!

I'd heard about Victoria Park and its waterfall a year or two ago, but never actually found it…read more This past weekend was beautiful and we decided to take a drive and explore the old Highway #2. We ended up in Truro - and followed the little signs to the Park. Bottom line - well worth the 1-1 1/2 hour drive from Halifax. There's a great playground area for kids, an outdoor pool open from June for the summer, picnic spots galore, loads of parking and fantastic hiking. There's Jacob's Ladder - 175 very steep steps, or take a more leisurely stroll along a winding, stream with rapids that end at a terrific waterfall. I admit it. I'm a sucker for waterfalls, even if it's just a trickle of water escaping from a mountain side. Even though this one is nothing like Niagara Falls, it's a wonderful place to hang out. Next time I'll pack a picnic lunch.

The kids absolutely love jumping off the rock! It's a nice quiet spot, I wouldn't make a full day…read moreof it as there isn't much room to set up comfortably

Laurie Park is a popular swimming hole and campground located a 30 minute drive from Halifax. It is…read moreknown for being the best place in the surrounding area for rock jumping, a past time that is popular among people of all ages during the summer. The jumping rocks at Laurie park can be accessed by a trail leading from the parking lot through the woods. A fence protects the people who are wary of taking the big leap from getting too close to the edge, and I've used it as a clothes line so that my towels and clothing don't get wet while I'm in the water. The rocks themselves are about as tall as a two story house at the tallest section but there is also a section of smaller rocks that are better for younger kids to swim off of. There isn't a lifeguard on duty at the rocky section of Laurie Park so it's not the best place for children who are really young or are just learning to swim to play. The rocks while fun to jump off of don't provide much entertainment to anyone looking to play it safe. This isn't your typical beachy swimming hole but Laurie park always provides the means for hours of summer fun.

Smack on the Bedford Basin, this is great park for all seasons and ages. For families with kids,…read morethe highlight would be the large playground. It has a rubbery artifical surface which means it doesn't get muddy, and softens trips and falls. The worn-out previous wooden ship playstructure was replaced in Fall 2015. There is a bathroom which is clean, heated and open all year round. As a bonus for those in the diaper way it also has change tables- in both bathrooms. There are lots of benches around the playground so it is easy to sit and keep an eye on the kids. In the Summer, the park is close to cool breezes from the Basin. It is fun to spread out a blanket and watch the ships sailing in and out of Bedford yacht squadron. There is a brick walkway that goes along the waterfront that is great for casual strolls and running. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Narrows. It is kept clear in the Winter so you often see people pushing strollers and older people getting some fresh air.

For me, this park was just okay. If you have kids I think you might enjoy it a lot more. It has a…read morehuge playground that you can comfortably watch your kids play. There is basically nothing blocking your view in the park. Which I'm guessing is a plus when you bring kids to the park to play, a pano view of the surroundings. It's basically a big patch of grass between the ocean and the parking lot. Lots of benches, lots of fantastic views of the basin. It was winter when I stopped in to check this park out, but I think there is a paved path/boardwalk that goes pretty far. It's a great place to walk your dog (on leash) or go for a stroll if you're in Bedford and in the market for that kinda thing.

Dollar Lake is a great spot to head for one of those planned and packed sort of camp trips. A fair…read moredistance out of the city, its a pretty, clean spot to get out of the city and have a little adventure without traveling too far. Its geared towards families and friendly folks who are looking to embrace the wilderness and have a good time. Because its a provincial park, there is a low tolerance for shananigans, so night hawks on the booze train may want to pitch tents elsewhere. Located right on the lake, its the full experience, and there is a nice flow to the campground's layout. Washrooms and showers seem decent, and it seems like the rest is up to you to bring. Its a safe bet for families and chill folk wanting some time in the woods.

