22 Fun Things to Do in Halifax, Nova Scotia

I first visited Halifax on a family road trip to the Maritimes when I was 11 years old. Sadly, my strongest memory from that trip was our dog puking in the RV! So I was really looking forward to getting to know Halifax and the Maritimes a lot better on our October 2021 honeymoon. And turns out, there’s a ton of things to do in Halifax!

I thought Halifax, being a city of not even half a million people, would be pretty quiet and dull. But as I researched, I found more and more things to add to our Halifax itinerary. And by the end of our six days in Halifax, I felt like we could’ve spent another six days there and not run out of fun things to do!

Ready? Let’s dive into 22 fun things to do in Halifax! 

Halifax, Nova Scotia is a really fun city with tons of culture, activities, history and incredible food. It’s also ideally situated for some beautiful half or full day trips to see the scenery outside of the city. And it makes a great base for a Nova Scotia road trip!

As a Canadian who grew up in Toronto and now lives in Vancouver, I’ve certainly neglected the east coast of the country. But after only a few days in Halifax, I turned to Colin and asked if we could move there. Seriously, I loved it so much!

And while we probably won’t move there (it’s too cold and there’s not enough sushi), I do highly recommend Halifax as a place to visit. Below I’m sharing my suggestions for 22 things to do in and around Halifax, Nova Scotia!

22 fun things to do in Halifax MAP

1. Tour the Halifax Citadel

The Halifax Citadel National Historic Site is one of the top things to do in Halifax – literally, it’s at the top of the city! Halifax is a city of hills and the Citadel sits on one of the highest ones. But the trek up there is so worth it!

After walking up Citadel Hill, we caught our breath and admired the view. We also happened to walk up just as a military troop was setting off a canon, which was a fun welcome to the site! Once inside, we joined a guided tour to learn more about the history of the Citadel as a defensive base for the city.

Once the tour was over, we were free to explore more of the Citadel, which included mini museums, rooms set up to look like they would have when soldiers lived there in the 1800 and 1900s, and people dressed in character clothing, ready to answer any questions. There was so much to see and explore, including a battleground set up like the WWII battle at Juno Beach.

We could’ve spent an entire day at the Citadel – there was truly that much to explore! I’m not a huge history buff but I think they did such a great job of presenting artifacts in a really interesting way. In non-covid times, there are lots of other activities you can do at the Halifax Citadel too like go on a ghost tour, enjoy a whiskey tasting or participate in their Soldier for a Day program.

2. Walk the Halifax Waterfront

I’m a sucker for any city with a cute waterfront and Halifax has to have one of the cutest. I loved walking down the Halifax Waterfront where you’ll not only see beautiful views across the water but you’ll also find restaurants, sculptures, food stalls, museums, shops, playgrounds and more.

There’s also tons of seating so you can grab a bowl of poutine or a lobster roll and then find yourself a Muskoka Chair along the water. On a weekend (or I assume anytime in the summer), the Halifax Waterfront can get pretty crowded but it’s such a fun atmosphere to be out with everyone eating, drinking, shopping, playing and walking.

3. Stroll through the Historic Properties

The Historic Properties are a series of warehouses that have been converted into a small shopping area with a number of boutique shops and restaurants. The cool thing about these warehouses is that they were built in the 1800s and perfectly mix the historic and contemporary sides of Halifax together.

Sadly, we weren’t able to visit the Historic Properties on our honeymoon but I’d love to check them out the next time we’re in Halifax.

4. Snap a photo of the drunken lampposts

A can’t-miss spot on the Halifax Waterfront has to be the famous sculpture, “The Way Things Are,” better known as the drunken lampposts. The three lampposts are described as, “Nakedly honest portraits of unseemly behaviours that are often playing out on our own streets after dark.”

The first lamppost is leaning off the pier with a stream of water shooting into the harbour. The second lamppost is looking down concerned at the third lamppost, which is lying slumped on the ground.

I got a good laugh when I first saw these lampposts in person. Have fun deciding which lamppost you most closely resemble after a night out drinking!

