DIY by the Sea – Part 2

I’m not done going on about White Point Beach!!  How is it I lived here for 41 years and am just finally realizing this treasure!?!?!  In my last post, I talked about the projects we did during the DIY by the Sea, you can read it HERE.  So, now I’m going to talk about White Point Beach Resort and show you some of my highlights around the resort.  It is an amazing place, truly, it is.  I said on Friday night, shortly after arriving at White Point, that I couldn’t wait to come back, and I hadn’t even left yet!

White Point Beach Resort opened back in 1928, with its start as a hunting and fishing lodge.  It’s the type of resort that I can envision the old cars rolling in, dropping off families and suitcases at the beginning of the season, and people summering there.  They would spend their days catching up with their resort friends and families over fine dining or along the beach, under a big beach umbrella.  The kids would be running around, boys chasing girls, summer romances blooming.  There would be sailing  and bonfires.  At the end of the day, everyone would tuck into their cabin but I suspect there would be a few teens who would sneak out and get up to no good, too.  I’m sure that was part of the charm of it all for them, too.  In 1980, they switched to being a year-round and became a great destination for conferences and business meetings, too.

Back in 2011, the main lodge caught fire and burned to the ground.  All that history, gone in one night.  The pictures are heartbreaking.  Flames surrounding the beach rock fireplace, a Adirondack chair with a wall of fire behind it…but they began rebuilding right away and within a year, the new lodge was up and in operation.  It boasts of the skills and materials of our province.  But also the belief that White Point has something unique to offer and that with hard work and determination, great things can be accomplished.

I, for one, am very thankful that they rebuilt and continued on part of our province’s legacy.  The history, the memories and the future are all tied to this place.  I feel like Nova Scotia has so much to offer and it is places like White Point Beach Resort that make this place memorable and make our mark in the tourism industry.

One of the things I love about being an interior decorator and working with At Home, is exploring this province, meeting its people and seeing the places we call home or enjoy visiting.  Like I said in my last post, I feel very fortunate getting to go on this DIY retreat, thanks to At Home.  Being freshly inspired changes everything, you see things in a new way.  And sometimes, a get away is exactly what you need to do that.

And I think that the owners of White Point understand that.  Not only did they create a place where folks can get away and connect and relax, but I think when they traveled and sourced some of the amazing artwork and artifacts throughout the resort, they experienced that and brought it back for us to enjoy and experience.  The artwork is so varied, a tin moose head beside stuffed pheasants, folk art beside Aboriginal artwork, carved antlers beside antiques.  Not only is it unique, it will speak to so many from such a wide range of walks of life.  There truly is something for everyone.

Now, of course the main attraction is the beach.  And while I was there in February, the beach was still a huge draw.  Anytime of day, there were people strolling the beach.  I can only imagine how incredible it would be in the summer! The beach at White Point is not like our beaches along the north shore.  The sand is different, the rocks are different, just the way the sand meets the shore is different.  It was so wonderful, chilly perhaps, but wonderful none the less.  Of course I had to check it out….on Friday, Saturday morning and then again Saturday afternoon.  All the in between times we enjoyed it from the main lodge, which is perfectly situated so you can see it from the dining hall, lounge, conference rooms, pool, hot tub…pretty much everywhere!

Friday afternoon on the beach…

Saturday morning on the beach….

Saturday afternoon on the beach….you just never know what you might find….

Sunday morning…..

The other fun thing about White Point is the bunnies.  If you’ve been, you know what I mean!  There are bunnies everywhere!!  And they love people { because they expect you to have treats! }  There are little brown bags of treats by the front door and we always made sure to have some in our pockets as we made our way back and forth from our room to the main lodge.

And the food….oh, the food!!!  Everything was so good and each meal it was hard to decide which to try out first!  The buffets for breakfast and dinner were amazing, so much variety and it was all very tasty.  I did snap a few pictures but it certainly didn’t do the food justice so you’ll just have to trust me and go out for supper, lunch or even breakfast there!  I love that the locals do that, Saturday night that place was  packed!  Lots of families, couples, groups of friends gathered to enjoy a nice evening out.  Chef Alan Crosby’s food is certainly something to rave about! And he even popped in to check out our DIYing 😉  Here’s part of our group, post-dinner on Saturday evening.  We lingered in the dining room for quite a while after the last bite was enjoyed.

All in all, it is an incredible place to spend some time, being creative, making new friends and exploring!  I’m looking forward to finding some excuse to go back with my family this time, I know they would love it here, too.  If you get the chance, I would highly recommend booking at stay at White Point.  You won’t regret it!

To be continued,

Lori