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HALIFAX

| Canada

300C FEATURE DESTINATION: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

HALIFAX , set on a steep and spatulate promontory beside one of the world’s finest harbours, has become the focal point of the Maritimes, the region’s financial, educational and transportation centre, whose metropolitan population of over 500,000 makes it seven times the size of its nearest rival, New Brunswick’s Saint John. This pre-eminence has been achieved since World War II, but long before then Halifax was a naval town par excellence , its harbour defining the character and economy of a city which rarely seemed to look inland.

The British were the first to develop Halifax, founding a base here in 1749 to counter the French fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island. When New France was captured shortly afterwards, the town became a heavily fortified guarantor of the Royal Navy’s domination of the North Atlantic, a role reinforced when the British lost control of New England. The needs of the garrison called the tune throughout the nineteenth century: the waterfront was lined with brothels; martial law was in force till the 1850s; and most Haligonians, as the local citizenry are known, were at least partly employed in a service capacity.

In the twentieth century Halifax acted as a key supply and convoy harbour in both world wars, but since then its military importance has declined, even though the ships of the Canadian navy still dock here. Disfiguring office blocks reflect the city’s new commercial successes, but interrupt the sweep of the town as it tumbles down to the harbour from the Citadel, the old British fortress that is the town’s most significant sight. Nevertheless, Halifax retains a compact, bustling centre whose appealing and relaxing air is a far cry from the tense industriousness of many a metropolis

THE CITY

With its shopping malls and brusque tower blocks, the commercial and social heart of modern Halifax clambers up the steep hillside from the harbourfront, its narrow streets dotted with scores of bustling bars and restaurants. The city’s main attractions – most notably the Art Gallery , with its eclectic collection of modern Canadian paintings, the Maritime Museum and the Georgian Province House – all huddle close together in the lower part of town beneath Halifax’s star turn, the Vaubanesque Citadel . On a sunny day, a pleasant diversion is a trip to see a couple of the outer fortifications built to defend Halifax harbour, and you can also catch the ferry over to neighbouring Dartmouth , home of the old Quaker House .

ARRIVAL

Halifax International Airport is located 35km northeast of the city centre and has its own tourist information office (daily 9am-10pm). Airbus runs a bus shuttle service from the airport to the classier downtown hotels (daily: every 30min to 1hr from 7.30am to 11pm; 40min-1hr 15min depending on traffic; $12 single, $20 return). If you’re not staying at one of these, ask the driver how near to your destination he will let you off; for downtown get off at the Delta Barrington Hotel , which is on Barrington Street at Duke, right in the centre. The taxi fare from the airport to the centre is around $40. The Acadian Lines bus terminal, 6040 Almon St, about 4km northwest of the centre just off Robie Street, houses the long-distance bus station and also DRL buses (for Yarmouth and the South Shore). Transit bus #7 connects the terminal with downtown. The VIA Rail station, Hollis Street at Cornwallis Park, handles just six trains in and out per week, connecting Halifax with Truro, New Brunswick, the Gaspé and Montréal. From the train station it’s a fifteen-minute walk into the centre down Barrington Street, or else catch the #7 or #9 bus (every 15min during the week, hourly on the weekend).

INFORMATION

Both of Halifax’s main tourist offices cover the city and province, and are centrally situated. The International Visitor Information Centre (June-Aug daily 8.30am-8pm; Sept to mid-Oct & May daily 9am-6pm; mid-Oct to April Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm; tel 490-5946, www.halifaxinfo.com ) at 1595 Barrington St and Sackville, will gladly fix up accommodation in town and across the whole of Nova Scotia, advise on tours and provide you with armfuls of maps, brochures and leaflets including the comprehensive Halifax Visitor Guide . Five-minutes’ walk away, just off the waterfront in the area known as the Historic Properties, the Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre (May-Oct daily 9am-7pm; Nov-April Wed-Sun 9am-4.30pm; tel 424-4248) offers a similar service. At both, the room reservation service is free.

EATING AND DRINKING

It’s easy to eat well and cheaply in Halifax. There’s a wide selection of downtown cafés, diners, cafébars and restaurants within easy walking distance of Grand Parade with particular concentrations along Spring Garden Road from Queen Street to South Park, Argyle Street, and Granville Street north of Duke. All three of these areas largely cater to locals, whereas the more touristy spots are clustered in the Historic Properties. At the majority of restaurants, a substantial meal will only set you back about $15-20, excluding drinks. Seafood is the leading local speciality, with lobster being a particular favourite expect to pay about $25 for a medium-sized specimen. Bear in mind also that most kitchens start to finish up at around 9.30-10pm and that many restaurants close on Sunday, sometimes Monday too.

They say Halifax has more bars per head than anywhere in Canada, except St John’s Newfoundland, and although cafés and café-bars have made inroads, there are still several good bars, and most of them offer pub food. Incidentally, bars and restaurants sometimes occupy different floors of the same premises, which can be a little confusing.

Cafes, Grills and Diners

Big Life House , 5220 Blowers St. Lively, informal café with good, wholesome snacks and speciality coffees. New Ageish. Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

The Bluenose , 1824 Hollis at Duke St. Something of an institution, this long-established diner serves filling and fairly tasty meals until 10pm. Lobster, in various guises, is the speciality.

Caffe Roma , 1572 Argyle St. Fashionable, pastel-painted coffee house offering tasty salads and doorstep sandwiches, all at inexpensive prices.

Daily Grind Café , 5684 Spring Garden Rd at South Park. Easy-going, amenable coffee house where you can browse a vast selection of newspapers and glossy magazines.

Economy Shoe Shop Café , 1663 Argyle St. Everything here is imaginative – from the name and the decor through to the menu, offering tapas to Italian. One of a cluster of fashionable café-bars on Argyle.

Grabbajabba Fine Coffee , 5475 Spring Garden Rd at Queen. This excellent coffee house sells great coffees and delicious pastries – the cheesecake is especially delicious. Also a branch at 1791 Barrington St.

Mediterraneo , 1571 Barrington St. Inexpensive downtown café serving tasty Lebanese dishes. Popular spot with a youthful clientele. Between Sackville and Blowers.

Midtown Tavern and Grill , at Prince and Grafton. One of the most enjoyable places in town, this blue-collar favourite serves up tasty steaks at amazingly reasonable prices. It’s a far cry from the tourist-industry niceties down on the waterfront, and none the worse for it. Closed Sun.

Steve-o-Reno’s , Brunswick St, just off Spring Garden Rd. Fashionable cafébar with pastel decor and angular, modern furnishings. Great food everything from Thai noodles to Italian – and great prices too: many main courses for just $5.

Restaurants

Dharma Sushi , 1576 Argyle St (tel 425-7785). First-rate Japanese restaurant serving all the favourites. Traditional decor; reasonable prices. Main courses from around $12.

Five Fishermen , 1740 Argyle St at George (tel 422-4421). One of Halifax’s better restaurants, where the all-you-can-eat mussel bar is a popular (at no extra charge) adjunct to the restaurant, whose speciality is seafood. The cosy interior is decked out in antique nautical style. Fairly expensive with main courses $15-25, but well worth it. Reservations required. Popular with tourists.

