Bay of Fundy
Home to the world's highest tides, the Bay of Fundy is a natural wonder of epic proportions. Explore dramatic coastal cliffs, fossil-rich shores, charming fishing villages, and witness tides that rise and fall up to 16 metres twice daily along Nova Scotia's Fundy Shore. For US travelers, the CAT ferry from Bar Harbor arrives in Yarmouth just 90 minutes from the Fundy shore - the easiest US-to-Fundy routing, with 86% of CAT bookings originating in the United States.
Top Highlights
Fundy Restaurant
A Digby waterfront institution serving fresh local seafood, pasta dishes, premium steaks, and expertly prepared sushi…
The Crow's Nest - Digby
A laid-back seafood restaurant on the Digby waterfront known for generous portions and fresh local catch. Famous for…
Five Islands Provincial Park
1,000-hectare Bay of Fundy park on the Minas Basin, fronting the highest tides on Earth and named for five offshore…
What to Do & See
Restaurants
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Halls Harbour Lobster Pound
🍽️Bay of Fundy lobster pound in Halls Harbour where fishing boats unload at the dock and you pick your lobster straight from the holding tanks to be cooked on site.
Menu Highlights:
- Pick your own lobster
- Fresh seafood
- Ocean views
- Working harbour
- Casual dining
- BYOB
Fundy Restaurant
🍽️A Digby waterfront institution serving fresh local seafood, pasta dishes, premium steaks, and expertly prepared sushi since the 1970s. Overlooking Digby Harbour and the Annapolis Basin, Fundy Restaurant offers family dining with a patio, kids menu, and full bar.
Menu Highlights:
- Fresh local seafood and sushi
- Waterfront patio with harbour views
- Family-friendly with kids menu
- 120-foot outdoor balcony overlooking the marina
- Open year-round with seasonal hours
The Crow's Nest - Digby
🍽️A laid-back seafood restaurant on the Digby waterfront known for generous portions and fresh local catch. Famous for its legendary lobster roll, seafood chowder, and homemade pies. Casual dining with a fine view of the Annapolis Basin.
Menu Highlights:
- Legendary lobster rolls
- Best seafood chowder in Digby
- Homemade pies and desserts
- Waterfront dining with harbour views
- Casual family-friendly atmosphere
Explore
4 itemsDockside Kayak Rentals
🎯Kayak rentals on the Annapolis Basin from Digby waterfront Fundy Complex — from $39 half-day single kayak. All safety gear provided; beginners welcome. Launch right from the floating dock and paddle past the Digby scallop fleet.
What to Experience:
- Kayak rentals from $39
- Digby waterfront dock
- Annapolis Basin paddling
- Family-friendly
- All safety gear included
Saltair Nordic Spa & Wellness
🎯The Annapolis Valley's first full Nordic spa on the North Mountain above the Bay of Fundy — hot pools, cold plunges, wood-fired and steam saunas, forest trails, guided breathwork and sauna classes, and the Four Tides Café. Top 50 Canada Spa 2025, 29 minutes from Wolfville.
What to Experience:
- Hot-cold-rest Nordic cycles
- Wood-fired & steam saunas
- Cold plunge pools & ice buckets
- Forest & coastal trails
- Four Tides Café
- Massage, acupuncture & AVEDA treatments
Two Islands Brewing
🎯Parrsboro's only craft brewery, a community-founded taproom at 169 Main Street in the heart of the Cliffs of Fundy UNESCO Geopark - dog-friendly front deck, easy-drinking ales, mix-six takeaway packs, and weekly live music, trivia, and wing nights.
What to Experience:
- Parrsboro's only craft brewery (est. 2018)
- Dog-friendly front deck on Main Street
- Easy-drinking, approachable core range of ales
- Mix-six takeaway packs
- Live music Sundays, trivia night, and wing night
- Natural cap to a Cliffs of Fundy geopark day
Tours
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Bay of Fundy Tours & Activities
🚶Tidal bore rafting, whale watching, fossil tours, and more along the Fundy Shore.
Tour Highlights:
- Tidal bore rafting
- Whale watching
- Fossil tours
- Kayaking
- Hiking
- Photography tours
NovaShores Adventures
🚶Premier sea kayaking tour operator on the Bay of Fundy based in Advocate Harbour, offering guided Three Sisters day tours, multi-day wilderness expeditions, and stand-up paddleboarding in Cape Chignecto Provincial Park.
