After my two week WWOOFing adventure, I spent a week chilling in Halifax. This is going to be a short and pretty to-the-point post cause Halifax is a small city, but I thought it might be useful to compile a list of places worth visiting in Halifax in Nova Scotia, and of course… the best eats in downtown Halifax!
Places to Visit
I didn’t take many photos of the places, but some of the worthwhile places to visit include:
1) Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
They give a tour which lasts just under an hour and the tickets cost about $8 to get in. You can also check out the museum at your own time. The tour guides all dress up in the olden day attire so it’s pretty fun to watch, and they try to recreate the atmosphere at the citadel by randomly shouting and having gun parades. It’s all good fun.
2) Halifax Waterfront
You’ll definitely go here. It’s about a 1-2km walk along the waterfront, and on sunny days there’ll be a ton of people, vendors and buskers adding to the vibe.
3) Halifax Public Gardens
It’s a pretty small garden but it’s a nice place to hangout and chill. The flowers are really pretty, but it’s more for looking rather than actually getting in touch with nature.
4) Point Pleasant Park
I went jogging in the park and along Black Rock Beach a couple of times while I was in Halifax. I loved it! There are lots of dog walkers and dogs running freely, so if you’re afraid of dogs this isn’t a good place for you. But if you love dogs, you’ll love Point Pleasant Park.
5) Halifax Farmers Market
They are open all week, but they are pretty much dead on the weekdays. Definitely go down on the weekends to see all the vendors in action and meet the passionate local farmers and homesteaders who sell things from home-made soap to fresh produce and freshly baked goodies.
6) Halifax Maritime Museum of the Atlantic // Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
HMMA is free on Tuesday evenings and the AGNS is free on Thursday evenings!
7) Ferry out to Dartmouth
It’s about a 10 minute ride, and you can get a transfer ticket that is valid for 90 minutes. If you’re planning on staying longer, you have to buy a new ticket to return. Dartmouth can be seen in about 2-3 hours, and it’s a nice change to walk along the Dartmouth Waterfront. When you’re there, be sure to check out Lake Banook, Shubecanadie Canal, and Sulllivan’s Pond. They are all walking distance from each other so no worries about rushing around. If you collect a map, just follow the walking guide around for 1-2 hours. You must try Two if By Sea for their croissants and cookies, and The Canteen for the sandwiches when you’re there!
8) Day trip to McNab’s Island/Fisherman’s Cove/Peggy’s Cove
There are ferries that bring you to these places from the Halifax Waterfront 😉
There are other attractions like the Halifax Shopping Centre (Nova Scotia’s largest shopping centre haha), if you like shopping… but its not really my thing. There are also a ton of other museums, but the notable two are the ones I mentioned. For me, I just spent most of my time enjoying the nature and eating good food. There are several weekend markets and events depending on the time you visit, so do check what’s on! There’s a visitor centre at the Waterfront which offers a ton of useful advice.
Accommodation
These options are all reasonably priced and have good locations!
- HI-Halifax
- Halifax Backpackers Hostel
- Dalhousie University Summer Accommodations (They have student rates!)
- Couchsurfing!
Food to Try
- Dave’s Lobster Shack
This was sooooo goooood. It’s expensive, around $20 after tax, but it’s lobster so I’d say it’s a fair deal. The set comes with a pickle (I could do without haha) and a bag of chips.You get to choose to have your lobster cold or hot. I chose The Local, which is the cold option made with mayo and herbs. But you could try it hot, which is Some Fancy, and have your lobster grilled in butter, lemon and garlic. Or… opt for a lobster taco! - The Canteen
They sell sandwiches that are the bomb. Portions are generous, and the sandwiches actually look presentable. I tried the Tuna Melt which came with a hard-boiled egg, tuna salad with a ton of whole-grain mustard topped with melted cheese and some purple cabbage slaw (i think) on top and a sprinkling of alfalfa. All atop a homemade bun. It was good stuff. Ahh, fond memories. - Two if By Sea
They have two outlets, one on the Halifax side of the waterfront and the other one on the Dartmouth side of the waterfront. They sell ginormous croissants and cookies which are gooooood and diabetes-inducing.
The croissants usually sell out by lunch time so be sure to go early. They taste best fresh out of the oven. I think 3 people can share one cookie haha. - Cows Ice Cream
This is supposedly one of the World’s Best Ice Cream shops! It was good, but not mind-blowing. I would still recommend trying it cause they have some pretty unique and indulgent flavours… think lots of caramel and chocolate.I also tried Moon Mist Ice Cream from Sugah! and Black Bear Ice Cream as well, which are also located along the waterfront. Their ice cream is alright, but not freshly made like Cows Ice Cream. - Booster Juice
This is just a smoothie chain but it was pretty good! The sandwich was better than the smoothie, but the whole set only cost me $10-12 bucks including tax? (I think, but it’s in that range)
Well that’s pretty much Halifax for you! It’s a small city with loads of nature… nothing much to do really, but it’s nice for relaxing. Nova Scotia is pretty much just nature and good food, so don’t expect to pack your schedule. Just take time to enjoy the scenery and fresh air 🙂 Transportation isn’t great, and I highly recommend you rent a car to do a road trip with your friends because buses and tours are often over priced. With a car, you can visit Prince Edward Island, Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, Bay of Fundy and Cape Breton more easily… and probably within a week!
Good luck and happy travels 🙂
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