Fun

Get outside on the Emera Oval year-round! In-line skating in the summer and ice skating in the winter. The Emera Oval is the largest outdoor, artificially-refrigerated ice surface east of Quebec City. An added bonus? Free skates are provided with valid government ID!

Unleash your lumberjack! If life has you stressed, and you need to blow off some steam, the Timber Lounge is the perfect place to do that. Believe it or not, but the whole entire purpose of the Timber Lounge is to throw axes at things!

The Halifax Harbour is an amazing resource. Not only does it provide great views from the Halifax and Dartmouth waterfronts, but it can be enjoyed by boat. There are several sailing tours that will take you around the harbour in style, including the Tall Ship Silva. There are also several yacht clubs that give lessons in smaller sailboats. Or you can even rent kayaks or canoes from places like the St. Mary’s Boat Club or Halifax Kayaks on the waterfront.

Believe it or not, people travel from all over the world to surf on the shores of Lawrencetown, located about 30 minutes from Halifax. While it can seem pretty intimidating, there are many ways to ease yourself into the sport. You can call East Coast Surf School, who will provide you with all your gear, a world-class lesson and teach you some surf etiquette. You can also just rent a surfboard and wetsuit and go for it.

Visit the award-winning Alexander Keith’s Brewery tour to get a glimpse inside the story of how this legendary beer came to be raised in Nova Scotia. Tours are offered Friday’s, Saturdays ad Sundays.

You can see it from the Halifax waterfront, sitting there in the harbour. No, not that little island, that’s George’s Island. It’s that big one just a little bit further out in the harbour. McNab’s is somehow still a mystery to many who are from Halifax, yet it is only a short boat ride or kayak away. So why is McNabs on this list? Because no other major city in the world has an undeveloped island gem just minutes from the downtown core, ready for you to explore.

McNab’s is full of history, with a Parks Canada site and old forts and buildings that give a glimpse into what life used to be on the island. The island is about 5km long, and can be easily travelled with good ocean view trails and an old road that runs through the island. McNab’s gives some incredible views of Halifax and out towards the Atlantic Ocean, where soldiers used to survey the waters for German u-boats. There is a lighthouse and a remarkably beautiful beach. You can even camp on McNabs and relax and watch the sunset over the city of Halifax.

Getting there: You can kayak or take your own boat and enter at McNab’s Cove or Wreck Cove. Or you can get there by various charter boats. If you charter a boat, ask if you can take your bike with you, having your bike is an amazing way to zip around the island.

While a good portion of the Harbour Hopper tour takes place on land, the best part of the family-friendly experience is when the amphibious vehicle makes its way out onto the water. Get the best possible view of Halifax while enjoying the salty ocean breeze.

Climb to the top of The Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and meet your historically costumed guide on the drawbridge at the main gate.  For 70 minutes, you’ll be led by candlelight through tunnels, prison cells, and restricted areas of Canada’s most haunted historic site, to hear true accounts of unexplained events in their actual locations.