Tour Highlights:
- Three Sisters Day Tour
- Multi-Day Expeditions
- SUP Cape d'Or
- Hiker Shuttle
- Guest Accommodation
- Gourmet Beach Lunch
Mariner Cruises Whale & Seabird Tours
🚶Mariner Cruises has been offering award-winning whale watching and seabird tours off Brier Island in the Bay of Fundy since 1994. Operating from the Whale Watching Capital of Nova Scotia, their 2.5 to 4 hour cruises run from mid-June to mid-October, offering sightings of humpback, finback, minke whales and numerous seabird species.
Tour Highlights:
- Whale watching since 1994
- Humpback, finback and minke whales
- Seabird tours included
- Brier Island departure
- 2.5 to 4 hour cruises
Hikes
2 itemsBrier Island Big Meadow Bog Trail
🥾The Big Meadow Bog Trail on Brier Island is the most accessible trail in Western Nova Scotia. This 1.5km wheelchair-accessible boardwalk loop ventures into a unique bog ecosystem within the UNESCO Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve. Features raised viewing platforms, interpretive signage, benches, and a salt marsh bridge. Year-round, free admission.
Trail Highlights:
- Wheelchair-accessible boardwalk trail
- 1.5km loop
- Raised viewing platforms
- UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
- Free admission year-round
- Bird watching and wildflowers
Victoria Park
🥾Victoria Park is a 3,000-acre natural woodland park minutes from downtown Truro, threaded with trails through gorges to the Waddell and Joe Howe waterfalls and the famous 175-step Jacob's Ladder. Swimming pool, splash pad, playground and year-round snowshoeing and cross-country skiing make it a four-season favourite.
Trail Highlights:
- Jacob's Ladder — 175-step stairway to panoramic look-offs
- Waddell and Joe Howe waterfalls in scenic gorges
- Extensive, well-marked trail network across 3,000 forested acres
- Swimming pool, splash pad and playground
- Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter
Attractions
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Burntcoat Head Park
🏛️Experience the world's highest tides at Burntcoat Head, where the Bay of Fundy rises and falls an astonishing 16.3 metres twice daily.
Key Features:
- World's highest recorded tides (16.3m)
- Guided tidal walking tours
- Interpretive centre
- Tide pool exploration
- Picnic area
- Accessible boardwalk
Yarmouth County Museum & Archives
🏛️Award-winning museum in a historic 1890s granite church with 20,000+ artifacts, the third-largest ship portrait collection in Canada and the largest non-institutional archives in Nova Scotia. Google 4.8 rating, bilingual and wheelchair accessible.
Key Features:
- 20,000+ artifacts in a granite church
- Third-largest ship portrait collection in Canada
- Largest non-institutional archives in NS
- Pelton-Fuller House tours (July-Aug)
- Bilingual & wheelchair accessible
Trecothic Creek & Windsor Railway
🏛️Volunteer-run 1/8-scale ride-on outdoor model railway in Windsor where kids and adults ride miniature trains for free (donations welcome) through a scenic landscaped park with picnic tables. Runs select public days 10am-3pm.
Key Features:
- Free miniature train rides
- Voluntary donation entry
- 1/8-scale ride-on railway
- Picnic tables & landscaped park
- Volunteer-run (AMES society)
- Birthday & event bookings
Events
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Digby Scallop Days
🎉Annual four-day celebration of Digby's scallop fishing heritage featuring the Grand Street Parade, Scallop Shucking Competition, live music, Woodsmen Competition, fireworks, and fresh Digby scallops. August 6-9, 2026.
Event Features:
- Scallop Celebration
- Street Parade
- Live Music
- Family Activities
- Fireworks
Nova Scotia Gem and Mineral Show
🎉Atlantics premier gem, mineral, fossil, and jewelry event running since 1966, with over 30 exhibitors, workshops, gold panning, and family-friendly geological programming in Parrsboro.
Event Features:
- Gem Show
- Minerals
- Fossils
- Family Event
- Bay of Fundy
Accommodations
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Fundy Shore Accommodations
✨Where to stay along Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy shore — from historic inns in Parrsboro and Annapolis Royal to waterfront cottages near Advocate Harbour and Digby. Compare guesthouses, B&Bs, and inns across the shore.
