Halifax has gone through quite a glow-up over the last five years. The swanky addition of the Queen’s Marque waterfront district – which includes restaurants, free public art, posh boutiques and the luxurious Muir hotel –  has kickstarted its cosmopolitan-city era. And although the city itself has changed a lot since my family and I were last here over 10 years ago  – the singular gorgeousness of the Atlantic Ocean and the laidback, unpretentious people, probably never, ever will. 

The waterfront, the Halifax Citadel, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Victorian-era Halifax Public Gardens are often the first stops for most visitors. We got a crash course in local history along with a great view of both the Halifax and Dartmouth waterfronts with an hour-long excursion with Halifax Harbour Tours on board The Violet Mac, a quaint, refurbished vintage boat that’s now all-electric and only seats eight. While The Salt Yard at the waterfront is popping with buskers and food kiosks in the warmer months, we skipped the gourmet poutine in favour of a pilgrimage to the newish Tribute Restaurant, a delightful pasta-focused spot on the waterfront that just nabbed the No. 9 spot on Canada’s 100 Best New Restaurants list.

Our favourite discovery, however, was the more residential but still partially industrial and arty North End neighbourhood. That’s where you’ll find Bar Kismet, an intimate seafood and cocktail den that’s one of the city’s most talked-about restaurants (they open reservations two weeks in advance, but you still might be able to snag a last-minute seat at the bar or on the patio) as well as The Narrows Public House, an award-winning bougie pub and cocktail spot in a circa-1896 home. We also gobbled up an easy dinner at Chkn Chop, where they sling fried-chicken sammies, poutine and rotisserie birds like they’re going out of style. There are small galleries and cool indie boutiques, like Isle at Ease (design-y homewares) and Cahier Stationery & Life Goods (cute products all about writing, words and that sweet analog life), too. 

Day Trips from Halifax

Halifax is the perfect home base for jaunts to adorable towns and villages on the province’s South Shore, like Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, Chester, and Mahone Bay. If you’re not in a rush, opt for the more scenic Lighthouse Route that hugs the coast versus a direct shot along the highway. I’ve never felt more like a walking tourism advertisement than I did as I clambered across the granite rocks of Peggy’s Cove around its iconic circa-1915 lighthouse. Peggy’s Cove is tiny – other than the photo op of the lighthouse and surrounding rocks, there’s only a few gift shops and spots to grab a tasty quick takeout lunch or soft-serve ice cream cone concoction, so you can “do” the Cove in under an hour. If you want to spend a bit more time in the area, there’s a full-service restaurant and a well-regarded Nordic spa at Oceanstone Resort about five minutes away. 

Lunenburg is a small, postcard-perfect, UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site known for its colourful 18th and 19th century wooden buildings and for being the birthplace and home of the historic tall ship, the Bluenose II. It’s free to clamber on board and poke around, and they also offer tours in the harbour for a fee. There are several cute little lunch spots like Dory Mates’ Seafood Shop or the Salt Shaker Deli, where I had  a lobster roll that was so packed with the good stuff I could barely pick it up. Across the harbour from the Old Town is Lightship Brewery, whose craft brews and waterfront patio satisfied even the snobby resident beer nerd. 

For anyone living in the Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City or St. John’s areas, Halifax is an easy weekend mini break that’s less than a two-hour flight away. For travelers coming from farther afield, it’s the perfect first stop for a longer adventure, like the one we took next. After three days in Halifax and the sweet surrounding area, we set off for a more outdoorsy escapade in Cape Breton, the large, rugged island that forms the northeastern tip of Nova Scotia. 

Where to Stay

While The Muir is undoubtedly the uber-luxe queen at the centre of Halifax’s post-pandy makeover, The Sutton Place Hotel is a more affordable and still perfectly plush option that’s just a ten-minute walk to the waterfront. Pop into its lobby-level eatery Chop Steakhouse & Bar for a hearty brunch (which you can work off in the expansive gym) or lean into lounging on their rooftop patio that comes complete with a firepit, hot tub and an impressive view of Citadel Hill.