Is Halifax Cruise Port Worth Visiting
Published February 4, 2025
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Halifax in Nova Scotia is renowned for its historic allure, fresh seafood, strong community bonds, and breathtaking natural scenery.
Its popularity is primarily due to its position on the second deepest and largest ice-free harbor globally, which has established it as a key Canadian trade port along the Atlantic coast.
So is Halifax Cruise Port worth visiting? Read on to find out!
What is the Halifax Cruise Port?
The Halifax Cruise Port is a port that has the facilities to serve the biggest cruise ships in the world.
It serve as the primary docks providing travelers with direct shore-to-ship connections to cruise terminals, known as Pavilions 20 and 22.
It also provides a delightful shopping experience with genuine Nova Scotian crafts, souvenirs, and products.
The Halifax Cruise Port provides an open, accessible area where tour buses typically await visitors participating in shore excursions.
Its Cunard Centre stands as a spacious venue that also serves cruise purposes. The harbor is small, easy to navigate on foot, and accessible for wheelchair users.
Is the Halifax Cruise Port Worth Visiting?
Yes, the Halifax Cruise Port is definitely worth visiting.
It is a valuable cruise port destination that contains abundant history, vibrant culture, and stunning natural scenery.
The port also serves as a top cultural and arts hub, featuring numerous attractions such as a cemetery dedicated to Titanic victims and historic maritime locations.
Getting Around the Halifax Cruise Port
Halifax Cruise Port boasts a reliable bus system for getting around, though the historic town is best experienced by walking since it is fairly compact and very walkable.
You can hop on a classic bus for a simple and enjoyable 90-minute tour of Halifax city.
You will journey along the stunning waterfront and visit renowned Halifax sites such as Fairview Lawn Cemetery, recognized as the burial site for the Titanic victims.
Also, limousines and taxis are easily accessible right at the terminals’ front.
A favorite activity among guests is to stroll casually along the Halifax waterfront, which is part of the lengthiest downtown boardwalks globally, featuring many attractions, cafes, restaurants, and shops.
Pier 21 exists among the most historically fascinating locations in Halifax Port, featuring Canadian Museum of Immigration directly at its dock.
That is the location where numerous immigrants arrived during the Second World War and subsequent years.
Then, just a 5-minute stroll leads to the Farmers’ Market which is 265 years old and proudly has more than 250 vendors.
Also, the Atlantic Maritime Museum is just a ten-minute stroll away. There, you will discover tales of maritime adventures and artifacts from the historic Titanic.
Don't forget to also explore the town from the Citadel National Historic Site from the 18th century.
Then, step into one of the wonderful bars and eateries in Halifax to enjoy some music and complete your day.
Their bars, eateries, shops, cafés, art galleries, and grocery stores are located just a short walk from the cruise port.
Top Spots to Visit in the Halifax Cruise Port
Alexander Keith’s Brewery
Established in 1820, this is one of North America's oldest operational breweries, committed to producing small-batch beers influenced by the local culture of Nova Scotia.
It's a quick 10-minute walk from the Halifax Cruise Port to the brewery.
This brewery provides tours with various time options and operates year-round.
Guests can explore the stunning area and discover the legacy of Mr. Keith's history, along with gaining insight into the whole brewing process.
The Art Gallery
The Nova Scotia Art Gallery is the biggest Atlantic Canada art museum, featuring more than eighteen thousand pieces by Canadian, Nova Scotian, and global artists.
This gallery also contains collections of international and national artwork, including sculptures, paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs.
It even contains ceramics and various pieces from a Permanent Collection as well as temporary exhibitions
Its renowned folk art collection is both intriguing and informative.
Amenities available on-site comprise a café, Gallery shop, and Art Sales and Rental Gallery.
You can locate this Art Gallery on Halifax's waterfront. It is a 10-minute stroll from the port cruise terminal.
Titanic Cemetery
Formally called Fairview Lawn Cemetery, this cemetery can be reached in a ten to fifteen-minute drive through Barrington Street, approximately 7 km from the Halifax cruise terminal.
This cemetery is most recognized as the last burial site for the 121 victims of the famous Titanic tragic sinking, which occurred just 700 miles from Halifax East.
The majority of the cemetery's graves are commemorated with tiny gray markers that display the name with the date of the victims’ death.
A well-known Titanic memorial is dedicated to an unknown child victim, recognized for years as “The Unknown Child”.
Neptune Theater
This is the biggest professional theater inside of Atlantic Canada, having a history that goes back to the year 1915.
It is a ten-minute walk from the cruise port, accessible via Sackville Street.
The theater features a wide range of performances, encompassing both Canadian and local-produced plays.
The shows there include Mary Poppins, Cats, Shrek, etc.
