Whale watching tours should be at the top of your list of activities on your Nova Scotia vacation. The best whale watching can be found throughout the province, from Cape Breton’s world famous Cabot Trail, to the Bay of Fundy’s Digby Neck, and in the south, from the beautiful South Shore near Lunenburg to Metro Halifax. The tours will show you not just whales but also other Atlantic marine wildlife including seals and sea birds in their natural habitat.

Imagine sitting in a boat on the ocean, so close to a whale that you can look it in the eye! Nova Scotia has some of the world’s best whale watching cruise tours. The sight of whales lunging, diving, blowing and ‘breeching’ in the ocean is an unforgettable vacation experience and truly awe-inspiring.

The Bay of Fundy is a marine paradise because the waters of the bay are important feeding grounds for many whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea birds. Watch humpbacks—the clowns of the sea—frolic and breech, marvel at the huge finbacks, and meet the friendly minke (pronounced "ming key”) whales. If you’re lucky, you might even spot the Atlantic White Sided Dolphins or the rare North Atlantic right whale (one of the rarest in the world).

Take a whale watching cruise along Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail, and your trip may even be accompanied by Celtic fiddle music! Pods of curious pilot whales are often drawn close to the boats by the music and you can hear them ‘sing’ by listening on a hydrophone. Many tour companies offer guaranteed whale sightings, live commentary and local history. In Pleasant Bay, make sure you visit the Whale Interpretive Centre before you head out on a whale watching cruise!

Of course, whale watching tours aren’t just about the whales. It’s a chance to breathe in pure, ocean air, soak up the beauty of the breath-taking scenery, and spend time with friends and family, experiencing nature at its finest.