Old Town Lunenburg is a fantastic representative of Atlantic Canadian fishing villages on the World Heritage Site list. Buildings in the town date back to the 1700s, when Britain established the village. Lunenburg's fortunes were directly tied to its role in shipbuilding for the cod-rich fisheries of the Grand Banks, offshore from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Among the ships built in Lunenburg was one of the most famous racing schooners in Canada, the "Bluenose", immortalized on the Canadian dime. I visited the town of Lunenburg in summer 2006, and enjoyed walking past the shipyards and fish plants, as well as the brightly painted historic buildings. Lunenburg still serves as a fishing and shipbuilding town, and is known for building replicas of sailing ships. While in town, I went for a sail on the "Bluenose II", a replica of the famed schooner built in Lunenburg; the view of the harbor from offshore was extremely memorable. I really enjoyed my time in Lunenburg, and if the "Bluenose II" happens to be in town during a visit, I highly recommend going for a sail to gain a greater appreciation of the seafaring heritage of Lunenburg.

Logistics: Old Town Lunenburg is about one hour south of Halifax, and can be visited by car or by private tour.