Halifax Citadel
The Halifax Citadel Site is approximately a 10-minute walk from the Halifax cruise port.
If you are using a stroller, a simple method is to access the road via Sackville Street. Then, walk along their sidewalk to reach the major entrance.
The Citadel is also accessible for wheelchair users, and there’s a fee for parking and entrance.
The Citadel's fortress shaped like a star is among the most frequented historic sites.
The stone fortress was built to withstand assaults from land as well as from the sea.
Also, at this Citadel, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about Royal Mounted Police, commonly known as “the Mounties”.
Then, the Old Clock Tower stands on Citadel's Hill, watching over the downtown area and the harbor.
You have the choice of either self-led or guided excursions that typically last between 45 and 60 minutes.
Even, there are audio-visual displays and presentations that convey the Citadel's significance in North America and Halifax's history.
You can even opt for a Ghost Tour which allows participants to discover Halifax Citadel's ghost tales and legends, operating from the middle of July through late October.
Also, at this Citadel, a noon gun ceremonial firing takes place daily all year round, serving as a remembrance of the significance of the fort in the history of the city.
While at the Citadel, don't forget to wander through the renowned streets and engage with locals as you take a break for craft beer, coffee, or wine.
St. Paul’s Anglican Church
Located in downtown Halifax, this is the city's oldest structure, established in 1749.
It is most easily accessed by walking from Halifax Port along Prince St, roughly a ten-minute stroll.
This church houses an extensive archive and it's often frequented for its renowned spectral silhouette.
Legend states that this silhouette stems from the extreme heat and light produced in 1917 by Halifax's Explosion when the outline of a church deacon was forever imprinted on a window.
Peggy’s Cove
This is a quaint rural fishing village found on St. Margaret’s Bay's eastern coastline, home to Peggy’s Point Lighthouse.
The length from the cruise port terminal to the Cove is approximately 45 km, and it requires a 50-minute drive to reach it.
The ideal way to explore it is by booking a guided excursion, particularly if the time of the ship in port is limited.
Despite its residents continuing to catch lobsters and the town retaining a quaint, unrefined look, Peggy’s Cove remains a significant tourist destination frequented by many visitors daily.
This village is dotted with aged fishing shanties, rugged coastlines, and stunning ocean vistas that give it the appearance of a living postcard.
Its lighthouse, perched on large granite boulders, is among the most snapped locations in Canada.
This charming lighthouse stands as a highlight along the Lighthouse Route in Nova Scotia, which features Halifax and several other UNESCO locations.
You can find excellent photo spots near the lighthouse, visit the monument of the fishermen, and explore the shops around Peggy’s Cove.
Point Pleasant Park
This is located in the southern part of Halifax, around two and a half kilometers from the ship terminal in Halifax.
The park covers an area of 77 ha (190 acres) and has 40 km/25 miles of meandering trails and spacious paths, with many accessible for wheelchairs.
It is an ideal location for taking in the stunning ocean scenery and for picnics.
Notable features here include diverse historic military fortifications. Guests can also encounter various coastal ecosystems.
Feel free to embark on a self-directed cultural tour, go to the beach to enjoy a swim, or attend a show by their theater company.
You may also ride a bike on marked cycling paths.
Note that the park operates from 5 am to 12 am and restroom amenities are provided.
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
This museum, Canada’s largest and oldest maritime museum, is situated just a ten-minute stroll from the Halifax Cruise Port.
It features a remarkable collection of 30000 maps, photographs, and unique books, and overlooks Halifax Harbour.
The museum also boasts the leading global wooden artifacts collection, featuring displays from the famous Titanic, such as part of the rare remaining deck chairs, gloves belonging to a millionaire, and a pair of shoes for a child of 19 months.
It also includes a 2009 exhibition, the first Canadian exhibit to examine the 1939 Jewish refugee vessel (St. Louis) journey.
Halifax Public Gardens
These Gardens represent part of the best Victorian Gardens examples and the sole remaining genuine North American Victorian Gardens.
It's a remarkable 16-acre sanctuary featuring unique trees, flowers, a lovely gazebo, and fountains.
The gardens can be found about 2 km from the cruise port, taking approximately a seven-minute drive or a 30-minute stroll, depending on the pace.
It operates each year from around May 1 to November 1, starting from 7 am until one hour prior to sunset.
The gardens additionally include a bandstand where free concerts are held on Sunday noons throughout the summer.
Even, Canada Day is observed each July 1st inside the gardens, along with Natal Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday of August.
Conclusion
Whether you like to stroll by the downtown Halifax waterfront, wander through the Public Gardens, admire the Citadel scenery, or pick up a lobster at their Farmers’ Market, there’s something for everybody at the Halifax cruise port.
