Things To Do in Halifax

Halifax is fairly compact, thus easily reconnoitered on foot or by using the excellent public transportation in town. The major landmark is the Citadel -- that stone fortress looming over downtown from a grassy height. (From the ramparts, you can look into the windows of the 10th floor of downtown skyscrapers.) The Citadel is only 9 blocks uphill from the waterfront -- 9 steep blocks -- and the entire downtown's so small that you can easily see both the downtown sights and the waterfront in a single day, if that's all you have.

Another lively neighborhood worth seeking out runs along Spring Garden Road between the Public Gardens and the library (at Grafton St.). Here you'll find intriguing boutiques, bars, and restaurants along these 6 blocks, set amid a Bohemian street scene. If you have strong legs, start on the waterfront and walk uphill and over the Citadel, descend to the lovely Public Gardens, then return via Spring Garden Road to your downtown hotel, enjoying a drink and a bite along the way.

The Waterfront

Halifax's rehabilitated waterfront is most inviting between Sackville Landing (at the foot of Sackville St.) and the Casino Nova Scotia (near Purdy Wharf). Don't venture much farther north than that -- the waterside path becomes a gauntlet of tall drab office towers and their big unpleasant vents. On sunny summer afternoons, this good stretch of waterfront bustles with tourists enjoying the harbor, business folks sneaking ice-cream cones, skateboarders trying to make (or stay out of) trouble. Plan on about 2 to 3 hours to tour and gawk this section from end to end.

Sackville Landing is a good place to start a waterfront walking tour. In addition to the attractions listed below, the waterfront walkway is also studded with other small diversions, intriguing shops, takeout food emporia, and minor monuments. Think of it as an alfresco scavenger hunt.

How to throw together an itinerary? Try this: If you're interested in fish or history, make your first stop the waterfront's crown jewel, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic . Then look for Summit Place, commemorating a historic gathering of world leaders in 1995, when Halifax hosted the G-7 economic summit. Pass North America's oldest operating naval clock, which was built in 1767 and chimed at the Halifax Naval Dockyard from 1772 all the way up until 1993.

Then visit the ferry terminal, which gets hectic during rush-hour with commuters coming and going to Dartmouth across the harbor -- but, outside rush hour, is a cheap and relaxing way to get a quick, sweeping city and harbor view. The passenger-only ferry runs every 15 minutes, with a fare of C$2.25 per adult each way, C$1.50 for seniors and children age 5 to 15. It only takes 15 minutes to get to Dartmouth, and 15 minutes to get back.

The waterfront's shopping core is located in and around the 3-block Historic Properties, near the Marriott. These buildings of wood and stone are Canada's oldest surviving warehouses, and were once the heart of the city's shipping industry. Today, their historic architecture provides ballast for the somewhat precious boutiques and restaurants they now house instead. Especially appealing is the granite-and-ironstone Privateers' Warehouse, which dates from 1813.

If you're feeling like a pub crawl might be in order, the Historic Properties area is also a good place to wander around during the early evening. There's a contagious energy that spills out of the handful of public houses here as workers get off work and tipple pints: You'll find a bustling camaraderie and live music.

On the Water

A number of boat tours depart from the Halifax waterfront. You can browse the offerings on Cable Wharf, near the foot of George Street, where many tour boats are based. On-the-water adventures range from 1-hour harbor tours (starting from C$25) to half-day deep-sea fishing trips (about C$100). Ambassatours (tel. 902/420-1015) runs the most extensive tour operation, with several boats and a choice of tours ranging from tall ship, pirate, or cocktail sailing cruises to whale-watching and fishing trips. The Harbour Hopper amphibious craft is a big hit with all age groups, crossing both land and sea in a retrofitted military vehicle during a guided harbor tour that takes about an hour. Depending on the date and time, it costs C$48.50-C$62.75 for adults, C$27-C$38.50 for children ages 6 to 15, and C$16.75-C$26 for children ages 2 to 5. Tickets may be purchased online or at the ticket office on the north side of the Maritime Museum.

Moored to one of the wharves near the Maritime Museum and the CSS Acadia is the HMCS Sackville (tel. 902/210-1694, off-season 902/427-2837), a World War II veteran corvette (a warship one step down from a destroyer) painted a distinctive blue and white. The ship is outfitted just as it was in 1944, maintained as a memorial to the Canadians who served in World War II. Bedford Basin, at the western end of the harbor, served as the staging point for great convoys of ships like this that brought supplies and relief to war-torn Europe during World War II. The thousands of seafarers who passed through this port are honored by nearby monuments. Admission is a suggested donation of C$10 adult, C$5 children. It’s open daily June to September, 10am to 4pm; hours may vary October to November.

The Citadel & Downtown

Downtown Halifax cascades 9 blocks down a hill between the imposing stone Citadel and the city's waterfront. There's no fast-and-ready tour route; don't hesitate to follow your own whims, ducking down quiet sidestreets and into bars or striding along the main roads as you wish. A good spot to regain your bearings periodically is the Grand Parade, where military recruits once practiced their drills. It's a lovely piece of urban landscape -- a broad terrace carved into a hill, presided over on either end by St. Paul's and Halifax's City Hall, a sandstone structure built between 1887 and 1890 and exuberantly adorned with all the usual Victorian architectural trifles: prominent clock tower, dormers, pediments, arched windows, pilasters, Corinthian columns. (Alas, there's not much to see inside.)

If the weather is nice, the Grand Parade is also a prime spot to bring an alfresco lunch and enjoy some people-watching.

