Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia and is considered the capital of the entire Canadian Maritimes. It has been on our family travel list for over a decade, so we took a few more days off this year and combined it with our Prince Edward Island trip. It was such a fabulous place that we are now planning a Nova Scotia road trip and want to stay in Cape Breton for a week as well!

If you have two or three days to spend in Halifax, you are in for a treat. Read on to find out the very best things to do when you visit.

If you have 4 or 5 days to spend in Nova Scotia you can take in the Bay of Fundy as well.

Halifax Farmers’ Market

The Halifax Farmers’ Market is on the harbor and next door to Pier 21. This dedicated space has food vendors, vegetable sellers, handicrafts, and more. My kids enjoyed eating wild blueberries by the handful, and I enjoyed eating the province food called the Donair kebab (basically just a Donner kebab).

There is plenty of seating on the 2nd level and beautiful views of the water.

Plan on 1 hour.

Pier 21 Immigration Museum

Pier 21 is to Canada what Ellis Island is to the United States. Over 1.5 million people immigrated through Halifax between 1928 and 1971. It was the busiest immigration center in Canada.

Today, Pier 21 is a museum dedicated to the immigrants who came to Canada and the experiences they had upon arrival. The exhibits focus on the role of family in immigration and the immigration process itself.

I recommend taking the free guided tour instead of looking at the museum alone. The tour takes you through the museum like an immigrant coming to Pier 21. You can pretend you are on a boat coming from Europe. You then experience what it would be like to have medical checks or be detained for illness, what food was allowed in and what was confiscated, and finally, you get on a train to go to your final destination in Canada. (See the pictures above.)

There are lots of things that kids will find interesting on the tour, and they will enjoy talking to each other on “the boat” through pipes and pretending to ride the train.

Plan on 1 hour.

Tip:

If you have family that emigrated to Canada, there are historians on-site to help you learn more about their experience at Pier 21.

Walk the Waterfront 

The Halifax boardwalk is 4 kilometers long and offers many fun attractions and eateries. There’s plenty of space to run around, areas to explore, and do some fun shopping. We enjoyed all the seating options along various sections of the boardwalk. We watched sailboats and cruise ships making their way along the water.

Citadel Hill

This may have been the highlight of Halifax for my boys. My oldest has always been super interested in military campaigns and military history. Over the years, we have taken him to Gettysburg, Fort Ticonderoga, Saratoga Battlefield, Yorktown, and many more. We found the Citadel in Halifax to be as interesting as any of them.

The interesting thing about Citadel Hill is that it served so well as a defensive fort that it never saw an actual battle! Unlike Fort Ticonderoga (we found them to have many similarities), which changed hands through multiple battles, the Citadel stayed firmly in British and Canadian hands throughout its use.

We enjoyed visiting the barracks and seeing how the soldiers kept their kits. We learned that the soldiers were not allowed to have civilian clothes, so if they tried to desert, they would do it in a bright red uniform or totally naked. Both would create a scene, and the soldier would be quickly returned.

The boys enjoyed dressing up like soldiers and learning how the uniforms were made and kept in good condition.

We also enjoyed walking around the battlements and seeing a gorgeous view of Halifax.

Plan on 2-3 hours.

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

If you have read our previous articles, you know my kids can be very content in an art museum for about 30 minutes! The good news is you can see a lot of this small museum in 30 minutes.

The most popular exhibit is the Maud Lewis folk art exhibit. She was a native Nova Scotian who painted pieces that are full of feeling and joy. She had terrible arthritis and yet continued to make art throughout her life. They are especially relatable for kids who may not like or understand other art. I thoroughly recommend it.

There are also exhibits on First Nation art and Black Canadian art. There are a few early Picassos and a lot of other exciting pieces.

Plan on 1-2 hours. Or 30 minutes if you have kids like mine!

Halifax Public Gardens

The public garden in Halifax is an oasis in the middle of the city. This garden is very Victorian in layout and includes a large pavilion. There are paths to wander to see and smell different flowers and a duck pond that your younger kids will love. If you want to know what plant varieties you are seeing, look for small metal and wooden tags to tell you the plant’s Latin name.

The garden in the summer is especially beautiful, plus there are Saturday concerts in the garden and Friday night movie sing-alongs. For more information, check out their official site.

Plan on 1 hour.

Tip:

The Halifax Public Garden is very near the Citadel. If you park at the Citadel, it is an easy walk down to the gardens and to restaurants.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

How Long to Stay in Halifax

At the minimum, you want to stay in Halifax for at least two days. I found that we still had things we wanted to do after 2 days. You will be able to see the majority of things on this list in 2 days with only a little bit of picking and choosing. If you are interested in visiting attractions beyond Halifax, you might want to squeeze in another vacation day.

Things to do near Halifax

There are lots of things to do in Halifax, but nearby is some of the most beautiful scenery in Nova Scotia. There are bus tours to both Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg from Halifax, so you should choose one of your days to get out of the city and enjoy the seaside.

Peggy’s Cove

If you haven’t heard of Peggy’s Cove, you have probably seen a picture like this.

Peggy’s Cove is one of the most picturesque fishing villages on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. Tourists flock to the most photographed lighthouse in Canada, built on a large granite rock.

My kids loved to climb over all of the rocks and find creative ways to scurry down crevices. They would have stayed for hours if we had time.

The entire town is picturesque and sleepy. Fishing has been the main economy of Peggy’s Cove for centuries, but tourism is fast overtaking it. So hurry and visit this quaint little town while people are still fishing. You will be completely charmed.

The Town of Peggy’s Cove

While the lighthouse and surrounding rocks are amazing, make sure to spend a little bit of time in the town of Peggy’s Cove. It is such a beautiful little town.

It is a great place to stop for lunch before heading out to visit the rest of Nova Scotia.

Getting to Peggy’s Cove from Halifax

Driving is the easiest way to get to Peggy’s Cove from Halifax. The most direct route takes 45 minutes and has some very picturesque areas. The roads were well marked, and we parked at the visitor’s center for free.

If you are visiting Halifax without a car, there are several bus tours that will take you to Peggy’s Cove. The best-rated one that runs the most frequently is the Grey Line Peggy’s Cove Tour.

It departs every day at 1 pm and is a 3 1/2 hour round trip tour. Prices start at USD 40.

Lunenburg

Lunenburg is a Unesco World Heritage Site a mere 60 miles from Halifax. It was recognized by UNESCO as the oldest British Colonial town in North America. It is a beautiful town. Built on a hill and looking down to the water, this seafaring city has oodles of charm and quite a bit to do.

While you are there go on a walking tour, get out on the water on a coastline cruise, or visit the Fisheries Museum and learn about early life in Lueneburg and how fishing is still a major part of the economy.

Plan on 2-3 hours.