7 *Best* Things to do in HALIFAX Nova Scotia for Cruisers!! | Canada & New England Cruise

Are you going to Halifax, Nova Scotia on a cruise? Halifax will be a favorite cruise port on your Canada & New England cruise! Here are the best things to do in Halifax, including must-see attractions, best excursions & what you must eat when in Halifax on a cruise.

In this video we go over the best shore excursions and things to do on your own in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From Peggy's Cove, the Titanic cemetary, Maritime Museum & more, this travel guide will help you see Halifax in a day, as you visit by cruise ship. If you love good food, you'll also enjoy Halifax's boardwalk and famous street food (lobster rolls, beavertails, donair, cows creamery, poutine & more!)

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ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!

Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.

Music Credit: Surf Time by Lux-InspiraMusic

[cristinbuskard]

Tips from a local: cow’s ice cream is the best ice cream you will ever have - splurge for the waffle dip cone. Dave’s lobster rolls are the best lobster rolls (maybe even just the best lobster) you will ever have, splurge for the half and half. Half hot butter half cool mayo two sandwiches in one. It’s better than every lobster roll you can get in the city in a sit down restaurant. You will think I’m insane because Dave’s lobster is a shack. The food is so good they don’t have to try by having a venue. (Both of these are on the waterfront)

If you’re already downtown and looking for the best place to just sit go to the waterfront beer garden. Then you get the view. I would recommend eating at the shacks and then having a drink and relaxing in the beer garden.

If this is your second time to Halifax take the ferry over to the Canteen for supper. The chef there won Canada’s top chef. They don’t really advertise that for some reason so it still feels like secret amazing food.

Drink Tidal Bay wines. If you’re a wine drinker our Tidal Bay is like if you mixed a Riesling and a Pinot Grigio. You get a white that tastes like fresh summer, a little sweet but not too sweet with hints of stone fruit made to pair with seafood. Not oaked. And I’m so grateful I live close enough to get this all the time. It’s a lovely easy drinking wine that pairs well with food. Nova 7 is a little bit sweeter like mixing a rosé with a Pinot Grigio and is also awesome if you like sweet. Probably just don’t have our local red. I’m a red drinker and I hate it lol. Late evening you can get a wine flight at Obladee in downtown Halifax paired with cheese. It’s a lovely indulgence.

Not sure when you get off ship but if you can quickly get to Two if By Sea before 12:00 for a croissant, you will think you have died and gone to heaven. Their croissants are worth the huge lines. Their hot beverages are not, just grab some Tim’s because it cheaper and faster. You’ll wait 15 mins for a regular brew coffee.

We have many cool things to do here but honestly my favourite is spending the day on the waterfront people watching. You probably don’t need to see the Titanic graveyard unless you’re on a hop in hop off bus type thing or the harbour hopper. Peggy’s cove is pretty but just a lighthouse for the drive. But downtown Halifax, our maritime culture? Those cool lamp posts that are all bent to look like they’re drunk? I think that’s my favourite here. Be a local and just chill out. Talk to a stranger.

The Harbour Hopper: if you like hop on hop off buses a lot you might think it’s cool to basically do a bus tour in a boat that drives downtown and then straight into the ocean. It’s a bus ship and it’s cool. Still a bit of cheesy ness of a hop on hop off vibe so if you don’t like those you will not like this especially with how small our city is / doesn’t have a ton of sites to really see?

If you’re staying longer than a day trip (like overnight) and it’s one of the nights the tall ship Silva (a tall ship is the kind of ship you’d find in Pirates of the Carribean) is turned into a dance bar and you love dance bars then definitely try it. Incredible to party like a pirate.

Google all the pirate lore of the area. It’s pretty cool. Also listen to “Barrett’s privateer”

Google the Halifax explosion before you go. If it’s your third time to Halifax the park with the monument is really neat at sunset.

Google the ghost stories of Halifax or take one of the ghost tours. Some pretty incredible tales. You have to be here in October and be able to do this late evening.

Don’t go on the dark rocks on Peggy’s cove and don’t read further ahead unless you want a scary detailed explanation.
People die on Peggy’s cove all the time because people ignore signage to not get too close to edge because the waves will sucks them in and smash them unconscious against the rocks before you can say “rescue” and for some reason we never put up a fence. So just be super careful around there. Sorry for the graphic imagery but it feels like it’s a person a year this happens to. And it’s hard to recover the person because even rescue is too dangerous.

The best way to have Donair is not to get a wrap but to order garlic fingers and use Donair sauce as a dip. Garlic fingers are a local food we have that’s almost a cheesy bread pizza. You dip the cheesy bread in the Donair sauce. Actual Donairs are an acquired taste. This is the best way to try Donair sauce because even if you don’t like it on the Garlic Fingers, cheesy garlic buttery pizza has universally wide appeal and it’s not a total waste.

[EdBarker-gesd]

My wife and I had our honeymoon at Nova Scotia in 1995. My wife (a.k.a., better half) passed away about (2) years ago. I am hoping that my children and I can go back there, as I am very sick, I would like to keep my promise to spread her ashes as she requested at Peggy's Cove. We got to see Saint Margaret's Bay, Lunenburg, Dartmouth Yarmouth, Cabot Trail, and many more which I cannot remember - Canada is truly blessed, as am I for being blessed for having Terry (my deceased wife) in my life. I just wished it could have been longer.

[therahughes]

I am from Halifax and was pleased with your take on my city. You should also have mentioned that from the downtown boardwalk you can easily take the ferry ( $2.75 ) to cross the harbour to Dartmouth. It's about a 12 min ride and gives you a different perspective of both waterfronts. The ferry runs every 15mins during peak hours.
I can't believe you didn't enjoy the donair, they are amazing...