Halifax has a large, eclectic mix of shops, from mainstream retailers to offbeat boutiques. There’s no central retail district to speak of; shops are scattered throughout downtown, and the best way to go about finding cool stuff is just to walk around and happen upon unique, independent shops.

A short walk down Argyle Street, starting at the shiny new Halifax Convention Centre at 1650 Argyle St. and walking toward Blowers Street will take you past some cute independent shops like Biscuit General Store, offering quirky clothing options, many by Canadian designers, along with unique gifts, jewelry and accessories.; and KingsPier Curated Collections at 1560 Argyle St., a seller of still-chic vintage clothing. This section of Argyle Street is also usually closed to traffic. Pop down a block to Barrington Street, checking out KingsPier Curated Collections (facebook.com/KingsPIERvintage) at 1549 Barrington St., a seller of still-chic vintage clothing. Then continue south to Spring Garden Road, which is full of independent stores and chains, some tucked away in malls like Park Lane. Be sure to poke around the side streets off Spring Garden Road between Brunswick and South Park streets. Queen Street is another destination for vintage clothing and local designers.

For souvenir shopping, head to the Historic Properties buildings on the waterfront at 1869 Upper Water St.; one of the star attractions is Carrefour Atlantique Emporium at 5080 George St. (tel. 888/977-2797 or 902/ 423-2940492-3044), featuring everything from books and folk art to wooden toys, all from the Atlantic region of Canada. If you have someone on your list who is particularly hard to buy for, odds are you’ll find the perfect gift for them here.

Check local media outlet The Coast for listings of live music performances, and other buzzworthy events around the city.

Among the city’s premier venues for shows is the downtown Scotiabank Centre, 1800 Argyle St. (tel. 902/451-1221), which hosts sporting events (figure skating, pro hockey) as well as concerts by a variety of big-name artists.

Performing Arts in Halifax

Shakespeare by the Sea (tel. 902/422-0295) stages a whole line of bardic and non-bardic productions July through Labor Day at several alfresco venues around the city. Most are held at Point Pleasant Park, where the ruins of old forts and buildings are used as the stage settings for delightful performances, with the audience sprawled on the grass, many enjoying picnic dinners with their Taming of the Shrew. A free golf cart service from the parking lot to the park is offered to guests with mobility issues. The company also operates an 82-seat black box theater called The Park Place Theatre for rainy days and off-season productions. Same-day, pay what you can seating is available online and at the door.

The Neptune Theatre, 1593 Argyle St. (tel. 902/429-7070), is Atlantic Canada’s largest professional theatre with a 460-seat mainstage featuring topnotch dramatic productions including musicals and dramas by Canadian and international playwrights offered throughout the year. (The main season runs Sept–May, with a summer season filling in the gap with eclectic performances.) Mainstage tickets generally range from around C$33 to C$85.

The Bus Stop Theater, 2203 Gottingen St. (tel. 888/639-1169) is a multi-use space with about 70 events a year, many of them live theater, but including music, dance, book launches, craft fairs, and more. Productions are typically more challenging, political, or experimental than those in the larger theaters.

The Club & Bar Scene in Halifax

Nightlife in Halifax is heavily concentrated downtown, from Historic Properties on the waterfront up to Citadel Hill, and from Scotia Square to Spring Garden Road with spill over up Spring Garden to the Public Gardens. Walk these streets and you’ll find a bar, nightclub, or pub every few doors. In the case of Argyle Street, nightlife is even more concentrated. Sidewalk patios, rooftops, and the dark, labyrinthine interiors of some bars positively throb with music, reveling every weekend and many weeknights, particularly in summer.

One of the coolest places to hang out is Economy Shoe Shop (tel. 902/404-8934), at 1663 Argyle St., not a shop but rather a cafe/bar that runs like a rabbit warren through conjoined historic buildings with decor that has the feel of a film set. The Economy serves food from noon all the way until 1am from an eclectic mix of menus; its wine and beer list is impressive as are its live music offerings. Obladee  (tel. 902/405-4505) at 1600 Barrington St. is set in a former bookstore—you can sit in the display windows with your drink and people watch. This wine bar is co-owned by Heather Rankin of Cape Breton’s best-known Celtic music group, the Rankin Family. Because she is now a sommelier, the wine selection is excellent with a particular focus on low-intervention winemaking practices; the cheese and charcuterie boards are a definite must as well. The Maxwell’s Plum at 1600 Grafton St. (tel. 902/444-2220) is an English pub where peanut shells litter the floor and patrons quaff from a list of 150 imported and Canadian draft and bottled beers. The nightly happy-hour and pitcher specials can considerably cut your cost. An outdoor beer garden is dog-friendly, always hopping and usually features a live band. And if you spent too much time there the night before, the $10 bacon and eggs special on Saturday mornings might be the cure for what ails ya’.

An impressive roster of the hottest singer-songwriters in the region and across the land appear every weekend at The Carleton (tel. 902/422-6335) at 1685 Argyle St. In the evening (and late afternoons on Sat), you’ll find lively Maritime music and cheap beer at the Lower Deck Pub (tel. 902/425-1501), a longstanding popular pub on three floors of the Historic Properties complex on the waterfront. If you love the blues, head to Bearlys House of Blues and Ribs (tel. 902/423-2526) at 1269 Barrington St., a gritty, working-class bar with split levels so you can shoot a game of pool while watching the best blues musicians on the East Coast. There’s entertainment here pretty well every night of the week, and a blues jam every Sunday evening. The top local rock bar is Marquee Ballroom  at 2037 Gottingen St. (tel. 902/429-3020).