Charming cabin restaurant tucked in the woods in Nova Scotia, about an hour outside Halifax, that…read morespecializes in all things maple. It makes for a nice pitstop if you are driving to/from New Brunswick. They make their own maple syrup and specialize in all things maple. If you don't like pancakes, this probably isn't the place for you. Everything on the menu is made with maple. If you have the time, there is a nice mountain trail just out the front door that apparently a lot of folks hike before eating. We couldn't fit it in but I bet it would have made the experience even better. My pancakes with maple roasted pecans were good, not mind blowing, but good. My coffee with maple whipped cream was good but I typically take it black and wasn't a fan of all the sweetness. They do feature some non-pancake items like maple baked Mac n' cheese that was apparently recently on the Food Network. Also, some kind of French toast. But we all went for the pancakes. Service on our visit was not super fast but everyone was very nice and the place was very busy. They have a store with syrup, their own maple porter, and other wares. Overall we enjoyed our visit to this picturesque spot.

Breakfast was good with delicious biscuits and pancakes. The collection of maple products on the…read moretable are many, such as maple syrup, maple butter, maple pepper and maple drinks. The add-on of blueberry compote could be a bigger scoop and I would happily pay another dollar to get more. If you go hiking on the trails in the area the breakfast is welcome stop before or after. You can buy syrup straight from the farm (or next door) here. The tour is fun for kids and might be more interesting if you go during the spring season.

I am completely biased on this review. The Uniacke House was one of my favourite places to visit as…read morea child. I lived close enough that I could ride my bike there. I explored most of the nooks and crannies of the actual museum. As I got older, kids used to go swimming in Uniacke Lake and explore the forest. Or pick delicious wild blueberries. Since then, the site has greatly expanded. There are now extensive groomed walking trails. There are both long and short trails available all year long (though not maintained in the off season). Feeling a bit peckish? There's a tea room to enjoy. Or pack a picnic and enjoy one of the picnic tables by the water. The forest is green and beautiful and reminds me of all that I love about Nova Scotia.

Love this trail! It's a favourite in foot and on my bicycle. It's beautiful and you can ride all…read morethe way to Lawrencetown Beach. Only complaint is dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs!

Went for a 4 mile run in the morning and loved the trail. Clean and beautiful. Nice folks greeted…read moreus along the way. Definitely would love to run again and more.

Actually we call it the BLT Trail, which is easier to say! We have been cycling here for about 6…read moreyears now. It is gorgeous. The trail is on the site of an abandoned railway line leading west out of Halifax towards the South Shore. This trail also leads into the city now, to the new Chain of Lakes Trail, so you can get to the BLT from a Halifax recreational trail. At the other end of the BLT you can connect to the St. Margaret's Bay Rails to Trails and ride out to Tantallon and beyond to Boutliers Point and Ingramport. We have gone both ways. They are essentially one trail, but they go by different names in different parts. I guess they were built at different times, or run by different associations. To get there from Clayton Park, we drive through Bayers Lake and go out the other side passing by Rona and the Canadiana restaurant. Here you turn right onto highway 3. Then you drive a little bit, then turn right on Lakeside Park drive. Look for the Coca Cola plant on your left. Park your car in the lot and you are at the trail head for the BLT. Here you can get on your bike or begin your walk. There is parking for about 20 cars. There used to be ATVs on the trail, but I think they discontinued them. I see people walking and people riding their bikes. People walk their dogs there too. I know of one beaver dam, one waterfall, and once I saw some deer at the far end of the trail. There is a big lake in the middle with benches to sit on, (called Cranberry Lake) and often people and/or dogs go for a swim. The whole trail is about 13 kms long, from the Coke plant to the St. Margaret's Bay Trail. We bring bikes, helmets and a snack in the panier. It is fun to be outside in the fresh air. A really nice spot to spend a few hours.

Another beautiful section on Rails to Trails, the first 5km from Lakeside Park Dr toward Timberlea…read morehad a lot of traffic and one major road crossing. But after that it's a great ride and you could go all the way to the Bike and Bean in Timberlea or further.

By far the best hike I've ever done. Me and my girlfriend did the first loop out of four I think…read moreand it was fantastic. Took us about 4-5 hours and it was roughly 9 kms but we had a blast. Best way to bond with family or loved ones is to go on this trail, beautiful views from all angles and great trails. Highly recommend being somewhat physically fit to do this trail as there are a lot of steep climbs and rough terrain. The first km of the trail is not so bad if you are just trying to get a feel of the trail. Also would be a great place to camp but it frowned upon because of the dangers it can cause to the wildlife and plants. Also there are bear warnings and moose warnings so come prepared.

The perfect place to take a hike. This series of trails is…read moregreat for the new hiker to the experienced hiker. The trail is actually set up as four loops, the shortest being around 10km, from the parking lot and back ( with part of it on the Rails to Trails) Then the loops get longer, 17 kms, 23 kms, 30kms for the longest. http://www.wrweo.ca/BluffTrail/webMap.html This link is a topo map of the area. Wonderful views, wonderful trails, some areas boardwalked to keep your feet out of the wet bog. I would recommend sturdy footwear, carry some water, snacks, and extra clothes or a pack to remove clothes to when you warm up. The first loop is very popular and you will run into people almost anytime of day. I'm looking forward to my next hike.......hope to finally push for the long loop.....I'll let you know how that goes.

