Things to do in Nova Scotia
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Knaut-Rhuland House
Knaut-Rhuland House is considered the finest example of Georgian architecture in the province. This 1793 house has costumed guides who point out its features.
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McNabs Island Ferry
Fine sand and cobbled stone shorelines, salt marshes, abandoned military fortifications and forests of maple, beech and red spruce paint the scenery of the 400-hectare McNabs Island in Halifax Harbour. In all there are 30km of roads and trails to explore close to the city yet far away from its clatter and clamor. Staff of the McNabs Island Ferry will provide you with a map and an orientation to the island.
For camping reservations, contact the Department of Natural Resources; due to increased fire risks from rotting trees ploughed down by Hurricane Juan campfires are currently prohibited on the island. The ferry runs from Fisherman's Cove in Eastern Passage, a short drive…
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Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Part of this impressive waterfront Maritime Museum of the Atlantic was a chandlery, where all the gear needed to outfit a vessel was sold. You can smell the charred ropes, cured to protect them from saltwater, and try pumping a hand-operated foghorn. There's a wildly popular display on the Titanic and another on the Halifax Explosion. Outside at the dock you can explore the CSS Acadia, a retired hydrographic vessel from England.
The last WWII corvette HMCS Sackville is docked nearby and staffed by the Canadian Navy.
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St George's Round Church
St George's Round Church , built in 1800 according to the design specifications of the Duke of Kent, included separate seating areas for naval and civilian congregants. A rare circular Palladian church with a main rotunda 18m in diameter, it was damaged by fire in 1994. Tours are by arrangement. Tours of the 1756 Little Dutch Church, the second-oldest building in Halifax, can also be arranged through St George's.
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Halifax Farmers' Brewery Market
North America's oldest farmers' market, in the 1820s Keith's Brewery Building, is the ultimate Maritime shopping experience. Head here to people-watch and buy organic produce, jewellery, clothes and crafts. Come early or late to avoid the crowds.
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Pier 21 Center
Pier 21 was to Canada what Ellis Island was to the USA. Between 1928 and 1971 over a million immigrants entered Canada through Pier 21. Their stories and the historical context that led them to abandon their homelands are presented in this museum.
The museum features a large pavilion with information displays, boutiques, cafes and multilmedia exhibits detailing the travails of refugees and immigrants hoping to call Canada home.
Pier 21 is somewhat hidden behind the VIA Rail station - go around the side of the Westin Hotel on Terminal Rd. Better yet, follow the waterfront boardwalk south from the Historic Properties and you'll bump right into it.
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Fairview Lawn Cemetery
Since the film Titanic swept through the 1998 Academy Awards like, well, an iceberg, nondenominational Fairview Cemetery has been incorporated into the tour bus circuit. Halifax, base of rescue operations for the tragedy, is home to nearly all the residuals of the fateful voyage.
Among the 121 victims buried here is a lowly coal shoveler named Jim Dawson, who was transformed by Hollywood into Jack Dawson. It's easy to find grave No 227, marked simply 'J Dawson, April 15, 1912', as weepy adolescents have made it a pilgrimage point and there are usually flowers.
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Point Pleasant Park
Rented to Canada by the British - for the bargain price of 10 cents a year - this wooded sanctuary at the far southern end of town is fittingly named. Make sure your boots are made for walking, though - no cars are allowed. You'll find 39km (24mi) of walking trails, picnic spots and a beach (of sorts).
There's also a restaurant and the Prince of Wales Martello Tower, a round 18th-century defensive structure. Great views can be had all the way around the park's perimeter. Walk out to the lighthouse to take in the busy shipping activity at the nearby Port of Halifax.
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Maritime Command Museum
The Admiral of the British navy for all of North America was based in Halifax until 1819 and threw grand parties at Admiralty House, now the Maritime Command Museum. Apart from the beautiful Georgian architecture, the museum is worth a visit for its eclectic collections: cigarette lighters, silverware and ships' bells, to name a few. One notable bell is a cracked specimen from the victorious Shannon, which took the USS Chesapeake in a famous skirmish of the War of 1812.
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Citadel Hill National Historic Site
Canada's most-visited national historic site, the Citadel is a huge, oddly-angled fort on top of Halifax's big central hill. The current structure was built to defend Halifax from the Americans.
The excellent guided tours explain the fort's shape and how, despite appearances, it was neither well designed nor well constructed. For some free entertainment watch the hourly changing of the guard - just look for kilts and ostrich-feather hats. And men standing very, very still.
