One of the quiet advantages of staying in Bridgewater is how close you are to Lunenburg — a fifteen-minute drive that delivers one of Canada’s most recognisable waterfronts, and a UNESCO World Heritage site to boot.
Lunenburg’s Old Town is famous for a reason: rows of saltbox houses in reds, blues, and yellows lining streets that slope down to the harbour. It’s compact enough to explore entirely on foot, which makes it an easy half-day or full-day trip from your suite at Empire Riverside Stay.
Start at the waterfront, where the Bluenose II — Nova Scotia’s iconic schooner — is often docked when not out sailing. The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic sits right alongside it and is worth the visit if you want context on the town’s shipbuilding and fishing heritage. From there, the streets climbing away from the harbour are lined with galleries, craft shops, and studios worth a slow wander.
When it’s time to eat, Lunenburg does seafood well — chowders, fresh-caught fish, and lobster rolls are the order of the day at most harbourside spots, many with patio seating looking straight out over the water. If you’re after something sweeter, the town’s bakeries and coffee shops are made for lingering with a book.
Photographers and early risers should try to catch the harbour at sunrise or just after — the light on the coloured houses is the shot everyone comes home with.
The best part of doing Lunenburg as a day trip rather than an overnight is that you get to enjoy it fully and still come home to more space, a private kitchen, and better value than a harbourside hotel room. Base yourself at Empire Riverside Stay in Bridgewater and Lunenburg becomes an easy add-on rather than the whole trip.
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