New Glasgow

New Glasgow is a town in the Northumberland Shore region of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Get in

By car

New Glasgow is connected to the rest of Canada by the Trans-Canada Highway 104, which runs through the town. It is about a two hour drive from Halifax.

By bus

Maritime Bus has taken over former Acadian Bus Lines service from Truro to Sydney via New Glasgow. Acadian's New Glasgow depot was at the Irving gas bar in Plymouth - just outside the town boundary on the east side of the river.

By plane

No commercial flights service New Glasgow. Trenton Airport, just north of New Glasgow, receives private and corporate flights. New Glasgow is an hour and a half drive from Halifax International Airport (YHZ  ^IATA).

By train

Via Rail's closest terminal is in Truro, approximately 40 minutes west of New Glasgow.

Get around

The town is very pedestrian friendly, and all shops and services are within walking distance. Nearby towns such as Stellarton and Trenton can be reached by foot as well. Westville, being further away, is best recommended to get to by calling a cab or renting a vehicle.

See

Being within 10 minutes of the ocean, it is to no surprise that New Glasgow is home to some of Canada's best beaches and ocean front. Melmerby Beach or Big Island Beach are great spots for all four seasons. The beaches are sandy and water temperate, making for a great day out in summer. In winter it’s great to see the ice and snow piled up along the beach as the ocean stretches out to the horizon.

Greenhill look-off in nearby Alma makes for a great bird’s eye view of the local countryside farms, it is also home to the local "Lovers Lane".

The Downtown area of New Glasgow makes for a great day or evening out. Home to some great international cuisine from China, Italy, and Greece, even a new vegetarian cafe, there’s no shortage of choice. While you’re downtown you can check out some local clothing shops, a candy store, the library, and amphitheatre. On the weekends after 10, downtown lights up with local pubs and nightclubs open until 3:30am.

Situated on the East River, there’s a beautiful walking trail along the water starting at the local marina and connecting the nearby town of Stellarton.

If you happen to be there in summer, it seems that every weekend in New Glasgow and its surrounding towns, there is a different festival, with the main one being “The Riverfront Jubilee”. With headlining bands known throughout Canada, the town is alive all hours through the night and the party doesn’t stop all weekend.

With all the nearby rivers and lakes, and the Atlantic Ocean, fishing or kayaking are popular. A local can let you know where you can find the best places, such Melmerby Beach. The downtown marina rents out kayaks in summer.

An enjoyable way of sightseeing is to drive around the 'circle'. From George Street Bridge, drive along Provost Street to the East River Road. These leads to Foord Street (the main street of Stellarton) via Blue Acres. Turn left onto Foord Street, and drive to Acadia Street turning right. Follow Acadia Street into Westville. At the end of this road, turn right onto South Main Street of Westville. Drive along this road for some time until you encounter a right turn onto George Street in New Glasgow again.

• 🌍 Roseland Theatre, 188 Provost St. No longer a theatre, this building is still of interest to those who enjoy historical tourism focused on the history of justice. The building's exterior still looks much like it did when Viola Desmond's arrest here in 1946 touched off the Civil Rights movement in Canada. (updated Mar 2018)

Do

The Sampson Trail is a popular walking trail that crosses the East River.

Buy

The downtown area is within walking distance to the local seven screen movie cinema, McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Pizza Delight, numerous Tim Hortons, Aberdeen Hospital, Giant Tiger, Goodlife Fitness, Sobeys, and all five big banks in Canada. Also only a five minute drive is “The Highland Square Mall”, which includes stores such as Wal-Mart, Michaels, Canadian Tire, Winners, and a nearby Staples, Dollar Store, and Swiss Chalet.

Eat

Pictou County Pizza is a uniquely-tasting favourite of locals and a keep-sake of many ex-pats. Its pizza sauce is a local family secret guarded closely over the past 25 years. A few well-known local pizzerias continue the tradition as they are part of the family. Such establishments include Sam's Pizza and Andre's Pizza in Stellarton, and Alice's Pizza and Acropole Pizza in New Glasgow. Sam's even sells the pizza sauce in 1L jars for ex-pats to duplicate the taste when outside of the New Glasgow area. There are also many sit-down restaurants, including Andre's Seats in Stellarton, and The Dock and Cafe Italia in New Glasgow.

Drink

The Dock and The Thistle are a couple of the bar and grills located in New Glasgow. The Dock is located close to George Street Bridge, and the Thistle is located in the Aberdeen Plaza, beside the cinema.

Sleep

Go next

New Glasgow is only a 15 minute drive from Pictou and the ferry to Prince Edward Island. The ferry ride is an hour and a half ferry and makes for a great summer getaway.

In winter, check out Wentworth, a ski hill that’s about a 40-50 drive to the west, with beginner to advanced runs.

Routes through New Glasgow

Moncton ← Truro ←	W  E	→ Antigonish → North Sydney
Charlottetown ← ferry to Wood Islands ← Pictou ←	N  S	→ END
Jct ← Truro ←	W  E	→ Antigonish → Sydney