Featured Items:
- B&Bs
- Inns
- Cottages
- Waterfront
- Bay of Fundy
Cliffs of Fundy - UNESCO Global Geopark
The Cliffs of Fundy holds UNESCO Global Geopark designation - one of only a handful in Canada. This prestigious recognition covers 165 km of Bay of Fundy shoreline, taking in some of the most geologically significant terrain on Earth. The Geopark stretches from the world-record tides at Burntcoat Head through the 300-million-year-old fossils of Joggins Fossil Cliffs (a separate UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the dramatic 200-metre sea cliffs of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. Together, these sites tell the complete story of the Bay of Fundy - from ancient Coal Age forests to the world's highest tides shaping the coastline today.
165 km of Shoreline
One of the world's longest Geopark-designated coastlines, spanning the full length of Nova Scotia's Fundy shore.
Burntcoat Head
Home of the world's highest recorded tides (16.3 m) - the geological engine behind the entire Fundy shoreline and its wildlife.
Joggins Fossil Cliffs
A UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Geopark - 300-million-year-old fossils preserved in place.
Cape Chignecto
Dramatic 200-metre sea cliffs and 50+ km of coastal hiking trails at the Geopark's western edge.
🌊 Bay of Fundy Tide Chart
Burntcoat Head - Home of the World's Highest Tides
Tide Range Visualization
Typical Tide Times - June 2026 (Burntcoat Head)
Times are approximate. Always check official predictions before visiting.
| Date | Low Tide | Low Height | High Tide | High Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1 | 06:32 | 1.2m | 12:48 | 13.8m |
| Jun 2 | 07:14 | 1.0m | 13:32 | 14.2m |
| Jun 3 | 07:56 | 0.8m | 14:16 | 14.5m |
| Jun 4 | 08:38 | 0.7m | 15:00 | 14.8m |
| Jun 5 | 09:20 | 0.6m | 15:44 | 15.0m |
| Jun 6-12 | Spring tide period - expect highest ranges (14-16m) | |||
| Jun 13 | 04:12 | 1.5m | 10:28 | 12.2m |
| Jun 14 | 04:54 | 1.6m | 11:12 | 11.8m |
| Jun 15-20 | Neap tide period - moderate ranges (10-12m) | |||
| Jun 21 | 10:42 | 0.9m | 17:02 | 13.5m |
| Jun 22 | 11:24 | 0.7m | 17:46 | 14.0m |
| Jun 23-28 | Spring tide period - highest ranges (14-16m) | |||
| Jun 29 | 05:48 | 1.3m | 12:04 | 12.5m |
| Jun 30 | 06:30 | 1.4m | 12:48 | 12.0m |
🗺️ Bay of Fundy Itineraries
Plan your Fundy Shore adventure - from a quick day trip to a full weekend escape
Perfect for a quick Fundy fix. Focus on the world's highest tides at Burntcoat Head with stops along the way.
Burntcoat Head Park
Drive: 45 min from Halifax or 20 min from Truro
Arrive at low tide to walk the ocean floor. Explore tide pools and see the world's highest tides. Allow 2 hours including interpretive centre.
💡 Check tide times before you go - arrive 1 hour before low tide for the best experience.
Lunch in the Area
Option 1: Pack a picnic and eat at Burntcoat Head's picnic area with Fundy views.
Option 2: Drive to nearby Maitland for a casual seafood lunch at a local café.
Five Islands Provincial Park
Drive: 30 min from Burntcoat Head
Walk the red sand beach at low tide, hike the Lookoff Trail, and photograph the five iconic islands. Allow 1.5-2 hours.
💡 The Lookoff Trail is a 2.5 km round trip with moderate elevation gain.
Return via Truro or Windsor
Drive: 45-60 min back to Halifax
Stop in Truro for dinner at a local restaurant, or Windsor if taking the southern route. Both towns offer good dining options.
A full weekend exploring the best of the Fundy Shore. Includes Burntcoat Head, Five Islands, and a journey to Cape Chignecto.
Day 1 - Tidal Wonders
Burntcoat Head Park
Drive: 45 min from Halifax
Time your visit with low tide for the full ocean floor experience. Guided tidal walking tours available. (2 hours)
Lunch at Five Islands
Drive: 30 min from Burntcoat Head
Pack a picnic or grab lunch at a local spot. Enjoy your meal overlooking the five islands.
