A few weeks back, while touring Annapolis Valley, I came across a twitter photo of The Ovens.  Initially, I didn’t believe it was located in Nova Scotia.  It reminded me of pictures taken in the Mayan Riviera.   It was all turquoise waters flowing into waterfront caves.  Stunning.  So stunning that I tried to make Drew turn the car around from my beloved Annapolis Valley.

One week later, we hit the road for Lunenburg for a day full of chowder, window-shopping, and cave exploration.  The drive to the Ovens is an adventure all its own.  We drove the winding roads, stopping often to take pictures and videos.

The Ovens is a natural park located just past Lunenburg.  It is home to 190 acres of pristine coastal forest and sea caves, or “Ovens”.  In 1861, it was also home to a gold mining operation, which extended some of the natural tunnels into the caves.  As a result, there are a number of caves that you can walk down into, putting you almost water level inside the caves.   There is really no way to describe it, you have to go.  We walked the trails along the water, stopping to go into each cave.  There are some steep stairs and low passageways at some points, but the experience is worth the momentary fear.

If you are looking for a longer stay, there is a large campground on-site.  $28 for your site, which includes entrance to the park ($8).  You can also check out the mining museum, pan for gold, rent a kayak, or take part in some of the kids activities (including a swimming pool and a petting zoo).

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