This is a big, beautiful park mostly made up of sports fields and a small pond. The Cole Harbour Commons may not have a proper “off-leash” area, but with the right dog and on the right day, it’s an awesome space for you and your pal to stretch your legs. There is a paved path along one side of the park … Continue reading Cole Harbour Commons

There isn’t a great swimming spot.  There aren’t any designated off-leash areas.  But for some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, we love this park.  It’s our happy place.  Maybe’s it’s the stunning views (there are many).  I think it has more to do with the peacefulness.  It’s a big trail system, … Continue reading Cole Harbour / Lawrencetown Coastal Heritage Park

If I could marry a beach, I would marry Conrad’s Beach (… or is it Conrods Beach?). My love for Conrad’s Beach is never-ending. In the future I will do a blog post about my favourite HRM beaches, and it will be about Conrad’s Beach and that’s it. I have heard people say that Conrad’s … Continue reading Conrad’s Beach

Crowbar Lake Trail offers a scenic and challenging hike within the HRM. The trail is located deep in the woods in Porters Lake, which means the heat can get oppressive. We recommend this fabulous trail for a cooler day. The trail is a total of about 9 km each way (or 18 km return). We’ve only … Continue reading Crowbar Lake Trail

The Old Lawrencetown Road Trail has been developed by the Lawrencetown Cole Harbour Trail Association into a “connector trail” between the Sunset Acres subdivision in Cole Harbour, and the Ross Road area in Lawrencetown. It’s a gravel straight-line trail that is about 2 km long, making for a 4-km round trip. There are plenty of fresh-water sources along … Continue reading The Old Lawrencetown Road Trail

Porters Lake Provincial Park is our very favourite dog-friendly campground. Here is why we love it. First of all, it’s close to the City. It take only about 30 minutes to drive there from our house. Second, it’s beautiful. Many campgrounds have the lake or ocean nearby. With this campground, Porters Lake is right there. A large number of sites … Continue reading Porters Lake Provincial Park

Rainbow Haven Beach is one of HRM’s most popular beaches, and for good reason. A boardwalk takes you from the parking lot through the grassy dunes and onto the large sandy beach. The beach wraps around a small point at the entrance to Cole Harbour (the actual harbour, not the nearby community). Waves gently lap onto the shore, … Continue reading Rainbow Haven Beach

  Since Salt Marsh Trail is pretty much a causeway in the middle of stunning Cole Harbour (the actual harbour, not the area where Sidney Crosby grew up) it’s pretty hard not to love.  I’ve been to Salt Marsh Trail in the early morning, in the early evening, and once, as a thunderstorm rolled in. … Continue reading Salt Marsh Trail