The year was 1749. With the promise free, tax-free land European settlers arrived by way of Halifax, to the area that is now Lunenburg. Fast forward almost 250 years.
In 1995 UNESCO declared those same planned 48 grid-patterned blocks, on Nova Scotia’s south shore, home to old town Lunenburg, a World Heritage site.
Upon their arrival, the settlers found rocks rather than farmland. Although the immigrants weren’t mariners by the late 1800s, they made schooners and became fishermen.
In 1870’s the Mariner King Inn was one of the first homes to become a Victorian in the trendy Italianate-style, by adding the famed Lunenburg “bump” over the entrance.
We explored St. John’s Anglican Church, Lunenburg Academy, and many architectural and historical venues in between.
After a tour of Old Town Lunenburg, complete with tales about haunting spirits at the Lunenburg Academy, we finished our tour at Ironworks Distillery, where we enjoyed stories about another type of spirit.
The day started with breakfast at the Mariner King Inn. White tablecloths embroidered with nautical-themed scenes covered the breakfast tables. The breakfast buffet was laden with meats, a variety of cheese, and breakfast pastries.
Along the waterfront, be sure to investigate the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, the home to Bluenose II. The Bluenose originally built and launched in Lunenburg in 1921 as a fishing vessel and a racing schooner.
On the Lunenburg waterfront, stop by for lunch at the Grand Banker Bar and Grill. While their menu is extensive, try their signature dish the Lunenburger. This unbelievable burger is a beef patty topped with applewood smoked cheddar, béarnaise sauce, and lobster claws.