Getting There -- Digby is Nova Scotia's gateway for those arriving from Saint John, New Brunswick, via ferry. The ferry terminal is on Route 303, west of Digby. If you're indeed arriving by ferry and want to visit the town before pushing on, look sharp for signs directing you downtown from the bypass, lest you end up on Route 101 and headed out of town by mistake. Coming from the rest of Nova Scotia, take exit 26 off Route 101 to reach Digby.
Surprisingly, you can even get to Digby without a car. Acadian Bus Lines (www.acadianbus.com) runs a daily service from Halifax. The trip takes about 4 1/2 hours and costs about C$50 one-way.
From Digby, Route 217 runs about 45 miles south to Brier Island. Two ferries bridge the islands, and they run 24 hours a day, year-round. The first boat leaves East Ferry (about a 45-min. drive from Digby) on the mainland for Tiverton, Long Island every half-hour; the second ferry departs Long Island for Brier Island on the hour. (The ferries are timed so that you can drive directly from one ferry to the next, if you don't dally too much on the road between.) The fare is C$5 for each ferry (C$10 total), and you pay each full fare on the outbound leg.
Visitor Information -- The province maintains a visitor information center (tel. 902/245-2201) in Digby on Route 303 (on your right shortly after you disembark from the Saint John ferry), at 237 Shore Rd. It's open from early May through October. There's also a municipal tourist information center on the harbor at 110 Montague Row (tel. 902/245-5714), open daily from May until mid-October.
On Long Island, you can pick up local information inside the Islands Museum (tel. 902/839-2034) in Tiverton. The museum opens from June through late September and is free to enter.
If you're in the area in early August, don't miss Digby Scallop Days, a salty local celebration of the shellfish that gives the town its fame. Expect scallop-shucking contests (aw, shucks!), raffles, food, busking, and general merriment. A fancy event? No. A slice of real Nova Scotia life? Yes.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
