St. Peter's sits on a narrow isthmus between the Bras d'Or Lake and the Atlantic. The St. Peter's Canal, built between 1854 and 1869, lifts boats through a single lock between the two — the only operating canal east of the Welland. It's one of the most quietly impressive engineering sites in Nova Scotia.
The village makes a good base for exploring the Fleur-de-lis Trail along the southern coast, with several restaurants and inns and the Nicolas Denys Museum on the canal banks.