Beach and dog-friendly camping in Nova Scotia

This is where you want to be for salty waves, rambling coasts, and fresh fish.

91% (239 reviews)
91% (239 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Nova Scotia

Under $50

Dog-friendly getaways

12 top beach and dog-friendly campgrounds in Nova Scotia

98%
(31)

Unique Cabot Trail Campground

14 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents100 acres · Baddeck, NS
This was one of the original homesteads in the Margarees. There was an old sawmill on site which was used to build the house and barn. It was sold to a man who started renovations for a summer house but ended up listing it for sale. I purchased it and completely renovated the 100-year-old house. Shortly after, my brother and I started an outfitting company with no plan of building a campground, but in 2017 we saw a great opportunity for building something unique. We wanted to keep a backwoods camping feel, but yet create it around a hostel-inspired environment. We launched June 1, 2018 and are in full swing now. We look forward to meeting you and will help you out in any way to make your trip here something to remember. Adventure awaits at this eco-camping hostel offering a natural setting, overlooking a picturesque valley. This location offers close to off-grid camping with a twist of comfort; furnished Glamping tents, sleeping up to 4 people per tent on a queen bed with twin camping beds for extra guests. Cooking gear, bedding, and towels are provided. Each tent, located at this eco-hostel, has its own campfire pit, with a solar outdoor shower on site and beautiful views of the river valley.
Potable water
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CA$35
 / night
84%
(157)

Sand Point RV Camping and Tenting

13 sites · RVs, Tents87 acres · Tatamagouche, NS
Caution mosquitos considered to be ok in June, manageable in July and off the charts from August to September long. We are Located within a five minute drive just outside of Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, our property has over 2500 feet of oceanfront with a mixture of Sand, Pebble and Rock covered beaches. 1500 ft of our ocean front is mostly made up of 60ft high cliffs with trees for shelter from the wind and sun. We supply everything you need such as two prefabricated C-Can washroom / Shower Units with both of the washrooms having showers with running hot water. (Bring your own Soap and Shampoo) unlimited firewood, and running water to have an unforgettable Ocean Front RV/camping/tenting experience. Don’t come camping if you don’t have the following: 1. A hatchet or axe. 2. A flashlight. 3. Shelter (tent). We supply a the view, water access, washroom, shower and firewood we don’t teach people how to start a fire or give them lessons on what to bring camping. Tatamagouche is home to the Tatamagouche Brewery, The Train Station Inn, The Creamery Square / Heritage Society (Anna Swan Museum) and the Balmoral Gristmill. Guests can take in dinning experiences at restaurants such as the Nook & Cranny, The Chowder House and Big Als Pub. For the golf enthusiasts, we are just 5 min away from the water front Brule Point Golf Course and for world class golfing experience we are just 30 minutes from the Fox Harbor Golf Resort. Our property is mainly made up of open spaces with few trees, we have an abundant of Pic-nic areas with oversized pic-nic tables are placed along the ocean front so guests can have an unforgettable gathering with friends and family. With steps down to our premium beach front. the property has easy access to the water for kayaking, swimming and we have a small boat launch for personal water crafts during high tides. Come check out this one-of-a-kind property! All ocean front tenting / RV sites have no services available if you want access to power and water you will have to book one of the sites that have services to it. We only have seven serviced sites available to our guests.
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CA$45
 / night
98%
(51)

Off the Beaten Trail Eco Lodging

12 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents2 acres · Rose Bay, NS
Welcome to Off the Beaten Trail. Found on the beautiful South Shore of Nova Scotia, near the famous U.N.E.S.C.O Town of Lunenburg, making us a great central location. We offer a glamping experience that will be hard to beat. Offering unique full service units, Tent and RV sites. Recognized Superhost with Airbnb and voted #3 in Nova Scotia for Best Hipcamp in 2022 Open year round, for those who enjoy winter camping. Near by you’ll find Sea Glass beach (aka Spindlers Beach), The Ovens Natural Park, Sand Dollar Beach, Hirtles Beach, Oxners Beach (usually peaceful), Gaff Point Hiking Trail, Indian Path Common Trails, and Kingburg beach to name a few. For shopping locally we have The Rose Bay General Store and Bistro with NSLC Outlet. You’ll find convenience items, seasonal produce, fresh baked goods, take out and dine in eating, a great selection of imported Specialty items, and authentic Nova Scotian products. A great spot to stop on the way back from the beach for a bite to eat and supplies. We also have the Bayport Pub at the beginning of Feltzen South Road. With Great pub classics and fresh hot fish and chips, you’ll want to let them handle the cooking for a night, but make sure to leave room for the best Ice Cream around. Get the Scoop located in Feltzen South, just a short distance from us here at Off the Beaten Trail. Look up these great places and more online for hours and specials.
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CA$47.50
 / night

