OT: Trip to Halifax help

[ohheyhemsky]

Hey, random thread, but seeing if any of you guys have been to Halifax or similar areas? Going to visit the ole'lady friend in Halifax during Reading Week, and have no idea what to do to kill time/have fun. Anyone I have asked can only offer information up to Montreal going East, so I'm not getting any help there. Online help really only goes as far as scenic walks, harbor walks, city walks -- any other walk you could think of and, well, camann. Especially in the weather I'll be flying into.


Just asking for some quick suggestions that anyone can offer?

So far I have a Moosehead game in mind on the 22nd, but that's literally about it. Leaving this Saturday.

Any help for Halifax and the surrounding areas would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks ahead of time, but if this thread just falls to the bottom of the forum ..

..

Click to read more...

 

[caperguy18]

Halifax

Hey, random thread, but seeing if any of you guys have been to Halifax or similar areas? Going to visit the ole'lady friend in Halifax during Reading Week, and have no idea what to do to kill time/have fun. Anyone I have asked can only offer information up to Montreal going East, so I'm not getting any help there. Online help really only goes as far as scenic walks, harbor walks, city walks -- any other walk you could think of and, well, camann. Especially in the weather I'll be flying into.


Just asking for some quick suggestions that anyone can offer?

So far I have a Moosehead game in mind on the 22nd, but that's literally about it. Leaving this Saturday.

Any help for Halifax and the surrounding areas would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks ahead of time, but if this thread just falls to the bottom of the forum ..

..The Alexander Keiths brewery tour is a must do,just look on the website for info.The Garrison brewery is great as well.My fave pubs there are The Split crow,Old triangle,Lower deck.There's a pub on every street downtown.The downtown is very walkable but those hills can get tough.haha The casino on the waterfront is nice,usually a live band playing.Bluenose restaurant is great for breakfast.If you have some wheels go to Peggy's cove it's worth the little drive.Have fun,Halifax is fun at anytime of the year.

halifax

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

You need to go here

http://www.darrellsrestaurants.com/

Winter time is kinda lame for east coast visiting. Most of the more enjoyable things like beaches, golf, ect. are all outdoor summer activities.

A tour of the Alexander Keith's brewery would be another suggestion.

Other than that i don't know what else there would be to do.

 

[Toydarian]

I lived and worked in the Halifax for over 2 months this past summer, and I can't really give any good suggestions (not to suggest there aren't any). Downtown is nice.

 

[sepHF]

Bring a bottle of screech and a fiddle

 

[nsoilfan]

they also have the skating ovel! you can rent skates right there.

There is a bunch of museums / such as pier 21 / science center.

the bars are great in halifax...look to get your hands on the coast mag. it will tell you everything that is going on that week.

on line link: http://www.thecoast.ca/

 

[40oz]

Bring a bottle of screech and a fiddle

Wrong province there sir.

You need to go here

http://www.darrellsrestaurants.com/

Winter time is kinda lame for east coast visiting. Most of the more enjoyable things like beaches, golf, ect. are all outdoor summer activities.

A tour of the Alexander Keith's brewery would be another suggestion.

Other than that i don't know what else there would be to do.

Yes! The Peanut Butter Burger is incredible.
Keiths tour was fun too, but I didn't expect it to be.

I'd definetly recommend a trip up to Cape Breton, the Cabot trail is an amazing drive with incredible hikes. But I don't know how nice it'll be this time of the year.

If you have a couple hours to spare (and a car) Peggys Cove is decent.
Downtown Halifax is great to walk around in, Barrington has some good shopping, lots of pubs and restaurants. Definetly do the Citadel, really cool.

edit:

Learn all the lyrics to this song.
Known them by heart, your Halifax experience wont be complete until you drunkinly sing this in a pub.

 

[Dorian2]

I haven't been there, but relatives who go on a yearly basis, in the summer, go to allot of the live band gigs around the area. The fun factor may depend on if you like that type of music or not though.

There are some really good musicians in the area.

 

[JMecc]

Economy shoe shop restaurant (theeconomyshoeshopgroup.ca/economyshoeshop/2012/).

Keith's factory.

Downtown.

Get a Donair. See the hfoil Donair thread - best place for that is supposed to be halifax.

 

[nsoilfan]

Wrong province there sir.



Yes! The Peanut Butter Burger is incredible.
Keiths tour was fun too, but I didn't expect it to be.

I'd definetly recommend a trip up to Cape Breton, the Cabot trail is an amazing drive with incredible hikes. But I don't know how nice it'll be this time of the year.

If you have a couple hours to spare (and a car) Peggys Cove is decent.
Downtown Halifax is great to walk around in, Barrington has some good shopping, lots of pubs and restaurants. Definetly do the Citadel, really cool.

edit:

Learn all the lyrics to this song.
Known them by heart, your Halifax experience wont be complete until you drunkinly sing this in a pub.

this is true!!!