Il Mercato , 5475 Spring Garden Rd at Dresden (tel 422-2866). Laid-back, tastefully decorated restaurant featuring well-prepared, very tasty Northern Italian dishes. Main courses for around $15.

La Cave , 5244 Blowers at Grafton (tel 429-3551). Tiny bistro serving French and Italian cuisine and great desserts at affordable prices. Tucked away in a basement.

Salty’s , Historic Properties (tel 423-6818). On the waterfront, this busy restaurant with its large patio area heaves with tourists, who feast on the lobster – generally thought to be as well prepared as anywhere.

Satisfaction Feast , 1581 Grafton St at Blowers (tel 422-3540). Vegetarian restaurant with an imaginative menu. Vegan options available. Main courses around $10. Open daily 11am-10pm.

Spice Trail , 1580 Argyle St (tel 423-0093). Oodles of noodles at bargain-basement prices. Chinese specialities.

Bars

Granite Brewery , 1222 Barrington St at South. In the style of a British pub, this charmingly intimate bar occupies a nineteenth-century stone building not far from the train station. Most of the ale is brewed on the premises – try the “Peculiar”, a fair approximation of the sultry grandeur of the legendary British Theakston’s.

Peddlers’ Pub , Granville St at Duke. Occupying part of an old commercial block at the pedestrianized northern end of Granville St, this pub has a pleasant outside area and a big and breezy bar.

Rogue’s Roost Brew Pub , 5435 Spring Garden Rd at Queen. Upstairs brewpub decorated in brisk, modern style. A student favourite.

Split Crow , 1855 Granville St at Duke. Another supposedly English pub. Very central, often featuring live Maritime fiddle music.

Your Father’s Moustache , 5686 Spring Garden Rd at South Park. Good range of ales with frequent live acts – blues a speciality. Seasonal rooftop patio.

NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT

If you want to go out and groove, Halifax has a vibrant live music scene with around fifty of its café-bars and bars offering everything from blues and jazz through to indie and techno. Many of these places have live music on just a couple of nights a week, and detailed entertainment listings, along with reviews, are given in a free weekly newssheet, The Coast , which is available at record shops, bars and the tourist office. The local newspaper The Chronicle-Herald carries reviews and listings on Thursdays, and Where , a free magazine supplied by the tourist office, has a section describing the city’s most popular bars and giving some opening hours. The venues listed in this section of the website are places where you can expect to see live music on most nights of the week. The main musical event is the eight-day Atlantic Jazz Festival, held in mid-July and featuring many of the biggest international names. Halifax, as the provincial capital, also attracts major live acts in key classical and theatrical performances and has a fairly prestigious theatre scene.

Folk, Jazz and Blues

Bearly’s House of Blues , 1269 Barrington St (tel 423-2526). Near the HI youth hostel, this low-key bar has regular acts with the emphasis – you guessed it – on blues. Thurs-Sun.

Birmingham Bar and Grill , 5657 Spring Garden Rd at South Park St (tel 420-9622). Wide range of wine and beers with nightly jazz.

Lower Deck , in the Privateer’s Warehouse, one of the Historic Properties down on the waterfront (tel 425-1501). Traditional Maritime folk music most nights of the week.

Contemporary Music

Café Mokka Ultrabar , 1588 Granville St (tel 492-4036). Fashionable downtown spot showcasing up-and-coming local bands plus jazz and blues.

JJ Rossy’s , 1883 Granville St (tel 422-4411). Varied DJ sounds with a dance floor on the main level, big-screen TV action up above. Popular with students.

New Palace , 1721 Brunswick St (tel 429-5959). Massive, brash and noisy nightclub where Halifax’s young more than get acquainted; open till 3.30am nightly.

Reflections Cabaret , 5184 Sackville St (tel 422-2957). Halifax’s main gay and lesbian bar and nightclub. House music predominates.

Tickle Trunk , 5680 Spring Garden Rd (tel 429-2582). Wide range of music featuring local bands, some of whom just turn up and play.

Cinemas

Empire Bayers Lake , 190 Chain Lake Drive (tel 876-4800). Mainstream multiscreen near Hwy 102, about 6km west of downtown.

Park Lane 8 , 5657 Spring Garden Rd (tel 423-4598). Mainstream cinema in the Park Lane Mall.

Theatre and Classical Music

Neptune Theatre , 1593 Argyle St (tel 429-7300). The doyen of Halifax’s live theatres, offering a wide range of mainstream dramatic productions; closes for three months in summer.

Symphony Nova Scotia , box office at the Dalhousie Arts Centre, 6101 University Ave (tel 494-3820 or 1-800/874-1669). Professional orchestra that usually performs at the university’s Rebecca Cohn Auditorium – at University Ave and Marchant St. Concert season from September to April. Everything from Piaf to Beethoven.

CITY TRANSPORT

The best way to see downtown Halifax is on foot, but for outlying attractions and accommodation Metro Transit (tel 490-6600) bus services are reliable and efficient, though they are sharply curtailed in the evenings and on weekends. There’s a flat fare of $1.65 in the Halifax area – exact fare only. If you need to change buses on the same journey, ask for a free transfer ticket at the outset. The ferries that cross Halifax harbour from the downtown terminal to Dartmouth and Woodside are part of the Transit system and apply the same tariff. Free Metro Transit route maps and schedules are available from the International Visitor Information Centre.

THE HALIFAX EXPLOSION

Nothing in the history of the Maritimes stands out like the Halifax Explosion of 1917, the greatest human-caused cataclysm of the pre-atomic age. It occurred when Halifax was the departure point for convoys transporting troops and armaments to Europe during World War I. Shortly after dawn on December 6, a Norwegian ship called the Imo , a vessel carrying relief supplies to Belgium, and a French munitions carrier called the Mont Blanc were manoeuvring in Halifax harbour. The Norwegian ship was steaming for the open sea, while the Mont Blanc , a small, decrepit vessel, was heading for the harbour stuffed with explosives and ammunition, including half a million pounds of TNT – though it flew no flags to indicate the hazardous nature of the cargo. As the ships approached each other, the Imo was forced to steer into the wrong channel by a poorly positioned tugboat. With neither ship clear about the other’s intentions and each attempting to take evasive action, they collided, and the resulting sparks caused the ignition of the drums of flammable liquid stored on the Mont Blanc ’s deck. A fire took hold, and the crew abandoned their vessel, which drifted under the force of the impact towards the Halifax shore.

A large crowd had gathered on the waterfront to witness the spectacle when the TNT exploded. The blast killed 2000 people instantly and flattened over 300 acres of north Halifax, with fire engulfing much of the rest. Windows were broken in Truro over 90km away and the shock-wave was felt in Cape Breton. Nothing remained of the Mont Blanc , and part of its anchor, a piece of metal weighing over half a ton, was later found more than 4km away. To make matters worse, a blizzard deposited 40cm of snow on Halifax during the day, hampering rescue attempts. The bodies of many victims were not recovered until the spring.

The vision of Armageddon haunted Halifax after the explosion as the poignant newspaper cuttings in the Maritime Museum show.

LISTINGS

Airlines Air Canada (tel 429-7111); Air St Pierre (tel 873-3566); Canada 3000 (flight information tel 873-3555; tickets from travel agents).

Banks Amongst many downtown branches, there’s a Bank of Novia Scotia at Scotia Square, Barrington St and Duke; a CIBC at 1809 Barrington St; and a Royal Bank at the corner of Spring Garden Rd and Queen St.

