12 THINGS YOU MUST DO WHEN VISITING HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA

Halifax, the largest historical and urban area in Atlantic Canada, is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia. Filled with beautiful gardens, art galleries, rouring night clubs, and informational museums. There is plenty to do while visiting Halifax in this post you’ll find some of my top favorites!

ADMIRE A TWO-HUNDRED YEAR OLD CLOCK

Old Town Clock - This beautiful white with green trimming clock tower is located in downtown Halifax on top of Citadel hill. If you walk up the hill you’ll have a beautiful view of the downtown area and you can see straight to the harbor! Fun fact, it was built in the early 1800’s as a gift from Prince Edward, Duke of Kent as a way to help resolve the tardiness of the soldiers that were often late. Prince Edward, also happens to be Queen Elizabeth II’s great-great-great grandfather which is pretty neat to think about.

VISIT HALIFAX’S FIRST BURIAL GROUND

The Old Burying Ground - Located in downtown Halifax between the intersection of Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road you’ll find an old cemetery that is both eerie and charming but worth walking by. This cemetery was the town’s first burial ground dating back to the first settlement of 1749 and later closed in the early 19th century. Take a few minutes to respectfully see the numerous grave markers and tombs, there are sidewalks within so you can walk around and view the headstones. They also have a few informational boards surrounding the burial ground.

WALK THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC GARDENS

The Halifax Public Gardens are the oldest Victorian gardens in North America, located in the center of Halifax. The landscaping throughout the gardens is Victorian formal and expanding for roughly 16 acres. We entered through the iron gates located at the intersection of Spring Garden Road and South Park Street, walking directly north was one of my favorite things about the gardens, the Francis Fitzgerald Bridge. I thought it was a gorgeous beige colored bridge that has a beautiful view of the stream surrounded by large plants and flowers. We spent roughly two hours walking around reading the different types of flowers and plants, admiring the ducks that surrounded Griffin’s Pond, and sat on a bench to people watch in front of the gazebo. Admission to the gardens is free.

VISIT A FARMER’S MARKET

One of my favorite things to do while visiting a new country is to roam through a farmer’s market for seasonal fruit and veggies, as well as grabbing some goodies to snack on. In general any market that sells local food, artisanal goods, or possibly some locally made art, I’m sold!

Halifax’s Seaport Farmers Market is held indoors with a large variety of different vendors. Just a small list of things you can expect to find at this market include, fresh produce, local honey and maple syrup, wine and craft beer, delicious baked goods, and local artwork. It was founded in 1750 making it North America’s oldest continuously operating farmer’s market.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your treats by the waterfront, there's a gorgeous view of the ocean there. We grabbed some coffee, a few pastries and walked along the waterfront until we found a nice place to finish our breakfast.

ATTEND A FESTIVAL

Specific event information may change, please confirm dates online before you finalize your plans.

Halifax Seaport Beerfest | August

Sample over 300 different craft beers and ciders from all around the world, while trying local food and music. This festival is normally held the second weekend in August.

General admission is $45.00 - $50.00 depending on what time session you pick. Friday evening and Saturday afternoon are $45.00, Saturday evening is $50.00, for $20.00 more you can opt for the VIP option.* You can purchase tickets here.

*VIPs have an additional 60 minutes to talk with breweries while sampling limited quantity beers before the regular session begins.

Halifax Pride Festival | July

Join one of the most colorful parades by celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. The Pride Parade takes place on the first Saturday of the festival, starting at 1pm and leads thousands of people through the main streets of downtown Halifax. Celebrate with outdoor dancing, educational activities, art, a beverage garden and food trucks. Make sure to stick around for the fireworks at the end of the night.

KitchenFest! | Féis a' Chidsin | June/ July

This delicious food festival celebrates all things local - music, culture, food, drink. It’s located in various locations in and around Cape Breton, normally held in the mid-summer months of June and July. Partake in fun events and enjoy amazing local food while listening to upbeat concerts. You can find where the festival will be held here. If you’re interested in knowing what local restaurants will be attending the festival you can see their list here. Admission to the festival is $10.00 to $25.00.

The date for this event have changed to September 4-13, 2020 for this year only.

ENJOY A NIGHT OUT

The Carleton - This is a great place to grab dinner, drinks and a show! If you’re looking for a more relaxing evening this would be a great option, their happy hour is 4-6pm daily! Plus, they have live concerts at different times throughout the day, catch a show anywhere from 2pm to 1am (depending on the artist). Tickets for live performances vary from $27-$35 (depending on the artist). If you’re interested in upcoming performances click here.

