Antigonish

Antigonish is the main town in the Northumberland Shore region of Nova Scotia. Antigonish is primarily a service hub for the surrounding region, with the largest employers being St. Martha's Regional Hospital and St. Francis Xavier University.

Understand

Main Street

Before European settlement, the area was the site of a seasonal Mi'kmaq settlement. The modern town was founded in 1784 and named Dorchester, but by the 1820s was commonly called Antigonish.

In the 1920s, the "Antigonish Movement" began at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, improving the economic and social conditions across Canada’s Maritimes. This eventually lead to the current credit union systems of Maritime Canada.

The town is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish, and thus is one of the smallest towns in Canada to have a cathedral.

Get in

By car

Antigonish is at the junction of the Highway 104 (Trans-Canada Highway) and Highway 7. On Highway 104, Antigonish is approximately 60 km (37 mi) east of New Glasgow and 120 km (75 mi) east of Truro.

By bus

• Maritime Bus, toll-free: +1-800-575-1807, info@maritimebus.com. Operates an inter-regional bus service between destinations in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. (updated Apr 2022)
  • Its route between Halifax and Sydney includes stops in Dartmouth, Halifax Airport, Truro, New Glasgow, Antigonish, Port Hawkesbury, and North Sydney. Travel time to North Sydney from Halifax is 3.25 hours, from Truro is 1.5 hours, from North Sydney is 2.5 hours, and from Sydney is 3.5 hours.
  • Travel to Antigonish from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
    • From Moncton (4 hours) with a transfer in Truro.
    • From Charlottetown (5.25 hours) with transfers in Amherst and in Truro.
    • From Bathurst (7.5 hours), Campbellton (8.75 hours). Edmundston (10.75 hours), Fredericton (7 hours), Miramichi (6.5 hours), and Saint John (7.25 hours) with transfers in Moncton and Truro.

Get around

Antigonish Community Transit runs a single bus route that runs on an hourly schedule M-F 9AM-4PM. They also offer a door-to-door service.

There are multiple taxi services in town.

See

Xavier Hall, Saint Francis Xavier University

The town has some distinctive architecture, particularly the campus of St. Francis Xavier University.

• 1 Antigonish Highland Games, 91 Main St (Columbus Field), ☏ +1 902 863-4275. In a week-long celebration of its Scottish heritage, the town hosts its annual Highland Games every July. There are competitive events, concerts and other activities. 
• 2 St. Francis Xavier University (StFX), 5005 Chapel Square, ☏ +1 902-863-3300. One of the highest-ranked universities in Canada, StFX's campus has a mix of architectural styles - many of which are of interest to photographers. (updated Nov 2017)
  • 3 St Ninian's Cathedral, 121 Saint Ninian Street, ☏ +1 902 863-3147. One of two Roman Catholic churches located on the grounds of St. Francis Xavier University, St Ninian's Cathedral is the Episcopal Seat for the Diocese of Antigonish and the largest church in the town. (updated Jul 2017)
• 4 Antigonish Heritage Museum, 20 East Main St, ☏ +1 902 863-6160, antheritage@parl.ns.ca. July-August: M-Sa 10AM-5PM; Sept-June: Tu-F 10AM-noon and 1PM-4PM; closed holidays. A small-town museum in a converted railway station, strong in local historical and genealogical resources. (updated Nov 2017)

Buy

On the west side of town, there are the usual big box stores.

• 1 Peace by Chocolate, 32 Bay Street, ☏ +1 902 870-6077. 8AM-9PM. Chocolates, made on-premises by a Syrian refugee chocolatier and his family. (updated Nov 2017)
• 2 Antigonish Market Square, 133 Church St, ☏ +1 902 863-1596. The closest shopping mall to StFX. Tenant stores include NSLC (a government-run liquor store) and PSEUDIO (an Atlantic Canada clothing-store chain). (updated Nov 2017)

Eat

• 1 Main Street Café, 158 Main Street (in the Maritime Inn). Daily 7AM-9PM (Su from 8AM). A focus on fresh seafood. Excellent seafood Primavera. Mains $15-25. (updated May 2017)
• 2 Justamere Cafe & Bakery, 137 Church St (in the Claymore Inn & Suites), ☏ +1-902-735-3353. Su 8AM-3PM, M-W 7AM-3PM, Th-F 7AM-9PM, Sa 8AM-9PM. A full Maritime small-town cafe, with baked goods and frozen meals available to go. (updated Jun 2023)

Drink

• 1 The Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery, 76 College St, ☏ +1 902-863-2248. Tu and Su 4PM-11PM, W-Sa 4PM-midnight. (updated Nov 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Maritime Inn Antigonish, 158 Main Street, ☏ +1-902-863-4001, toll-free: +1-833-863-4400, admin@maritimeinnantigonish.ca. On the main street. Non-smoking. (updated Jun 2023)
• 2 Homeward Inn, 41 James St, toll-free: +1-800-251-0008, info@homewardinnscanada.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A little out of the centre, close to the university. Non-Smoking. (updated Jun 2023)
• 3 Southside Vacations 1 Bedroom Apartment, 65 Aveline Avenue, ☏ +1 905 5158465, southsidevacationsrentals@gmail.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Spacious, one-bedroom apartment with water views from every window. Enter from a private patio. The pebble and rock beach is down a short path (200'). The apartment is in a natural rural setting. $150. (updated Jun 2022)
• 4 Claymore Inn & Suites, 137 Church Street, ☏ +1-902-863-1050, toll-free: +1-888-863-1050, info@claymoreinn.com. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Rooms and suites/apartments. Has an indoor pool. Discounts offered on their website are 10% off for seniors, 50% off for clergy. (updated Jun 2023)

Go next

Cape George Point is a half-hour's drive north of Antigonish. The views are spectacular (on a clear day, you can see both Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island) For those interested in literary travel, the point is the setting of Robert Munsch's book Lighthouse.

West to New Glasgow (and on to Truro), east to Cape Breton (the Canso Causeway is only 40 minutes away), or southeast to Guysborough.

Routes through Antigonish

Truro ← New Glasgow ←	W  E	→ Canso Causeway → Port Hastings → North Sydney
Truro ← New Glasgow ←	W  E	→ Jct E → Canso Causeway → Port Hastings → Sydney
END ←	N  S	→ Porters Lake → Bedford