Last week I traveled to Nova Scotia for the first time. I absolutely loved the city of Halifax! It is so reminiscent of my home city, St. John’s, but much better organized. Sadly I only got to spend one day there, but I managed to see so much.
If I were to get stuck in Halifax for a day while traveling somewhere else, I wouldn’t consider it a bad thing! I mean, sure— if you were off to Paris or Dubai, the delay would be a bit of a bummer. But I always try to put a positive spin on things, so I would make the most of having time to explore a new city. So if you ever get a long stopover in YHZ, here is what I think you should do:
Start with breakfast at Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market. I was blown away by the amount of amazing booths and vendors! I grabbed a gluten-free wildberry muffin, a carton of fresh rasberries, and a bottle of local (non-alcoholic) cider. Since the market is so busy, I decided to eat on the boardwalk in the open air and people-watch. I loved seeing people just enjoy their mornings. Check out Linds’ article on her favorite market vendors!
Continue to stroll down the harbourfront. Notice the sailboats, the tourists, and the locals. Stop into the shops and the tents. Don’t rush; just be in the moment and appreciate the new skyline and the unfamiliar faces. Stop by Cow’s icecream and try a scoop of Messie Bessie!
Stroll through the CSS Acadia. It’s only $2 for a good dose of history and a view of the water bridge. (and you get $2 off admission into the Nova Scotia Museum!) Afterwards finish the harbourside boardwalk by crossing the bridge and walking through the historic properties of Halifax.
Walk up Barrington Street. Here you’ll find shopping, beautiful old buildings, art installations, and some parks and green spaces for you to take a break in. It reminded me of Water Street in St. John’s.
Explore Citadel Hill. Probably the most touristy option of all, but so worth it. I didn’t realize how much is actually up there! Museum exhibits, live reenactments, and a great little café which is a nice place to grab a sandwhich and bottle of water. Get up there this year if you can, as it’s free for #Canada150! This is also the perfect place to get a panoramic view of the city.
Get lost in the public gardens. I wandered through for about half hour and then gave up and lid back in the grass. If only I had a book and a coffee I would have been in paradise!
Drop by a beer garden. If you have time, that is! We went to the Stubborn Goat on the waterfront and caught the Natal Day fireworks while sipping local (alcoholic) cider. I wish we had beer gardens here at home! There is something about open air and twinkly lights.
I wasn’t actually in Halifax for a travel layover, but I thought that would put an interesting twist on the article. I hope you enjoyed it!
How would you spend a day in Halifax? What would you hit and what would you miss? Let us know in the comments, we love hearing from our readers! You can also reach us on social media, @twowildtides!
xoxo,
char
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