5. Wander around the Halifax Public Gardens

The Halifax Public Gardens are a beautiful place to spend time out in nature in the heart of the city. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit when we were in Halifax this past October, but I’ve heard these gardens are gorgeous and worth a stop.

They’re open daily and admission to the gardens is free. There’s even a holiday light display if you happen to be visiting in December!

6. Take in a Halifax Mooseheads game at the Scotiabank Centre

I’m not a huge hockey fan, or sports fan in general, but my husband definitely is. So one thing he really wanted to do on our trip to Halifax was a see a live Mooseheads hockey game. And it was really fun!

The Mooseheads are a junior hockey team, so younger and less professional than teams in the NHL. But they’re such a blast to watch and the whole city is really behind them. Tickets are cheap and we had a great time cheering the Mooseheads onto a 6-4 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes!

7. Shop at a local farmers’ market

There are two main farmers’ markets along the Halifax Waterfront, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market and Halifax Brewery Farmers’ Market.

Sadly, due to limited opening hours, we actually weren’t able to visit either. We were just about to enter the Seaport one when a security guard at the front door told us they had just closed. Alas, maybe you’ll have better luck than us on your trip to Halifax!

8. Check out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

If you like big ships, you won’t want to miss the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. I’m not a huge museum person or nautical lover, but for only $5 admission, I enjoyed my time at this museum.

There were lots of boats big and small to admire, and a ton of information on the naval history of Halifax and Canada. My favourite part was the exhibit about the Titanic, as many of the people who died during the ship’s sinking were actually buried in Halifax.

9. Take the ferry to Dartmouth

Across the harbour from Halifax proper is Dartmouth, a small urban area within the Halifax Regional Municipality. You can drive over a bridge to get to Dartmouth but the ferry is definitely the better way to get there.

For the same price as riding the bus, you can enjoy a short and scenic ferry ride across the harbour. Make sure to get a seat at the back of the boat so you can see the Halifax skyline as you sail away.

10. Window shop in Dartmouth

I’m going to be honest: There’s not a ton to do in Dartmouth. Colin and I had plans to spend an afternoon in Dartmouth ahead of our dinner reservation. But after a quick stroll up and down the main street, we found ourselves with hours to kill.

That being said, I still think Dartmouth is worth a visit; there are a number of food stops that shouldn’t be missed (check out the best places to eat in Halifax and Dartmouth here). Outside of food, there’s a farmer’s market at Alderney Landing, where you’ll get off the ferry, that was sadly closed when we arrived.

While in Dartmouth admire the street art, check out a cute home goods store called Kept, and grab a drink at one of Dartmouth’s many cideries or breweries.

11. Get on the water

Halifax has a number of boating activities that you can enjoy: harbour cruises, free kayak rentals, whale watching, and catamaran tours that include dinner and drinks. When we visited in October, most of these options were closed for the season. But if you happen to visit Halifax in the summer, you’ll definitely want to spend some time on the water!

12. Visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

One of the best things to do in Halifax is visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. This was absolutely one of my favourite things that we did in Halifax and I highly recommend it.

Being a major port and on Canada’s coast, Halifax was once a huge centre for immigration into Canada. From 1928 to 1971, one million immigrants arrived in Halifax on boats, had their paperwork processed at Pier 21, and then took a train from there to their final destination in Canada.

This museum was so incredibly well done! The first half shares the history of Pier 21 with areas set up exactly as they would have been back then. You could walk along the galley of a ship, into the processing office and onto a train, following the journey of a new immigrant.

There was a video with reflections from immigrants and suitcases where you could see what families packed for their journey to Canada. On the other side of the museum, they shared more broadly about immigration to Canada, not only through Halifax.

I loved how interactive this museum was, with videos, games and visual displays. It was so engaging and informative. I loved seeing the photos, artifacts and quotes from immigrants. I also really appreciated that they didn’t shy away from some of the uglier sides of Canada’s history, like the Chinese head tax, impact of immigration on Indigenous peoples, and immigrants who were turned away or mistreated.

My favourite part of the museum was the section where visitors were encouraged to leave their own stories of immigration. I couldn’t stop crying or smiling reading these beautiful notes by people reminiscing about arriving in Canada through Pier 21 or thanking their families for making the choice to come to Canada.