Bike rental Bike People, 1471 Birmingham St (tel 420-0777).

Bookshops There are several good bookshops in the city centre, both new and secondhand. The Book Room, 1546 Barrington at Blowers (tel 423-8271; closed Sun), originated in 1839 (Canada’s oldest) and has a good selection of new books with its Maritimes section especially noteworthy. JWD Books, 1684 Barrington at Blowers (tel 429-1652; closed Sun), specializes in antiquarian and secondhand books. The chain bookshop Smithbooks (tel 423-6438), with an outlet at Scotia Square, is more mainstream.

Car rental Budget, 1588 Hollis (tel 492-7500) and at the airport (same number); Discount, 1240 Hollis St (tel 468-7171); Dollar, 1960 Brunswick inside the Citadel Inn Hotel (tel 429-1892) and at the airport (tel 860-0203).

Consulates Netherlands, 1959 Upper Water St (tel 422-1485); Norway, 11 Morris Drive (tel 468-1330); USA, Cogswell Tower (tel 429-2480).

Email/Internet Ceilidh Connections, 1672 Barrington St at Prince (tel 422-9800, www.ceilidhconnect.ns.ca ; April-Oct Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat & Sun noon-8pm; Nov-March Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs & Fri 10am-10pm, Sat & Sun noon-8pm).

Emergencies General emergency number tel 911.

Hospital Halifax Infirmary, 1796 Summer St (tel 473-2700).

Laundry Bluenose Laundromat, 2198 Windsor at Duncan (daily 7.30am-9pm). Self-service and service washes, with dry-cleaning too.

Post office Central office at 1680 Bedford Row and Prince (Mon-Fri 7.30am-5.15pm).

Taxis Yellow Cab (tel 420-0000).

Transport Acadian Bus Lines (tel 454-9321, www.acadianbus.com ); DRL bus (1 daily to south shore and Yarmouth; tel 450-1987 or 1-888/263-1852); Halifax Metro Transit (tel 490-6600); VIA Rail (tel 1-800/561-3952).

Weather For up-to-date bulletins, call 426-9090.

EXPLORE HALIFAX

The Citadel

The distinctively bright Georgian Clock Tower , a solitary landmark sitting at the top of George Street beside the path up to the Citadel, looks somewhat confused, its dainty balustraded tower set on top of the dreariest of rectangular shacks. Completed in 1803, the tower is a tribute to the architectural tastes of its sponsor, Edward, Duke of Kent and father of Queen Victoria, who was sent here as military commandant in 1794. The Duke insisted on having a clock on each of the tower’s four faces so none of the garrison had an excuse for being late, a preoccupation typical of this unforgiving martinet.

Up above the Clock Tower, the present fortifications of the Citadel National Historic Site (daily: July-Aug 9am-6pm; Sept-June 9am-5pm; $6 June to mid-Sept, $3.75 in shoulder season, otherwise $1.50) were completed in 1856, the fourth in a series dating from Edward Cornwallis’s stockade of 1749. The star-shaped fortress, constructed flush with the crest of the hill to protect it from artillery fire, seems insignificant until you reach the massive double stone and earth walls flanking the deep encircling ditch, a forbidding approach to one of Britain’s most important imperial strongholds. Despite their apparent strength, however, the walls, faced with granite and ironstone, were a source of worry to a succession of British engineers. The sunken design simply didn’t suit the climate – in winter the water in the mortar and earth froze and the spring melt came with regular collapses.

A slender footbridge spans the ditch and leads into the fort, whose expansive parade ground is flanked by stone walls and dominated by the three-storey general barracks , whose long, columned galleries now mostly house offices, though one particular barrack room has been returned to its appearance as of 1869. Here also is an Army Museum (recommended donation $1), which adopts an earthy soldier’s outlook in the labelling of its wide collection of small arms. Ancient and sometimes rare photos track the Canadian army through its various imperial entanglements – from the Boer War onwards – and there’s an interesting section tracing Canadian involvement with the Anglo-French attack on Bolshevik Russia after World War I. The walls themselves contain a string of storehouses stuffed with military bric-a-brac. Here you’ll find a couple of reconstructed powder magazines, the former garrison school room and several exhibits exploring the Citadel’s history, including a small theatre where an hour-long film, The Tides of History , details the development of Halifax. Also of interest is the Communications Exhibit , which explains the niceties of the Admiralty’s signalling system – a complicated affair with, for instance, different flags for different types of ship and whether they had been sighted or had actually arrived.

Free and entertaining half-hour guided tours (May to late Oct) of the Citadel depart from the information office in the barracks building every hour or so. Throughout the summer, bagpipe bands and marching “soldiers” perform on the parade ground in period uniform and one of the cannons is ceremoniously fired every day at noon. If militarism leaves you cold, the Citadel is still worth a visit for the grand view from its ramparts over the city and harbour.

Downtown

If you retrace your steps past the Clock Tower and head down George Street, you’ll hit the tree-lined, elongated square known as the Grand Parade , the social centre of the nineteenth-century town. For the officer corps, this was the place to be seen walking on a Sunday, when, as one obsequious observer wrote, “their society generally [was] sought, frequently courted, and themselves esteemed” – a judgement rather different from that of the radical journalist Joseph Howe, who hated their “habits of idleness, dissipation and expense”. The southern edge of the parade borders the handsome St Paul’s Church (Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm; free), whose chunky cupola and simple timber frame date from 1750, making it both the oldest building in town and the first Protestant church in Canada. Inside, the church’s simple symmetry – with balcony and sturdy pillars – is engaging, an unpretentious garrison church enlisting God to the British interest; look out, too, for the piece of wood embedded in the plaster above the inner entrance doors, a remnant of the 1917 Halifax Explosion . Following the disaster, the vestry was used as an emergency hospital and the bodies of hundreds of victims were laid in tiers around the walls.

Charles Dickens, visiting in 1842, described the graceful sandstone Province House , a couple of minutes’ walk from Grand Parade down George Street at Hollis (July & Aug Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm; Sept-June Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; free), as “a gem of Georgian architecture” whose proceedings were “like looking at Westminster through the wrong end of a telescope”. Highlights of the free guided tour include a peek into the old upper chamber, with its ornate plasterwork and matching portraits of Queen Caroline and her father-in-law, George I. She should have been pictured with her husband, George II, of course, rather than her father-in-law, but no one has ever bothered to rectify this costly decorative error. The present legislature meet in the Assembly Room, a cosy chamber that partly resembles a Georgian bedroom rather than Nova Scotia’s seat of government.

Across the road from the Province House, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia , 1741 Hollis St (Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat & Sun noon-5pm, plus July-Aug Mon noon-5pm; $5, free on Tues), occupies two adjacent buildings – one a stern Art Deco structure, the other an embellished Victorian edifice that has previously served as a courthouse, police headquarters and post office. The gallery is attractively laid out and although there is some rotation of the exhibits most of the pieces described here should be on view. Pick up a free gallery plan at the entrance in the more southerly of the two buildings, Gallery South. The Courtyard Level – the ground floor – contains a delightful section devoted to the Nova Scotian artist Maud Lewis (1903-70). The daughter of a Yarmouth harness maker, Lewis overcame several disabilities, including rheumatoid arthritis, to become a painter of some regional renown, creating naive, brightly coloured works of local scenes. Lewis’s tiny cabin – awash with her bright paintwork – has been moved here intact from the outskirts of Digby.

