Best Things To Do, Eat & See

This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase. Read Disclosure.

We loved Halifax in Nova Scotia. We weren’t sure what to expect for a city with a population similar to our home in Raleigh, but its downtown felt so much more alive and was packed with fun things to do, stunning places to eat, nightlife, public art, and that gorgeous, walkable waterfront. To be fair, Raleigh is more spread out, so the comparison may be unfair, but we did (jokingly) say a few times, “Uh-oh… is Raleigh boring?”

Halifax is the kind of capital city you want to start a road trip with. It’s an easy launchpad to small towns and villages, and is made up of compact and walkable, vibrant neighborhoods, with attractions that reveal local history and culture.

Restaurants and eateries have breezy patios, and there are more than a couple of beer gardens. It’s full of friendly people, and it has a 3.8km waterfront boardwalk that pulls you along for block after block.

Park the car and forget it; the heart of downtown is concentrated in just a few lively streets. Over two days in Halifax, we found historic citadels, stunning Victorian era gardens, vibrant street art, and one of the coolest libraries we’ve visited anywhere.

It was the start of our week-long Nova Scotia road trip in partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia. Below are the highlights from our stay – personal recommendations, practical tips, and a sample bullet-point itinerary you can copy at the end.

First Taste of Halifax: Dinner on Argyle Street

How did I not see more about Argyle Street when I was planning our trip to Halifax? It should be a top Halifax recommendation: a pedestrian-friendly strip of amazing restaurants and bars where the patios spill onto the street and live music drifts between them. It was one block from our hotel and the first place we ate, setting a great first impression.

We settled on The Stubborn Goat Gastropub and snagged a small patio table with front-row people-watching. The menu made my gluten-free heart sing with so many options! I went classic Nova Scotia with a seafood chowder (harder to find GF than you’d think), and Craig devoured the whisky & bacon smashburger, a house favorite.

If you’re a chowder chaser, Halifax is a perfect destination to start your Nova Scotia chowder journey, as many spots participate in the seasonal…