Shelburne County offers three distinct starting points for a trip: beaches connected to bird sanctuaries, a distinctive coastal landscape, and the history of the Shelburne County Museum. Activities are possible at Roseway Beach year-round; at The Hawk Beach, the sea has exposed a drowned forest believed to be 1,500 years old. The museum is housed in a home built around 1787 by David Nairn and has a collection on the settlement history of the county. If you’re looking for accommodation, you can first decide whether beaches, nature watching, or history will be the focus of your stay.

Getting There and Getting Around

Shelburne County is at the southern tip of Nova Scotia’s South Shore and is accessible by road via NS-103.

Beaches and Coastal Landscapes

Several beaches in Shelburne County are part of an international network of important bird sanctuaries. Roseway Beach offers opportunities for walking, birdwatching, stargazing, and photography year-round. Options range from a walk to a view of the night sky; these activities offer different focuses and can be enjoyed at different times of day.

At The Hawk Beach, the sea has exposed a drowned forest believed to be 1,500 years old. Its age is an estimate. This presents two distinct perspectives on nature: year-round activities at Roseway Beach and the long timescale of the coastal landscape at The Hawk Beach.

History at the Shelburne County Museum

The Shelburne County Museum is housed in a home built by David Nairn around 1787. The museum’s collection includes artifacts from more than two centuries of settlement in Shelburne County. The building’s history and the collection reflect different timescales: the home dates to around 1787, while the artifacts span a longer period of settlement history. If you’d like to include history in your travel plans, these offer two distinct perspectives on Shelburne County.

Nova Scotia in Broader Perspective

Nova Scotia has seven tourism regions associated with coastal adventures, history, and culture. The provincial parks system gives visitors opportunities to experience the province’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Kejimkujik is a cultural landscape of the Mi’kmaq, who have used it for millennia. Canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding are available there; canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and safety equipment can be rented. Grand-Pré National Historic Site shares Acadian stories through multimedia presentations, exhibits, a Victorian garden, and a memorial church. It is also the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Landscape of Grand-Pré. At the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, up to 15 kilometres of rock layers reveal the most complete known fossil record of the Carboniferous; visitors can search for fossils on the beach. These examples are part of the broader destination of Nova Scotia and showcase its diverse cultural and natural themes.

Discover more destinations: Shelburne, Lockeport, Ingomar, Clark's Harbour, Sable River, Kings County, Lunenburg County, Halifax County.

For the broader travel overview: Nova Scotia.