Historic Walking Tour : Downtown Halifax

Stop 1: Citadel Hill (5425 Sackville St, Halifax, NS B3J 3Y3)

Citadel Hill is Halifax’s most well known National Historic Site. It is the highest point in Halifax overlooking the waterfront from above. “Every day, the Citadel comes to life with the sounds and color of its military interpreters, the 78th Highlanders and the Royal Artillery. Dressed in the same uniforms that their respective regiments wore in the mid-1800s, the 78th Highlanders guard the Citadel’s entrance and conduct marching and band drills on the parade grounds.” (NovaScotia, 2024). Once a critical defense fortification for the city, the Citadel now serves as a place for picnics, fireworks, events, concerts, and exploration of the historic site that once protected Halifax.

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Stop 2: Grand Parade Square Halifax (1841 Argyle St. Halifax, NS)

Downhill from the Citadel Hill and towards the waterfront reaches the Grand Parade Square. This square dates back to 1749 when Halifax was first Settled by the British. “The plan stipulated a church at the southern end of the square, and a courthouse and prison at the northern end” (ParksCanada, ND).

Starting at the southern end of the square lies the oldest building in Halifax, St Paul's Church. “This beautiful Church was created in Palladian Architecture, this uses an ancient Greek and Roman style. This church takes after St Peters church in London England and it is the First protestant church in Canada.  

Towards the middle of the square lies the Cenotaph: The Cenotaph was created in the middle of the square as a war memorial paying respects to lost soldiers who lost their lives in WW1, WW11, and the Korean War. The Fallen Peace Officers Memorial is also located within the middle of the square recognizing the Chief of Police, RCMP, Military Police, and other law enforcement individuals who have passed while in the line of duty.

Within the Northern end of the square lies what once was the courthouse and prison within Halifax. When settlers first arrived in Halifax this building was used as the central gathering place, until it was soon turned into Dalhousie University in 1824. This school's location later caused some tensions with religious people within the community, and other Nova Scotian schools, so Dalhousie University changed locations to Robie and Lemarchant street, where it stands today. The city decided to change what once was Dalhousie university into the City Hall, and it still stands today. 

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Stop 4: Province House (1726 Hollis St, Halifax)

Just to the right of Joseph Howe’s statue stands Province House, a historic and architecturally significant building that serves as the heart of Nova Scotia's government. As the oldest legislative building in Canada, Province House has witnessed many pivotal moments in the province's history since its completion in 1819.

Inside Province House, several key areas offer a glimpse into Nova Scotia's political past and present:

• Legislative Library: This space once hosted famous trials. The room that now houses the library was originally designed as a courtroom, complete with a spectator area and judges' bench. Today, the benches have been replaced by library desks and shelves filled with books, yet the space still retains an air of its former importance.

• Legislative Assembly Chamber: This grand chamber is where Nova Scotia’s Legislature meets each year to debate and pass laws. The room is steeped in tradition, with members gathering here to shape the future of the province, just as they have for over two centuries.

• Red Chamber: Once a venue for grand events, receptions, and even balls, the Red Chamber now serves as a reminder of the building's vibrant social history. While it no longer hosts such festivities, its opulent decor and rich history make it a fascinating part of any visit.

• Exhibit Room: This room offers a comprehensive exhibit on the evolution of Nova Scotia’s government. Visitors can explore how the political landscape has changed over the years and learn about the leaders who played significant roles in shaping the province's history. Through interactive displays and historical artifacts, the exhibit provides a deep dive into the workings of government and the legacy of key figures like Joseph Howe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_House_%28Nova_Scotia%29

Stop 3) Joseph Howe Statue - 1690 Hollis St, Halifax,

Within the Province House by the waterfront there is a carved out garden area that holds the statue of Joseph Howe. Joseph had many roles throughout his life. He was a journalist, premier, and politician. He is well known throughout Nova Scotian history for his opinion to reject the idea of confederation. He thought that Canada being a unified nation would hurt Nova Scotia's economy and identity. Once Canada was formed he joined the federal government and advocated for Nova Scotia until he passed in 1873.

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Stop 5: First Bank of Nova Scotia - Now known as Scotiabank

The first bank of Nova Scotia was located on Hollis Street. This consisted first of tellers, a cashier, and one messenger. This bank eventually expanded to P.E.I and St John New Brunswick, and then onto Manitoba, Winnipeg, and the US. Now this Canadian architecture hosts Atlantic Canada's regional office, because it was no longer big enough to be the main bank for Canada. Now Scotiabank is an International name.

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Statue of Lebanese Immigrant (1599 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS)

This statue was made to commemorate the large Lebanese community that immigrated to Canada, some made their way over in the late 1800s without knowledge of what they would find in Nova Scotia when they arrived. They traveled to new land and established a presence here in Canada while facing cultural and language barriers to create growth in generations today. Escaping the Lebanese Civil war in 1973, Canada saw the largest influx of Lebanese immigration to date. It is estimated that 250 000 people of Lebanese origin live in Canada and they make up the largest community of Arabic speakers. And let’s not forget how they cemented themselves here in Halifax by creating (debatably) the most Haligonian food their is: the donair.

