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A Glimpse of Halifax, Nova Scotia Via Instagram Photos

Canada, Nova Scotia / by / 22 Comments

Instagram Travel Thursday: Highlights of Halifax, Nova Scotia

Last week at this time, my 16 year-old daughter, Katie, and I were about to fly to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a tour of Dalhousie University. I love Atlantic Canada and we have been to Halifax before but a city feels different when you are imagining a child moving away from home to live there.

We managed to see and do quite a bit even though it was the briefest of visits and I would like to share the highlights of Halifax through the Instagram photos that I took.

We stayed at the Halifax Marriott Waterfront with this great view from our window.

Friday morning we toured the lovely campus of Dalhousie University which was founded in 1818 making it one of Canada’s oldest universities.

Halifax has a long maritime history and a walk along the waterfront boardwalk to see the sailing ships in harbour is always fun.

Halifax is also known for the tasty seafood and this crab & lobster roll from The Shack on the Boardwalk was delicious. I had one for lunch both days that we were in town and I have been daydreaming about them every day since.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on the waterfront is the perfect place to learn more about Halifax’s maritime heritage including the Halifax Explosion of 1917 and the city’s connection to the sinking of the Titanic.

At the far end of the boardwalk is the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Pier 21 served as the gateway to Canada for one million immigrants between 1928 and 1971 and is now a National Historic Site. The museum celebrates the role that immigration has played in the building of our country.

I talked Katie into taking a Harbour Hopper tour with me. She pronounced it to be the most “touristy” thing in the city but it’s a fun way to get a quick overview of Halifax by both land and sea.

This was our view from the Harbour Hopper once we took to the water.

Theodore Tugboat is practically a celebrity and I would have loved to tour the harbour on him but Katie flat out refused. Next time that I visit Halifax, I intend to take someone who would like to sail with Theodore.

One of my favourite areas in Halifax is the Historic Properties which is located just steps from the Marriott. These buildings were constructed by Halifax residents in the late 1700s and early 1800s and some are now designated National Historic Sites. The buildings have been carefully restored and now house shops and restaurants.

One of the most recognized landmarks in the city is the Halifax Town Clock on Citadel Hill. The clock, which was a gift from Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, was installed in 1803 and, although the building has undergone reconstruction, the original clockworks are still in use.

The Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada commemorates the city’s naval role in the British Empire. The present Citadel was completed in 1856 and is the fourth in a series of British forts on this site. Here a guard stands outside the entrance.

The 16 acre Halifax Public Gardens, located in the downtown core of the city, are Victorian-style gardens originally opened in 1867. The Public Gardens, which have been designated a National Historic Site of Canada, are a lovely place to stroll.

And, of course, our trip would not have been complete without a stop at the Halifax location of Cows Ice Cream to enjoy a cone of the best ice cream in the world.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. YashY

    I really need to see Theodor when I visit next! Our Halifax trips are always rushed with weddings or just one night catch up with friends but the hubs keeps saying we’ll go spend a week soon!

    Reply

  4. Laura

    That was a fabulous synopsis of Halifax Lisa! I hope to visit there sometime soon! If Katie chooses to attend Dalhousie, I wish her all the best. It looks like a wonderful place to go to school!

    Reply

  5. Momofthreeunder

    I love your photos! And when I saw that one of the crab and lobster roll come through my IG feed, my stomach growled really, really loud. I would adore one of those for lunch today. Would I ever!

    Reply

  16. Leigh

    I spent a year of my childhood in Halifax and loved the city. Your photos bring back some great memories – including getting engaged at a restaurant that is probably part of the historic properties.

    Reply

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