Barnard's End

1 site · RV, Tent5 acres · NS
Located on the end of The Ledges peninsula, Marie Joseph, Nova Scotia, we have 5 acres of woodland on a raised lot, with around 1 acre cleared. This can be used for camping on the cleared lot with a number of tents, or park a caravan on a level parking area. The lot looks directly out onto the ocean, with Turner Island and Goose Island around 1km from shore, which form natural breaks from the open ocean. The lot is South East facing, and provides a sunny shelter from the wind. Power is available for a hook-up from a shipping container that is located on the lot (shipping container is for private use only), so power is included in the camping/pitching. Starlink WiFi is also included in the pitch, and details will be provided upon booking. This provides an excellent service for streaming etc. Access to the lot is off Highway 7, along an established gravel track, and then onto the peninsula. The access road does slope toward the lot area, but it is a great place to escape to complete peace and quiet! There is a large retaining rock wall, which provides access to a rocky beach, but walking around the peninsula offers shallower access in other areas. All great for a day's exploring. There is also an access road to the famous Fancys Point around 2km away, which looks out to open ocean.
Campfires
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CA$25
 / night
100%
(42)

Tent/Camper Camping by the Ocean!

1 site · RV, Tent2 acres · Head Of Jeddore, NS
Learn more about this land: Hydro access has been newly added! Nestled in a quaint old Fishing Town is a 2-Acre Forest property, that hadn’t been touched since 1885! This land overlooks the North Atlantic Ocean, with a 25ft bank at the edge of the property, and almost 100ft of stone beach! No running water on this property, or accessible toilets (yet) - but 10 minutes by car you’ll find a Sobeys, a liquor store, a Home Hardware, and small local shops. There should be a grey plastic rounded table available (just pop in the 4 peg legs), and 2 matching grey small coffee side tables you can use positioned under the Tiny Home. Please return them somewhere underneath the Tiny Home when you are done using them so that other campers may use them :) 30 min drive away is the infamous Martinique Beach, a very popular surfing spot! Lots of hiking and site seeing available nearby as well. A long drive way is the entry point to the camping site. All I ask is that each camper leaves the property better than you found it. As you depart, another camper is most likely arriving so please keep that in mind. Enjoy the peace and quiet under the stars, and fall asleep to the sounds of the waves breaking against the shore, and the leaves rustling in the breeze! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is currently a Tiny Home on the property being built, and it is currently occupied by the property owner full-time. Garbage pick-up in this area of Jeddore only allows one black plastic bag to be removed every 2 weeks. Due to this restriction, I am not able to handle all the campers garbage -- please take any that you create with you. If any camper is found to have stayed past the check out time, they will be charged for another nights stay. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you and I hope you enjoy your stay!
Campfires
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CA$35
 / night
92%
(6)

Big Blue On The Bay

2 sites · RVs, Tents4 acres · Maitland, NS
"Big Blue" sits atop a lawn covered hill on the shore of the Cobequid Bay. A grove of fir and pine trees offer a sense of woodland solitude and fairies. The energy is magical. You can enjoy a front row seat or amble down over the lawn to sit on the end of the public wharf to watch the tidal bore squeeze into the mouth of the Shubenacadie River. It won't be long and you can marvel at the force of the water as it turns and begins to pour back toward the Bay of Fundy. Walk across the dyke to reach the oldest continually operating general store in North America - Frieze and Roy. Beyond the Wharf, a locally stocked craft shop borders us on the easterly side of the lawn. Next to it you will find Dawson Dowel Picnic Park, a playground and basketball court. On the westerly side of the driveway you there is a marsh area. The remnants of the shipyard where the WD Lawrence was built in the 1800's can be seen poking through the sand on the beach directly in front of the marsh. At low tide you can walk for miles in a westerly direction. Always be Tide Aware! Across the road from the marsh is the residence of WD Lawrence himself. It is a provincial museum. Directly across from Big Blue is a Ducks Unlimited pond. The sound of the geese and ducks can be heard 24 hours a day! There is a path that circumvents most of the pond. Adjacent to the Lawrence House parking lot there is an observatory where you can linger and watch the shenanigans of the occasional muskrat or possibly a beaver. The washrooms are accessed through a side door on the verandah of the main house. There are three showers and three toilets. If happen to be missing your "workout" there is a treadmill and exercise bike available to use. Outdoor fire regulations are strictly adhered to. There is a BBQ available for a small fee. Other perks (subject to scheduling) available at an additional cost might include: In-house Concerts; Reiki Sessions; Workshops and Ceremonies
Toilets
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CA$50
 / night
99%
(63)