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=139674

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Stop 6: Cows Ice Creamery (1751 Lower Water St, Halifax)

To end off this tour we are are going to bring you into a more modern history because if you’re this close to the waterfront you can’t skip a stop at Cows Ice Cream. Cows was first created in Prince Edward Island in 1983, and so was Sam just a few short years later, and was name Canada’s Best Ice Cream, as well as claiming Tauk World Discoveries top spot for Top Ten Ice Cream Places for Ice Cream in the World! All of their ice cream is made in PEI with Island dairy but can now be found in many cities coast to coast across Canada. There are over 32 flavors produced in Charlottetown today, and we recommend ending off a day of exploring the history of Halifax with this famous sweet treat. So don’t skip a cone, they are mooverlous!

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Sources For Research:

Grand Parade in Halifax, Canada. GPSmyCity. (n.d.). https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/grand-parade-44950.html 

Grand Parade. (n.d.). https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=3146

Halifax Citadel National Historic Site: Tourism Nova Scotia, Canada. Tourism Nova Scotia. (n.d.). https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/attractions/halifax-citadel-national-historic-site/1440 

Nagelsb. (2020, October 22). Province House: A self-guided virtual tour. Nova Scotia Legislature. https://nslegislature.ca/get-involved/visit-province-house/virtual-tour 

The scotiabank story. Scotiabank Global Site. (n.d.). https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/about/our-company/archives/our-exhibits/the-scotiabank-story.html 

Walking Tour: Lets Explore North End Halifax

Sam and I have worked to create a walking tour for those looking to get out of downtown Halifax and explore more of the North End’s charm! We have compiled a list of our favorite local eateries, and shops and have lots of fun facts to share along the way.

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1) Dee Dee’s Ice Cream (5668 Nora Bernard St, Halifax)

Dee Dee's Ice cream is a north end gem, its the only place around here that can make a breakfast burrito almost as good as their unique ice cream flavours. To start off the tour we recommend starting the day with their 12” wrapped burritos filled with beans, cheese, fresh salsa, and your choice of meat and add-ons.  These burritos are huge and will leave you ready to start the day (food is fuel)!

Hours:

12-9pm tues-sun

Closed Mon

Photo: AR Team

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2) Halifax Commons (5816 Cogswell St, Halifax, NS)

Just a 6 minute walk from Dee Dees lies the Halifax Common. The locals just call it The Commons, and it is considered to be Canada’s oldest urban park. It used to be a place where the citizens of Halifax could bring their livestock to graze, but that was a long time ago. Now it plays host to many festivals and events, and is home to the skating Emera Oval, where in the winter you can rent ice skates in the winter or rollerblades and roller skates in the summer. And new this year, they opened a new public pool and splash pad, which we highly recommend visiting on a hot day. Universal changing rooms and day lockers are available (must bring your own lock). 

Best part is: you can enjoy all of this for free! 

Hours:

Emera Oval current schedule: Here

Swimming Schedule: Here

Photo: AR Team

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3) Good Robot Brewing - The Commons Beer Garden & Good Robot Shop (2223 North Park St, Halifax, NS)

Good Robot has a few great places around HRM, but their outdoor beer garden is where we want to be this summer.  They have plenty beers on tap and unique seltzers, I recommend chatting with the friendly staff if you are not quite sure what you would like to try. I was recommended the passionfruit orange guava seltzer, and it was (for lack of better word) perfect. Good Robot is right off the commons, which is  a great location for a sunset view, and in case you are hungry they have a woodfired oven with some amazing bbq styled food & healthy options (falafel bowl, kale salad, ribs, hotdogs, you name it).

Hours:

12-8pm mon - sun

Photo: AR Team

Photo: AR Team

Photo: AR Team

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4) Slowly Slowly (5685 Cunard Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Slowly slowly is a cute little shop just 8 mins from the commons with great quality items, each item line strategically picked with a story behind it’s creation. There are many different products from women run and locally owned businesses and we recommend giving them a walkthrough if you get the chance.

Hours:

Closed Mondays

Tues - Wed & Sat ~ 11:00am - 5:00pm

Thurs - Fri ~ 11:00am - 6:00pm

Sunday ~ 11:00am - 4:00pm

Photo: AR Team

Photo: AR Team

Photo: AR Team

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5) Cafe Lara (2347 Agricola St, Halifax, NS)

After stopping by Slowly Slowly just a 2 minute walk down Agricola street lies Cafe Lara. This European styled cafe has excellent coffee and is a great spot to recharge before exploring more of the town, or to sit and relax. 

Hours: 8am-6pm daily !

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6) Lost & Found (2383 Agricola St)

Lost & Found has curated secondhand pieces. Local jewelry, fashion, and art. They have a great atmosphere inside with super friendly staff.