In Gallery North, the two lower levels – the Lower Lobby and Level 1 – hold temporary exhibitions of modern sculpture and painting and a small but enjoyable selection of the work of modern Canadians drawn from the permanent collection: the egg tempera on masonite Island in the Ice by the Nova Scotian artist Tom Forrestall is perhaps the most striking painting here (in Gallery 7), its sharp, deep-hued colours and threatening ice- and seascape enhanced by a tight control of space. Level 2 features local folk art, largely naive and boldly painted woodcarvings and panel paintings comparable to the work of Maud Lewis, as well as a small sample of Inuit work. On Level 3, there’s an excellent collection of Canadian Art , whose earlier canvases are distinguished by four intriguing views of Halifax in the 1760s produced by Dominique Serres in the minutely observed Dutch land- and seascape tradition (Gallery 15). Surprisingly, Serres never actually visited Canada, but painted Halifax while in Europe, from drawings produced by a camera obscura. In the same gallery, there’s Joshua Reynolds’ flattering Portrait of George Montagu Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax . As the man responsible for colonial trade, Dunk permitted his recently acquired title to be used in the naming of “Halifax” – what would have happened but for his timely ennoblement (Dunk Town?) is anyone’s guess. On the same floor, Gallery 19 holds several canvases by Cornelius Krieghoff and outstanding contributions by members of the Group of Seven . In particular, look out for Lawren Harris’s haunting Algoma landscape and A.Y. Jackson’s dinky Houses of Prospect , typical of Jackson’s later (post-Group) style of softly coloured landscapes. Next door, Gallery 20 is devoted to modern Atlantic Canadian painters. Forrestall makes another appearance here, but it’s his mentor, Alex Colville , who takes pride of place, with several characteristically disconcerting works, a sort of Magic Realism of passive, precisely juxtaposed figures caught, cinema-like, in mid-shot. Finally, on Level 4 (Room 28), there’s a tiny selection of British and European paintings, and – a real surprise – an assortment of ribald Hogarth engravings.

Old Burying Grounds and the Nova Scotia Museum

Mysterious and spooky at dawn and dusk, the Old Burying Ground , five-minutes’ walk south of Grand Parade at Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road, looks something like the opening shot of David Lean’s Great Expectations – though the over-blown memorial by the gates in honour of a brace of Canadian officers killed in the Crimean War does somewhat undermine the effect. Many of the tombstones are badly weathered, but enough inscriptions survive to give an insight into the lives (and early deaths) of the colonists and their offspring. The oldest tomb is that of a certain John Connor, who ran the first ferry service over to Dartmouth and died in 1754.

Walking west up Spring Garden Road from the Burying Ground, it’s about 800m to South Park Street, where a set of handsome iron gates serve as the main entrance into the city’s Public Gardens (dawn-dusk; free). First planted in the 1870s, the gardens cover sixteen acres of meticulously maintained exotic shrubs, flower beds and trees set around ornamental statues, water fountains, ponds and a brightly painted bandstand. All together, the gardens are a pleasant interlude on the way to the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History , in the rear of the old grassy commonland at the back of the Citadel, at 1747 Summer St (June to mid-Oct Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Wed open till 8pm, Sun 1-5.30pm; mid-Oct to May Tues-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Wed till 8pm, Sun 1-5pm; $3). The best of the museum’s wide-ranging exhibits are those depicting the region’s marine and land-based wildlife, and there’s a modest archeological section too.

Outer Fortifications

In the eighteenth century the British navy protected the seven-kilometre-long sea passage into Halifax harbour , and the Bedford Basin behind it, with coastal batteries strung along the shore between the city and the Atlantic. Two of these are worth a visit, though more for their commanding views than the ragbag of military remains. There’s one at Point Pleasant, at the tip of the Halifax peninsula about 3km south of the city, whilst the other is on McNab’s Island, sitting in the middle of the main seaway, 4km south of the city.

At the end of South Park Street and its continuation, Young Avenue, Point Pleasant Park (bus #9 from Barrington St) incorporates the remains of four gun batteries and the squat Prince of Wales Martello Tower (July-Aug daily 10am-6pm; free), which was built at the end of the eighteenth century as a combined barracks, battery and storehouse. One of the first of its type, the design was copied from a Corsican tower (at Martello Point) which had proved particularly troublesome to the British. The self-contained, semi-self-sufficient defensive fortification with its thick walls and protected entrance proved so successful that Martello towers were built throughout the empire, only becoming obsolete in the 1870s with advances in artillery technology. The surrounding park, 200 acres of wooded hills and shoreline, is crisscrossed by paths and trails and remains one of the few places in North America where heather grows, supposedly originating from seeds shaken from the bedding of Scots regiments stationed here.

McNab’s Island , 5km long and 2km wide, contains the remnants of five different fortifications, dating from the middle of the eighteenth century to the establishment of Fort McNab in 1890. The island, half of which is parkland, is laced with hiking trails and dotted with picnic spots, making it a relaxing retreat from the city. The island is accessible by ferry from the Eastern Passage jetty on the east (Dartmouth) side of Halifax harbour – call 465-4563 or 1-800/326-4563 for schedule; the round trip costs $8. To reach Eastern Passage jetty from downtown Halifax, take the Dartmouth ferry and then bus #60 (every 30min, hourly on the weekend) from outside the terminal building. Ask the driver to let you off or else you’re likely to go whistling past.

Water Front

One block south of the east end of George Street stands the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic , 1675 Lower Water St (May-Oct Mon & Wed-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Tues 9.30am-8pm, Sun 11am-5.30pm; Nov-April Tues 9.30am-8pm, Wed-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; $6), which houses a fascinating exhibition covering all aspects of Nova Scotian seafaring from colonial times to the present day. By the entrance, there’s a reconstruction of a nineteenth-century chandlery, stocked with everything from chains, ropes, couplings and barrels of tar through to ships’ biscuits and bully beef. Other displays include a collection of small boats and cutaway scale models illustrating the changing technology of shipbuilding, a feature on the history of the schooner Bluenose and a number of gaudy ships’ figureheads: look out for the turbaned Turk once attached to the British barque Saladin . In 1844, the Saladin ’s crew mutinied in mid-Atlantic, killed the captain and ran the boat aground near Halifax, where they were subsequently tried and hanged. There’s also a feature on the Halifax Explosion, illustrated by a first-rate video, One Moment in Time , and don’t miss the section on the Titanic , which sank east of Halifax in 1912. Several pieces of fancy woodwork found floating in the ocean after the sinking have ended up in the museum, a pathetic epitaph to the liner’s grand Edwardian fittings. Docked outside the museum are an early twentieth-century steamship, the CSS Acadia , and a World War II corvette, HMCS Sackville . The first is part of the museum, the second is a (free) attraction in its own right; both can only be boarded in the summer.

