Hello and welcome back to Byte Size Cruises! If this is your first time joining us, we are a small travel agency just outside of Philadelphia, PA and we specialize in all things cruising. Recently our team went on a cruise and visited Halifax, Nova Scotia as one of the ports of call. If you enjoy New England cruises and want to know our favorite things to do in this city, read on!
1. Go to the Halifax Public Gardens
Now, obviously time of year plays a roll here and most people are not visiting this city in the middle of winter. If you want to catch the Public Gardens in full swing, visiting in August or September is the perfect time. If you wait too long, you'll miss them (the foliage will be gone mid-October.) The gardens here are beautiful and absolutely worth checking out.
2. Check out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
We can't ignore the irony here; yes, you will be going to a museum about a ship that crashed and sank while you are on a cruise. However, this museum is going to have a huge Titanic exhibit among many other interesting things to see and do. If you are interested in this type of history, definitely check it out.
3. Peggy's Cove
This is probably the most popular excursion in this city and we have been there several times. One thing to be aware of though is that this location is far away from port (about a 45 to 60 minute drive). Keep that in mind if you are signing up for this one because you won't have much extra time at port to check out other things. However, it is a really cute town, there's shops, restaurants, and the lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1811 and it is beautiful to see.
4. Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
So, as soon as you get off the cruise ship in Halifax, if you look off to your right there you'll see Pier 21. So, this actually was a functional Immigration point from the 1920's through the 70's and this was everyone's first experience of Canada if they were coming from the eastern seaboard. It's not a huge museum and worth seeing if you're interested in history, especially since it's so close to the ship.
5. Alexander Keith's Brewery
If you are wandering around Halifax, a great place to stop is Alexander Keith's Brewery. This is one of the oldest functioning breweries in Canada as it opened its doors in 1820. There's a great tour that they do there, beer sampling, and of course a place to just grab a drink.
6. Halifax Boardwalk
This is a great thing to check out as you are coming off the ship and moving into the city. The boardwalk itself is 2.5 miles long and gives great views all around. It also brings you to a bunch of fun things to check out and do.
7. Smokes Poutinerie
When you're in Canada, you've got to have poutine! And this restaurant is located right on the Halifax Boardwalk. They have all different kinds, with different toppings, and we are sure you'll find something you like.
8. Dessert at BeaverTails
On the way back from getting your poutine, stop at BeaverTails for something sweet! At BeaverTails they are going to take pastry and make fun concoctions that look like, you guessed it, beaver tails! It almost is like a sweet flatbread where they make and add all kinds of delicious things for a one of a kind dessert.
9. Garrison Brewery
As you're coming back from BeaverTails towards the ship on the Halifax Boardwalk you'll find Garrison Brewery. This one is great because it's literally right off the ship, so if you didn't want to go into town to Alexander Keith's, this is the place to go. They've got great flights, good bears, and it's a fun place to stop if you want to try some Canadian drinks.
10. Try Canadian Coffee
Whether it's Tim Hortons or Uncommon Grounds, try some of the local coffee! While Tim Hortons is a staple, we really love Uncommon Grounds. It is just a few blocks away from the port and you'll find a wonderful little cafe with delicious coffee, local faces and homemade goods.
Those are our top 10 things to do in Halifax! Have you been to this port? Would you add something to our list? We would love to hear from you! Comment below.