Hours:

11am-6pm (Thurs-Sun, Tues-Weds)

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7) HalI Deli (2389 Agricola St, Halifax NS)

Definitely a local greasy spoon, Hali Deli boasts many Jewish favorites like matzo ball soup and brisket, but a lot of people come by for their big and delicious breakfast, we dare you to finish it all!

Hours:

Weekdays: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

WeekendsL 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

AR Photo

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8) Luke’s small goods (2393 Agricola St, Halifax)

Not even one minute away from Lost & Found is Luke’s Small Goods. They carry simple, authentic baked goods, sandwiches and breakfast items. We recommend stopping in to Luke's while on the way to explore some more or even taking a sandwich to enjoy at Citadel Hill.

Hours:

Monday - Saturday - 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

SundayClosed

AR Photo

AR Photo

AR Photo

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9) The Stillwell Freehouse (2534 Agricola St, Halifax, NS)

The Stillwell Freehouse has great apps and even better beer. They have a open concept space thats great for socializing and coming by with a group if you have the time. They also have a patio outside great for a summertime pint.

MON — THU: 4—12am

Fri & SAT: 12—1am

SUN: 12—11pm

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10) Halifax Vintage co-op (2623 Agricola Street, Halifax NS)

This vintage store has 20+ vendors with amazing thrifted clothing pieces in the upstairs. Dishware, furniture, and more can also be found on their main floor. It’s truly a cool spot to check out while you’re walking by but I don’t need to tell you the photos speak for themselves.

Hours:

11 a.m. - 7 p.m each day

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11) Brothers meat and delicates (2665 Agricola St, Halifax, NS)

This family run business has been a North End staple for over 60 years. They are known for their world famous pepperoni and sausages and we recommend taking some home with you, like the many maritimers living abroad who fill their suitcases on visits “home.”

Hours:

8 a.m - 6 p.m Mon - Sat

Closed Sun

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12) Reiyee Clothing (5765 May St, Halifax, NS)

This vintage store is a gem hidden and you might just miss it when passing on to our next stop but we think it’s a must visit. They have some amazing vintage clothing, furniture, and more that can be bought sold or traded within the store.

Hours:

12-6pm Tues - Sun

12) Agricola Street Books (2684 Agricola St, Halifax, NS)

This two story bookstore has beautiful wooden features and is a great place to stop and find something to read. They will also take a book from guests looking to return old books for store credit.

10 a.m - 6 p.m Mon-Thurs

10 a.m - 8 p.m Fri

9 a.m - 6 p.m Sat

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun

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14) Bar Kismet (2733 Agricola St, Halifax, NS)

Bar kismet was recognized as the best International Restaurant Bar in Forbes 2024 Spirited Awards. This bar was also seen to be 9th best bar in the list of 100 best restaurants in Canada. They have a comfortable dining area with simple and fresh seafood and cocktails served in an enchanting atmosphere.

Hours:

Tues-Sun 5-11pm

Mon: Closed

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15) Espresso 46 (2867 Isleville St, Halifax, NS)

Espresso 46 is in our humble opinion (and many others) home to the best coffee in Halifax.  Locals treat this cafe like it is a community hub, but don’t worry you’re still invited even if you don’t live in the North End. They serve coffee from a window and have indoor and outdoor seating. The owner is Italian and you can see his background shine through the decor and style of this cafe and how he somehow remembers the names and gossip of all his customers. Attached to the cafe is a market with fresh fruit and veggies!

Hours: 8am - 3pm Tues-Sat

Closed Mon & Sun

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16) Hydrostone Market (5547 Young St, Halifax NS)

The Hydrostone Market  is a beautiful turnaround point for our walking tour.  Famous for its unique architecture it was built after the Halifax explosion and has a European feel with a large green boulevard  in the middle with trees and benches you can take a shady break here  and relax. There is some of the best pizza in Halifax offered at Salvatores Pizza, along with Julien's Patisserie Bakery & Cafe, and the Halifax Cheese shop. This is a great place to pick up pizza to go, a sweet treat from the bakery, coffee, and more. The Hydrostone is also just a 5 minute walk from the Fort Needham Memorial Park, which is a great spot to picnic and is a Memorial park honouring the Halifax explosion.

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17) The Narrows (2720 Gottigen Street)

This north end pub took awhile to get going but was well worth the wait. They took an old historic house and renovated it perfectly making it feel like it has been a favorite for years. They often have live music and offer fresh authentic maritime dishes that you usually only find in your grandmother’s  kitchen.

Hours:

Tuesday - CLOSED

Sunday-Thursday 11am - Midnight 

Friday & Saturday 11am-12:30am

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18) Meyvn thrift shop (2240 Gottingen St)

Meyvn is a sweet shop with even sweeter clothes. They carry sustainable clothing for everyone and have lots of fun pieces to pick through if you get the chance to pop in.