The whole experience made me feel very proud to be Canadian, despite our imperfections, and extremely connected to my country and family history.

Lastly, the museum offers the opportunity to meet with an archivist to learn more about your family history. With just a little bit of information, they’re able to pull up immigration records and tell you how your family journeyed to Canada.

Family history after 1935 is private and not publicly available, so I wasn’t able to learn more about my own family. But if your family came to Canada before 1935, definitely take advantage of this cool service!

13. Look in the window at St. Paul’s Church

If you find yourself walking past St. Paul’s, don’t forget to look up! If you look closely, you’ll see the silhouette of a deacon in one of the upper windows of the church. Legend says that at the time of the 1917 Halifax Explosion, the intense heat burnt the deacon’s portrait into the glass pane of the window.

True? Probably not. But still worth spotting!

14. Stroll through Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University is the big school on Canada’s east coast with its main campus in Halifax. When I was applying to universities, I almost applied to Dal but decided to head to the west coast instead and attend UBC in Vancouver.

If you’re considering post-secondary studies, Dalhousie is definitely worth a visit. And even if you’re done with school, it’s still a pretty campus to walk through.

15. Tour HMCS Sackville

The HMCS Sackville was once part of the Royal Canadian Navy and now serves as a museum ship in the Halifax Harbour. If you’re interested in Canada’s naval history, or just the opportunity to walk around a huge ship, definitely pay the HMCS Sackville a visit.

Double check on their website what their opening hours are as sometimes the ship is taken out of the harbour for maintenance.

16. Visit Fisherman’s Cove

Fisherman’s Cove is a little fishing village about 20 minutes from downtown Halifax. There’s a beach, cute houses and a harbour to admire. If you want to visit McNabbs Island, an island in the middle of the Halifax Harbour, the best way is to catch a boat from Fisherman’s Cove.

If you’re looking to do some unique exploring around Halifax, an afternoon spent in Fisherman’s Cove and on McNabbs Island is the way to do it!

17. Snap a photo at the Sidney Crosby sign in Cole Harbour

Calling all hockey lovers! This one is for you. As you may know, legendary hockey player Sidney Crosby is Canadian and hails from the small town of Cole Harbour, just outside of Halifax. My husband, Colin, is a big fan and wanted us to go see the Sidney Crosby sign in Cole Harbour before we left Halifax. So we did.

I was expecting a pretty huge sign. After all, Sidney Crosby is a big deal! He could really put Cole Harbour on the map. I pictured a huge billboard, maybe a mural on the side of a building or a statue of Crosby prominently erected in the town square. Instead, we found a tiny little banner across a town sign in the Walmart parking lot. In fact, the sign advertising Cole Harbour’s 2018 Community Spirit Award is more prominent!

18. Wander around Peggys Cove

The next few things to do in Halifax aren’t technically in Halifax, but they are within an easy drive of the city and can be visited on a day trip (or even just a half day). Peggys Cove is undoubtedly the most famous day trip from Halifax.

Less than an hour’s drive from Halifax lies the most iconic lighthouse in Canada, and perhaps the whole world, Peggys Point Lighthouse. I can tell you that this picturesque lighthouse really is pretty, and well worth the drive. We had fun scrambling on the rocks and taking in different view points of the lighthouse (but avoid the black rocks as they’re slippery and people have died falling off and being swept out to sea).

After you’ve gotten your fill of the lighthouse, there are a number of little shops and restaurants in Peggys Cove for you to enjoy. Most are very much catered to tourists, but it’s still fun to shop and eat in the area. We had lunch next door to the lighthouse and enjoyed it – especially the giant scallops!

Being so popular, Peggys Cove can get very busy, so try and time your visit outside of peak hours. When we visited in October 2021, a viewing platform was being built so the iconic lighthouse can be enjoyed by those unable to access the rocks.

19. See the three churches in Mahone Bay

Just an hour from Halifax is another picturesque town, Mahone Bay. This town is famous for its three churches that stand (almost) side by side along the shore.

On your way in and out of town, try to find a spot to pull off and take a photo of the churches. I thought I had found us a good one but the view was kind of obstructed and we had to turn into someone’s driveway. Nonetheless, we got a photo, and then walked by the churches to admire them up close.