Five Islands + Parrsboro
Spend the afternoon exploring Five Islands Provincial Park. Then drive 30 min to Parrsboro (45 min).
Visit the Fundy Geological Museum and explore the town's shops and waterfront. (2-3 hours)
Overnight in Parrsboro
Dinner at a local Parrsboro restaurant. Stay at a charming B&B or inn in town.
Day 2 - Cliffs & Fossils
Advocate Harbour & Cape Chignecto
Drive: 30 min from Parrsboro
Explore the picturesque fishing village of Advocate Harbour. Hike a section of the Cape Chignecto trails - the Eatonville Lookoff is a 4 km round trip with stunning views. (2-3 hours)
Wild Caraway Restaurant
Treat yourself to an award-winning lunch at Wild Caraway in Advocate Harbour. Reservations recommended.
Joggins Fossil Cliffs
Drive: 1 hour from Advocate Harbour
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk the cliff-side boardwalk, visit the Fossil Institute museum, and try the public fossiling beach. (2 hours)
Return to Halifax
Drive: 2 hours from Joggins via Amherst and the Trans-Canada Highway
The complete Bay of Fundy experience. This comprehensive loop covers every major attraction with time for hiking, dining, and exploration.
Day 1 - Eastern Fundy Shore
Depart Halifax → Burntcoat Head
Drive: 45 min
Early start to catch low tide at Burntcoat Head. Guided tidal walk and interpretive centre. (2-2.5 hours)
Five Islands Picnic
Picnic lunch at Five Islands Provincial Park with spectacular Fundy views.
Five Islands + Economy
Explore Five Islands trails. Visit the small community of Economy for a quiet coastal walk. (2 hours)
Overnight in Parrsboro
Check into your Parrsboro accommodation. Evening stroll along the waterfront. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 2 - Western Fundy Shore
Parrsboro to Advocate Harbour
Drive: 30 min
Visit the Parrsboro waterfront and shops before heading to Advocate Harbour. Explore the tidal beach. (1.5 hours)
Wild Caraway
Reserve ahead for lunch at Advocate Harbour's award-winning restaurant.
Cape Chignecto Hike
Hike the Eatonville or Red Head trails at Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. Allow 3-4 hours for a substantial hike with breathtaking cliff-top views.
Overnight near Joggins
Drive: 1 hour from Advocate Harbour to Amherst area
Stay in Amherst or near the Joggins Fossil Cliffs. Dinner in Amherst offers several good options.
Day 3 - Fossils & Farewell
Joggins Fossil Cliffs
Drive: 10 min from Amherst area
Full morning exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the museum, walk the boardwalk, and search for fossils on the beach. (2.5-3 hours)
Lunch in Amherst
Enjoy a meal in historic Amherst before beginning the journey back. Try a local café or pub.
Optional: Halls Harbour
Drive: 1.5 hours from Amherst (via Highway 359 through Kentville)
If time permits, make a detour to Halls Harbour for the famous lobster pound experience. A perfect final meal on the Fundy Shore.
💡 This adds about 1.5 hours to your return. Take Highway 1 through the Annapolis Valley for a scenic drive.
Return to Halifax
Drive: 1-1.5 hours from Halls Harbour or Windsor
Arrive back in Halifax by early evening. A perfect end to a Fundy adventure.
🏨 Where to Stay on the Fundy Shore
Parrsboro
Best for: Central location, dining options, budget to mid-range
Advocate Harbour
Best for: Cape Chignecto access, quiet retreats, B&Bs
Truro Area
Best for: Budget-friendly, Burntcoat Head access, highway convenience
Amherst
Best for: Joggins access, dining options, affordable stays
Bay of Fundy Tides, Question by Question
Where is the best place to see the Bay of Fundy tides?
The best places to see the Bay of Fundy tides in Nova Scotia are Burntcoat Head Provincial Park (holder of the world record for highest tides at 16 metres / 53 feet), Halls Harbour (where fishing boats rest on the ocean floor at low tide), Cape Split (a dramatic coastal lookoff over the tidal current), Five Islands Provincial Park, and Joggins Fossil Cliffs. Each offers a different vantage point on the world's highest tides. For the full geological story along this coastline, see our Cliffs of Fundy Geopark guide or plan a tidal bore rafting adventure.