The much-vaunted Historic Properties comprise an area of refurbished wharves, warehouses and merchants’ quarters situated below Upper Water Street, 400m north of the Maritime Museum – and just beyond the Dartmouth and Woodside ferry terminal. The ensemble has a certain urbane charm – all bars, boutiques and bistros – and the narrow lanes and alleys still maintain the shape of the waterfront during the days of sail, but there’s not much to see unless the schooner Bluenose II is moored here, as it often is during the summer. The original Bluenose , whose picture is on the 10¢ coin, was famed throughout Canada as the fastest vessel of its kind in the 1920s, although she ended her days ingloriously as a freighter, foundering off Haiti in 1946. The replica has spent several years as a floating standard-bearer, representing Nova Scotia at events such as the Montréal Expo, but it’s now on its last sea legs and its future is uncertain. Pressure groups are campaigning to have it berthed permanently here at Halifax or at its home port of Lunenburg.

Copyright Rough Guides Ltd as trustee for its authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved.The Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd.

The scenery is magnificent at any time of the year. Whatever the interest of the visitor, access is only minutes away. Camping, skiing, swimming, canoeing, scuba diving, fishing, hiking, and bird watching are only a few of the possibilities in this natural paradise.

Halifax, Nova Scotia’s capital, lies on one of the world’s most extensive natural harbors, midway along Nova Scotia’s south Atlantic shore. It is located on a peninsula between the harbor and an inlet called the North West Arm. Halifax harbor’s 16 miles are second only in size to the harbor in Sydney, Australia. It was this feature that attracted Colonel Edward Cornwallis and 2500 others who settled there in 1749 and established a naval and military depot. The site was named in honor of Lord Halifax, President of the British Board of Trade at that time. Halifax was intended to serve as a counterbalance to the French fort in Nova Scotia’s far east.

Pier 21 in Halifax became to Canada what Ellis Island was to the US. Between 1928 and 1971 over a million immigrants entered Canada there, including 48,000 war brides and their 22,000 children. During World War II, nearly half a million troops departed from Pier 21 for Europe. In 1999, the Pier was transformed into a colorful national historic site with a museum featuring a large pavilion, boutiques, cafes and multimedia exhibits.

In April, 1912, Halifax was the hub of rescue operations for the Titanic. Memorabilia remains in the town, mostly in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There are also three cemeteries that contain 150 of the victims, one third of whom were never identified.

Another maritime disaster took place in 1917 when the Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship carrying an explosive cargo, collided with another ship in the harbor. The sudden explosion killed over 1900 people, injured 9000 and leveled 321 acres of the city. International efforts aided the rebuilding of the city with Boston, Massachusetts being recognized as the first to provide aid. Boston still receives the gift of a Nova Scotia evergreen at Christmastime each year.

The major industries in Nova Scotia today are manufacturing, mining, fisheries, tourism and agriculture. Its historic downtown section contains carefully preserved, architecturally significant buildings attesting to past achievements and to continued prosperity and success.

The compact downtown area extends west from the water to the Citadel, the star-shaped fort overlooking the city. Cogswell Street to the north and Spring Garden Road to the south mark the other boundaries of the historic central district. Dartmouth, Halifax’s twin city, is east across the harbor. The cities are connected by two toll bridges and the oldest continuously running saltwater ferry in North America. Charter sport fishing excursions are available and are very popular.

In Halifax of the present day, the harbor is the center of activity day and night. Pubs, shops, museums, parks, and public gardens attract local residents and many visitors. Street musicians, jazz concerts, outdoor festivals, cultural and sporting events are plentiful. Galleries, concerts, theater, and fine dining combine to make the twin cities of Halifax and Dartmouth a destination for any season. The excitement and bustle of the capital city harmonizes well with the warmth and convenience of the small town and the surrounding serenity and beauty of the countryside.

Halifax City Information

Population: 360,000 (Greater Halifax)

Location: Halifax is on the eastern coastline of Nova Scotia (midway between Canso and Yarmouth), and is just above sea level.

Time Zone: The city is in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, an hour later than New York City. When it is 12:00 noon in New York City, it is 1:00 PM in Halifax.

Telephone Area Code: 902

Weather: Nova Scotia is almost entirely surrounded by the sea. The cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Bay of Fundy help to keep the air temperature over southwestern Nova Scotia cool in spring and summer. In January, these same waters moderate the harshness of winter. Farther offshore to the east, southeast, and south are the slightly warmer waters of the Gulf Stream. Most agricultural areas experience 120 to 130 frost-free days between late May and early October creating a long crop-growing season.

Average Temperatures:

Month

High Low
January 28F 14F
February 28F 12F
March 37F 21F
April 46F 30F
May 59F 39F
June 68F 48F
July 73F 55F
August 73F 55F
September 66F 48F
October 55F 39F
November 44F 31F
December 33F 19F

When to Visit: Spring, summer and autumn are all ideal for visiting Halifax, and winter tourism is very popular. Winter requires “layers” of clothing that can be adjusted based on the temperature and wind chill factor. The busiest time is during the Canadian summer vacation time (the end of June to early September). After that, some facilities close.

Holidays

New Year’s Day (January 1)

Easter (April-May)

Canada Day on July 1

Nova Scotia Civic Holiday (called Natal Day in Halifax) 1st Monday in August.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September

Thanksgiving (second Monday in October)

Remembrance Day (November 11)

Christmas Day (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26)

Business Hours

Banks & Offices

Most banks in Canada are open Monday through Thursday 10-3 and Friday 10-5 or 6. Some banks are open longer hours and also on Saturday morning. All banks are closed on national holidays. Most banks (and some gas stations) have automatic teller machines (ATMs) that are accessible around the clock.

Museums & Sights

Hours at museums vary, but most open at 10 or 11 and close in the evening. Some smaller museums close for lunch. Many museums are closed on Monday; some stay open late on Wednesday, often waiving admission.

Shops

Stores, shops, and supermarkets usually are open Monday through Saturday 9-6, although in major cities supermarkets are often open 7:30 AM-9 PM and some food stores are open around the clock.

Emergencies

Ambulance, fire, or police ( 911).

Guided Tours

Boat Tours

Murphy’s on the Water 902/420-1015 sails: Harbor Queen I, a paddle wheeler; Haligonian III, an enclosed motor launch; Stormy Weather I, a 40-ft Cape Islander (fishing boat); and Mar II, a 75-ft sailing ketch. All operate from mid-May to late October from berths at 1751 Lower Water Street on Cable Wharf next to the Historic Properties in Halifax.

Harbor Hopper Tours 902/490-8687 offers an amphibious tour of historic downtown Halifax and the Halifax Harbor.

Bus Tours (Book ahead)

*Gray Line Sightseeing *902/454-8279 run coach tours through Halifax, Dartmouth, and Peggy’s Cove.

Cabana Tours 902/423-6066 runs a similar coach tour.

Halifax Double Decker Tours 902/420-1155 offers two-hour tours on double-decker buses that leave daily from Historic Properties in Halifax.

Train Tours

VIA Rail 800/561-3949 conducts weekly first-class guided rail tours between Halifax and Sydney from May through mid-October.

Language

Canada’s two official languages are English and French.

Money

ATMs

ATMs are available in most bank, trust company, and credit-union branches across the country, as well as in many convenience stores, malls, and gas stations.

Currency

U.S. dollars are accepted in much of Canada (especially in communities near the border). However, to get the most favorable exchange rate, exchange at least some of your money into Canadian funds at a bank or other financial institution. Traveler’s checks (some are available in Canadian dollars) and major U.S. credit cards are accepted in most areas.