20. Window shop in Mahone Bay

Besides the view of the churches, the town of Mahone Bay is worth a wander too. There are lots of cute shops, cafes and restaurants. When we visited in October 2021, there was a scarecrow festival happening with funny scarecrows popping up around town.

We enjoyed wandering the main street, seeing a pewter demonstration at Amos Pewter jewelry shop, and walking along the bay.

21. Stroll around Lunenburg

Just 15 minutes from Mahone Bay is the town of Lunenburg. This town on a hill is another great place for window shopping, enjoying the views and strolling by the water. There are lots of amazing restaurants (including one of my favourites in all of Nova Scotia!) and shops to stop at, as well as harbour cruises you can enjoy.

We visited Lunenburg from Halifax on a beautifully sunny day and just enjoyed strolling around the town then dining al fresco. I’ve also heard good things about a walking tour and visiting the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, although we didn’t have time for either when we visited.

22. Visit the Bluenose II in Lunenburg

Of course, if you’re in Lunenburg, you have to visit the ship that put Lunenburg on the map. The Bluenose II is the ship famously seen on Canada’s dime (well, technically, the one on our dime is the original Bluenose, but this is her successor).

The original Bluenose was launched from Lunenburg in 1921 and became known as the “Queen of the North Atlantic” after winning the Fishermen’s Trophy 17 years in a row. She was placed on Canada’s dime in 1937 before sadly striking a reef and ending her career in 1946.

In 1963, the Bluenose II was launched. It was built by many of the same people who worked on the original, and now serves as a Nova Scotia’s sailing ambassador around North America. When the Bluenose II is in its home port in Lunenburg, you can walk onboard, go on a harbour cruise or even become a Deckhand for the Day.

As 2021 was the centennial anniversary of the original Bluenose launch, the Bluenose II was busy sailing around the Maritimes celebrating its big birthday. Sadly, that means it was not in port when we visited Lunenburg.

Final thoughts: My top 7 tips for your visit to Halifax

Here are a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of your visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia:

1. Halifax is a very hilly city. Be prepared when you set out to walk anywhere that you might be climbing up or down the streets. For example, from the Halifax Waterfront to the Halifax Citadel is a 19 minute walk with an elevation gain of 65 metres (it’s only 14 minutes on the way down).
2. Check the weather report before you make any plans. We really enjoyed visiting in October as it wasn’t too cold or too hot, though it did get a bit windy. We skipped the summer crowds but still had really nice days where we could sit outside. I don’t know that I’d enjoy Halifax in the winter, but if you do visit then, dress warm!
3. If you want to get on the water in Halifax, you’ll have to visit in the summer. As I mentioned above, almost all of the boat trip options were closed by the time we arrived in mid-October. So if a harbour cruise or whale watching is important to you, time your visit to Halifax accordingly.
4. If you’re staying in the city, you don’t need a car. You can walk (mind the hills!) or take public transit wherever you want to go in Halifax. There’s a reliable and affordable bus system that will take you around the city.
5. However, if you’d like to visit places outside of Halifax like Peggys Cove, Mahone Bay and/or Lunenburg, you may want a car. We liked having a car so we could make stops along the way, visit at our own pace and avoid peak tourist times. But if you don’t want to drive, there are lots of tour buses that visit these locations.
6. If I had to narrow down my list of 22 things to do in Halifax to my top three it would be the Halifax Citadel, Halifax Waterfront and Canadian Museum of Immigration. Don’t miss these awesome sites!
7. Last tip: Check out the cute houses! I really loved the residential homes in Halifax and loved admiring them anytime we drove, walked or took a bus around the city. They’re colourful, colonial and so cute!

All right, there you have it: All the things to do in Halifax to fill your Nova Scotia itinerary! Have you been to Halifax before? What did you love about the city or what are you looking forward to when you visit Halifax one day?

Plan your Nova Scotia trip with these blog posts:

• What to Eat in Halifax, Nova Scotia
• 5 Day Cabot Trail Itinerary on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
• Our Atlantic Canada Honeymoon Itinerary

 

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