Last updated on April 6th, 2025
As the capital and largest city in Nova Scotia, plus the largest city in all of Atlantic Canada, Halifax is a must visit! Here you’ll find a beautiful waterfront, historic buildings, colorful gardens, and fun local businesses, all within just blocks of one another. It was one of our favorite cities we visited in Atlantic Canada, reminding us a little bit of a smaller Boston!
From wandering through an old fort to trying an iconic donair, there are tons of fun things to do in Halifax. And we’re helping you narrow it down so you can experience the best of the best in this one day in Halifax itinerary!
Why trust us when planning a trip to Atlantic Canada?
We spent 4 months traveling all around Atlantic Canada in our self-converted Sprinter van, visiting many of the popular sites, plus off the beaten path gems along the way. And instead of rushing through these areas like most people are forced to on vacation, we traveled slowly, allowing us to experience them more as locals. Because of this, we have tons of tips to help you plan your own Atlantic Canada adventure, whether it’s just for a week or for multiple months.
One Day in Halifax Map
One Day in Halifax Itinerary
In this one day in Halifax itinerary you’ll explore the best things to do in Halifax, including some of its best local eats, historic sites, and waterfront. It’s perfect for those visiting on their own (like us!) or as part of a quick stop on a cruise.
Above is a map with all of our suggested things to do in Halifax if you only have one day, so you can see where they are in relation to one another.
Looking for even more things to do in Halifax? We share even more suggestions in our Atlantic Canada eBook!
Enjoy a quick breakfast
Start the day with breakfast from Dilly Dally Coffee Cafe. Open seven days a week, this cute local cafe is known for not only their delicious caffeinated beverages, but also their bagels, avocado toast, and breakfast sandwiches. Which is the perfect quick fuel to kick off your one day in Halifax!
Explore the Halifax Public Gardens.
The Halifax Public Garden located right in downtown and is a completely FREE Victorian style garden that is as old as Canada itself! There are a variety of different plants and flowers, a pond, and walking paths to enjoy while you’re here. It’s a very peaceful spot to walk around for a little while to start off your day in the city!
Visit the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
Easily one of the best things to do in Halifax is the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. The British built this fort to defend against possible attacks but never saw a battle. And it’s now an iconic feature of downtown!
While here, you can walk around various viewing platforms and explore the different rooms, like barracks and a school room. There is even a moat! But the best part is when they fire the noon gun. Make sure to be here in time for this! Even though you can hear it all over the city, it’s especially cool to see it happen up close.
Have lunch at Tony’s Famous Donair
For lunch, grab a donair from Tony’s Famous Donair! Donairs are pita bread filled with seasoned ground beef and topped with onion, tomato, and sweet donair sauce. They are the official food of Halifax, so trying them at least once while you’re here is a must!
You’ll find donairs at just about any pizza shop in Halifax, but many locals recommend Tony’s Famous Donair for the best ones! And while we didn’t try any others, we LOVED the donairs we had from here. It was the perfect mix of sweet, fresh, and savory!
A+K Tip: Tony’s is a small spot, so grab your donair to go and have a picnic at Halifax Common across the street!
Grab a quick coffee
For a little caffeine boost to help you power through your one day in Halifax, hop into Weird Harbour Espresso Bar! It’s a funky spot in downtown Halifax with delicious drinks and bites. It’s a small spot, so we suggest taking it to-go and drinking it as you walk through downtown on your way to the next stop on this Halifax itinerary!
Visit a museum
If you have enough time during your one day in Halifax, check out a museum! While there are quite a few museums to check out, a popular option is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. This museum is especially popular for its exhibit on the Titanic, which sank near Atlantic Canada.
We also have heard great things about the Canadian Museum of Immigration, located at Pier 21, where a million immigrants arrived in Canada between 1928 and 1971.
Explore the Halifax waterfront
For the rest of the afternoon, plan to wander around the Halifax Waterfront. This will especially be nice close to sunset!
This is one of the most popular things to do in Halifax. And for good reason! There’s a lot to see along the 4 km (2.5 mile) long boardwalk, including different shops, restaurants, and unique sculptures (like The Wave and The Way Things Are).
Have Dinner
For dinner, head to The Narrows Public House! This spot came recommended to us from locals and it is truly a gem in the city. Located in an old 1896 Victorian home, it is oozing with character and the food is top notch! We loved the fish and chips, plus the Dutch Mess. And do NOT leave without trying the sticky toffee pudding for dessert!
Attend a Hockey Game!
If you’ll be visiting during hockey season (fall through spring), go to a Halifax Mooseheads game! It makes for a fun, local evening activity! And since it’s a minor league team, the tickets are affordable. We went during our one day in Halifax and had a blast cheering them on against New Brunswick’s Moncton Wildcats.
Have two days in Halifax?
If you have more than one day in Halifax during your Nova Scotia road trip, then we recommend visiting some areas around Halifax! Here’s a few great options to consider for your Halifax itinerary.
Visit Dartmouth
The town of Dartmouth is located just across the water from Halifax and you can get there on a quick ferry ride! This would be especially fun to do one morning, exploring town and ending with breakfast at Two If By Sea Cafe or lunch at The Canteen on Portland.
Explore the South Shore
Drive 45 minutes to an hour south of the city to the South Shore! There’s so much to do on the South Shore, including charming towns, beautiful beaches, tons of seafood, and Nova Scotia’s most famous lighthouse. It’s easy to explore this area on your own, but there are also multiple tours from Halifax if you want to go with a guide.
The towns we recommend checking out are Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay or Lunenburg. And the best beaches include Queensland Beach, Hirtle’s Beach and Carters Beach. Make sure to visit Kejimkujik National Park too! For even more ideas, check out our 4 day Nova Scotia South Shore road trip itinerary.