Hours:

11am-6pm Tues - Fri

11am-5pm Sat

Closed Mon

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19) Bus Stop Theatre (2203 Gottingen Street)

The Bus Stop Theatre has been operating in Kjipuktuk/Halifax since 2003 and became a co-operative in 2012. One of few professionally equipped black box theatres in town they host theatre performances,of course, but also act as a community arts space for many other events like concerts, movies, workshops and more.

Public Open Hours: Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m

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20) Radstorm (2177 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS)

Radstorm is a non-profit community arts centre. Their code of conduct is to offer a dry, inclusive, and safe venue for music shows and events. While also hosting a recording studio, events, screen printing,zine library, art exhibitions, and more.

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21) Ratinaud (2157 Gotingen Street)

This shop is home to some of the best charcuterie and cheese you can find in the city. They believe in local and high quality ingredients and prepare everything from saucissson sec, mouth watering rillets, duck prosciutto and so much more in house. And as if that wasn’t enough  to get you in the door they also boast the best cheese selection in the city. This would be a great place to grab some snacks for a Charcuterie board, or for a trip to the Citadel hill to watch the sunset with a beautiful view of the city.

Hours:

10am-6pm Weds-Fri

9am-5pm Sat

10am-5pm Sun

Closed Mon & Tues

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22) Back to Dee Dees for ice cream!!

The final and tastiest stop is Dee Dees again! Who doesn't want to end a walking tour with some well deserved ice cream? They update their flavours in the website each day but we recommend walking in for a surprise, we promise it will be worth it!

Hours:

12-9pm tues-sun

Closed Mon

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Amy’s Shore Lunch Food Truck

Amy’s Shore Lunch Food Truck is the perfect stop for fresh sushi bowls with seasonal ingredients within Lunenburg, Bridgewater, and Blockhouse (daily schedule). I had an amazing time learning about Amy’s business ventures, and what it takes to run and operate a food truck. Amy has been feeding Nova Scotian's fresh (and delicious) sushi for three years now and has perfected her sushi bowls to a tee. Our visit gave my coworker Andrew and I the perfect excuse to grab some yummy sushi from her truck on our tour, and our steak sushi bowls were exceptional. Let's dive into Amy’s story and learn more about what made this business come to life. 

Why did you decide to operate a food truck business?

This was born out of the Pandemic! I was the Sous Chef of Lincon Street Food when I got pregnant in 2019 and then the pandemic happened two weeks after our daughter was born. I couldn't be at work for 11 hours a day and realized it was time to be a cook in another capacity. I focused on my maternity leave about what would be best for me. I did a business class program and learned that I wanted to put myself in a position with low overhead. I didn't want to take out a large loan for a storefront, and being a chef in Lunenburg means working the whole summer as thats when people are here. I was tired of being inside so this was my compromise! I work the whole summer but get to be outside. We built the trailer together in 2021 and have been working since.

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Favorite and Least Favorite Part of working on the road

Least favorite is how labor intensive it is. Lots of reaching, cranking, and pushing goes on to set this all up. My favorite part is working for myself and calling my own shots for the first time in my life.

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Where is the furthest place you have gone?

Petit reverie for a wedding. It was 45 km. I have also gone to oak island a couple of times but the people that stay at oak island do not like my food. It was really quite humorous actually, there were a lot of people from Texas that were like Sushi?!? That's crazy! They were not the right audience.

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Where do you supply your food from?

Most of the veggies come from the farmers market Rumtopf Farm in Lunenburg. I also use Soil Mates Farm and source the rice from two Asian grocery stores in the City.

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On Top of Amy providing cleansing fresh food to Nova Scotians, she also is an extremely talented artist and supermom on the side. To learn more about Amy and her business click here!

Make sure to check out her Instagram for when she might be near you next. ;)

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*Text edited for clarity

A sneak peek into this years Jazz Fest:

I recently got the pleasure to meet Andrew Jackson, the Artistic Director of this years Jazz Fest. For those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure, Andrew is a trombonist and composer born and raised in Halifax, and he has been helping Jazz Festivals come to life for 7 years! I picked Andrew's brain about what to expect from this year's Jazz Fest, upcoming artists, free venues to check out this year, and more! Let's take a closer look into our chat:

Picture of the TD Jazz Festival Stage

What goes into finding artists for each new Festival?

Since it's an international festival we have people coming from all over, which is exciting. It is also a year long event (meaning we start to organize for the next year's festival a year ahead of time). For us, being here on the East Coast, we rely on a lot of touring networks so that artists can play a bunch of different shows in Canada on their way to  the East Coast, for example the artist Killer Mike can play a lot of Canadian dates and end here on the East Coast. That is an important piece of the puzzle for us to coordinate around. We get together every fall to connect and share ideas of who could come join us. We also have a volunteer group and consult with friends and other experts in the field to listen to new ideas or suggestions for the performance.

Is there someone in particular that you are excited to see at this year's festival?

I can’t choose favorites since my role is working on the bookings for the festivals, but I am generally most excited for this festival in particular in the sense that every day there is something different to discover. You could have hiphop one night and a folk artist the next.