 

[Raab]

Not much to do during the winter down there. Is reading week the end of March? If so you might get lucky and be able to find a Maple sugar Camp which is fun. Also the confederation bridge and Pei is always nice to visit. Take the confed bridge unto the island then take the ferry back to Nova Scotia and you won't have to pay the toll.

 

[40oz]

Economy shoe shop restaurant (theeconomyshoeshopgroup.ca/economyshoeshop/2012/).

Keith's factory.

Downtown.

Get a Donair. See the hfoil Donair thread - best place for that is supposed to be halifax.

Good god yes, eating a donair in Halifax is a must. Also, it seems like every donair shop had the worlds best pizza and poutine too.

You have to check out King of Donair, that's where the modern donair was born.
It's not the best in town, but it's worth checking out.

I made a thread about going to Halifax for the first time a few years ago when I went for the Pop Explosion. Lots of great advice in that thread:
Linky

 

[KenLinsemanFanClub]

Halifax is a University town and there is usually lots of action at the pubs most any night. Loads of pretty women having fun. The Split Crow is a good suggestion and there is another bar with a big dance floor in an ancient building below the Citadel that I am having trouble remembering the name of but is a great place for live music. To get a good view of the city from the water you can take the sea bus to Dartmouth and back. It's inexpensive and gives you a new perspective. Alternatively, there are a few tours you can take from the harbour that are worth going on, including a tall ship and a Duck amphibious vehicle that does both land and water. Not sure if they are running this time of year though.

 

[nesbit_21]

I moved from edmonton to halifax not too long ago. my impressions so far...

clearly, its a university town...with at least 3 major schools within the core of the city. as such, lots of young people and yes lots of pretty ladies. however, dont be fooled...these are students and theyre STUDYING...this doesnt automatically equate to party town, however reading week will be a little different no doubt. in my experience, the bars here suck...and ive been to most of them. im not a club person, or a fan of anywhere that blasts top 40 for d-bags to dance to, but if you are...you will find something im sure. there are some irish/east coast style pubs of course and if thats your thing (its not mine) then you should be ok. my kind of places are few and far between but so far Gus's pub (bit of a dive in terms of a bar but if nothing else go during the day for EXCELLENT burgers) and charlies club have fit the bill adequately, cheap, interesting selection of people, etc. the seahorse tavern is alright if there is a decent show going on (thats another thing, nightlife here is based largely around live music...great if the band doesnt such but a lot of the time, they do...)

in terms of the city, its very nice, not too big or too small...friendly people, fairly vibrant for its size...unfortunately the weather this winter has been pretty awful and its not going to get any better for reading week. and scenic "walks" will be more or less spoiled by all the snow and ice. bummer, because the city IS very walkable and the ocean/harbor are very nice. of course those walks dont just disappear when its cold and icy, but they will be much less enjoyable. best bet for that kind of thing is to start south, point pleasant park is great (in the summer) and head north to downtown which is small enough to walk in an hour or so but big enough to find some interesting places to stop and eat/shop along the way...continue to the north end (hipster, up-and coming neighborhood, lots of small shops and restaurants)...hydrostone market area is particularly nice (salvatores pizza has the best pie in town). As others have mentioned, you can take a couple brewery tours. there are some art galleries (NSCAD university is one of the finest art schools in NA) and i think taking in a mooseheads game would be pretty fun. Someone mentioned to pick up a copy of their local free paper, the coast, and that should lead you in which ever way youre looking to go.

there are some museums to check out, none of which i can vouch for because i havent been yet. there are quite a few decent places to eat (hopefully you like seafood) but to be honest i would not recommend the donairs. i know, this is "where they started" but i have had MUCH better donairs in edmonton than i have had here. and really...if youre going someone on a trip to see a lady friend...i think you can find something better to eat than greasy donairs.

over all, nice city, nice people and there IS a fair bit to do...unfortunately however, your timing and the weather are not going to be in agreement, by the looks of things. that said, it shouldnt stop you from having fun...if you like to get drunk.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Holy cow. Thanks a lot guys. The exact type of information I wanted/needed.

