2 Best Sights in South Shore and Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

Many Wolfvillians will tell you that the best show in town is watching swifts—aerobatic birds that fly in spectacular formation—descend on the Tufts Centre's oversized chimney at dusk on summer evenings. The venue is named in honor of the late ornithologist, author, and longtime resident who published Birds of Nova Scotia in 1961. The illustrated tome is still considered the bible for birders in the province, and Tufts had lots of material to work with because Nova Scotia, being located on the Atlantic flyway, is an important staging point for migratory species. Birders can tick several off their "must-see" list without straying too far from Wolfville. Each summer as many as half a million sandpipers and plovers flock to Evangeline Beach near Grand Pré to gorge on the Minas Basin's nutrient-rich mudflats before continuing nonstop to South America. Winter, meanwhile, brings hundreds of regal bald eagles to Sheffield Mills, northeast of Kentville.

With four migratory seabird sanctuaries nearby, this 1,600-acre park is a great spot for birding, and it has some good hiking trails. Or you could just stretch out on one of the white-sand beaches. Occasional organized activities include family fun days, a sand sculpture contest in September, and stargazing.