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Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country

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A lighthouse with a red top and white body, situated on a rocky cliff overlooking a calm sea with a boat in the distance.
A neatly made bed with a floral duvet, a bedside table with a lamp, and a mirror reflecting the room.
A two-story house with a gabled roof, a front porch, and a flag.
A living room with a leather sofa, a wooden coffee table, a TV on a wooden stand, and a window with curtains.
A kitchen with wooden cabinets, a white dishwasher, a granite countertop, and a dining area with wooden chairs.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
Perched on the lake, this cottage features 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, accommodating 6 guests. Enjoy fishing, swimming, and mountain biking in the area. The property includes a porch, deck, and patio with stunning views of the lake. Nearby attractions include Sandy Cove Beach and Lake Midway Provincial Park, along with access to golf facilities.

Highlights

  • Made for relaxation
    Top-rated for comfort — guests feel right at home here.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Barbecue
  • Onsite parking available
  • Internet
  • Patio
  • Dryer
  • Refrigerator

Explore the area

View map
Little River, Digby County
  • Place, Whale Cove Trail
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Sandy Cove Beach
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Place, Lake Midway Provincial Park
    ‪12 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country

Located on Digby Neck, The Gardener's Cottage sits in the tranquil village of Little River between Digby and Long/Briar Islands. Our home enjoys an elevated position with views of the ocean at St Mary's Bay to the South/East. This turn of the century home has been fully renovated and includes a large oak dining Kitchen, spacious Living area, contemporary Bathroom, generous Master Bedroom with bed, 2nd bedroom (twin beds) and an extensive Deck with stunning views over open country and St Mary's Bay. Imagine relaxing on your deck enjoying pre-dinner drinks and taking in the scenery - Truly Wonderful!!
New for 2022 is unlimited, ultra-fast fibre internet allowing you to stay connected at all times.
We're easy to get to; Halifax International Airport is only 168 miles away and the Bay Ferry terminal in Digby is less than a 30 minute drive.
All towels and linens are provided and our Cottage is equipped with everything you need to make your holiday memorable and enjoyable.

Please note that The Cottage has two bedrooms upstairs. The master bedroom has a super comfy queen size bed, there are twin beds in the second bedroom.
We have two, superb quality, air mattresses to accommodate additional guests if required.
Whale Watching:
Digby Neck is arguably the Whale Watching Capital of the World and guests to The Gardener's Cottage are spoilt for choice when it comes to Whale watching operators. The exciting Ocean Exploration Zodiac Whale Cruises, www.oceanexplorations.ca, describe themselves as 'Nova Scotia's most exciting and popular whale/sea bird cruises!' As repeat customers of Ocean Explorations we can vouch for their excellence, the Zodiac ride on it's own is a worthwhile experience! Tom Goodwin, the Tour Director, is a Marine Biologist and his knowledge and experience further will certainly enhance the enjoyment of your Whale Watching adventure There are, of course, other operators who depart from within a few miles of The Gardener's Cottage and,whilst the boat ride may not be as 'fast and furious, the sheer magnificence of these wonderful marine mammals is not diminished.

The Town of Digby:
Digby is 20 miles or so from The Gardener's Cottage and is situated on the picturesque shores of The Annapolis Basin. The town, which has a population of 2,311, has a wonderfully quaint atmosphere, the residents are extremely friendly and welcoming and we’re sure you will enjoy visiting the restaurants, cafes and shops. The Harbour is home to a working fishing fleet and Digby is famous, rightly so, for the delicious scallops harvested from the clean and clear local waters. Visitors to The Gardener's Cottage should make it a priority to try some Digby Scallops in one of the many local restaurants - they are world famous for a reason!
In 1997 Canadian Living Magazine asked readers to nominate their home towns as the 'Best In Canada'. After reviewing all nominations the magazine announced Digby as the most romantic place in Canada!
We'll leave you to make up your own mind about that, but one thing's for sure, you'll enjoy a relaxing, energising break at The Gardener's Cottage.