Murphy's Camping on the Ocean

35 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents13 acres · Tangier, NS
The Wild Islands, 100 Wild Islands, Wild Islands Coast. Regardless of the name, we couldn’t be more lucky to have this pristine wilderness at our fingertips. Considered to be “The most valuable islands you’ve never heard of”, the archipelago is one of the last remaining intact and ecologically rich island groups of its size in North America. We want to share it with you… responsibly. As members of 1% for the Planet and Leave No Trace Canada, we’re committed to conserving the islands and helping others to do the same. We believe that people can only fully appreciate the islands’ unmatched beauty and conservation value by experiencing them firsthand. Murphy’s Camping on the Ocean has been operating on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore for over 60 years! This makes Murphy’s Camping one of the longest-running campgrounds in Nova Scotia. Our campground lands began as a coastal fishing settlement where you’ll still find a fisherman’s wharf and the old salt fish tanks from years past when schooners would load this cargo bound for the New England market. Over the years the Murphys have provided services such as schooner supply runs, rum running, moon shining, boat building, blacksmith services, farm produce, and sport fishing.
Potable water
Toilets
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Trash
from 
CA$39
 / night

Star Hosts in Nova Scotia

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Beach and dog-friendly camping in Nova Scotia guide

Overview

Almost entirely surrounded by water, Nova Scotia is central to Canada’s maritime region. Ocean inlets sneak tendrils into the province’s forested interior, while seafront restaurants dole out fresh fish, lighthouses beckon ships to shore, and beach bonfires dot the coast. The region shines in summer, when most Nova Scotia campgrounds open and gulf currents warm the Atlantic for swimming and boating. Autumn’s crisp temperatures and colorful foliage are perfect for hikes through the Cape Breton highlands or a drive on the Cabot Trail, and winter snow lays a smooth foundation for cross-country skiing.

Cape Breton Island

Cape Breton Highlands National Park is ideal for camping in summer and hiking year-round, with old-growth boreal forests, river canyons, and plenty of sandy beaches. Campers can also consider taking a road trip along the coast and across the highlands on the scenic Cabot Trail highway. Further south, the saltwater Bras d’Or Lake is a sailing and swimming hotspot.

Bay of Fundy & Annapolis Valley

Here, you can experience the world’s most dramatic ocean tides in Fundy National Park, comb the beaches of Five Islands Provincial Park, or canoe through Kejimkujik National Park. Catch a glimpse of humpback and right whales during their summer migration—then, venture inland for fresh local produce and wine tastings at Annapolis Valley vineyards.

Eastern Shore

Head to Larencetown and Martinque beaches outside Halifax for some of the best cold-water surfing on Canada’s east coast. Visit the region’s authentic fishing communities on the way, then take a boat out to the 100 Wild Islands archipelago, where you can hike and camp in secluded coves and boreal rainforests.

Northumberland Shore

Plenty of warm-water beaches lie along the sheltered Northumberland Strait, as does a thriving local wine scene and Gaelic culture in Pictou, known as “the Birthplace of New Scotland." The region’s fishing industry also brings fresh lobster to area restaurants.

South Shore

The South Shore of Nova Scotia offers opportunities to dive into maritime history at colorful Old Town Lunenburg (home of the Bluenose II schooner), snap a picture of the Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, or get off the grid for a camping trip in one of the region’s wilderness areas—many of which feature thick canopied forests and white-sand beaches.

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