About an hour northwest of Halifax is Nova Scotia’s wine country. The Acadians used dykes and a drainage network to reclaim this coastal area with the highest tides in the world and create extremely rich farmland. The Grand Pre′ landscape and culture is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The lush Annapolis Valley stretches to the Bay of Fundy from the Unesco lookout.

The lush Annapolis Valley stretches to the Bay of Fundy from the Unesco lookout.

We put the Mustang's top down and managed to check out five of Nova Scotia's clustered vineyards.

We put the Mustang’s top down and visited five of Nova Scotia’s clustered vineyards.

Luckett Vineyards was our first stop and favorite. The authentic British phone booth, smack dab in the middle of the vines, is finicky but when it works you call anywhere in the world for free.

Luckett Vineyards was our first stop and favorite. Their authentic British phone booth is smack dab in the middle of the vines. It’s finicky, but when it works you can call anywhere in the world for free. We bought a bottle of their Buried Red which is aged for thirteen months in American oak barrels underground.

Atlantic Canada's oldest winery is Domaine de Gran Pre′. Their grapes were developed specifically for Nova Scotia's climate and landscape. No Old World berries here.

Atlantic Canada’s oldest winery is Domaine de Gran Pre′. Their grapes were developed specifically for Nova Scotia’s climate and landscape. No Old World berries here.

Gaspereau Vineyards invites you to sample their vintages in a refurbished barn.

Gaspereau Vineyards invites you to sample their vintages in a refurbished barn. Most of the grapes on this 50-acre site are hand harvested.

One of the newest wineries and by far the hardest to find was Benjamin Bridge. Owned and operated by two lawyers it was also the most expensive and tours were by appointment only. We crashed a tour and sampled some of their award winning sparklings made in the classic Champagne style.

One of the newest wineries and by far the hardest to find was Benjamin Bridge. Owned and operated by two lawyers it was also the most expensive and tours were by appointment only. We crashed a tour and sampled some of their award winning sparkling vintages made in the classic Champagne style.

Blomidon Estate Winery had a cool patio overlooking the Bay of Fundy, which is where we headed next. We bought a bottle of Blow Me Down red created to serve chilled.

Blomidon Estate Winery had a cool patio overlooking the Bay of Fundy, which is where we headed next. We bought a bottle of Blow Me Down red created to serve chilled.

American privateer Samuel Hall raided settlements in the Annapolis Valley around 1779 from this cove. We timed our arrival at Halls Harbour to coincide with low tide. The water had dropped 45-feet and left all the boats high and dry.

American privateer Samuel Hall raided settlements in the Annapolis Valley around 1779 from this cove. We timed our arrival at Halls Harbour to coincide with low tide. The water had dropped 45-feet and left all the boats high and dry.

We walked on the sea floor out the cove to where the water in the Bay of Fundy had receded. It was amazing to think that 110 billion tons, or more water than is discharged by all the world's rivers combined, flows in and out of the bay every day!

We walked on the sea floor out the cove to where the water in the Bay of Fundy had receded. It was amazing to think that 110 billion tons, or more water than is discharged by all the world’s rivers combined, flows in and out of the bay every day!

We sat by the eerily empty basin and had a "Lobster in the Rough" from Halls Harbor Lobster Pound. I chose a lobster from their tanks and it was handed to me live in a plastic tub to take to the cook in a shed behind the restaurant.

We sat by the eerily empty basin and had a “Lobster in the Rough” from Halls Harbour Lobster Pound. I chose a lobster from their tanks and it was handed to me live in a plastic tub to take to the cook in a shed behind the restaurant. Yum!

A happy camper heads back to Halifax after a fund day at Fundy Bay.

A happy camper heads back to Halifax after a fun day at Fundy Bay.