Halifax Citadel

Picture yourself in the Guard Box at the Halifax Citadel

The view at the top of the grassy hill overlooking the Halifax harbour is well worth the climbing effort. As a child I remember burning off energy by rolling down the hill.

Inside the Citadel, especially in the summer, it feels a bit like you’ve traveled back in time to 1869! Summer staff portraying the Royal Artillery can be seen about the fort performing their duties – marching, guarding and firing the noon gun. Exhibits including  the soldiers uniforms are displayed in the small rooms lining the center courtyard. It’s hard to believe that over one hundred years ago the average soldier was much shorter than the average person today.

There are videos to watch in several locations, room to run in the central courtyard, guard boxes to clown around in – and washrooms. This is a great place to come to get a feel for the military past of Halifax.

Halifax Harbour

To reach the Halifax Harbour  boardwalk, walk down the hill towards the waterfront until you reach the boardwalk (just before the water ). The boardwalk goes to your right and left stretching 3.8 km from (Pier 21 to Casino Nova Scotia). You can get on and off the boardwalk easily. Along the way you can see tugboats and if you’re lucky tall masted schooners moored along the finger piers.

Children can enjoy climbing and playing around the “ship-wreck” play structure, the ship anchors or try climbing the whale’s tail. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic features an exhibit of Theodore Tugboat. With models and sets from the television series visitors can gain an understanding of how a busy harbour works. The museum contains a wealth of maritime knowledge – ‘Golden Age of Sail’, Shipwreck Treasures of Nova Scotia.

From the museum, if you walk towards the ferry terminal (Halifax-Woodside(Dartmouth)) you’ll see more of Theodore Tugboat (in season) – there’s a store as well as a real tugboat Theodore Too – ready to take you (weather permitting) on a harbour tour!

If hunger pains are hitting or legs are getting weary there are lots of options to choose from – for fabulous ice cream and humorous t shirts try “COWS” ice cream – chosen by Reader’s Digest as the Best Ice Cream in Canada (2006) or a Beavertail – whole wheat pastry stretched into the shape of a beavertail – served piping hot – with a choice of toppings. Or any of the nearby restaurants for a sit down meal.

Lunenburg – the town where the famous Bluenose I was built! It’s certainly worth the trip if you’re at all interested in the history, the tales and treasures of the fishing industry or seeing sea creatures up close the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. You can see fishing boats up close – even jump aboard! You can visit the Dory Shop and see the craftsmen making a dory – the traditional way.

Baby starfish on my hand

My children’s favourite is the aquarium – home to fish and sea creatures found locally in the ocean. In the aquarium section there is even a touch and feel open topped aquarium where you can pick up and hold a starfish or a sea urchin. This is the best part – picking up squirmy things – and they won’t poison you.

I find that the museum takes several hours to explore happily – even with small ones in tow. The museum has a restaurant which is very convenient for staving off tempers of hungry families and there are lots of eating options within a few blocks.

While you’re reading you might be interested in a few stories from long ago and some behind the scenes talk at the museum’s blog .

I found this video to help you picture the museum:

Looking out onto the Mahone Bay harbour

Mahone Bay, introduced to me by my sister, has fast become a favourite. We make a point of visiting every time I’m in Nova Scotia. If you’re looking for that small town feel with sophisticated luxuries Mahone Bay should be on you list of destinations too. The town itself is situated at the end of a bay – which makes a beautiful view as soon as you step out of the car. Boats moored, blue water, hills on either side, wharfs jutting out. But Mahone Bay offers comfort as well as beautiful scenery. Maybe you need a cappuccino to relax and enjoy the view – Mahone Bay has that. Or maybe it’s an ice cream, in a small park with a gazebo – with a great view. Or maybe it’s a cool one with nachos on the deck overlooking the harbour or inside where it’s warm and cozy. You see Mahone Bay offers it all.

Mahone Bay shopping buddies

But let’s say that you enjoy a bit inspiration by visiting the shops – you know how small pokey towns can often only support pokey shops – but not Mahone Bay. If you thinkt that comfortable shoes are boring – you owe it to yourself to visit Mahone Bay Trading Company Quality Footwear. Maybe the store name isn’t catchy but we’ve spent hours in there perusing the selection of Geox, Josef Siebel, Reiker, Bostonian, Ecco and a vast collection of Clarks – all in the latest colours and fashions – often at discounted prices! The store used to be a "general" store with the best collection of Clarks shoes I’ve ever seen but in recent years there’s been less "general" and more shoes.

There is a purple shop on the corner whose name escapes me – but not the memory. It’s a fantastic shop that features items that could never be described as ordinary. Somehow blending dress-up – special occasion wear with exquisite local (Nova Scotia) handmade crafts and pottery. Their recent expansion gives them room to create displays that make you think you’re in an art gallery – but even better because you can purchase those works of art that catch your heart and take them home.

Another favourite stop is Amos Pewter . Yes it is a pewter shop selling a whole variety of items in pewter BUT you can also watch them make the items – pouring the molten pewter into the molds, and removing the treasures from the molds. Self-directed tours are free and don’t have to be booked but there are also opportunities for hands-on experience ($7.00 to cover materials) if you book in advance .

Tired and hungry yet? Along the main street there are lots of options – and I haven’t tried one I didn’t like. Excellent cheesecake, good pub food, Jo-Ann’s Deli Market and Bake Shop, the Innlet Cafe (often full in the summer but for good reason).

Lighthouse at Peggy's Cove

My favourite day tripper destination in the Halifax area is Peggy’s Cove. No matter what the season or what the weather is doing. The rocks are warn smooth – not by man but the daily pounding of the waves. The smooth rocks and the rough pounding waves create a contrast of opposites.

The lighthouse – with it’s own postal station – crosses the line from tacky tourist trap to a functional value added service – a place to buy stamps. When you mail your postcards they are stamped with a postmark shaped like a lighthouse. As a fun souvenir you can send a postcard to yourself that says “Glad you were here”.

If the weather is cold and blustery and your children end up doused in water, you can take refuge in the restaurant – with delicious hot soups and other hot food – and warm, dry souvenir t-shirts to replace the wet one.

Peggy's Cove sheltered harbour Nova Scotia

Refreshments

Summer months bring greater variety in eating treats – there is the excellent Expresso on Deck at the back of Beales’ Bailiwick serving fresh organic coffees, desserts and sodas and an excellent view of the quiet harbour. If the weather is really nice – an ice cream and a sorbet shop! Imagine the delight – savouring a hand scooped ice cream while wandering over the smooth rocks, gazing out over the quiet harbour or the frothy white waves as they pound against the rocks. The wind is blowing through your hair.

Activites

Is there more that wandering over the expansive smooth rocks and gazing our over the endless expanse of water? Absolutely! Near the public parking lot you can see the William E. deGarthe Memorial Monument – a lasting monument to Nova Scotia fishermen carved on a 100 ft granite outcropping. Perhaps Jo Beale’s Art Gallery will be open. There are a few shops to peruse. Even if you avoid crowds (summer is busy at Peggy’s Cove) Peggy’s Cove is still a delight to visit – just walk a little further tune out the crowds and tune into your own experience of Peggy’s Cove.

A word of Caution: When clamoring over the rocks stay away from the brown/wet rocks. They’re often more slippery than they look.

If you’re returning to Halifax continue on Hwy 333. The views along the way are well worth the effort.