The Split Crow Pub - At the Split Crow you can enjoy some live music while you drink and dine. They have a great selection of appetizers and they have a happy hour of 4:30pm - 7pm Monday through Friday. Check out their upcoming performances here.

Fun fact: The Split Crow Pub dates back to 1749 when Governor Cornwallis granted a license to sell beer and liquor to a Mr. John Shippey. This was the first liquor license to be issued in Nova Scotia!

TRY DELICIOUS DESSERTS AROUND HALIFAX

BeaverTails - These sugary pastries are located everywhere around Canada, but in Halifax you can spot one at the waterfront boardwalk. I would describe these as long and flat churros covered with sweet toppings. You can also purchase ice cream and hot dogs at these fast-food style food stands.

The Old Apothecary - Their croissant doughnuts are a must! If you’re looking for a quick and easy breakfast I suggest stopping by for some coffee and a sweet pastry before starting your day, they are conveniently located downtown near the waterfront.

VISIT A HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic - Nova Scotia is rich with maritime heritage and you can learn all about it at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. It also happens to be the largest and oldest maritime museum, and also features exhibits from the sinking of the Titanic. This museum is incredibly informational, it showcases thousands of artifacts and is definitely worth visiting! Admission to the museum is $5.15 November 1 - April 30 and $9.55 May 1 - October 31, and free for children 5 and under.

Museum of Natural History - Just a 15 minute walk north is another great museum worth adding to your itinerary. The Museum of Natural History includes multiple collections and exhibits as well as artifacts of cultural significance to Nova Scotia. Although small in size it’s packed with information in each exhibit! If you happen to visit in the afternoon you just might spot Gus the 90 year old tortoise roaming the museum. Admission to the museum is $6.30 with the option to include the Egypt exhibit for $2.00 more. Children 5 and under are free.

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 - Explore a visual understanding of immigration as you go through the museum learning about the experiences immigrants went through to arrive in Canada. The museum goes into great depth to showcase Canada’s culture and way of life as you witness first-hand experiences of immigrants. Pier 21 happens to be a National Historic Site as it was the departure point for 500,000 Canadian military personnel during World War II. Admission to the museum is $12.61, children 5 and under are free.

WANDER THROUGH THE HALIFAX WATERFRONT BOARDWALK

The Halifax waterfront boardwalk is roughly 3.8 miles, so you can imagine there is plenty to see and do here! You’ll find some of the most scenic views walking along the boardwalk as well as some of the best restaurants.

Enjoy some tasty treats by visiting their numerous dessert shops such as the Sugah Confectionery & Ice Cream Emporium. If you happen to visit Halifax on a warm summer day, this ice cream emporium is well worth the visit!

Keep an eye out for the different types of food and local art stands that are located at the south end of the boardwalk. If you are looking for some great souvenirs to bring back home to friends and family this is a great place to grabs some gifts, and you don’t even have to go out of your way.

I absolutely loved the mural painted on the sea front of Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, they have such a colorful mural along with a few other photo ops such as a huge red lawn chair and a Canada sculpture. Halifax is full of amazing art all around the city not just limited to the broad walk.

One of the best places to wander through to see colorful houses are along Agricola Street, located in the North End of Halifax it’s a trendy neighborhood with great restaurants! I personally love browsing through art pieces to add to my gallery wall back home. Keep an eye out for paintings on picnic tables, murals, colorful homes!

TAKE A DAY TRIP TO PEGGY’S COVE

Just a 45 minute drive from central Halifax is one of Nova Scotia’s most picturesque landmarks, make it a day trip and spend the whole day exploring this quaint fishing village of Peggy’s Cove along the South Shore.

By Car: Peggy’s Cove is roughly an hour from downtown Halifax, take Highway 333 from Halifax or Highway 103 from Halifax to Exit 5 and then Route 333.

By Tour: Book a round trip tour to Peggy’s Cove through Ambassatours Gray Line Peggy’s Cove Bus Tour, they have buses that depart from downtown Halifax daily. This is a great option if you don’t have a rental car, its roughly $45 dollars a person but make sure to check their website since they do have special offers at times. Check for their availability here.

I have a whole post about what there is to do in Peggy’s Cove and why it’s worth visiting! Click the link below to check out what Peggy’s Cove has to offer.

VISITING PEGGY'S COVE, NOVA SCOTIA

That wraps it up for my brief trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Did I miss any of your favorite things to do here? If so, comment below to add to my next visit!