What are you going to bring to this year's festival that we have not yet seen in the past?

A lot of the wide range of artists we are bringing this year is larger than the past. At least speaking from my experience, since starting these festivals there are so many artists that are performing in different languages this year. We have Iraqi performers, Ukrainian performers, Venezuelan performers, and overall people are coming all over to perform bringing a wide range of cultures to the stage.

A performer he has asked/would love to come to Halifax that hasn’t? 

Lots of people. There are artists that I have tried to get and it just doesn't work out so sometimes you just get lucky. Some people I have been looking forward to have been Lake Street Dive, The Roots, Herbie Hancock, overall lots and lots of people that I would love to have.

Do you have a favorite performance that you have seen at Jazz fest?

There are definitely highlights, when it comes to booking something you never know how it is going to go prior to performing. Sometimes it exceeds your expectations and on occasion it doesn't meet your expectations. There have been many performances over the years and one performer that completely blew me away was Sheila E. She was a longtime collaborator with Prince. Overall there is something every year that blows me away.

Now as someone (such as myself) who doesn't listen to Jazz regularly can you tell me what this festival brings and why people all over Atlantic Canada come to see these performances from artists around the world?

This music festival is very unique if you look at a majority of the programming for the festival. If there isn't a genre you are super familiar with, there are daytime performances of the festival that are free to attend! From Weds-Sat of the festival there is free programming on the festival mainstage, and it features some amazing Jazz acts to get introduced to it. We also do a series of concerts at St. Matthew's United Church and we have some of the best guitarists in the world coming. We have an amazing guitarist Julian Lage and an amazing pianist named Emmet Cohen. I am almost certain that anyone that goes to see those shows, even if you aren't familiar with the genre, will find that it’s really amazing. Emmet Cohen, for example, is pretty classic Jazz but it will be a very upbeat and fun show to checkout.

Is there anything you have noticed from how the festival has changed ?

It has definitely evolved, we now have much bigger acts we wouldn't have before and the festival really has developed into Halifax’s premiere music festival. It’s changed because we obviously had a large change from the pandemic with online performance, so now we're really seeing the change and it's been interesting to see the difference from what we were before the pandemic to now. I feel like especially last year and hopefully this year the energy to get outside and see shows is really high, and I feel like people have a very positive outlook on live music now, so that's what I've seen and it's been very different.

What was the reason why you steered away from solely Jazz music?

Happened more organically. I think with the growth of the festival being the biggest festival in the province today, it is inclusive of people offering that wide variety of the festival but we wouldn't ever change the name of the festival because at the core of it its jazz music and we wouldn't want that to change. Also lots of people have different ideas on what Jazz is but as a genre it's so wide and expansive that it can include different genres of music. I think we are always including hip-hop which is black music and you can always trace the lineage to the original African American music which is Jazz so it's important to recognize that history.

Since starting out, what have you learned and taken away from these festivals?

I don't get as stressed as I used to. At the end of the day we put out our best efforts to make the festival as great as we can and the rest we can't control. I have learned to be even keeled about it and at the end of the day it doesn't do anyone any good freaking out while trying to organize. I play music and perform as well, and working for the Jazz Festival has taught me a lot about that side of the music business and what it takes. I see all of these artists' contracts and what they need to get ready to make a great performance so I can take that back to the bands I work with and bring that professionalism to my own music as well. 

Where are the outdoor venues this year!

Weekend series in the Hydrostone Market on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival. People come out with lawn chairs and can sit and it's awesome, it's lots of fun. We also have a series in Dartmouth at the alderney ferry park. We do a park stage and this year are partnering with the  African Nova Scotia Music Association running alongside the farmers market. It will start at 10am and go on until 3pm. There are kid friendly performances and it’s a lot of fun.

And there you have it, a taste of what the Jazz fest will look like through Andrew’s view. If you are inspired to learn more about the programming and getting tickets click here!

Can’t wait to see you all there and see some of Andrew's hard work come to life!

Did Someone say Yogi Summer??

One of the many gems of living in Halifax is that when searching for upcoming festivals “Yoga Fest” is not out of the question. I expected to sign up for a night of music and drinks and ended up with tickets to hang out with yogis in the BMO Soccer Centre? 

P.s for those worried I will be going back for the music tickets (balance is key).

I feel like I should be honest here and let you all know that growing up I was the class clown of yoga classes. I had a routine of sitting in the back, giggling while half upside down in the downwards dog position, and taking very little seriously (until the meditation at the end of class would roll around). Since then, I have grown to appreciate yoga. I will admit this started due to the fact that I often feel 10 years older than my age due to minimal stretching, but its grown to be a great outlet from life stresses since. The benefits of yoga are endless! Some being: improved sleep, stress reduction, balance, and an overall focus on both body and mind. It also happens to be the only form of physical activity that allows me to doze off a bit at the end without consequence. 