We rolled out of bed in time to hit the road by eight-ish this morning in hopes of spending a quiet…read moremorning in the wilderness of Duncan's Cove, a coastal hike out past the Herring Cove region. It's only a short drive, it's not even remotely busy, and it's off-the-grid enough to feel the relaxation benefits! I'll get to all the reasons why it's easily one of my new favourite places around the city in a minute, but I do have to point out that it lost some serious points with me before we even got there. Duncan's Cove isn't easy to find without someone who knows where they're headed, there are few (if any) directional signs pointing you in the right direction and even when you're on the right track, there are 'Private Property' signs making you doubt yourself the entire time. Without noticing the path naturally paved with smooth, white rocks for easy passage, we ended up plowing through a trail reminiscent of the raptor fields in Jurassic Park 2 (Anyone? Just me?) with foliage up to our shoulders, rough and dangerous terrain, and plenty of opportunities for injury including ankle-high stone walls, foot-deep sinkholes, and roots ready for the tripping. Nonetheless, we still managed to make it down but much happier with the more user-friendly route on the way back. Even with the safer trail, there are some dangerous spots so pay attention, watch your kids, and give it some serious thought if arriving with a mobility challenge. Once you reach the rocky shore, you can hike for hours without really reaching anything. All the while, you get an unobstructed view of the Atlantic complete with fishing and sailboats, coastguard patrols, schools of herring visible at water level, families of seals on the hunt, incredible diving birds that nab fish right out of the water, and yes - we even saw a school of pilot whales diving off the coast. This was some National Geographic stuff, guys! Dog-friendly for medium to large-size breeds but know that they're going to get messy in the process. Leave the short-legged guys at home, the ground will be a little too dangerous for them. And for any dog brought out, please remember to keep them on-leash to avoid harming any of the wildlife including geese that all too often fall victim to inattentive dog owners.

We stayed in one of the houses at Duncan's Cove (There are 3 or 4 available on airbnb). There is…read moreparking by the trail head which is kind of hidden. There is a gravel drive across from the parking bay area that leads towards a massive white house in the distance. Follow the drive and disregard the sign that says private no vehicles. You will see a sign pointing the direction of the actual trail on the right of the path. The trail forks immediately. Take a left to head to head the fastest way down to the ocean. You will definitely want proper footwear, as the path is not paved and it will involve some rock climbing. The path exits out of the undergrowth to the rocky shore and follows along it some way where it eventually meets the other fork. If you had taken the straight ahead path at the fork you hike for some distance before coming across an abandoned WWII bunker (we used it for shelter for a storm that hit during our hike). We had the privilege of being the only ones there on our sunny return visit the following day. We sat and watched almost two dozen seals play in the surf. The stormy day was as rewarding, watching the waves crash against the rocks. I encourage any hikers to please take the threat of ticks very seriously. You will be walking on narrow trails between thick undergrowth. Tuck pants into socks, spray repellent, and conduct thorough checks afterwards.

I have to say I'm a fan, I loved to mountain bike here before all the lovely forrest got demolished…read morefor development. There were awesome trails and large granite slabs, lots of bike bridges. It was a great place for hiking and walking your dog as well. People still hike here often, but it's all barren land now, not as beautiful as it once was. I still see lots of paw prints out there, I'm sure the pups still love it as they always did. The top of the hill still offers panoramic views of Bayer's Lake. I don't enjoy myself here as much as I did when there were trees, but it's still worth a hike around. Bring the dog, they'll love it too.

Perhaps the most popular hike within the park is the ravine trail. The information below is…read morespecifically about this loop. It's 4 kms or 2.5 miles, a loop trail, and has elevation gains of 93m or 315 feet. The trailhead located off the Bedford Highway on Kent Avenue (across from the Rotunda and has parking lot has space for ~20 vehicles In order to get to the ravine trail, you will need to follow this path from the parking lot: Rockingham Loop (Blue), Governors Loop (Red) and the Ravine Trail (Orange). These trails will take you to the bottom of the ravine. It's here the trail ends, but connects with other trails. We recommend making a right at the bottom. It will allow you to follow a beautiful stream - which is perhaps the most beautiful area of the park. Allow yourself about 2 hours to complete this loop. If you want a complete travel guide and video of this location, please visit our website at www.joshthetravelguy.ca and www.youtube.com/joshthetravelguy respectively.

This is my favorite park in Halifax, for many reasons!…read more Sentimental: I first enjoyed this park when, according to my dad, I was 1 year old. Ever-Changing: Over the years I have returned here and made new memories as I have watched the paths multiply and improve. The landscape evolves with the seasons, bringing new life, transitioning and regenerating. Very popular park, especially on weekend afternoons. Namaste.

Capt. Mike Tilley has a small boat you can charter to take you to McNab's Island or Devil's Island…read more It's only $15 roundtrip to McNab's and around $25 to Devil's Island. You call him ahead of time to arrange a time and he is flexible with meeting your schedule. He allowed me to take my 2 dogs on the boat to McNab's Island which made me quite happy! McNab's is a great place to hike around and see old British forts and to experience some true nature close to Halifax. You meet the boat in Fishermen's Cove around the Eastern Passage area. Make sure to allow at least 4 hours to explore the island. Capt. Mike will give you a map but no roads are labelled on the island so it's a bit of adventure!

Mike took a group of 8 of us out to McNabs this June. He was such a great guide. He is so…read morepassionate about the island and full of great tips. We had such a fun time!