The units of currency in Canada are the Canadian dollar (C$) and the cent, in almost the same denominations as U.S. currency ($5, $10, $20, 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, etc.). The $1 and $2 bill are no longer used; they have been replaced by $1 and $2 coins (known as a “loonie,” because of the loon that appears on the coin, and a “toonie,” respectively).

Taxes

In Nova Scotia, the single sales tax (HST) of 15% is used. The tax applies to most goods and services, and it includes Canada’s national tax (GST) of 7%.

Tipping

Tips and service charges are not usually added to a bill in Canada. In general, tip 15% of the total bill.

Telephones

The country code for Canada is 1. The area code for Halifax is 902. You do not need to dial the three-digit area code when making a call from within the same code.

Getting There

Halifax International Airport has direct services to Montreal, Toronto and St John’s in Newfoundland. There are also smaller connecting flights available to other destinations throughout Canada. The airport is 24 miles from central Halifax on Hwy 102, north toward Truro.

Bus service runs from the Acadian bus station at 6040 Almon St. with several lines running through the Annapolis Valley and south to Yarmouth. There are also connections to New Brunswick, Cape Breton, Northumberland Shore and Prince Edward Island (via Moncton). For greater distances, a daily bus leaves Halifax at 7am for Montreal and a weekend service connects to New York.

Rail Service

The VIA train station is six blocks south of the downtown area. Trains to Montreal depart daily (except Tuesday) along a route through eastern New Brunswick. Tickets should be reserved in advance, as seats are limited.

Getting Around

An Airbus service runs between Halifax International Airport and the downtown area, stopping at major central hotels along the way. Allow 90 minutes before flight time for the 24mile trip.

Metro Transit operates a reliable, safe and inexpensive city bus system. Tourism Halifax has free schedules and information. Fred is a free city bus that runs a circuit of the city every 30 minutes, (11am to 6pm daily from June to August.)

Rental car companies are available at the airport and downtown. Lower priced car rental companies can be found near the VIA Rail station on Hollis Street.

Road Designations

Highways numbered from 100 to 199 are all-weather, limited-access roads, with 62- 68mph speed limits.. Roads numbered from 200 to 399 are secondary roads that usually link villages. Nova Scotia has 10 designated “Scenic Travelways,” identified by roadside signs with icons that correspond with trail names.

Halifax Attractions & Things To Do

Included are attractions in the following places in the immediate Halifax area:

McNabs Island

This small island located in the harbor and easily seen from York Redoubt has beaches, picnic tables and guided walks, as well as a fort at the south end, and a teahouse serving snacks and seafood.

Dartmouth

Halifax’s sister city: a scenic ferry ride across the harbor from Halifax

Point Pleasant Park

Rented to Canada by the British at the rate of 10 cents per year. No cars are allowed. 24 miles of walking trails, picnic spots and a beach. Walk out to the lighthouse observe the busy shipping activity at the nearby Port of Halifax.

Army Museum

422-5979

Open daily early May – Oct. 31, off-season by appointment.

Contains hundreds of artifacts reflecting Atlantic Canada’s military heritage. The museum is located in the Cavalier Barracks of the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum

Exit 6, Hwy. 102 near the airport

873-3773

Open daily 9 – 5, mid-May-mid-Oct., by appointment year-round. Admission by donation.

Many civilian and military aircraft are on display, as well as artifacts and exhibits depicting Atlantic Canadian aviation history, including a replica of the Silver Dart. The original, developed by Alexander Graham Bell and associates, made the first flight in the British Empire, from Bras d’Or Lake, NS, in 1909.

Bedford Institute of Oceanography

1 Challenger Dr., Dartmouth

(Take the Shannon Park exit, at the Dartmouth end of MacKay Bridge)

426-2373

Guided tours in English and French are available by appointment. Institute is open year-round. Free admission. Allow 45 minutes.

Canada’s largest oceanographic research centre is open Mon. through Fri. 9am to 4pm. A self-guided exhibit requiring about 45 minutes to visit and consisting of displays, audio-visual presentations and small aquariums. Visit the Sea Pavilion which houses touch tanks and viewing tanks containing native marine species).

Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia

1149 Main St., Dartmouth

434-6223 / 1-800-465-0767

The first site of its kind in Canada, this museum, cultural and education center is dedicated to the preservation, protection and promotion of African-Canadian history in Nova Scotia. It houses history archives, audiovisual displays, a library and an amphitheater for cultural performances and lectures. Guided and self-guided tours. Open year-round, Mon. to Fri. 9 – 5.

Casino Nova Scotia

1983 Upper Water Street

Halifax

(902) 425-7777 or (888) 642-6376

Open 24 hours daily; closed major holidays.

Minimum age for entrance: 19.

Cole Harbor Heritage Farm Museum

471 Poplar Dr., Dartmouth

434-0222

A small, community-run museum features farm animals, heritage buildings (dating back to the early 1780s), old farm tools and equipment, and gardens. The site adjoins numerous walkways through a natural marsh and woodland. Free parking, admission and picnic area

Costume Studies Museum

Carleton House, 1685 Argyle St., Halifax

494-6515

Open May 15 to Oct. 15, Mon. to Sat. 10am to 4pm, Sundays and holidays noon to 4pm.

Open year-round for inquiries, scheduled tours and events. Admission by donation.

This small museum located in an historic residential building displays the work of students of the Dalhousie Costume Studies program. Costumes are based on records of early residents of Halifax.

Dalhousie University Archives

Killam Memorial Library, University Ave, Halifax

494-6490

Research center includes material on Dalhousie University, theater, business, music, Nova Scotia shipping, as well as collections of private manuscripts and papers of creative writers, along with photographs. Mon. – Fri. 9 –noon; 1 -5.

Dartmouth Heritage Museum

100 Wyse Rd., Dartmouth

464-2300

A broad range of exhibits explores Dartmouth and surrounding area’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage. Archival reference services are available by appointment. June, July and August – Tues – Sunday 10 – 5. Admission free, donations welcomed.

Discovery Centre

1593 Barrington St., Halifax

492-4422

Mon. – Sat. 10 – 5, Sun. 1 – 5 (until 9 pm every first Thursday) Allow 1 hour.

This science center presents more than 80 hands-on exhibits demonstrating the educational principles of bridges, electricity, chemistry, bubbles, light and sound, health, physics, optical illusions and more. Changing exhibits, workshops and science shows.

Brewery Market

Between Hollis and Lower Water Sts.

Sat. 7-1.

A popular Saturday market takes place at the stone complex where Alexander Keith once brewed beer. A variety of crafts from leatherwork to stone carvings. Culinary offerings include Chinese and Indian snacks, farm cheese, and home-smoked sausage, freshly baked bread; colorful displays of fresh local fruits and vegetables; and stalls with lambs, rabbits, and farm fresh brown eggs.

Cathedral Church of All Saints

1320 Tower Rd., Halifax

423-6002

1 3pm Mon. Fri., May – Sept., and by appointment year round.

This south end landmark is an example of Gothic architecture known for its stained-glass windows and the woodcarvings of its pulpit and chancel.