Although I have found a love for yoga within the past couple years, I haven't gotten back into it for some time since traveling and being away from home. This is why hearing about yoga fest was such exciting news ! The Atlantic Alliance of Uttar Bharat have invited us to come and learn about Uttar Bharat culture while hosting a day of Yoga. There will be different benefits found in each class (which are all free entry), ranging from meditation, deep relaxation, revitalizing energy, and more! This event has workshops and classes for everyone, and even better the tickets are free!!

If you are feeling inspired to practice some yoga at home, click here for some fun beginner poses to try out!

This event is going to be the best way to kickstart my yoga filled summer, and hopefully yours too.  :)

Goodbye future yogi’s ;)

Where to Hop-off Along Nova Scotia's Alternative Routes

The things that makes Nova Scotia special are its nooks and crannies, and our main mission at Alternative Routes is to help you to find them. Some of these places you will find on ALL of the lists, but some of them are select for the person who wants to get down and dirty (or be pampered, polished and primed) with this place. We wanted to make this exploring thing as easy as possible, so we've tried to narrow it down to some don't miss spots. They are pretty much in the order as you would see them on the route. Some are directly on the route, and some are what we like to call "off route." We've worked time into our schedule so that we can get someone where they need to go and still be on time, and most people don't seem to mind the in-depth Nova Scotia exploration. We like to be open-minded in the way we travel with respect to everyone's itinerary that way everyone gets the most out of their travels! First stop...

Peggy's Cove

Peggy’s Cove is home to one of the most picturesque lighthouses in the world. With the almost unbelievable population of around 600 people (of which 565 of them must live permanent hiding), Peggy’s Cove will take you to another time. A glacier carved the landscape in this area out over 2000 years ago, making it unique and a bit magical. Alternative Routes stops here every morning for at least half an hour. Which usually gives people enough time to get a picture of the lighthouse and take a little tour of the village.  If you choose to stay longer, we highly recommend staying with the gang at the Breakwater Inn, not only do they have the best guard dog on duty, it is run by a local lobster fisherman who can fill your mind and hopefully your belly with all that Peggy’s Cove has to offer. If we got you up too early and you need a jolt of caffeine Beale’s Bailiwick serves our favourite Java Blend Coffee. Oh! And don’t forget to get your passport stamped because that’s a thing you can do at Peggy’s Cove!

Queensland Beach

The thing no one wants to tell you about our beautiful Nova Scotia beaches is that they are cold! However! The cats now out of the bag; Queensland Beach is the place to be if you want not to freeze your toes off. This beach looks like it belongs in the Caribbean somewhere and ALMOST feels that way too. Sheltered in the bay, these waters heat up so nicely in the summer and they give way to the most powdery white sands. Because of this local secret, you often find a few of your newest closest friends nearby, but, if you are looking for something a little more peaceful, there are lots of little almost private nooks along this shore. This is a great place to hop off, especially with a bike. The communities are a bit spread out from one another, but some of the best bike trails are in this area. So, rent a bike in the city at I Heart Bicycles, and travel them all to see which one fits best. You can stay overnight at Halifax Backpackers new Beachside Hostel and bike yourself down to Sheila’s Too, where some people say the best Fish an’ Chips in Nova Scotia is served. If you want to read a bit more about this area, we wrote an even longer more specific blog about it- here! 

Chester

Chester used to be the playground to some of Maritime’s wealthiest summer stayers, and ever remains one of Nova Scotia’s wealthiest communities, and is filled with some of the prettiest houses and rose gardens you’ll see in the east. But don’t let that convince you that it isn’t filled with Nova Scotia’s inclusiveness and charm, because they’re full of it (Chester also happens to be home to the Alternative Routes fan club- inquire for more info). You can also find one of best theatres in Nova Scotia here, the Chester Playhouse. Chester is very close to Oak Island, where there is an active search for a treasure believed to be buried, well, really there are so many theories about what is buried, that’s part of the mystery.  If you’re looking for something more exotic that you can’t do many other places, Chester is the place where you catch the ferry to Tancook Island.  Tancook is home to approximately 200 people, and one of the last remaining one-room school houses in Canada.  We highly recommend staying at the Mecklenburgh Inn, everyone leaves here singing their high praises. And don’t forget to check out Black Market Boutique who is full of exotic treasures. And the chowder, don’t even get me started about the chowder at the Kiwi Café.

Mahone Bay

What can I say about Mahone Bay? See what I did there? Mahone Bay is the first corner you’ll turn and see all those colours of Nova Scotia you’ve been waiting for. Also around that corner, is the iconic photo seen in many of your guidebooks of the three churches- so Nova Scotia famous Emma Fitzgerald  ‘ painted it’ on the side of our rig. We don’t mind stopping here for a picture, so just ask. Mahone Bay has all the amenities you need for a longer stay if you so choose. They have shops, and restaurants, the wonderful Salt Box Brewery, and so many bakeries I can’t count.  To take the full advantage of the bay, we suggest staying at one of their ever-charming B&Bs. And don’t forget: we don’t mind going a little off route to get you where you need to go.  Be adventurous. . And our favourite things about Mahone Bay? They are one of the places you can find Cape LaHave Adventures. These guys can take your trip up a notch, and offer the fullest of adventures. Kayak to an Island? They got you covered. Yoga on your paddleboard? Yeah, they do that too. Your go-to for all things glamping and exploring on the south shore.

