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Exploring the South Shore (Lighthouse Route)
A journey along the Atlantic coast south and west from downtown Halifax is a trip through a timeless and beautiful landscape. Lighthouses stand guard along rocky headlands, broad sand beaches are shaped and reshaped by fresh salt breezes, and tiny fishing villages stand in weathered harmony with the sea.
 From the Armdale Rotary, take Rte. 3 to Rte.333. Locally known as Prospect Road, Rte.333 takes you through the communities of Goodwood, Hatchett Lake, Brookside and White's Lake, where you can take a side trip to Terrence Bay or Prospect for ocean vistas and working fishing villages. In Terrence Bay you can visit the memorial to the 1873 wreck of the SS Atlantic. From White's Lake, continue to Shad Bay and East and West Dover, villages where the homes sit directly on the bare granite. This stark rock-strewn landscape is the entrance to Peggy's Cove, the most famous fishing village in the world.
The sturdy lighthouse overlooking the harbour has become a symbol of the spirit of coastal Nova Scotia. The present lighthouse was built in 1914 but is no longer used as a navigational beacon. Instead, it houses the only fully operational Canadian post office in a lighthouse during the summer months.
On sunny days, Peggy's Cove sparkles with light, and in fog, it's wrapped in a romantic blanket of misty stillness. The smooth wind-and wave-worn granite rocks beg to be explored by foot, but use extreme caution - the ocean and its crashing waves are unpredictable.
Hwy. 333 continues past the famous cove along the shore of St. Margaret's Bay through a series of sheltered villages - Indian Harbour, Hackett's Cove, Glen Margaret, Seabright, French Village, Glen Haven and Tantallon. This winding route is one of the most scenic drives in Nova Scotia. The terrain slowly changes from the rugged barren granite of the headland to more pastoral woods and farmland that roll gently down to the tranquil waters of St. Margaret's Bay. Antique and artisans' shops and a variety of restaurants abound along the roadside.
The communities of Tantallon and Head of St. Margaret's Bay converge at the crossroads of Hwy.3 and Hwy.333. Hwy. 3 continues south-west along the bay, trailing past farmsteads, beaches, quaint homes and shops. Boutilier's Point has a public wharf for salt-water fishing while the Head of the Bay is home to a unique hydro power plant with a solid wood pipeline. Ingramport is known for its deep-water harbour and fishing in the Ingramport River, Black Point for its sandy beach, and Cleveland and Queensland for their popular beach parks, with some of the warmest salt-water temperatures along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia.
Hubbards is a charming seaside village that marks the southwestern limit of the Halifax Regional Municipality. The 205-year old town has all the amenities of a popular summertime retreat.
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