Crystal Crescent Beach, Nova Scotia. (CREDIT: Skye Bryden-Blom)

There are many adventures for you to embark on if you’re looking to plan your next staycation in Nova Scotia.

Anna Moran, Director of Research Planning and Decision Support with Tourism Nova Scotia, tells our newsroom the province is rich in activities for you to do this summer.

From the coast to the valley there is no shortage of staycation adventures for you.

“We’ve got things like going whale watching and exploring beaches. We’ve got live music across the province, we have the world’s best seafood. We’ve got things like wine tours, we have incredible coastal hiking, we’ve got theatre, we’ve got shopping, we’ve got spas, we’ve got golf, we’ve got beach resorts,” she exclaims. “There really isn’t anything that you can’t do in Nova Scotia.”

She adds now that restrictions have dropped there are so many more events and festivals taking place this summer.

Moran says if she were planning a staycation this month checking out the Clam Harbour Beach Sandcastle competition would be at the top of her list.

The sandcastle and sculpturing contest attracts more than 10,000 people each year to the eastern shore.

The beach will welcome artists and spectators on August 21st. The gates open at 9 a.m.

On August 15th, celebrations will mark National Acadian Day with a concert in Pubnico.

You can feel the beat of some of your favourite artists in Antigonish at the Nova Scotia Summerfest on August 19th and 20th.

Walk Off The Earth, The Trews, Jimmy Rankin, Ennis Sisters, and Neon Dreams are just some of the guests heading to the music festival this year.

Nova Scotians make the best tourism ambassadors

Moran adds planning your next staycation also helps our province.

She says Nova Scotians are important for the tourism industry, accounting for 40 percent of related revenues in a typical year.

“In a normal year, we would see Nova Scotians making more than 5 million, same-day or overnight trips within the province,” Moran explains. “And if we’re looking at just overnight trips, that’s more than $1 million,” Moran explains.

She adds this means we help businesses across our province with the adventures we take as tourists exploring our own backyards.

Image from Pixabay

We also help to attract tourists to our province with tales of the staycations we take.

“We’re also really important ambassadors for the province,” Moran says. “We can tell our friends and relatives who may not have the pleasure of living here about all the great things there are to see and do when they come to visit us.”

Moran believes our province offers a unique experience because it’s easy to take a day trip as nothing is really far apart.

All you have to do is hop in the car for a few hours and you’re somewhere completely new experiencing something totally different.

Tourism makes a big return after tough pandemic years

Moran says Tourism Nova Scotia is seeing a “much happier” summer after some tough pandemic years.

She says tourism operators are telling them their bookings have been really strong for the season.

Moran tells us Nova Scotians have also been a big help, warmly welcoming tourists back from across the globe.

When asked about her upcoming adventures in Nova Scotia, Moran was quick to tell us she’d be spending a lot of time outside.

“I’m going blueberry picking in the valley. And then I’m probably going to get completely sidetracked and follow signs and visit someplace that I haven’t visited before,” she says. “Hopefully, I’ll bring home a new bottle of wine or some kind of food or a piece of art from somebody that I haven’t met before. And when I get home, I’m probably going to walk down and wander along the Halifax waterfront. Maybe I’ll have dinner at one of the little restaurants that are there.”

If you want to know more about how to plan your next staycation from day trips to overnight adventures you can head to novascotia.com.