Lunenburg

 If Alternative Routes didn’t live in Halifax, we may just live in Lunenburg. This town once had me convinced it was a bustling metropolis of 20 000, but in fact the yearlong population on Lunenburg is 2000! But those 2000 people are as big as any 20 000 and they will make you feel that welcome. Lunenburg is the first of two UNESCO world heritage sites along our route, and is known for it’s particularly unique architecture and for being a good example of a planned British settlement, which is only one part of this town’s long history. As with a lot of Nova Scotia, Lunenburg can be best enjoyed with a bicycle, which, if you haven’t picked one up already, you can do at Rhumbline Bicycles, and if you didn’t stay a night in Blue Rocks, we suggests you take a cycle there, another option is bike to LaHave, especially the bakery! But you’ll need to take a ferry to get there, yes(!), another ferry! But don’t worry, the schedule is frequent, and the views are stunning. Don’t’ be afraid to ask the locals here about beaches in the area, if you pry hard enough- they may even tell you the good ones. And because I know you are going to ask, and one of my favourite things to do is eat, I will tell you where. Go to the Fish Shack for your classic fish and chips. If you are only stopping for lunch,  this is one of the best options for a seafood as they are used to feeding in a hurry, and if you want to class it up a notch, you can eat at their oyster bar right next door. My favourite place to get coffee in all of Nova Scotia is found here No 9 Coffee Bar. But don’t let their daytime guise fool you, this place swanks it up at night, and offers some of the most creatively tasty food by the very talented Amy Funk (who also paints).  If you are looking for the locals and can’t seem to find them the way you want them- Check out The Knot Pub, or just the Knot-if you want them to think you’re in the know.  

Blue Rocks

Everyone’s favourite Nova Scotia (sorta) secret. The small but mighty Blue Rocks is a quick bike ride away from Lunenburg, but don’t let that fool you into not staying here, because you can, and you can do it on your very own island in a yurt! I like to call this place the Peggy’s Cove without all the tourist. It’s a small fishing village tucked in these rocks that everyone says are blue. You can find one of the most charming shops on the planet here, The Point General, which is perfectly curated with all the Nova Scotia handmade favourites. Blue Rocks is another launching spot for adventure, where Pleasant Paddling, will take you to see what this cove has to explore and more. Blue Rocks is so authentic, even you might be Nova Scotian when you leave.

Hall's Harbour

Okay, so this one is a little off the route. But usually if you want to stop here, it isn’t hard to convince a group of people (or your driver) to see this Fundy Bay marvel. So small, Hall’s isn’t even a town or a village—it’s a hamlet. And it’s one of the best stops along the bay to see both extreme sides of the world’s largests tides. Though, you’ll have to stay overnight if you want to see both sides of the natural wonder, usually it’s a funny thing to see boats either sitting on the ground or trying to imagine. The accommodations in this area are a little harder to find, but with a little bit of Google sleuthing or a chat with us, we will be sure to find you a place to stay. We may even have one of the hottest insider tips.

Wolfville

Wolfville is your Annapolis Valley hub on the route, if you stay in this area for more than a few days, you may find yourself wandering to New Minas for some of the amenities, but you’ll want to stay in and around Wolfville. It’s our token university town on the tour and where you’ll find all the best grown foods and wine Nova Scotia offers.  Speaking of Universities, Wolfville is home to Acadia University, one of the many many universities in Nova Scotia and one of the oldest in Canada, and it’s worth a visit. Explore the outside of the campus, but do not miss the Environmental Science building along with the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens, both of which offer an old time feeling of beauty and ornament that doesn’t quite exist in many places anymore. If the sun is shining and you want to get outside, we highly recommend visiting the surrounding areas of Port Williams and Canning, and especially Cape Blomidon, like a lot of places in Nova Scotia, this area is lacking in public transportation, but it does exist, so check out Kings Transit. From here you can easily take day trips to other places worth visiting in the Annapolis Valley.

Grand Pre

The second UNESCO world heritage site on our route, Grand Pre is so dense with Nova Scotia history, we recommend taking a day for it. However, sometimes we like to stop here at the end of the day before head back to explore the gardens. So, if you haven’t had an overnight stop here, let us know that you would like to visit and we will try to squeeze it in. Grand Pre is a step out of time, and you get to go back to the 1700s to learn about the Acadian History of Nova Scotia, and how they worked with the mig maw people to carve out the dykes and changes this vast landscape, and how they fought wars to protect the land they all loved so much. The views here are stunning as well as the gardens. Grand Pre is so close to Wolfville, it didn’t really need it’s own listing, but here also exists the Domaine de Grand Pre one of Nova Scotia’s finest and most beautiful wineries. If you are looking for gourmet eats, here is the place to find it at Caveau. For such a small place, Grand Pre is also home to one of Nova Scotia’s favourite and only unionized coffee roasters Just Us, and the Tangled Garden, that produces some of the most delicate of preserves and opens up their beautiful back yard garden to visitors.