Thanks guys.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

I moved from edmonton to halifax not too long ago. my impressions so far...

clearly, its a university town...with at least 3 major schools within the core of the city. as such, lots of young people and yes lots of pretty ladies. however, dont be fooled...these are students and theyre STUDYING...this doesnt automatically equate to party town, however reading week will be a little different no doubt. in my experience, the bars here suck...and ive been to most of them. im not a club person, or a fan of anywhere that blasts top 40 for d-bags to dance to, but if you are...you will find something im sure. there are some irish/east coast style pubs of course and if thats your thing (its not mine) then you should be ok. my kind of places are few and far between but so far Gus's pub (bit of a dive in terms of a bar but if nothing else go during the day for EXCELLENT burgers) and charlies club have fit the bill adequately, cheap, interesting selection of people, etc. the seahorse tavern is alright if there is a decent show going on (thats another thing, nightlife here is based largely around live music...great if the band doesnt such but a lot of the time, they do...)

in terms of the city, its very nice, not too big or too small...friendly people, fairly vibrant for its size...unfortunately the weather this winter has been pretty awful and its not going to get any better for reading week. and scenic "walks" will be more or less spoiled by all the snow and ice. bummer, because the city IS very walkable and the ocean/harbor are very nice. of course those walks dont just disappear when its cold and icy, but they will be much less enjoyable. best bet for that kind of thing is to start south, point pleasant park is great (in the summer) and head north to downtown which is small enough to walk in an hour or so but big enough to find some interesting places to stop and eat/shop along the way...continue to the north end (hipster, up-and coming neighborhood, lots of small shops and restaurants)...hydrostone market area is particularly nice (salvatores pizza has the best pie in town). As others have mentioned, you can take a couple brewery tours. there are some art galleries (NSCAD university is one of the finest art schools in NA) and i think taking in a mooseheads game would be pretty fun. Someone mentioned to pick up a copy of their local free paper, the coast, and that should lead you in which ever way youre looking to go.

there are some museums to check out, none of which i can vouch for because i havent been yet. there are quite a few decent places to eat (hopefully you like seafood) but to be honest i would not recommend the donairs. i know, this is "where they started" but i have had MUCH better donairs in edmonton than i have had here. and really...if youre going someone on a trip to see a lady friend...i think you can find something better to eat than greasy donairs.

over all, nice city, nice people and there IS a fair bit to do...unfortunately however, your timing and the weather are not going to be in agreement, by the looks of things. that said, it shouldnt stop you from having fun...if you like to get drunk.

Moderators, this is grounds for an immediate ban.

 

[40oz]

Moderators, this is grounds for an immediate ban.

Agree'd.

I could see how some people could prefer the frills and gimmicks of Edmonton ones. But there's something about the simplicity of a mountain of thinly sliced donair meat drenched in sweet sauce that you get in Halifax that I've never been able to find here.

 

[caperguy18]

KOD=King of donair,best donair ever!It's on pizza corner in Halifax.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Now I'm just searching Donair stops in Halifax. Haha, the stomach is grumbling.

Tony's Donair. Has anyone been there? I've read some good reviews so far.

 

[Replacement*]

I really enjoy Halifax and Nova Scotia but its just the wrong time of year to visit and see the splendid green of say Cape Breton and any of the natural beauty of the province.

As mentioned some interesting museums. I like the maritime museum, the Museum of Immigration, the Fort citadel, HMCS Sackville, and the Fairview Cemetary(no i'm not typically into that but this is the eternal resting place many of the ill fated Titanic deceased. ) In anycase the cemetaries are beautiful and with the elaborate and huge historic tombstones seldom found today.

With that said the one thing you want to go to Halifax with is a sense of the history of the area.

Most people from Canada would have immigrants that came through that harbor. This is Canada's version of Ellis Island.

Next, look out over the Bedford basin and imagine the most powerful, non nuclear human created explosion ever that took place right in that bay and leveled a good part of Halifax at the time. An ammunitions ship was hit by another ship right in the basin. Nearly a century ago. So many people here have never heard of this. Its the most disastrous event the nation has ever seen on its own *soil*.

Halifax is about as close to "old world" as it gets on this continent both geographically and in its surviving architecture. Its the complete opposite of Edmonton in that regard.

By all means go drinking out in the town and the best looking co-eds you'll find anywhere. Afairc females greatly outnumber males as well although that could've changed. Its not at all like the sausage fests you run into here in Canada's Oil and gas province.

If you have time take the train back to Toronto and may stop in Quebec city as well if you like History at all. Although I'd recommend anybody see this country via the rails.

 

[40oz]

Now I'm just searching Donair stops in Halifax. Haha, the stomach is grumbling.

Tony's Donair. Has anyone been there? I've read some good reviews so far.

Venus Donair on Barrington is excellent (i think that's what it's called).

 

[Oi'll say!]

Halifax is pub crawl heaven if you're looking for a night on the town. The last time I was there they had a mall-sized area known as the liquordome that encompassed about 7 or 8 different bars that used to be separate entities. I was past my drinking days at that point so I didn't go there but I used to frequent that area in the late 80's and it was awesome back then compared to anything in Victoria or Vancouver.

The donairs are epic, try the "sweet sauce" or "Halifax sauce" as it's known out west.

If you're into architecture you'll be taking lots of pictures of the buildings. Lots of beautiful old-skool masonry work and wrought-iron fences that you don't see in the praries.

I miss Halifax, I'll be going there with the fam soon hopefully.