Dollar Lake is located about 20 klms past the Halifax Airport, so if going from Halifax about 1 hr…read moreoutside. Take the the 102 and branch off to the 212. We have gone here a few times through the summer, it is close and you can camp here as it is one of the Provincial Parks. I like that because they have lifeguards and sections for families. There accommodations are nice and the lake is beautiful. You can grab a campground site and make it a fun weekend. They have showers and washrooms. Because this is a Provincial Park, there is no alcohol allowed, so it would not be for the spirited individuals. All Provincial campgrounds are Alcohol Free. If you are looking for that you need to go to a private campground. We always have fun here!

This is a really fantastic long trail that's great for walking, running or biking! I've only walked…read moresections of the trail, but I've always wanted to do the whole thing. I like walking the start of the trail that begins by the Fairview Shoppers Drugmart down into Armdale. This part of the trail starts parallel to Joseph Howe Drive, goes past the golf course and a big pond, then through residential areas behind people's homes. There's an interesting penny-farthing statue when you reach Armdale! If you're doing this section you could park in the Superstore or Shoppers parking lots or park at the start of the golf course's driveway. I also regularly walked the trail between Chain Link Dr. and Lakeside Industrial Park. It's really nice to see Bayer's Lake. Before I started walking that trail, I didn't realize that the shopping district was named for an actual lake! There is also a little trail (Bayers Lake Trail) through the woods that runs alongside the other side of the lake (compared to the CoLT) if you want to be in a more wooded section, though it's quite short. For this section I usually parked either at the Gracenote or Top Gun parking lots.

The cutest little park in Dartmouth that you've never heard of…read more Graham's Grove is barely noticeable; you've probably driven by it dozens of times completely unaware of its presence. Sitting just across from the Braemar Superstore, this little park has quite a lot going for it - y'know, other than size. It has a swimmable beach and a dock; both are popular points for kayakers and canoers to put their boats into the water. It has a few open clearings facing Lake Banook - great spots for picnics. There are some benches and picnic tables also littered throughout the space. It's also conveniently located on a multi-use trail that connects between Sullivan's Pond and Shubie Park. To paraphrase Vinyl Cafe, "It may not be big, but it's small."

This is a fantastic find! A small park, but nice trails, a big field, and it's very clean and…read morequiet. Easy to get to with lots of free parking. The only thing you need to watch out for are off leash dogs. Not everyone follows the "on leash" law. Otherwise, perfect.

Beautiful park with lots of history, every time we go we find trails we haven't seen before!read more

This park really has something for everyone on your list, including your dog if you have one. There…read moreare a few ways to get into this large park set along the Shubie Canal system. You can bike there from Downtown Dartmouth in about 15 minutes either going down Waverly Road or entering just past Mic Mac Mall. This is my usual route, but it is also very accessible by car with lots of parking at both main entrances. When you get there you are greeted by well-maintained trails, lovely lakes and paths that take you off into the woods and along the old Shubie Canal system. There are lots of animals in the park and they are very tame and well fed. They might just follow you around a bit which can be a bit strange but just go with it. There is also a great off-lease dog park that is very popular, maybe a bit too popular at times but if you have a dog that likes to go off lease you will enjoy it. The best part of this park is that it is big enough that even though it can get busy it is very easy to vanish into the wood and explore.

It is a very nice scenic beach, it is a very long walk to get to the end but it was gorgeous. I…read morerecommend walking along the beach for the views and at the "end" (which is the end of where you can walk) at the beach you will find a lot of seaweed and shallow water. You can find live clams which are very cool and a few crabs or hermit crabs. Only that part is warm, the water is cooler everywhere else. Overall I definitely recommend this beach.

While it's true, I haven't visited every beach in Nova Scotia, this one is my favorite to date!…read more Five kilometers of sandy beach makes this the longest beach in the province. And whether you like to surf and swim or just wander along the shoreline, it's heaven on earth. Just ask anyone who's there. Hot sunny weekends in the summer are obviously busy, but even then you can find stretches that are deserted...just you, the birds and the waves for company. Glorious if you ask me. Build a sand castle...sure. Pack a picnic...definitely. Catch a wave...I leave that to you.