[KerrikkiLurgan]

It is best to mention that Peggys Cove is a place with a hidden danger that tourists ignore. There are multiple signs warning about sudden high waves. It is recommended that people DO NOT walk on wet or black rocks near the water. People who are washed off the rocks cannot be rescued as the waves are strong.

[ssutube]

I am heading to Halifax Oct. ‘24! Thanks for the info!

[brandonwhite]

I live right on the Halifax waterfront, love seeing all the cruise ships come in and the tourists walking the waterfront supporting local businesses

[davidcunningham]

A very good overview of what to do in Halifax. I’m quite certain that the Hop-on, Hop-off bus service includes Fairview Lawn Cemetery on its route. In previous years tour guides were on site at the cemetery to offer a guided tour of the Titanic graves. As a local tour guide, I’m amazed at people showing up at the cemetery and staring at the grave stones trying to guess what they are about. A guided tour there is necessary to fully appreciate the stories of those who perished that fateful night.

[bernadette]

I live in Nova Scotia and visit Halifax often. I was pleased to see your vision on the City. You got everything bang on with it with the exception of the Donair, in my opinion. There are many takes on the donair but it is a sweet mess to eat. There is also Casino Nova Scotia at the far end of the boardwalk. Northern Watters Knitwear is an awesome shop to visit and have exceptional products there, and yes i am related to the owner so i am kinda impartial. Many many wonderful shops and restaurants to visit. Scenery is spectacular. So very glad you got to visit and touch base with your family !!

[Lyoko]

My wife and I took a cruise on Holland America from Boston to Montréal in Aug 2022, while in Halifax we booked a Private Taxi tour through Halifax Taxi Tours. Lem was our driver/guide for a 6 hour excursion. We were able accomplish so much, and since the tour is catered to your interest, no 2 tours are the same. Lem's knowledge of the history, along with his love and pride for his home, is reflected in his tours. He took us to an AMAZING locals spot that had the most amazing Lobster Rolls on our way out to Peggy's Cove. Lem also gave us the history of the Halifax Explosion and took us right to the approx spot of where the explosion occurred. I would definitely suggest booking with him and I will be the next time we visit Halifax.

[cynthiaperry]

We went to Peggy’s Cove in Halifax too. One of our best trips! There was a sweet young man playing bagpipes when we were there. Just a beautiful memory.

[VanmeterFL]

We are scheduled for a Princess New England/Canada cruise this fall. Even though we are not new to cruising, your videos have been helpful. You can always find new things to make life easier if you have an open mind. Thank you.

[enixon]

My maternal ancestors arrived in Nova Scotia in 1751 on the Speedwell (Canada's "Mayflower"). The house that my Grandmother's Family owned near Halifax is now a local regional museum. I have visited Halifax twice. I loved the Citadel. I have yet to visit the Maritime Museum, Titanic exhibit or Pier 21 Immigration Museum. One day I may return. I have visited 9 out of 10 Provinces and 2 out of 3 Territories. Yukon, Newfoundland & Labrador and Cape Breton are on my bucket list. Our country is so vast. I understand the appeal of cruising but we Canadians do need to get out and experience our own amazing places. I live within driving distance of the Canadian Rockies. It never gets old to go see them.

[tanyaperrin]

If you are interested in NS history...some great "excursions" would be to explore sites relating to the Halifax explosion. (ship parts were thrown over 2 km away and you can visit the sites and get more info at the Maritime museum) This was the largest explosion before nuclear bombs (caused when two ships collided in 'the narrows'). When 3000 tons of explosives ignite it is catastrophic but they burned for 17 minutes .... causing many to stop what they were doing to look at the fires. The explosion leveled much of the city and killed 2000 people instantly - and injured 9000 more. Those who survived sustained awful eye injuries or were made blind. With so many now blind...the Canadian National Institute for the Blind was formed! To this day, Halifax is leader in this field and you will notice advanced signals and aids for the higher than average population of visually impaired people.

[sar.campbell]

Love watching people exploring our little city! Happy you enjoyed it.

[brianmccarthy]

Halifax like so much of Canada is just taken for granted. My parents immigrated from Ireland. My father and his brother landed at pier 21 then moved on to Montreal. The emotion I felt at the pier 21 museum was intense. I have also seen the port in Cobh Ireland that they departed from. My wife's father departed Canada to spend over 4 years fighting in Europe during WW2 from halifax. Halifax is a special place indeed.

[judywelday]

Cruising from Boston to Quebec in 2023 with Halifax as one of our port stops. I am extremely excited now for Halifax after watching your video. Thanks for the great ideas.

[lauraashlock]

We have been to Halifax twice now. The first time we flew in and rented a car and drove to the Acadian coast where are my ancestors, the “Cajuns “, are from. It is just so beautiful. The next time was on a cruise and we did the Peggy’s Cove tour which we really enjoyed. One of my favorite parts about Halifax is the indoor farmers market.

[frannetwest]

My family is sailing on the July 3 Princess cruise...doing research right now on excursions...so appreciated this video

[kp]

Like you, my Dad was born in Halifax and left there and a toddler. My niece then went to university in Halifax and ultimately moved there. I’ve been there several times and just love it. The cemetery where the Titanic victims is definitely worth a visit. Reading up about the Halifax explosion before getting there is definitely worth doing as it a huge part of Halifax’s history and what it is today. Not far from Peggy’s Cove, there is a very touching memorial to Swissair 111 which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Peggy’Cove and many fishing communities. Many fishermen took to the sea that night to search for survivors. A very sad incident, all passengers and crew were killed and many locals’ lives changed forever after searching for survivors.

As for Donairs? Love ‘em. The sweet sauce seals the deal.

[jodifaulkner]

I live in Halifax, and can say that you did our beautiful little city a great service with this video!