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Halifax is a beautiful port side city, filled with history and fun filled activities that make it a must visit destination on your Canadien itinerary. The city owes much of its existence to its strategic location on one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbours in the world, which has contributed to making Halifax one of the most significant Canadian commercial ports on the Atlantic seaboard. So without further ado let's learn what there is to see & do in this beautiful city!
Where to stay in Halifax:
In Halifax, most activities and attractions are concentrated in the downtown core so choosing accommodation somewhere nearby is in our opinion the best choice. For our stay, we decided on an Airbnb that not only provided affordability but also offered a private room with access to shared facilities like a living room and kitchen. If you're interested, you can click here to take a look at the room yourself!
Walk along the Waterfront
One of the most popular things to do in Halifax is to walk along the beautiful waterfront. There are so many key shops or attractions to stop at along the way. A few we would recommend include:
An amusing architectural stop along the way is to take photos of the drunken lamp posts.
If your craving a sweet treat then you have to stop at Peace by Chocolate. Here they sell a delicious big portion of chocolate ice cream for only $5-$7!
The picture below tells you all you need to know. With over 50 delicious taffy flavours to choose from why not treat yourself to a few!
A great activity along the way is to explore the HMCS Sackville battleship. It provides a one-of-a-kind experience of what it was like to be on a battleship from World War II. You have the opportunity to see the battle guns, missiles, engine room, close living quarters, and the top of the deck. There is no admission fee, but there is a recommended donation of $5 per person at the entrance. Additionally, there are Canadian navy sailors available on deck to guide and answer questions you may have.
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Located in the heart of Halifax's historic waterfront, you will find the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Here you get the chance to immerse yourself in Halifax's rich maritime heritage which dates back to 1749. Inside the museum, you can explore small craft boat buildings, World War Convoys, the Days of Sail to the Age of Steam, the Halifax Explosion, and even a section dedicated to the Titanic. It's a fantastic destination to learn about Halifax's impressive history and definitely a place worth visiting!
Escape room
A great activity to do in Halifax is to lock yourself in a room and try to escape! More specifically, we would recommend checking out 'Trapped' escape rooms for a fun experience. For us, we played the Contaminated Hospital and Ancient Pyramid . We found the hospital to be quite challenging and the theming of the pyramid room to be amazing! You can also sign up for free to their rewards program to get an extra 10% off!
Ice Hockey Game
Being the national sport of Canada, a popular activity to do is see an Ice Hockey Game live. Many cities are part of the professional NHL league but unfortunately Halifax is not. However , we saw this as a massive positive, as for us it was a great way to watch a new sport live before forking out the big bucks on professional game. The Halifax MooseHeads as they are known are in the Junior League (under 21's) so still a highly competitive league. The big plus is that tickets were only $20-$25 CAD compared to a NHL game costing anywhere between $70-$200 CAD. We booked our tickets through ticketmaster which is Canada's most reliable ticket operator.
In our experience we thoroughly enjoyed the game, we found it was way more physical then expected and the game went into overtime which was exciting! So if you are wanting a fun and affordable night time activity in Halifax then we highly recommend attending a Mooseheads game! FYI - the season runs from October to April.
Citadel
A visit to Halifax isn't complete without visiting the historical Citadel. This star shaped Citadel served as army barracks during the First and Second World Wars, as well as a detention camp during the First World War. Now to visit this piece of history, the admission fee is for an adult is $13.25 in peak season (June 1 - Sept 15) and $9 in the off season. Included in your admission fee is the opportunity to join in a free walking tour. They run pretty much every hour during their opening times and the tour goes for about 30-45 minutes. We heard that each tour guide talks about different parts of the citadel but for us our guide talked about the history of the gun powder room, the use of the flag posts as a ways of communication and the operation of old shotguns which included a live demonstration. As people who prefer someone explaining the history rather than having to read about it on a sign, we found it to be really enjoyable and informative. Apart from exploring the various sections of the citadel, a must would be to see a live demonstration of a cannon firing which happens everyday at noon. Overall, if you are seeking a historical experience then visiting the Halifax Citadel is a must!
Point Pleasant Park
On the topic of history, located on the southern tip of the Halifax peninsula you will find Point Pleasant Park. The park served as an important British defensive site, where numerous fortifications and batteries were constructed to guard the entrance to the harbour. The area comprises of 185 acres of forest, trails, beaches, monuments, and military fortifications. With so much to explore it's a place we definitely recommend checking out!
Public Gardens
If you're looking for a peaceful spot to take a leisurely stroll or enjoy a pleasant picnic, the Halifax Public Garden is an excellent choice. Conveniently located just a 10-15 minute walk from the Citadel, it's a perfect place to unwind after immersing yourself in some fascinating history.
Cafe Taiyaki 52
Bree and I are a sucker for a cute little cafe and we could not stop and try some of the delicious desserts at Cafe Taiyaki 52. One of their stand out menu item is the ice cream bowl with 3 deliciously filled Taiyaki which not only looks amazing but tastes even better! It gave us a delightful throwback to the wonderful desserts we enjoyed in Japan so if you're a dessert lover, this place is definitely a must-visit!
Sushi Jet
Speaking of Japan, does 2 hours of unlimited sushi sound like heaven on earth! Perhaps you'll love it even more when it is only $28pp for lunch and $35pp for dinner. If there is still a place Bree and I think about to this day it is the incredibly delicious food at Sushi Jet. Our top picks had to be the karaage chicken and their dessert style 8 piece mango sushi roll! Of course if you don't have the stomach for an all you can eat, you can just order individual items off the menu. So, if your craving authentic Japanese cuisine then look no further than Sushi Jet.
Summary
So there you have it, those are in our opinion the best things to do in Halifax, Canada. If our blog has inspired you and got you excited about visiting this beautiful port side city then we would really appreciate it if you left a like, comment and share our blog using the buttons below.
Until next time, happy travels!
Bree & Aiden
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