We enjoyed both of our stops in beautiful Halifax.
On our road trip through Atlantic Canada last fall, we spent four nights total (stopping twice) in Halifax, Nova Scotia’s capital and largest city. Halifax today is a bustling port city and a prime stopover for cruise ships. But walking around, you pick up the undeniable whiff of a storied history. Halifax has borne witness to some of Atlantic Canada’s most important (and often tragic) events, and over the centuries has played a central role in shaping the culture of Atlantic Canada. It’s such an interesting city, and well worth a few days’ visit.
Here’s everything we loved about Halifax.
Halifax was founded in 1749 as a British military stronghold to counter the French presence in Louisbourg (another military fortress located in northern Nova Scotia – and yes, we visited it!). From the formidable Citadel down to the harbor, Halifax was laid out to maximize defenses against invaders.
Halifax Harbor is one of the deepest and biggest natural, ice-free harbors in the world, and the biggest in the Americas. It’s no wonder that the Mi’kmaq people named the harbor K’jipuktuk or Chebookt, meaning “Chief Harbour” or “Great Harbour,” before the Europeans showed up.
Halifax was the epicenter for search, rescue, and recovery efforts after the Titantic disaster. The sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912 claimed more than 1,500 lives, one of history’s most famous maritime tragedies. As the nearest major seaport to the North Atlantic disaster site, Halifax became the primary destination for victims after they were pulled from the ocean. Sad fact: Of the 1,500 who perished, only 337 bodies were ever recovered – and a little over 200 were brought to Halifax.
Halifax once fell victim to the largest manmade explosion before the atomic bomb. On Dec. 6, 1917, the SS Mont–Blanc, a French cargo ship carrying munitions, collided with the Norwegian relief vessel SS Imo in the upper Halifax harbor. The resulting Halifax Explosion devastated the Halifax North End and killed at least 2,000 people, injuring nearly 9,000 more. To this day, the city bears the scars of this terrible tragedy, and evidence of the explosion is still being discovered in the depths of the harbor.
In Halifax, you can take a ferry that’s older than the Canadian Confederation. The Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry has been running continuously since 1752, making it the oldest saltwater ferry service in North America. Today, the ferry is operated as part of the public transit system.
HALIFAX CITADEL
Crowning a hill just west of the waterfront, The Halifax Citadel National Historic Site dominates the downtown landscape. The original citadel dates to 1749 with Halifax’ founding, but the current buildings date to 1828. Over the centuries, this important fortress played key roles in many conflicts including the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and both World Wars. The Citadel also served as the nerve center for Titanic recovery efforts. It’s the most-visited National Historic Site in Canada and well worth a stop.
MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC
Located just off the boardwalk on the Halifax waterfront, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada. As former sailors, we loved the displays of the historic sailing ships and smaller boats. But what really got us was the extensive and poignant exhibit about the sinking of the Titanic, with many artifacts recovered from the ship’s resting place deep in the North Atlantic.
HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS
We loved our morning stroll through these beautiful Victorian-era gardens, formally established in 1867. And lucky us, we were there for a big zinnia exhibition by local growers. (Yup, I took WAY too many pics of zinnias and bees!)
FAIRVIEW LAWN CEMETERY
This sprawling cemetery is the final resting place for 121 victims of the Titanic disaster, many of whom were never identified. It’s the largest collection of Titanic gravesites in existence, and it’s a somber and reflective place.
ART GALLERY OF NOVA SCOTIA AND MAUD LEWIS
Although the art gallery as a whole was a bit underwhelming, we went there specifically to see the exhibit on one of our favorite Canadian icons, Maud Lewis. Maud, who never left Nova Scotia and died in 1970, overcame huge hardships (physical and otherwise) to become Canada’s most famous folk artist. After she died, her namesake foundation took apart her cabin, piece by piece, and relocated and reassembled it in the museum. Several of Maud’s paintings are on display, but the cabin is a must-see and covered with her artwork. (Movie tip: We first learned Maud’s story from “Maudie,” currently showing on Netflix.)
THE OLD BURYING GROUND
Located just a short walk uphill from the waterfront, the Old Burying Ground dates to the founding of Halifax in 1749. Some 12,000 people were buried there, including notable military figures as well as many Mi’kmaq and enslaved African people in unmarked graves.
PEGGY’S COVE
No visit to Halifax is complete without a visit to Peggy’s Cove. Located about a 45-minute drive out of the city, this picturesque fishing village is home to one of the world’s most iconic and photogenic lighthouses. But the village itself was what surprised us – it’s filled with beautifully restored and colorful old houses and traditional fishing boats, lovely for an early-morning walkabout. But GO EARLY to beat the hordes of tour busses from the cruise ships!! We arrived there about 8:00 a.m., which allowed us to get ahead of the crowds and also offered up some gorgeous morning light for our photos.
GOOD EATS
On the Halifax waterfront, we had an excellent Italian dinner at Ristorante A Mano. The oyster happy hour at Shuck Seafood and Raw Bar made our oyster lover (John) very happy! For sweet treats and coffee, check out Piece of Cake and Pane e Circo. But the restaurant that will stay in our memories is Sea Smoke, serving fantastic Asian Fusion fare right on the boardwalk. Sea Smoke’s gimmick is the individual fire pits at each table, but the food is what drew us back twice. So, so yummy!
Further afield, we loved the gourmet pizza at Lou Pécou Pizzeria. Another good pizza joint to check out is Salvatore’s in Halifax’ trendy Hydrostone historic district, rebuilt after the 1917 explosion.
OUR LODGING
On both of our stops in Halifax, we stayed at the Cambridge Suites Hotel. It’s a bit dated and nondescript, but comfortable and reasonably priced. Its big advantage is its location, just up the hill from many of the attractions mentioned above and a block away from the Citadel. And – bonus – they have a coin-operated laundry!
Next: Other Stops in Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada’s Most-Visited Province!
4 Comments
I enjoyed a brief exploration of Halifax, NS. It was definitely a jewel.
Thank you!! Loved reading this!!
Miss you two!!
Thanks for the blog guys. Reading about Halifax brings back memories of being there back in 1976. One of my fondest memories was how the hospital I went to didn’t charge me for outpatient services. There’s a lot of positive things to be said about socialism. Prior to being Halifax I was over in Saint John Newfoundland. Nicest people on the Planet. They treated all 12 of the band members from Long Beach, California with dignity and respect. Great country from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
It was only fairly recently that I learned about the Halifax Explosion, but I didn’t know that evidence of this disaster is still being uncovered in the city’s harbor. Present-day Halifax looks and sounds like an interesting place to visit, and yes, you can take as many photos of zinnias as you want. I’m not complaining because I always love bright colors flowers bring to a place.