Kejimkujik National Park: Kejimkujik National Park is the only inland park in Canada. Situated in the Maritimes this park is easily accessible to visitors of The Gardener's Cottage. Kejimkujik (or Keji for short!) features abundant lakes and rivers ideal for canoeing. The lush woodlands and rolling landscape are home to a variety of wildlife and visitors may enjoy historic canoe routes including portages as well as many beautiful hiking trails.
Parks Canada say that Kejimkujik provides the best canoeing country in Nova Scotia. You don't have to be an experienced canoe handler to enjoy the quiet lakes and gently flowing rivers as guided canoe outings are given throughout the summer by park interpreters. This is also an ideal place for first time canoers or children to learn how to pilot these vessels.
Cyclists may use their own bikes or rent one and then enjoy the 5 multi purpose trails in the park. For those that prefer the security of their own two feet, Keji offers a trail for everyone.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property Registration Number STR2627D1225
Property # 442117
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Little River

Located in Little River, this cottage is in a rural area and on a lake. Boar's Head Lighthouse and Church Point Lighthouse are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Tiddville Nature Reserve and Lake Midway Provincial Park. Sailing and fishing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and mountain biking nearby.
Map
Little River, Digby County

What's nearby

  • Whale Cove Trail - 3 min drive - 3.6 km
  • Sandy Cove Beach - 7 min drive - 9.4 km
  • Lake Midway Provincial Park - 12 min drive - 16.5 km
  • Boar's Head Lighthouse - 18 min drive - 11.2 km
  • Balancing Rock Trail - 20 min drive - 15.2 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Roadside Grill - ‬60 min drive
  • ‪Dairy Twirl - ‬61 min drive
  • ‪Bating Shed - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country?

As of 28 Sept 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country on 27 Oct 2026 start from AU$891, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Home from Home - Cosy Cottage in Whale Watching Country located?

Situated by the sea, this cottage is 1.9 mi (3.1 km) from Whale Cove Trail and 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from Tiddville Nature Reserve. Sandy Cove Beach and Boar's Head Lighthouse are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 51 out of 72 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 72 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 72 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 72 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 72 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

9.2/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was a very comfortable place to stay.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We wished we had time to stay longer and really appreciated the comfort of home.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great cottage, off the grid and still close enough to everything. Enjoyed it very much.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was very cozy, clean, and had everything we needed. The host communicated well beforehand and we were able to find the cottage easily with the directions given. Diane checked on us throughout our visit to make sure that we had everything we needed. We highly recommend the "cozy cottage"!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
This spot was absolutely lovely, as was our host Dianne. I do wish that it had air conditioning but there was a nice breeze. Also, it does not have a water view. However, the views are spectacular anyway. Just not of water.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Aug 2026
Thank you for your great review. The trees are blocking the view of the water and they will be pruned at our next visit, opening up the view of St Mary's Bay again. I'm pleased you enjoyed your stay.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This cottage had everything we needed to make our stay perfect! Loved the deck, the well-equipped kitchen, internet access, roomy comfort! Host was terrific and even made us a pie!
On our way!
The end of a perfect day!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The host Diane is amazing and her apple pie was delicious. She went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed.The house was comfortable and clean but there needs to be a ALOT of weed eating done. The TV is to small for the space and has limited channels. Although it is a smart TV, Peter (the owner) has it password protected so no other apps can be downloaded. Netflix was available. Although the listing states it has a view, if the trees get any bigger there wont be. The location suited us because we were on our motorcycle touring the area and was close to the islands. Its a little bit of a drive to town for supplies and dinner out. BEWARE of the instructions where you turn into Tommy's Branch Rd. There is a tiny sign on a tree which is after the big road sign. We had a great stay but if we ever return we would choose somewhere closer to Digby.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

It's a great place to stay while exploring the Digby area as well as Long Island and Brier Island. The house itself was larger than expected, which is always a pleasant surprise.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice place!

Very comfortable, looks to see near by.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a fantastic stay, especially the support from Diane where to find what was terrific, great tips friendly, simply incomparable. The owner had a good hand for good staff on site. We were completely satisfied with the cleanliness and everything, there is nothing to complain about! We would be happy to stay again, we can only recommend it!!!
Stayed 19 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Hilltop retreat

We had a wonderful stay in this beautiful little cottage on Digby Neck. We had everything we needed and a wonderful host just a phone call away.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent Little Cottage

The property was considerably nicer than we expected. We’ll be back!!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very relaxing

This house was a great spot to unwind in a quiet setting.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great vacation spot

Great! roomy, very clean with everything required in a house. I recommend if your spending time around digby
Stayed 6 nights in May 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Quiet And Peaceful!

