The ultimate weekend in and around Halifax

29.05.2024 - 07:25 / lonelyplanet.com / Nova Scotia

Halifax is a harbor town. A narrow neck opens up to the protected waters of Bedford Basin, making it ideal as a naval and shipping port. Before Europeans arrived, this body of water was a sanctuary and home to Indigenous Mi’kmaq for millennia.

In the 18th century, the British Royal Navy established a military presence that shaped the city and is still present today in its historical landmarks and Canadian naval yards.

Today, the harbor accommodates container ships and welcomes cruise ships. The Halifax harbor boardwalk is a playground, likely the most visited kilometer on Canada’s east coast. From time well spent in dockside bars, restaurants and attractions, visitors widen their circle of curiosity to explore downtown Halifax, Dartmouth across the harbor and beyond to iconic and UNESCO-listed sites within an hour of the urban core – Peggy’s Cove, Grand-Pré, Wolfville, Lunenburg.

After 15 years of walking Halifax’s streets – I still live nearby – and forging precious memories, here’s my guide to the ultimate four-day weekend in and around Halifax.

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Evening: Welcome to Halifax! Get a quick orientation with a walk around the downtown hillside neighborhood on either side of Barrington Street. These ten or so blocks leading down to the harbor are chock-full of shops, bars and restaurants that buzz with nightlife. To discover some of Nova Scotia’s excellent craft beers paired with hearty pub grub, settle into Stillwell taproom on Barrington in the center of the action. Still thirsty? Just wander. You’ll bump into another bar, another pub on every block, and places like the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse where the drinks and the traditional tunes flow.

Morning: Slip down to the waterfront boardwalk to watch the sunrise over Georges Island, a stone’s throw from the docks. Of the many cafes, Cabin Coffee is a good choice to start the day, either hanging out to hear the local scuttlebutt or grabbing and going with a breakfast bun and coffee special. Ocean-themed public art animates the route – a whale’s tail bench, fishing schooner hammocks, a wave-shaped sculpture, and drunken sailor lampposts. Learn about Halifax’s nautical past, including its grim role in the Titanic disaster, at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

How to spend the day: Catch the shuttle to tiny Georges Island, a national historic site crowned by the remains of Fort Charlotte. Combine the short ride over with a Perfect Picnic package and a tour of the creepy military tunnels. If you return from your Georges Island getaway with more time in your day, walk up the steep streets toward the white town clock and