What time are the Bay of Fundy tides?
The Bay of Fundy has a semidiurnal tide cycle, meaning there are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours. Each tide cycle is approximately 6 hours and 13 minutes, and the times shift by roughly 50 minutes each day. Because the schedule changes daily, always check the official tide tables at tides.gc.ca or the Parks Canada website before heading out.
How high do the Bay of Fundy tides get?
The Bay of Fundy tides reach up to 16 metres (53 feet) in vertical height at Burntcoat Head, Nova Scotia - officially the highest tides in the world. That's higher than a five-storey building, and it happens twice every single day. The 100 billion tonnes of seawater that flow in and out on each cycle equals the combined flow of all the world's freshwater rivers.
Can you walk on the ocean floor at low tide?
Yes - at low tide you can walk on the exposed ocean floor at Burntcoat Head, Five Islands, and Evangeline Beach. However, always check tide tables and return to shore well before the tide turns. The water can rise faster than you can walk, and the returning tide is dangerous. Parks Canada staff and signage at provincial parks provide current safety guidance.
Why Bay of Fundy Belongs on Your Nova Scotia Itinerary
Bay of Fundy is defined by the world's highest tides - up to 16 metres of vertical rise and fall twice a day - which reshape the coastline in real time. The full story lives in the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark guide, covering the 165 km of UNESCO-designated shoreline, while the 300-million-year-old fossils just down the coast earn their own write-up in our Joggins Fossil Cliffs guide. Together they explain why this shore is geologically significant on a global scale.
The tides also power adventures you can't have anywhere else. Our Tidal Bore Rafting guide covers riding the reversing wave in a zodiac, and the Unique Nova Scotia Experiences guide pairs that with ocean-floor dining at Burntcoat Head. To continue west toward Digby scallops and the Acadian Shores, the Southwest Nova Scotia guide picks up where the Fundy shore leaves off.
Tide Times & Planning
Fundy tides run on a rhythm, not a schedule. A full cycle takes about 12 hours and 25 minutes, delivering two high tides and two low tides every day, and each tide arrives roughly 50 to 60 minutes later than it did the day before. That means printed times go stale fast - always check the official table for your port and date at tides.gc.ca, the Canadian Hydrographic Service's free tide prediction site, before you set out.
Where to Check Tide Times by Port
Digby: tides.gc.ca lists Digby as a reference station for the southwest Fundy shore, and predictions for nearby harbours are drawn from it. It is the table to look up if you are launching a boat or walking the shore around town.
Advocate Harbour: the gateway community below Cape Chignecto sees one of the most extreme tidal ranges on the bay, and the harbour empties almost entirely at low water. Ocean-floor walks here are timed and led by tour operators - do not attempt the flats on your own.
Parrsboro: the Geopark beaches around Parrsboro transform completely between tides. Look up the Parrsboro station on tides.gc.ca before visiting, and plan your arrival for the lower half of the cycle when more sand and rock are exposed.
Halls Harbour: famous for fishing boats resting on bare mud because the harbour drains completely at low tide. Floor walks here happen at low tide only - check the posted tide board in the village as well as the official table.
Burntcoat Head: site of the world's highest recorded tides, with a record range of 16.3 metres. At low tide the floor of the Minas Basin opens for walking; at high tide there is no beach left at all. Timing is everything.
How to Read a Tide Table
Tide tables are simpler than they look. Times are given in local time and heights in metres above chart datum. Find your port, scan down the date column, and note the four daily turning points. If your goal is an ocean-floor walk, plan around the low tide entry - aim to arrive about an hour before it so you get the widest exposed floor.
The Two-Hour Safety Window
Walk the ocean floor only within about two hours either side of low tide. The tide returns faster than a person can walk, and channels fill first. Choose an exit route when you arrive, keep an eye on the water, and head back up well before the turn. When in doubt, follow the guidance of park staff or licensed guides.
Big Ranges Follow the Moon
The biggest ranges - spring tides - fall near the new and full moons, when sun, moon, and Earth line up. Check the moon phase when planning floor walks if you want the most dramatic exposure. For what all that moving water feels like up close, our tidal bore rafting guide explains how operators time trips to the incoming surge, while the Bay of Fundy guide pulls the whole region together and the Five Islands Provincial Park guide builds a park visit around the tide cycle.