Queen Victoria granted the letters patent for the Dean and Chapter in 1865. After decades of fundraising and building, the gothic-style structure-which has been compared in size and style to the cathedrals of England-opened in 1910.

Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Holy Cross Cemetery (South and S. Park Streets)

902 865-6663

Open Mon-Fri 8:30 – 5:50.

This small chapel was built in a day, on August 31, 1843, by 2,000 men and features stained glass windows, some dating back to 1661, and some carvings dating to 1550.

Christ Church

50 Wentworth St. (at Ochterloney St), Dartmouth

(902) 466-4270

Open seasonally, Mon.-Fri. 10-4.

The oldest church in Dartmouth, built in 1817, this registered heritage building exemplifies Georgian architectural design. The weather vane atop the steeple depicts Haley’s Comet.

Cornwallis Street Baptist Church

5457 Cornwallis St.

429-5573

Visit by appointment.

This heritage property is the mother church of the African United Baptist Association. Founded in the 1830s by Rev. Richard Preston, a former slave.

Dingle Tower

Fleming Park, on Dingle Rd

902 5904894

Open daily 8 – 5; May – September. Free admission.

Built in 1912 by Sir Sanford Fleming (inventor of time zones), to commemorate the 1758 convening of the first elected assembly. The tower overlooks the Northwest Arm and the western slope of the peninsula.

Fairview Cemetery

3720 Windsor St.

This cemetery is the final resting place of 121 victims of the Titanic. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has an exhibit about the disaster.

Evergreen Historic House

26 Newcastle St., Dartmouth

464-2301

June –August; Tues.Sun. 10 1 and 2 – 5. Donations welcomed

Built in 1867 for Dr Helen Creighton, noted Nova Scotia author. The main floor of the house is decorated with Victorian furnishings and selected art works overlooking the harbor..

Fisherman’s Life Museum

Hwy. 7, 58 Navy Pool Loop Rd.

Jeddore Oyster Pond

889-2053

June 1 Oct. 15, Mon. Sat. 9:30 – 5:30, Sun. 1 – 5:30.

The house and gardens have been preserved as they were at the turn of the century. The owners were an inshore fisherman, his wife and their 13 daughters.

Fisherman’s Cove

Eastern Passage, off Rte. 322

465-6093

April – May, open daily.

This working fishing village contains shops displaying local marine crafts, aboriginal jewelry, folk art, fine art paintings, paper tole, unique candles, and woodworking. The Cove also has a seafood restaurant, ice cream parlor and diner. Enjoy the 1.5 km boardwalk, tours to McNab’s and Lawlor’s islands and deep-sea fishing. Interpretive Centre (closed from January through March).

Fort Needham Memorial Bell Tower

On Union Street, near Novalea Drive.

The tower overlooks the North End of Halifax, the section most devastated by the Halifax Explosion, which took place when the Belgian relief ship Imo collided with the French munitions vessel Mont Blanc on Dec. 6, 1917. The tower pays tribute to the 2,000 who died. Today, Fort Needham is an active park with a sports field, tennis courts, wading pool and playground.

Granville Mall

Destroyed by fire in 1859, the buildings on this block at the end of Granville Street were rebuilt in the Italianate style by some of the city’s most prosperous merchants. Today, it features an attractive plaza with a fountain and benches, along with a collection of restaurants, pubs and shops. When the Delta Barrington Hotel was built on the west side of the plaza, the original building facades were disassembled and then carefully restored in order to preserve the symmetry and historical significance.

Halifax City Hall

Duke Street, at Barrington and Argyle.

This Victorian structure has stood guard over the Grand Parade (the symbolic centre of Halifax) since 1888.

Halifax Public Gardens

Bounded by Sackville, Summer, and S. Park Sts. and Spring Garden Rd.

Main entrance is at the corner of Spring Garden and South Park.

May – November, dawn – dusk.

This 17 acre park contains the oldest formal Victorian gardens in North America and had its start in 1753 as a private garden. It was completed in 1875 by Richard Power, former gardener to the Duke of Devonshire in Ireland. Gravel paths wind among ponds, trees, and flower beds, revealing plants from all over the world. The centerpiece is a gazebo erected in 1887 for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The park has historic fountains, statuary, a duck pond, tree-shaded walks and in the summer at 2 pm on Sunday afternoon there are band concerts.

Hydrostone District

Hydrostone Market,

5515-5547 Young St.

Along with the human tragedy of 1917’s Halifax Explosion (see Fort Needham Memorial Bell Tower), 325 acres- almost all of north-end peninsular Halifax-were destroyed. Rebuilding began immediately after and included 328 houses in the area bordered by Young, Agricola, Duffus and Gottingen streets. The houses were built from “hydro-stone” cement blocks and, unlike other area homes, had treed gardens in front, and modern plumbing and electricity. This area, known as the Hydrostone, is still considered one of the more desirable residential areas of Halifax and has recently been declared a National Historic Site.

Little Dutch Church

Brunswick at Gerrish Streets, Halifax

The Little Dutch Church was built in 1756, the first Lutheran church in Canada. This round church (the only remaining one in North America) was built of logs by German Lutheran settlers who came to Halifax in 1750. By the end of the 18th century, the congregation had outgrown the little church and begun construction of the architectural known as Saint George’s Round Church.

Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

Citadel Hill, Entrance off Sackville St.

Halifax

426-5080

July-Aug., daily 9-6; Sept.-June 14, daily 9-5 Grounds open daily year-round, 9 –5.

The Citadel, a large star-shaped masonry fort built between 1826 and 1856, was the heart of the city’s fortifications and was linked to smaller forts and gun emplacements on the harbor islands and on the bluffs above the harbor entrance. The fort features a musketry gallery, a dry defensive ditch, vaulted rooms, restored ramparts and an excellent view of Halifax and the harbor.

HMCS Sackville

1675 Lower Water St.,

Halifax

429-2132, 427-0550, ext. 2837

Open in summer. Free admission.

This World War II convoy escort corvette has been restored as a floating naval memorial to all who served in Canada’s navy. Immediately adjacent is an Interpretation Center with a multi-media presentation.

Maritime Command Museum, Archives, Library

Admiralty House, Gottingen Street at CFB Halifax.

(5 blocks north of Citadel Hill)

427-0550, ext. 8250

Open year round, Mon. – Fri. 10 – 3:30. Closed holidays. Allow 30 minutes.

Free admission.

History of the Canadian maritime military forces, especially in Halifax. Displays include scale models of ships, weapons, photographs and uniforms.

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

1675 Lower Water St (at Prince), Halifax

902/424-7490 or 902/424-7491

May and October – Mon. Sat. 9:30 -5:30, Tues. to 8pm, Sun. 1 5:30. June – September – Mon. – Sat. 9:30 – 5:30, Tues. to 8pm, Sun. 10:30 – 5:30. November – April – closed Mondays, otherwise open 9:30 – 5, and Tues. to 8pm.

Free to all on Tuesdays 5 – 8 pm, and on Canada Day and Natal Day.

Nautical and marine history of Atlantic Canada including the Halifax Explosion, an early ship chandlery, Days of Sail gallery, small craft gallery and a lighthouse light. CSS Acadia, a 1913 hydrographic research vessel that charted the coasts of Labrador and the Arctic, is moored outside (open May through October), as is HMCS Sackville.

