Digby

Digby is a blue collar town that is home to a fleet of sea scallop trawlers. It has a number of dive bars, and waterfront patio restaurants serving the fleet's famous catch. It was named after Admiral Robert Digby.

History

Digby was called Oositookun, meaning "ear of land" by the Mi'kmaq First Nations (Aboriginal) people. A small group of New England Planters settled in the area of the town in the 1760s, naming it Conway. Digby was settled and surveyed as a town in June 1783 by the United Empire Loyalists under the leadership of Sir Robert Digby.
The town developed a sizable shipping fleet in the 19th century. The town became an important regional transportation centre in the 1890s with the arrival of the Dominion Atlantic Railway. Trains connected with a series of steamships such as the City of Monticello and later the SS Princess Helene.

If you're travelling from southern New Brunswick, your best bet is to take Bay Ferries from Saint John. There are two crossings daily from mid-June to mid-October, these take 2½ hours on average. During the rest of the year there is at least one crossing daily and they usually take 2 hr 45 min. $37 per adult passenger and $119 for a car (April 2017). Book online, and check on at the terminal to get your boarding pass when you arrive. Restaurant, cafeteria and wifi on board.
It is a 220-km drive along Highway 101 from Halifax

• Digby Harbour

• Sandy Cove

• Admiral Digby Museum

  phone: +1 902 245-6322
  address: 95 Montague Row
  Digby's history is preserved and interpreted by this museum, whch faces the harbour in the historic Woodrow/Dakin home, one of oldest houses in the town.

• Balancing Column on Long IslandA 1.7-km hike on a well-maintained trail to a column of basalt 6.1 m high by 1.2 m wide balancing on its end over the Bay of Fundy.

Events

• Scallop Days FestivalHeld annually over 3 days in the first week of August, it showcases the town’s history and heritage to visitors. The festival offers a variety of themed activities for all ages, including scallop-shucking contests, a parade, and an exhibition of local artists.

• 
  

Many, but not all, of Digby's shops and restaurants close during the off-season. This is roughly from Canadian Thanksgiving (mid-October) to the beginning of June.

The town of Digby is well known for its sea scallops, which are celebrated in mid-August every year during the Digby Scallop Days Festival.
Scallops are, however, harvested year-round. Many restaurants are open only during the tourist season beginning in early May.

• Fundy Restaurant

  phone: +1 902 245-4950
  address: 34 Water St.
  Complex with restaurants, bars, hotel. Scallops and lobster are priced seasonally, e.g. in April 2017, psm-fried scallops were $23.50 for 6 oz (179 g) or $28 for 8 oz (225 g).

• Boardwalk Cafe

  phone: +1 902-245-5497
  address: 40 Water Street

• House of Wong Restaurant

  address: 104 Water St.
  Chinese restaurant.

There are a number of motels and B&Bs in and around the town.

• The Harbourview Inn

  phone: +1 902 245-5686
  address: 25 Harbourview Road, Smiths Cove

• Digby Pines Golf Resort & Spa

  phone: +1 902 245-2511

• Coastal Inn Digby

  phone: +1 902 245-4747
  address: 111 Warwick Street

• Digby Backpackers Inn

  phone: +1 902 245-4573
  address: 168 Queen St.
  Includes simple breakfast, bedlinen, towel, free WIFI, fully equipped kitchen, large shared living room and outdoor space (including fire pit, bbq and garden area). Pay in cash on arrival.

• Digby Campground and Fun Park

  address: 230 Victoria St
  Water-front family camping on the Bay of Fundy. Facilities for tents, trailers and RVs with full hookups. Laundry and pay showers are available on site. Free Wifi. RV dumping station available.