Important note: Ticks are very common on the South Shore and Kejimkujik National Park. Make sure to wear long socks and pants, wear bug spray, and check yourself and your pets after being outdoors.
Go Tidal Bore Rafting
For the ultimate adventure, go tidal bore rafting on the Shubenacadie River! This tidal river cuts through the middle of Nova Scotia and meets up with the Bay of Fundy, which is home to the highest tides in the world.
When the tide rises and pushes into the river it causes a surge of water, called a tidal bore, and creates waves great for rafting! The tide strength varies each day, but we chose an “extreme” day to go on a 4 hour tour with Fundy Tidal Bore Adventures and it was SO much fun! It felt like a thrilling natural rollercoaster, where you get completely drenched. It was not only our favorite of the things to do in Halifax, but in all of Atlantic Canada!
If this sounds a bit too intense for you, you can go on a less extreme tide, which wouldn’t be as crazy. Or you can just visit the free Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre to watch the tide roll in and see the rafters, plus visit Burntcoat Head Park!
We also highly recommend experiencing the tides at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick!
Planning your time in Halifax
How to get to Halifax
Being the largest city in Atlantic Canada, Halifax is relatively easy to get to. You can fly, take a ferry, or drive here. And we’ve included the information about each below!
Flying to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has two main airports, one in Halifax (YHZ) and one on Cape Breton Island in Sydney (YQY). Halifax is the only international airport and would be the easiest to fly into!
Driving to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a very easy province to drive to, with multiple larger roads and highways that traverse the province. All drivers will cross into Nova Scotia at Fort Lawrence, right on the New Brunswick border. From there you’ll have a 2 hour drive to get to Halifax.
Ferry to Nova Scotia
You can also take a ferry to get to Nova Scotia, including a ferry from Prince Edward Island and one from Maine. However, this isn’t always the fastest option, as some ferries require you to arrive pretty early. Keep that in mind when planning your Halifax itinerary!
Ferry from PEI
If you’ll be visiting Prince Edward Island, there is a 75 minute ferry that you can take between Wood Islands, PE and Caribou, NS (northern side). You’d then have a 1 hour and 45 minute drive to get to Halifax. To see the current schedule and fares, check the ferry website.
Ferry from Maine
Visiting from the US? The CAT ferry runs from Bar Harbor, Maine (right by Acadia National Park!) to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia (south shore). You’d then have a 3 hour drive to get to Halifax. To see the current schedule and fares, check the ferry website. Warning: This route is pretty expensive!
How to get around Halifax
Spending just one day in Halifax is easy because the city is super walkable. Despite it being the largest city in all of Atlantic Canada, (bigger than the other capitals like St. John’s and Charlottetown), it’s still very easy to get around.
You can walk to all of the different best things to do in Halifax, with the exception of The Narrows Public House area. We parked in one place all day and explored on foot. However, it is very hilly, so be prepared for some incline.
Public transportation is an option as well whenever needed! The bus system is great, with a single ride costing $2.75 CAD. But since bus rides can take longer due to stop, it might only make sense for longer routes.
Another way to get around to all of the things to do in Halifax is by Uber. You can get a ride for a pretty reasonable price, especially if there are 2 or more people in your group. Each ride downtown will cost around $10-15 CAD, and it seems fairly easy to find a driver.
When to visit Halifax
In our opinion, the best time to spend one day in Halifax is between late June and early September. Especially if you want to visit the South Shore, enjoy local beaches, or to go tidal bore rafting. But October, which is when we visited, is great too! Especially if you plan to see fall foliage on Cape Breton Island.
However, one big piece of advice we have is to leave Nova Scotia by mid to late October. Many local businesses begin to close down between the middle and the end of October, typically after Canadian Thanksgiving. We ran into some of these closures on Cape Breton Island, as well as along the South Shore.
Where to stay in Halifax
Hotels: Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Halifax Dartmouth, and Moxy Halifax Downtown are our top picks!
Vacation Rentals: Stylish Top Floor Condo (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom), Halifax Condo (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom), and The Bowman on Vernon (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom) are all good options.
Campgrounds: Shubie Campground in Dartmouth is the closest campground to Halifax. They have tent sites, RV sites, and even yurts and vintage airstreams you can rent!
Boondocking: Cities are notoriously tough to boondock in, but in Halifax, you are allowed to stay overnight at a few parking lots near the seaport. We stayed at this one, but there are others right by it. It was free from 6 PM to 7 AM at the time of our visit, but pretty cheap if you need to add on some time.
Looking for more things to do in Atlantic Canada?
- Get our Atlantic Canada Road Trip eBook
- How to go on a one week Nova Scotia Road Trip (2 itinerary options!)
- The Ultimate Fall Cabot Trail Road Trip (Cape Breton Island)
- The Perfect 4 Day Nova Scotia South Shore Road Trip
- 63+ EPIC things to do in Newfoundland
- How to experience the tides at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick
- 30 Best things to do in New Brunswick
- Things to do on Prince Edward Island (+ itinerary!)
- The BEST 15 Things to do in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- Watch all of our Atlantic Canada adventures on YouTube
Ready to enjoy one day in Halifax?
Pin this guide with all of the best things to do for one day in Halifax to start planning!
About the Author
This article was written by Tori, one of our Adventures of A+K team members. Learn a bit about her below!
Hi, I’m Tori! I live in Nashville, TN with my husband Austin and daughters Scarlett and Gemma. We travel as much as possible throughout the year, around a 9-5 schedule and with babies in tow! My travel blog, Tori Pines Travels, aims to help people plan action-packed and culture-rich vacations around their busy jobs, fitting in as much exploring as possible. When I’m not working for Adam and Kathryn or entertaining my little ones, I’m writing, cooking, crafting or exploring Music City!