Peggy's Cove

Peggy's Cove is the home of Canada's most photographed lighthouse. As you wind along the edge of St. Margaret's Bay, woodlands eventually give way to rugged outcroppings that were deposited when the last glaciers swept through. On one side, massive granite boulders stand semi erect in scrubby fields; on the other, they lie prone, creating the granite shelf on which Peggy's Cove is perched. The hamlet itself consists of little more than a Lilliputian harbor with a tiny wooden church, a cluster of shingled houses, and some salt-bleached jetties. What distinguishes Peggy's Cove, though, is the solitary lighthouse towering over a slab of wave-blasted rock. Just don't be tempted to venture too close to the edge—many an unwary visitor has been swept out to sea by the mighty surf that sometimes breaks here. (Repeat this mantra: dark rocks are wet rocks, and must be avoided.) In addition to navigating the rugged terrain, you'll have to contend with the crowds in summer—750,000 tourists descend annually. To avoid them in July and August, plan to arrive early or late in the day.