Annapolis Royal

Annapolis Royal is a tiny, historic town of 530 people (2021) in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.

Understand

Annapolis Basin at Fort Anne

Annapolis Royal is on Nova Scotia's Annapolis River, about 10km (6 miles) from the Bay of Fundy.

Scottish settlers established Charlesfort, the present Annapolis Royal, in 1629 at the mouth of the Annapolis River. The original French settlement at present-day Port Royal, known as the Habitation at Port-Royal, was settled in 1605.

The French gained control in 1632, with the town serving as the capital of Acadia. Under British control since 1710, it lost the status of provincial capital after the founding of Halifax in 1749.

The British renamed the town Annapolis Royal after reigning monarch Queen Anne (1665–1714). Control of the town has changed many times, with a long history of attacks by the English, French, Acadians and Mi'kmaq.

During the Great Upheaval, the 1755 expulsion of the Acadian people, 32 Acadian families (225 people) deported on the British ship Pembroke took over the vessel and redirected it to Miramichi, New Brunswick. During the American Revolution, Annapolis Royal came under American attack; after that conflict, it became home to United Empire Loyalists fleeing the United States.

Annapolis Royal faced a total of thirteen attacks, including a raid during the American Revolution.

In the 19th century, it was a local centre for shipbuilding; when sailing ships were replaced by steam in the 1880s, Annapolis Royal served as a coaling station. In 1984, it became the site of North America's only tidal electric generating station.

Get in

Annapolis Royal is 40 km (25 miles) east of Digby on NS Route 1. There is a ferry to Saint John, New Brunswick, at Digby.

A bypass highway, NS 101, approximately follows NS 1 but bypasses the town to the south; exit on NS 8 northbound to return to the old road.

Get around

Annapolis Royal is a small village that is easily crossed on foot.

King's Transit route 4/4A passes through Annapolis Royal every two hours in each direction M-Sa en route between Bridgetown and Cornwallis.

See

• 1 Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, 441 St. George St, ☏ +1 902-532 7018, fax: +1 902-532 7445. Open daily. 17 acres (6.9 hectares) of historically themed areas exhibit gardening methods, designs and materials representing more than 400 of local history. Gardens shop, German bakery and Garden Café. 
• 2 Fort Anne, St. George St, ☏ +1 902-532-2321. 2017 hours: May 17-Jun 15 and Sep 3-Oct 12: Tu-Sa 9AM-5:30PM; Jun 18-Sep 2: daily 9AM-5:30PM; grounds open year-round. Canada's oldest national historic site. One of the most hotly contested pieces of land on the entire continent. The land on which Fort Anne now stands is part of the traditional homeland of the Mi’kmaq First Nation. A succession of Scottish, French, and English settlers clashed over it, often drawing the Mi’kmaq into their conflict. Fort Anne was the site of thirteen attacks, seven changes of hands, and the ratification of the Treaty of Boston. Adult $3.90, senior $3.40, child or youth free. (updated Jul 2019)
• 3 Melanson Settlement, 3870 Granville Road, Port Royal, ☏ +1 902 532-2321. May 15-Oct 10: 8AM-4PM. Former Acadian farm fields developed from marsh land which neighbours protected by a series of dikes. A 193-m loop trail leads to a lookout with original artwork on interpretive panels; the uplands, marsh and river are all visible. Free. 
• 4 Port Royal-Habitation, Granville Road, Port Royal, ☏ +1 902-532-2898. A reconstruction of the Habitation (1605), an early French settlement built as an enclosed wooden compound, with costumed interpreters. Late June-early Oct, grounds open year-round.  
• The Annapolis Heritage Society. operates three local history museums, O’Dell House Museum (136 Lower St. George Street, +1 902-532-7754), Sinclair Inn Museum (230 Lower St. George St, +1 902-532-0996) and North Hills Museum (5065 Granville Road, Granville Ferry +1 902-532-2168). By donation, $3 recommended. (updated May 2018)

Do

• Garrison Graveyard Candlelight Tours, ☏ +1 902-532-2397 (reservations). Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings through mid-October. 
• King's Theatre, 209 St George St, ☏ +1 902-532-7704. 1921 cinema house, rebuilt in the 1980s for live theatre 

Buy

• Annapolis Royal Farmers' and Traders' Market, St. George Street, opposite wharf/boat ramp, ☏ +1 902-532-5044. W Sa until mid-Oct. 

Eat

• Leo's Café, 222 St George St, ☏ +1 902-532-7424. 
• Commercial St. Café, Commercial Street (across from the end of George Street), Middleton. Lunch only. A selection of four excellent Asian fusion dishes. The building's facade is misleading: look for what appears to be someone's house with a simple wooden sign that says "Cafe". $8-12. 
• The End of the Line Pub, 73 Queen St., Bridgetown. The kitchen is often closed by 8:30PM. Good standard pub fare and great beers on tap, plus Asian Fusion and Tex-Mex nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Drink

• Old Town Pub, 11 Church St, ☏ +1 902-532-2244. 

Sleep

• Annapolis Royal Inn, 3924 Hwy 1, 1 km west of town, ☏ +1 902-532-2323, toll-free: +1-888-857-8889. Motel with pool, continental breakfast. Double Jun 15-Oct 15 $130; other times $92.50. (updated Apr 2017)
• Garrison House Inn, 350 St. George St, ☏ +1 902-532-5750, toll-free: +1-866-532-5750. Seven-room inn with restaurant in Annapolis Royal National Historic District. $145-185 with breakfast. (updated Apr 2017)
• Queen Anne Inn, 494 St. George Street, ☏ +1 902-532-7850, toll-free: +1-877-536-0403. Restored ten-room Victorian B&B mansion, antique furnishings, private baths, non-smoking. Double $120 with breakfast. (updated Apr 2017)
• Bailey House, 150 Saint George Street, contact@baileyhouse.ca. Built in 1770, the Bailey House Inn is directly on the sea. One of the oldest private buildings in Canada. (updated May 2024)

Go next

• Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site of Canada is one of the main attractions of the area.

Routes through Annapolis Royal

Yarmouth ← Digby ←	W  E	→ Wolfville → Bedford
END ←	N  S	→ Jct W E → Kejimkujik N.P. → Liverpool