Located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Acadia University has long been recognized as one of Canada’s premier undergraduate institutions. The one-hundred hectare campus is situated overlooking the historic Evangeline dykelands and meadows. On campus, a botanical garden features native habitats of the Acadian Forest Region and woodland trails. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful green pathways and elegant buildings, two of which are in the Registry of Historic Places in Canada.
 

The campus is a two-minute walk from downtown. With about 4000 residents, Wolfville is a popular tourist destination, boasting rich history, active arts scene, beautiful scenery and world-class cuisine that often features local foods. The pedestrian-friendly downtown has many specialty shops and grand century-old homes. Wolfville, in the Annapolis Valley, is 100 km northwest the provincial capital city of Halifax. Orchards and mixed farms in the valley provide a rich landscape.
 

Visitors to the area can enjoy a wide range of activities. The nearby Grand-Pré National Historic Site showcases the unique cultural history of the Acadians (French settlers to the area), their expulsion at the hands of the English, and the colonization of the area by New England Planters. The Bay of Fundy features the world’s highest tides (15 m), visible from the town harbour and surrounding dykelands. Also nearby is the Agriculture Canada Research Station in Kentville, and its gardens are highlighted by numerous plantings of Rhododendrons and Azaleas, many bred at the Station over the last 50 years. The height of their blooming should coincide with the conference. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are numerous hiking trails in the area, including Cape Split, where you can see its tidal flow that exceeds the combined volume of all the world’s rivers. On the way to Scot’s Bay, the trailhead for Cape Split, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Valley from the Lookoff. Within two hours of Wolfville, you can find Kejimikujik National Park, Annapolis Royal with its grand houses, Historic Gardens, Fort Anne and Port Royal (the first permanent European settlement in North America), and the south shore (Peggy’s Cove, Chester, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg). Tidal bore rafting might appeal to the adventurous. Additional tourist information can be found online at www.valleytourism.ca and www.novascotia.com.