Annapolis Royal

Historic town · Nova Scotia — Cape Breton

Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia, Cape Breton
Photo: walknboston / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Once the capital of Nova Scotia and settled as Port-Royal, this Annapolis Valley town has more than 135 registered heritage buildings along its waterfront main street. The Harvest Moon Trailway starts here and runs past apple orchards and farmland, a natural add-on for a fall visit.

Best for: A historic-town stop paired with an Annapolis Valley fall drive

Don’t miss

  • 135+ registered heritage buildings
  • Harvest Moon Trailway starts in town
  • Historic Gardens with Eastern Canada's largest rose collection

Plan your visit

2026 Forecast

Color nearby peaks: October 11–October 15

Color builds from September 25 · mostly bare by November 2

Color starts: September 25Peak: October 13Bare: November 2AugustDecember

Sampled at Annapolis Royal’s own coordinates and elevation (15 m) rather than a regional average.

Nova Scotia — Cape Breton is sampled at 11 weather points, with no published peak dates to correct it against yet. Nova Scotia — Cape Breton is running 4 days earlier than its own average this year. How the forecast works

When to go to Annapolis Royal

The color window runs about 27 days, holding until around October 22. Against Nova Scotia overall, that is 1 day later. Most of that is elevation. It sits at 15 m.

Annapolis Royal on the map

Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Nova Scotia — Cape Breton, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.

More things to do in Nova Scotia — Cape Breton

See all things to do in Nova Scotia — Cape Breton →

Frequently asked

When does Annapolis Royal peak in 2026?
Peak color is predicted for October 11–October 15 (best estimate October 13). Color starts around September 25 and is mostly bare by November 2.

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