24 Hours in Antigonish

Welcome to Antigonish! If you’re only here for a short time or a quick visit, we’ve planned out a 2-day experience for you that will help you see the sights, take in all that is Antigonish, and leave you wanting you come back! #youwillloveit!

Summer-time Visit:
Day One

8:30 am- Rise and Shine. You have a big day ahead. Start with a delicious fair trade coffee and homemade fresh-baked treat from one of the many coffee shops or restaurants.

9:00 am- Walk the Main- Stroll along Main Street Antigonish and check out all of the amazing shops, boutiques and galleries. For a full list of local shops and galleries, click here. You will also see our Town Hall located along that stretch, as well as our local library, courthouse and beautiful Columbus field (which has a playground and water sprinkler for kids). Keep walking and you’ll come to the Hospital, as well as a business we are particularly proud of, Peace by Chocolate.

10:30 am: Head on “up the hill” to visit the beautiful St. Francis Xavier University. You will not find a prettier campus in the Atlantic Provinces! Stroll along the campus to see the stunning St. Ninian Cathedral, visit the Coady International Institute (igniting leadership and community development around the world since 1959) and the Students Union Building to grab some St. FX merchandise and swag.

12:00 pm: LUNCH TIME! You worked hard walking around all morning. Sit down and relax at one of our many beautiful restaurants. All of the restaurants and Cafes are delicious! Want to learn about all the food establishments in Antigonish? Click here.

1:00 pm- It’s time to explore our beautiful county. If you don’t have your own vehicle, we recommend grabbing a rental from Enterprise Rental on Main Street. We have incredible summers with beautiful sunny days. What’s the best thing to do on a sunny day? Head to the beach of course! We have some many beautiful family-friendly beaches in Antigonish— all within a 15 minute drive. For this journey, we recommend taking in the Arisaig Provincial Beach. This beautiful beach boasts a family-friendly sandy shoreline with an amazing sandbar at low tide, free parking and an ice cream shop and lobster interpretive centre just minutes away. You won’t find a prettier spot to take in some sun and relax with the family.

3:00 pm- Still have some energy to burn? Just down from the beach is a beautiful provincial park and mini-trail. The trail from the beach to the Park is a well kept secret, as it plays host to several exposed rocks. Within these rocks you can often find fossils and sea-rock erosion markings in the rocks.

4:30 pm- If you’re in Arisaig, you cannot leave without visiting Steinhart’s Distillery. Winners of the Best Classic Gin in the World at the 2019 World Gin Awards in London, England, Thomas and his team really know what they’re doing. and are always happy to talk with visitors about why they love to work and live in Antigonish.

5:30 pm- Getting tired? We get it. Let’s head back into Town and prepare for a deliciously prepared supper at any one of our incredible restaurants.

8:00 pm- After a delicious meal, head back to St. FX Campus, to the Bauer Theatre to catch a play as part of Festival Antigonish’s Summer Theatre. Buy your tickets in advance on their website or try your luck at the door. We guarantee you’ll be entertained by the talented performers!

11:00 pm- Head back to your hotel for some R&R. You’ve got another busy day tomorrow!

Day Two:

8:30 am- An early start to another adventurous day. Don’t forget to check out the restaurants on Main Street or James Street for a delicious old school breakfast.

9:30 am- Let’s get outside! Jump on the 104 highway and head towards Keppoch Mountain. A four-season outdoor facility, Keppoch offers an accessibility trail (great for strollers or wheelchairs), hiking, downhill cycling, a pump track and rock climbing area for youth, as well as swimming facilities at Cameron Lake (a short distance from the Mountain). There is a lodge with washrooms and rest areas.

11:30 am- Head back into Antigonish and grab a quick bite at one of our many delicious food trucks located around Antigonish. For a full list of food vendors, click here.

12:30 am- If you’re downtown, swing into the Antigonish Town and County Library and check out this beautiful facility which hosts local art work, a community room and several community-based programs. Not to mention, it’s a stunning building!

1:00 pm- Let’s head back out into the County. This time, we recommend you visit Pomquet Beach and Provincial Park. Not only is it a stunning 3km supervised beach, it has the best example of dune succession in Nova Scotia. It has gentle slopes and occasional sandbars but best of all, this beach is wheelchair accessible. A new Mobi Mat was installed in 2018, along with the addition of a lightweight beach wheelchair.

If you’re still hungry, or if you didn’t have lunch in Antigonish, be sure to check out Chez Deslauriers, an Acadian tea room which is located near the park for a delicious snack.

4:00 pm- Head back into Antigonish for another delicious supper and relaxing evening. There are a number of restaurants to check out. For a complete list, click here.

7:00 pm- Take in a movie and relax at our Cineplex Theatre or walk over to the Antigonish Landing Trail for a beautiful sunset walk. The Landing offers a well-maintained trail where you can often see local wildlife including eagles, deer, ducks, and turtles. It’s a pet-friendly trail that can be explored either on foot or by bike.