Living the (Puerto) Dream

*** none of these photos are relevant to this blog post, but it's beautiful here, so enjoy! 

Since the beginning of Alternative Routes, I’ve debated how personal I want to be in my social media presence. In the age of the selfie, a big part of me is terrified I might get sucked into the narcissistic vortex of the social media circus, but another part of me knows that what makes travelling with Alternative Routes unique, is my ability to be open and share with the people around me. I want to keep that part of this venture real and visible, because really it’s the reason I’m doing all this, travelling and starting AR, to keep sharing unique experiences with interested people. 

I wondered if I should share with you my trip to Mexico, and how I could make it relevant to AR’s fans and passengers. Can you believe I almost forgot who you were?  I understand now that of course me taking a trip to Mexico is relevant. Because, for the first time in a long time, I remember what it feels like to be a traveller!  For too long I’ve been hosting people in the vulnerable position of getting to know a new place without getting away and being in that position myself. This time it’s me that get’s to be blown away by the unfamiliar landscapes, smells and food, and the new palettes of colour, the most beautiful colours! I’ve been reminded of the value of authentic travel experiences and feel more in touch with what it is I set out to do in the beginning. 

Wow! Are we lucky people, the one’s who chose to travel.  I’m sitting in a blissful daze in my Airbnb in San Cristobal de las Casas, freezing my ass off under a blanket, so happy to be getting some weird sort of vacation from my vacation. Everyone does this right? Takes “me time” in their travels? Time to veg, in whatever form that takes for them, time to process all the new experiences they've had, the people they've met, and the drinks! But only enough time to remember how nice it was to be on the Pacific Ocean playing in the waves drinking Mezcal Margarita’s with the boys back at Puerto Dreams. Making decisions is hard when you travel. There are always so many places to go, so many people talking about beautiful things you need to see, it’s amazing anyone ever gets out the door in the first place. 

The good people from Dalhousie’s school of Planning invited me this week to present at their PechaKucha fundraiser, and although I have no idea how I did with my slides and scattered brained chatter (prerecorded from this very same room), I hope that somehow I touched the people there with my desperate rant about how important public transportation to rural places in Nova Scotia is to enhance the cultural experience of this place for everyone. Because of Mexico’s extensive transportation system my trip has been fuller than I ever could have imagined. I’ve travelled to four cities in two weeks with six different modes of transportation, not including the plane that got me here. The options here are so vast, I even met a couple that chartered a plane for a much too reasonable price, and yes, they arrived with all their limbs! 

So it seems this working holiday, that was starting to look just like a regular holiday, got me back to my roots. Reminded me of how Alternative Routes came about in the first place. My imagination is running wild, and I’m picturing being in your shoes again, I (almost) can’t wait to get home to plan all the ways how this second summer can be better than the last.  And now since I’ve found my roots and vulnerability, I think I will be able to share it with you more sincerely than I would have before, because to me, AR is more than just a shuttle, and it's more than a way to travel, it’s a way of living.

Hubbards, Chester, and Mahone Bay--Oh My!

I’m sure the people from these towns would hoot and holler that I am grouping them all in one blog, but until I learn more about each (dear residents: feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments at the end), I just don’t have enough to say to give each place a category of it’s own. So, I’m going to go in route order, as to not step on any more toes.

 Hubbards is exactly the kind of place that made me want to start Alternative Routes, because unless someone tells you directly to stop there, you probably won’t. What brought me in at first were the antique shops, one in particular really, right off the lighthouse route, beside another place worth stopping— The Trellis Café. I don’t know much about the owner, although he always seems to be there, and available, and charming. The place is sort of spectacular, an eclectic mix of mid century side boards at $8000 and classic nova scotia rag rugs, mine I negotiated, bought and loved for $60. There is easily something for everyone here, and lots of little local treasures, including handmade items.

Hubbards also boasts having Nova Scotia’s smallest provincial park and 10 beaches all within close driving distance to one another. They are a community with a lot of earned pride, and work hard to promote their local economy. One mainstay is the Shore Club, a place that claims to be the host of the “Original Nova Scotia Lobster Supper” and the “Last of the Great Dance Halls.”  

Next on the line is Chester, one of my favourite little hubs in Nova Scotia. And I know I’m not the only one. Known world wide for Chester Race week that takes place August 13 to 16th and has been around for more than 150 years. But, Chester is about more than sail boats. Until the Nova Scotia liberal government squashed out all their resources, there was a once booming film industry in Chester. Yes, really. