Trout Point Lodge - Bryne and I decided to spend Labor Day weekend at a remote, but not too remote, getaway in Nova Scotia called Trout Point Lodge. Trout Point Lodge is a luxurious but rustic hotel and lodge located near the confluence of the Tusket and Napier rivers about 40 minutes northeast of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. It has two buildings – the Main Lodge and Beaver Hall. The Main Lodge features seven junior suites and a large premier suite; each suite has its own fireplace. Our early fall arrival had perfect temperatures to keep the windows open and enjoy the cool evening breeze. Common areas include an extensive comfortable lounge area with fireplaces and lots of board games as well as a small but very well-stocked bar. My favorite area of the Main Lodge was the library in the upstairs loft above the main lobby. The selection of books was impressive, and they’re all available to borrow and take back to your room. Beaver hall is a newer building down the road a bit from the main lodge with nicely appointed but more modern rooms. Beaver Hall is also the location of the only TV on the property. One of the best things about Trout Point Lodge is something it doesn’t have – a mobile phone signal. This is one of the best places to really unplug and get much-needed down time and decompression. Even with other guests nearby, I found the total silence striking. The property is surrounded by acres of woods and miles of trails. The Tusket river dominates your daily view. Kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards are available for use any time – just see the front desk for your PFD and paddles; swimming is somewhat expected as noted by a sign we found stating, “No diving. The opposite side of river is farther than it seems.” As you explore the trails, you’ll find the outdoor, wood-fired hot tub and saunas. These need to be reserved at the front desk so you can have privacy. You’ll also find numerous seating areas along the trails in the woods – perfect for you to enjoy one of those books you borrowed from their library. If the weather is inclement or you just don’t feel like doing much, stay in the lounge, ask for a cocktail and while away the time playing chess or Chinese checkers or scrabble on the most beautiful game sets I’ve ever touched. When it gets dark, take advantage of the guided star-gazing onsite. All this relaxing and/or hiking is bound to work up your appetite. The food is amazing. Breakfast and dinner are included and must be scheduled. Lunch is ala carte from 12 to 4PM. Your options for dinner change daily, and the selections are limited because all food is locally sourced. You’ll have your choice of seafood, land, or vegetarian options, but the options are fabulous. Contrary to popular belief more options are not better – Trout Point makes a point of offering you a few very high quality courses – which further removes the stress of decision making. Some examples were Eggs Benedict with a choice of Canadian Bacon or smoked Salmon for breakfast, a game burger made with venison, elk, and beef for lunch, Lodge Chowder with cod and salmon also for lunch. Dinner featured a wonderful arctic char with dill sauce and pickled vegetables as an appetizer, roast pork with faro and corn salad as a main. The wine and beer selections are absolutely outstanding. Patrick Wallace the general manager and owner is a bit of an oenophile and has made some excellent choices from smaller vineyards around the world. When Patrick is around, he makes every guest feel like they’re the only guest there. When Patrick isn’t around, his entire team does the same. Even checking in is special. We arrived at the same time as another couple – and each of us was taken to the lounge by our own staff member who welcomed us with wine, sat with us in the lounge and gave us an overview of the property. There were no papers to sign, no waivers, and no form for our license plate. Just a glass of wine and a chat. This is also where we met Nala the lodge cat who is a spitting image of our Cora. Then they led us to dinner for the night, and while we ate, they parked our car and brought in our bags. All we had to do was ask where our room was and go to bed. At our first lunch we ended up chatting with our server T for a long time and really got to know her. She’s a Montreal transplant with over 30 years in hospitality and the biggest heart you’ll find. Patrick remembered her from high school and invited her to join the team after Covid. She’s currently staying onsite in an employees’ lodge with a few other staffers. She really went out of her way to make us feel welcome. That night at dinner, we couldn’t decide on a wine. So they asked Stephanie, who works the front desk, helps run food, and is the defacto sommelier to help us out. Bryne gave Stephanie a few guidelines on what we like in a wine and told her to just go crazy. Stephanie’s eyes lit up and she ran to the cellar. She came back with a 2005 Rockford Shiraz from Australia’s Barossa Valley. It exceeded our expectations. I think the ultimate story about the staff happened on our second morning. We were just lounging by the fire pit when a woman came out from the kitchen area. She introduced herself as Wendy the baker. Apparently, the staff had told her how much Bryne loved every piece of bread we’d eaten and every pastry, too. Wendy came out just to say hi and thank us for loving her food. She was the sweetest self-taught non-measurement-using baker I’ve ever met. I said non-measurement because she just does what feels like so you know her bread is made with 100% love. She’s pretty average for the staff at Trout Point Lodge. Getting Here: If you want to fly in, Trout Point Lodge is about 3 hours from the Halifax airport. That was our original plan, but the lack of rental cars forced us to nix that idea. Bay Ferry Service and Northumberland Ferries operate daily service from St. John, NB to Digby, NS, and also from Bar Harbour, Maine to Yarmouth, NS. We opted to make the 4.5-hour drive from metro Boston to Bar Harbour. The Bar Harbour ferry departs Maine daily at 3 PM. Book in advance and use the ArriveCan app to fill out your traveler forms and expedite your time in customs. We arrived at Bar Harbour at around 11:30 AM, so we went to the ferry station and checked in so we could get an express lane pass. We went into town and had a delightful lunch at Leary’s Landing Irish Pub on Main Street, then did some window shopping until it was time to board the ferry The ferry has two cafes and a bar for the 3ish hour trip. I tried my first Bloody Caesar cocktail. I also ordered a couple of glasses of wine for Bryne and me when we got on, and the barman said the magic words, “Would you like to make it a double?” The ferry is divided into three seating sections with lots of tables. Outside space is rather limited, so get there early and head all the way aft if you want to sit outside. We awoke early Monday morning to make the 9:30 ferry back to Maine. Check-in for the ferry starts at 7 AM, so I let them know we were leaving at 6:30 AM. That was dumb. When you check into the ferry at Yarmouth, you basically just sit in line and hold your bladder because there’s no bathroom. So next time we’re going to get there closer to 8:30. Since we left so early, they packed us a breakfast and put to-go cups by the Jura coffee machine just for us. Leaving was sad because the lodge was magical, and the staff had really started to feel like real friends. We know we’ll be back, and we think you should give this place a try, too.