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Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery
Come hither ye lovers of ale! If you drink beer or not, a tour of Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery brings you right back to 19th-century Halifax via costumed thespians, quality brew and some dark corridors. Learn the history, check out the beer-making techniques then finish your hour-long visit with a party in the basement pub complete with beer on tap, singing, pub games and some ale-inspired yarns. Note that you'll need your ID and the kids are served lemonade.
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Wooden Monkey
Wooden Monkey 'A restaurant with a conscience', the monkey was modeled with wood salvaged from Hurricane Juan and is decorated with recycled furniture. The result feels like an artistic living room; stained glass pieces, beaded curtains and local art make you want to cosy up with a grilled breast of free-range chicken. The restaurant adamantly supports local organics and is a fab place to get gluten-free and vegan meals as well as humane meat dishes.
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Sea Sun Kayak Adventures
Ideally you'll do this further away from polluted Halifax Harbour. But if you can't wait to get on the ocean, try Sea Sun Kayak Adventures, which offers enjoyable day-long tours of sights along the sheltered North West Arm. They also have a second location in Terrence Bay, a short drive from Halifax, that rents kayaks and offers a range of other trips. Their 'Kayak Bus' will pick up paddlers at their place of lodging within the Halifax area.
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Halifax Public Gardens
The Halifax Public Gardens are considered the finest Victorian city gardens in North America. Oldies bands perform off-key concerts in the gazebo on Sunday afternoons in summer, tai chi practitioners go through their paces, and anyone who brings checkers can play on outside tables. The seventeen acres make a great detour when walking across the city on foot - you feel as if you've left metropolis for a quirky, bustling countryside.
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Sweet Basil
Halifax's finest cuisine need not cost a fortune; lunch at this chic, country-style bistro will appease your inner gourmet, guilt-free. Try the creative lunch crepe special that changes daily, or the walnut-crusted chicken breast at dinner. Whatever you do, save room for dessert; a separate kitchen is dedicated to fantastical creations that make Haligonians' mouths water. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.
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Province House
The Province House is one of the finest examples of 19th-century Georgian architecture in all of North America and was the first legislature in a British colony to win local self-government. After Charles Dickens visited the Nova Scotia legislature in 1842, he wrote 'it was like looking at Westminster through the wrong end of a telescope.' A guided tour will take up fifteen minutes of your time.
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Velo Bicycle Club
Cycling is a great way to see sights on the outskirts of Halifax - you can take bikes on the ferries to Dartmouth or cycle over the MacDonald Bridge. Velo Bicycle Club organizes several rides each week; it's a way to meet locals and go on some fun rides but you'll have to join the club which costs around C$45. See the website for ride schedules and the club application form.
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Fid
Slow food proponent Dennis Johnston buys all his ingredients from the local farmers' market, then sautées in Franco-Asian flavors to concoct dishes like monkfish with shell peas, maple/asparagus-glazed pork belly with sweet potato and a beautiful pad thai. It's a great place to sample regional foods; the menu changes weekly and carries vegetarian options.
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Anna Leonowens Gallery
Off the pedestrian area on Granville St, the Anna Leonowens Gallery shows work by students and faculty of the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, which occupies much of the Historic Properties. The gallery is named for the founder of the college, who was immortalized in The King and I for her relationship with the King of Siam.
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Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic
The knowledgeable staff at Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic includes a number of retired fishers who can give firsthand explanations of the fishing industry. An awesome aquarium on the 1st floor lets you get eye-to-eye with flounder, halibut and other sea creatures. Films screen regularly in the 3rd-floor theater.
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Economy Shoe Shop
This has been the 'it' place to drink and people-watch in Halifax for a decade. On weekend nights actors and journalists figure heavily in the crush. It's a pleasant place for afternoon drinks but note that this is one of the more expensive establishments in town. The kitchen dishes out tapas until last call.
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Niche
This open-feeling restaurant has live jazz most nights during the summer and serves everything from grilled meats to pizzas to seafood jambalaya. The fake trees and wrought-iron detail make the inside feel like outside; there is dining next to real foliage on the patio when the weather is warm.
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Marquee
This is the choice venue for touring bands and big-name locals; shows start around 22:30. Up-and-coming musicians play downstairs in Hell's Kitchen. Admission to the Marquee gets you into Hell's Kitchen, but not vice versa. Check their website for information on upcoming events.
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da Maurizio
Northern Italian class, pure and simple. Many locals cite da Maurizio as their favorite Halifax restaurant. The ambience is as fine as the cuisine; exposed brick and clean lines bring out all the flavors of this heritage brewery building. Reservations are strongly recommended.
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