The museum also has a permanent exhibit about the Titanic disaster with 20 artifacts (the only surviving deck chair) and many photographs.

Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management

Public Archives, 6016 University Ave., Halifax

424-6060

Mon.Fri. 8:30 4:30; Sat. 9 – 5, closed Sundays, holidays and holiday weekends

Holdings include inactive records of government departments and corporate bodies (churches, businesses, organizations, municipalities and communities); papers of families and individuals; a 70,000-title library; newspapers; genealogical sources; documentary art and photographs; maps and architectural plans, and sound recordings and moving images.

Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History

1747 Summer St. (off Bell Rd), Halifax

(902) 424-7353

June 1 – Oct.15, Mon.Sat. 9:30 5:30, Wed. to 8pm, Sun. 1 – 5:30. Call for winter hours.

Located on the ground floor of the Seton Academic Centre, this museum features the natural wonders of Nova Scotia. See an eagle’s nest, stand beside a moose and a whale skeleton. Displays cover geology, botany, mammals, birds and marine life, archaeology and Mi’kmaq quillwork. There are also fossils (including a mastodon skeleton), mineral specimens, semi-precious gems, dioramas and a botany gallery.

Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

1645 Granville St., Ste. 101, Halifax

421-1266

Mon. – Fri. 10:30 – 4. Sat. and Sun. noon to 3pm. Free admission.

Artifacts, exhibits and hundreds of photographs dating back to the 1850s. Interactive computer programs, miniature hockey rink and basketball court.

Old Hall Wilderness Heritage Centre

4694 Hwy. 7, Porters Lake

827-2364

Open mid-May to mid-Sept.

Dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the cultural and natural history of the Porters Lake area. Displays focus on wilderness heritage, natural history and outdoor recreational opportunities.

Pier 21

1055 Marginal Rd., South End Halifax

425-7770

June-Sept., daily 9-6; Oct.-May, Tues.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5.

Admission Fee.

One of the processing sheds through which, from 1928 until 1971, immigrants, refugees, war brides and children applied to become Canadians. Through these structures almost 500,000 Canadian troops departed for WW II. Artifacts and interactive multi-media technology preserve the heritage.

Prince of Wales Tower National Historic Site

Point Pleasant Park (south end of Tower Road or Point Pleasant Drive), Halifax.

(902) 426-5080

Open daily 9 – dusk: June 15 – October 29.

Admission Fee

This 1796 fortress was built by one-time Halifax resident, the Duke of Kent, who was the father of Queen Victoria. The round stone structure, its height three times its width, was the prototype for new British coastal defenses against Napoleon Bonaparte’s forces. Exhibits feature the tower’s history, architecture and defenses.

Province House

1726 Hollis St, Halifax

902/424-4661

July and August: Mon.- Fri. 9 – 5, Sat., Sun. and holidays 10 – 4.

Remainder of the year when legislature in session: weekdays 9 – 4.

Free admission.

This 1819 National Historic Site was described by Charles Dickens in 1842 as “a gem of Georgian architecture.” The sandstone building still serves as the meeting place for the provincial legislature.

Royal Canadian Legion Military Museum

Royal Canadian Legion Somme Branch 31,

52 King St., Dartmouth

463-1050

May – Nov., Mon., Wed. and Fri.: 1 -5 .

Admission by donation.

Displays include uniforms and items from the Boer War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

Saint George’s Round Church

Brunswick at Cornwallis Streets, Halifax

425-3658

Visitors welcome

Saint George’s was built in 1800 by the congregation that outgrew the Little Dutch Church. This National Heritage Site was designed under the supervision of Edward, Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) and is an example of a circular Palladian church. The building was damaged by a 1994 fire, but has been restored in a $4.6-million project supported by donors, including Prince Charles.

Saint Mary’s Basilica

Spring Garden at Barrington, Halifax

423-4116

The original 1820 design for Saint Mary’s was for a much smaller Georgian church; but over the period of construction ending in the 1860s and 1870s, the building was transformed into the grand Victorian Gothic style. The highly embellished façade was designed by New York architect Patrick Charles Keely. The spire is the tallest polished spire in North America, rising 128 feet above the roof.

Saint Paul’s Anglican Church

1749 Argyle St., Grand Parade, Halifax

429-2240

Mon.-Fri. 9 – 4. Sun. services at 9:15 and 11. Also, Wed. 11 AM June -August.

Founded in June 1749, St. Paul’s is the oldest Protestant church in Canada and Britain’s first overseas cathedral, originally serving settlements from Newfoundland to Ontario. The burial vault holds the remains of many illustrious British colonial notables of the period. The church faces the military parade ground from the earliest days of the town, which is still a central gathering place.

Shubenacadie Canal, Fairbanks Visitor Centre

54 Locks Rd., Dartmouth;

(off the Waverley Rd., 2 km from junction of Hwy 111 and Hwy. 318)

462-1826

(Open daily late May to early Sept., and weekdays by appointment only in winter),

Following an ancient Mi’kmaq route across Nova Scotia, this 71 mile long 19th-century canal links a series of lakes and rivers between Halifax Harbor and the Bay of Fundy. It operated as a waterway for sailing and steam ships between 1856 and 1870. An archaeology tour is available. The Visitor Center has a model of a working lock, picnic area, canoe/paddleboat/kayak rentals and 30 minute long 12-passenger pontoon boat tours.

The wooded trails of Shubie Canal Park, beside the Centre, is also a favorite with walkers, joggers and, in winter, cross-country skiers.

Sir Sanford Fleming Park (The Dingle)

Dingle Road, off Purcell’s Cove Road, on the Northwest Arm, Halifax

The 95-acre park has two major walking trails through four natural habitats: second-growth woodlands, a heath barren, a saltwater habitat and a frog pond. The park also has a sandy saltwater beach (supervised in season) and the Dingle Tower, guarded by bronze lions at the foot. The 10-story Tower, dedicated in 1912 to commemorate 150 years of representative government in Nova Scotia, is open for climbing in summer.

Thomas McCulloch Museum

Biology Department, Life Sciences Centre,

Dalhousie University, Halifax

494-3515

Mon. – Fri. 8:30 – 4:30. Closed major holidays, Admission free.

150 year old exhibit of mounted Nova Scotia birds of prepared by Thomas McCulloch: collection of lifelike ceramic mushrooms created by Alma and Ernst Lorenzen of Lantz; collections of butterflies and seashells.

William Ray Quaker House

464-2253

57-59 Ochterloney St., Dartmouth

Open June to August – Tuesday through Sunday 10:00- 1:00 and 2:00 – 5:00. Admission free, donations welcomed.

A short walk from the Dartmouth Ferry Terminal, Quaker (William Ray) House is open during the summer months, with costumed guides. Built in 1786 by Quaker whalers from Nantucket, it is authentically restored and furnished. Costumed guides will show you this charming 18th century home; occasional craft demonstrations by local artisans.

World Peace Pavilion

Ferry Terminal Park (0n the waterfront), Dartmouth

Conceived by Metro Youth for Global Unity, this triangular-shaped monument incorporates rocks and bricks from countries all over the world. Contributions on display include a portion of a brick from the Great Wall of China and a 75-kilogram piece of the Berlin Wall from Germany. The pavilion serves as a place of inspiration, reflection and education and is open year-round.

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