Rum Runners Trail

During the Prohibition era, smugglers took full advantage of the province’s concealed harbours, secluded coves and rugged islands to funnel alcohol into the United States, shipping and transporting barrels of booze by boat and railway between Halifax and Lunenburg. The illicit Rum Runners Trail of the 1920’s and 30’s exists today as an inspired recreational route, a flat gravel track that appeals to bike enthusiasts of all abilities. Focus on the views, seafood, bridges, lakes and Nova Scotia’s legendary hospitality while we shuttle your luggage ahead each day to handpicked B&B’s and inns located just minutes off the trail. With ample time to explore the region’s highlights by peddle or foot, our flexible self-guided itinerary includes longer detours for cyclists determined to go the extra mile. You’ll also be able to scramble on the rocks beneath the iconic lighthouse of Peggy’s Cove, and stroll the colourful streets of Old Town Lunenburg, one of only two urban communities in North America to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Feast guilt-free on lobster and seafood dinners as you work it off on our comfortable bikes, tasting the invigorating sea breeze and chewing on the South Shore’s unforgettable scenery.

Trip highlights

• Cycle along a flat sheltered trail through welcoming Atlantic fishing communities
• Discover the many colours of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Scramble the rocks of Peggy’s Cove, one of Canada’s most iconic sites
• Feast on the region’s famous lobster and seafood
• Picnic and swim off secluded beaches, coves and harbours
• Re-trace the historical footsteps of daring Prohibition rum-runners