We wanted a restful vacation and it being off season it fit the bill perfectly. We visited the islands and ate wonderful fresh haddock. It was fun!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet retreat

A good place for a change of pace. Diane makes a great apple pie.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

We enjoyed our stay at the cottage

The place is clean and had everything we needed. Very quite and great view from the house. Diane brought as a welcome pie which was great! She was very helpful.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 21 June 2023
Thank you for your great review. We work hard to ensure that The Cottage is spotlessly clean and ready for our guests enjoyment. We've made a number of upgrades this year which will make any stat at The Cottage even better. We heard from a guest this week who had seen 7 whales in one trip...
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

The cottage was close to all popular attractions. We would definitely return as it was very affordable, and the house had everything we needed. We also enjoyed the homemade pies upon our arrival. The only thing we were missing was a fire pit.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

weekend stay

Although everything necessary worked well enough the property needs some upkeep - bandaids and tape were used for repairs and the windows didnt operate as they should. We enjoyed exploring the area and the location was convenient,
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent, Budget-Friendly Stay

We stayed four days as a base for whale watching at Brier Island. The property is clean, well kept and competitively priced. The exceptionally well equipped kitchen allows you to save a ton of money if you stop in Digby on your way in for groceries. Peter, the host, is easy to work with and Diane, the property manager, is beyond amazing and also bakes the best apple pie we have had in years.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 21 June 2023
Thank you for your review. We work hard to ensure that our guests have a great time.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good loaction close to Whale watching and hiking trails.

We had a nice time at the Gardner's Cottage. Diane the property manager stopped by to welcome us. She provided us with lots of information on local attrations and things to do. Kodos to her for keeping the Cottage well maintained. Thank you.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean and cozy

Everything was exactly as advertised. Peter was very responsive and helpful. The place was very clean and Diane, the property manager was so lovely. We got in late and she left a fresh apple pie waiting for us. She offered us a very warm welcome and recommended some wonderful local spots, which we loved. We definitely plan to return. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful property with us!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Clean, spacious and comfortable with good views

The location is excellent for several rough walks, which we located by looking at Google satellite images, for the outstanding fresh fish in the local harbour, the excellent whale watching trips and the proximity to Brier Island, which is fantastic for coastal walks and local history. Joshua Slocum grew up on Brier Island and you can still see the workshop and smell the smells that eventually drove him out to sea on his epic voyages.
Response from VrboOwner on 21 June 2023
Another great review for The Gardener's Cottage! If you haven't yet enjoyed the beauty of Canada's East Coast, Nova Scotia is a great place to start. If you love fresh seafood, nature, friendly people and all of the comforts of home, why don't you check out The Gardener's Cottage for your next 'get-away-from-it-all' break. We'd love to have you as our special guests ...
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Location
Location was amazing. Perfect area to take day trips. A few things need updating....Windows without screens. We taped some in the best we could to get breeezes at night as no A/C.BBQ did not have a propane tank.Toilet tank would not refill with water. Property manager got it repaired the following evening.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pennslvania family

Very nice quiet area. On the go every day to see the sights. Sister in law and granddaughter spent 5 days wit us. Fortunate to see plenty of whales xe. On our last day we lost power but we got by ok. Things like that happen. Diane was a good host and we were thankful for the pies. Very warm and fans would have really helped.
Stayed 13 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Peter Slack

Host profile image
Peter and Vicki currently live in England and have enjoyed many visits to Canada over the years. The East Coast of Canada is not an obvious choice to some ... yet once you've seen the special beauty of this magical place, we're sure you'll see for yourselves why we love this area.

Why they chose this property

The Gardener's Cottage is a true gem. Sitting on an elevated plot, sea views over St Mary's Bay to the front, open countryside around - in summary great views from the deck all around. Close enough to local amenities yet far enough away for peace and quite to aid the all important relaxation and recharge of the batteries!
The Gardener's Cottage is a traditional cottage with all of the contemporary amenities that we take for granted these days. Renovated thoroughly and tastefully you'll enjoy this traditional yet modern get away from it all holiday home. New for 2022 unlimited ultra-fast fibre internet, allowing you to stay connected during your stay.

What makes this property unique

Whale watching can be accessed less than 2 miles from The Gardener's Cottage. Briar Island, a bird watchers paradise, is close by and, with walks and trails easily accessible from The Cottage, you'll fall in love with this paradise as much as we have. The locals are friendly and helpful and a quick chat will soon get them sharing their secrets!

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English
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