Top 10 Halifax Shore Excursions
The outlier to that on most itineraries is the Nova Scotian city of Halifax which is one of Canada’s largest cities and is somewhere where you are likely to be greeted by the sound of heavy industry and juggernauts instead of seagulls and fishermen.
That’s not to take away from Halifax as a great port to visit as we loved our time onshore, but it does mean that if you prefer the more relaxed nature of most east coast of Canadian cruise ports of call, you may want to head out on excursion.
Thankfully, there are many great options for those visiting Halifax to head out and explore all that Nova Scotia has to offer.
But just what are the top 10 Halifax shore excursions? That is just what we answer in this list, which is based on our experience of visiting the port on a cruise holiday and the research we did before visiting there.
Shore Excursions In Halifax, Nova Scotia
Peggy’s Cove, City and Titanic Tour
If you have a long day in port when visiting the city of Halifax and really want to see as much as possible it is possible to mix and match several different elements of this list either on a full day tour away from the ship or by breaking it up into morning and afternoon journeys.
With most excursions taking around 3-5 hours, you can combine them and enjoy a tour of the city, a trip out to Peggy’s Cove and a visit to the main Titanic sights of interest all on one day of exploration.
Peggy’s Cove
There are a few images of Canada that instantly come to mind and that are used in the advertising of the Canadian tourist board including the CN Tower, bears catching salmon in forests, floatplanes taking off in front of the Vancouver skyline, Niagara Falls and then there is always a pristine white lighthouse with a red top.
That lighthouse is located at the small tourist village at Peggy’s Cove, which is a historic fishing village that seems to be still set in a distant past.
A trip to Peggy’s Cove is the excursion we chose to do when we visited the city, and we are glad that we did just that.
The journey along the coast to the cove takes in some stunning scenery including many other small hamlets and your time in Peggy’s Cove itself is like stepping back in time, or into an episode of Murder She Wrote.
Titanic Tour
For many of those visiting Halifax, especially for those from across the pond in Europe, the first time many of us heard about the city was in relation to the Titanic disaster.
No matter if you have an interest in maritime history, have a link to Belfast, Liverpool or Southampton or you just love a good romantic movie, so many of us know all about ship and what happened to her on that ill-fated inaugural journey.
If that is one of the reasons for you choosing to visit the city on a cruise, the great news is that that there is plenty to see and do in the city that really gives you an insight into the disaster.
Places such as the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, a Titanic memorial and a number of cemeteries coupled with many historic buildings with links to the aftermath of the disaster can be visited around the city, with tour taking you around them all on offer.
City Tour
Whilst we have mentioned a number of different types of city tours elsewhere on this list, it is possible to take on all of the best aspects of all of them so you can tour around bulk of the city on a coach, before stopping at many of the cities top dights with time to explore on your own and then also heading out on a boat for a harbour tour.
There are a number of different variants to these all-day tours allowing you to pick the one that works the best for you and that allows you to see the most of what interests you and your family.
Georges Island Trip
If you visit Halifax on a cruise, you won’t be able to miss Georges Island as it found just off of the city’s waterfront and right next to the main terminal building.
It acts almost like a roundabout as ships have to head around it to turnaround and head back out to see but looking from the top deck of your ship to the islands fortress simply wets the appetite.
Thankfully, the island and the fortress is a tourist attraction and it is easy to head across to it aboard a small ferry with many cruise lines allowing you to book with them.
Local History Tour
If you prefer not to walk to much when on shore, have mobility issues or simply don’t want to risk spending the day walking in the rain, Halifax is in Canada of course, why not simply choose to head out on a guide coach tour of the city.
You can see many of the cities main attractions including the citadel, the titanic memorial, the waterfront and the many impressive building found in the city’s historic neighbourhoods.
Annapolis Valley
There are many things that come to mind when you think of Canada including bears, maple syrup and friendly locals but one thing that may not come to mind is locally made wine.
That is exactly what can be found in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley where you can explore its beautiful countryside, whilst enjoying a guided coach ride before arriving at a local winery.
After a tour of the grounds, you will see how the wine is made and then get to try a tipple or two.
Hop On Hop Off
If you want to explore the city but want to spend time exploring the sights that interest you whilst simply driving past the ones that don’t, a hop on hop off bus is the right choice for you.
These allow you to spend the day hopping around the city seeing just what you want to see and in Halifax you get to drive around on a traditional London Routemaster but decked out in a bright pink livery.
Harbour Boat Ride
Halifax is a city built along its large waterfront and that arguably make sit best to view it from the water itself and whilst you will see plenty from your cruise ship, a tour of the harbour onboard a smaller boat really gets you close to the waterfront, Cable Wharf and the cities Naval Dockyard.
There are plenty of option for doing just that including tall ships, duck boats and modern tour ships with many of them been able to book directly via your ship to make use of any onboard credit, online before you or when you get their if you want to make sure the weather is sunny first.
Walking Tour
The city of Halifax is easy to explore on your own but with the size of it and with just how much there is to see, the best way to see at first hand may just be by talking a walking tour.
Starting at the port, you are taken along the waterfront to take in the historic dock side building before heading through the city and heading up to the hilltop Citadel.
By joining a guided tour of the city, you can gain an understanding of the sights you are looking at, gain local knowledge of what life is like in Halifax and also avoid wasting time and effort exploring parts of the city not worth visiting.
Halifax ShoreEx
If you are due to visit the Nova Scotian city of Halifax, you are likely looking to see what there is to do there.
Thankfully, there is plenty to enjoy in the city and no matter if you want to spend time solely exploring all that the city has to offer or you want to head off and explore the Nova Scotia coast, you can do.
We bring you what we think are the top 10 Halifax Shore Excursion but there are plenty more options for those looking for Halifax Shorex.
