Salty air and savoury bites: How to soak up the coastal charm of Halifax in a weekend
Scenic streets, a waterfront boardwalk, and decadent lobster rolls are just a few of the reasons why Halifax should be added to your Canadian travel bucket list.
The historic port city is filled with coastal charm, and there is so much to experience, whether you are a first timer or a returning visitor. While you could easily spend a week or more exploring, we have some ideas on where to stay, what to eat, and spots to see in just three days.
What to see
If you are looking to cover a lot of ground (and sea) during your time in Halifax, we found that the best way to see it all was by using the Halifax Experience Pass. It includes access to a number of attractions, and the double-decker buses to get around the city.
Yingna Cai/Shutterstock
The buses make stops at most of the sites you’ll want to see, like the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, the Maritime Museum, Georges Island National Historic Site, and HMCS Sackville. One perk you shouldn’t miss is the Harbour Hopper tour, which covers both land and sea. It’ll shuttle you around town and then head into the ocean to get spectacular waterfront views.
Harbour Hopper/ExperiencePass.ca
Once you have explored Halifax, rent a car and make the drive to Lunenburg, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The small fishing town is home to one of the most famous schooners in the world — The Bluenose, which is the vessel you see on all our dimes!
Bluenose | Warren Price Photography/Shutterstock
Lunenburg’s main drag is also filled with cute shops and countless restaurants to grab a drink and a bite after exploring.
Aerial view of Lunenberg | Russ Heinl/Shutterstock
On your drive back to Halifax, Peggy’s Cove is definitely a bucket-list spot. If you want to get up close to one of the most famous lighthouses in the world, pack good shoes, as you will have to traverse some rocks. But the views are very much worth it.
Peggy’s Cove/Amanda Wawryk
Where to stay
Halifax is chock-full of big hotels and smaller boutique properties along the waterfront, but one of the newer areas of the downtown core is the Queen’s Marque district, which is filled with shopping spots, eateries, and the Muir Hotel.
The Muir Hotel is conveniently located in the popular Queen’s Marque district/Muir Hotel
The Muir is one of the newest properties in the area and is a luxurious spot with a ton of amenities for even the most discerning traveller. The hotel offers waterfront sails on its own yacht, reserved just for guests.
Little Reach yacht/Muir Hotel
The property offers an incredible range of experiences – from a secret speakeasy to elevated wellness offerings, like sound baths, yoga, and meditation.
At BKS, the secret speakeasy, you’re able to take a Maritime Mixology class — reserved just for hotel guests. The Saturday classes are led by the Muir’s beverage director, who will walk you through the rich cocktail heritage of Atlantic Canada.
BKS is the Muir Hotel’s secret speakeasy, where you can take an expert-led mixology class/Muir Hotel
Where to eat and drink
One of the best parts of staying at the Muir is that it’s home to one of the tastiest eateries in the area — Drift.
Drift is located in the Muir Hotel and features a menu heavily influenced by the seafood in Atlantic Canada/Muir Hotel
The restaurant specializes in putting a modern twist on classic Atlantic Canadian dishes, with a heavy focus on seafood. The menu is complemented by the expansive beverage program that features hand-crafted cocktails, curated wines, craft beers, and premium spirits that emphasize local and regional ingredients.
Just steps away from the Muir complex, you’ll find a number of different spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner and bites. One of our favourite spots was Darya, an eastern Mediterranean restaurant.
We stopped by for the brunch buffet and were treated to a massive feast of delicacies, including Shakshouka, roasted lamb, and fresh bread.
The Turkish Coffee is also a must-try for a jolt of caffeine before another day of exploring Halifax.
Coffee with a view at Darya Halifax/Amanda Wawryk
And, of course, no trip to Nova Scotia would be complete without lobster rolls. There are so many places to try the East Coast staple, but one of our favourites was at The Cable Wharf.
Lobster roll with a view at The Cable Wharf/Amanda Wawryk
If you’re looking for some live music, The Old Triangle pub — just a two-minute walk from The Muir — has live bands on weekends along with tasty bites and cold beer.
If you’re looking for more food and drink inspo, you’ll find it here. But you might need more than a few days to eat and drink your way around the area.