Leaning on its deep history and classic good looks, Annapolis Royal, N.S., is abuzz with a small town energy that’s both artsy and folksy with shopping, nightlife, and gastronomy aplenty.
Friday
Evening
Sunset stroll and karaoke
Blessed with one of the prettiest settings in Atlantic Canada, Annapolis Royal always makes for a pleasant visit. I check in early Friday evening at the four-storey 1865 Queen Anne Inn, set well back from the street among tall trees. This is one of several Victorian beauties in town, and the antique furnishings recall that age of elegance, with floral wallpaper, four-poster bed, Persian carpets on hardwood floors, and a mini chandelier.
Perhaps it’s the reflection off the river, but sunsets in Annapolis Royal, when the town is bathed in a radiant glow, are unmatched. Walking down George Street, I pass Fort Anne National Historic Site, where the white walls of the 1797 Officer’s Quarters Museum blush orange as the sun touches the horizon. I follow the thump of live music to the Oqwa’titek Amphitheatre overlooking the river. The Mi’kmaw word translates as “when they arrived,” in reference to Annapolis as one of the first European settlements in North America. The bluesy beat of a four-piece band has folks up and dancing.
A few songs in, the sun has set, and I hustle to my reservation at Restaurant Composé. I’m escorted through the gift shop, out the back door to my bistro table in the garden. The sky over the river is still streaked with pink. The menu here is all about seafood and local produce, given its location between the Bay of Fundy and the verdant farmlands of the Annapolis Valley. My meal arrives, plump, pan-seared Digby scallops surrounding a bed of salad greens, topped with asparagus spears.
In search of a nightcap, I happen upon a rollicking sight at the Annapolis Brewing Company. Someone is giving a spirited karaoke rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s 1980s anthem, “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Inside, I find a stool at the bar, order a Cease Fire IPA, a brew as spirited as the atmosphere, and listen as the entire place joins in the chorus. A man jumps up from the table next to me and hits the stage. When he returns to thunderous applause, I strike up a conversation. He introduces himself as Mark Kane, the town’s police chief. In a Scottish accent, he says, “Hope to see you at the farmers market tomorrow morning. You’ll have no trouble spotting me.”
Saturday
Morning
Markets, shops, and galleries
I skip the Queen Anne Inn’s homemade scones warm from the oven and head for the Saturday morning Annapolis Royal Farmers and Traders Market, one of the busiest in Nova Scotia. Set among rough wooden shelters and temporary tents, dozens of local organic farm stands, street food vendors, and expert crafters hawk their wares. I spot my new friend from the night before, grinning beneath an English bobby’s helmet. Lured deeper into the market, I stop at the Enameled Penny Art Plus table to check out rare jewelry made from scallop pearls. I purchase a bag of freshly picked salad greens from a friendly farmer. And I’m tempted, but pass up ready-to-eat bites, instead opting for the adjacent Arch & Po café where the homemade focaccia, challah, cookies, and other baked goodies rival those in the market. I savour a decadent croissant and cappuccino.
On the return walk, I poke around the Asian sculptures, pottery, and carvings at Far-Fetched Antique and Art Gallery. Further along, I pause on the wooden sidewalk to admire the handiwork of several dozen wooden handles fitted to a variety of axes and other tools. The display is bait to lure passersby into the Sinclair Inn Museum, Canada’s second oldest wooden building. Inside, more collections of tools are neatly displayed. Around the corner at ARTSPLACE Gallery, run by a local arts organization, where the art is more contemporary than at Far-Fetched. From thought-provoking installations by fabric artists to charcoal renderings of hard-working fishermen, there’s always a rotating exhibition to enjoy.
Saturday
Afternoon
History lessons
Crossing the street, I enter the grounds of Fort Anne National Historic Site. After thousands of years of Mi’kmaw presence, 70 Scottish settlers arrived in 1629 to found a colony authorized by King James. Though the colony only lasted a few years, Nova Scotia’s current name, flag, and coat of arms date from that time. The fort’s steep grassy slopes were built by a later wave of settlers to absorb cannon fire. Today, Fort Anne is considered one of the best-preserved star-shaped, 18th-century forts.
After a quick pit stop at Bistro East for one of their single serving Greek pizzas, I fetch the car and drive 12 kilometres out to Port-Royal National Historic Site, one of the earliest European settlements in North America. In 1605, Samuel de Champlain built a wooden fort here at the mouth of the Annapolis River.
Although the fort burned in 1613, a replica of it called l’Habitation now stands near that spot. I’m met by a costumed interpreter outside its walls for an experience called “A Meeting with the Governor.” Dressed in period costume, an interpreter playing Governor de Poutrincourt, who oversaw this tiny outpost 400 years ago, welcomes me. In his eyes, I’m a newly arrived artisan from France. Playing his part to the hilt, the Governor points to my camera and asks, “In your black box do you carry supplies to paint my portrait?” He’s all business, insisting I call him sir, and showing me around as the talks about daily life in the fort, hunting, chores, worship practices, and meals.
Saturday
Evening
Whiskey is back
After it reopened in December 2024 following a devastating fire the year before, I can’t wait to return to the renovated Whiskey Teller. It’s back home inside a brick building next to the market built in 1884 as a bank. Inside, the atmosphere matches the upscale pub grub. The post-fire renovations have successfully restored the rustic look and feel of the place. Bonus: owner Roland Hamilton has added what he calls the “whiskey window” to showcase the pub’s collection of fine spirits. A dram of Scottish single malt completes the evening.
Sunday
Morning
Roses and Blueberries
On every trip to Annapolis Royal, I look forward to the tranquility of a Sunday morning, strolling the seven-hectare floriferous grounds of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. It’s spring, so the pond gardens are erupting in a riot of colour as the many azalea and rhododendron varieties bloom. The Canadian Garden Council named this immaculately kept treasure Canada’s Garden of the Year in 2015. From there, I wander over to the reconstruction of an 1671 Acadian log home and period garden. Few of the 2,000 roses are yet blooming along the serpentine pathways of the rose garden, so I promise myself I’ll return in summer.
Departing on Route 8, I make one final stop at Still Fired Distilleries, three kilometres out of town in Lequille. In search of a souvenir, I choose a bottle of Nana’s Blueberry Grunt Moonshine. It’s a lightweight (20 per cent alchohol by volume) liqueur that I’ll savour along with the memories of my 48 hours in Annapolis Royal.
Ideas for the Next Trip
Shopping
- The Red Onion Market
- Great Expectations Books and Antiques
- Bainton’s Tannery Outlet/Mad Hatter Bookstore
Lodging
Dining
Activities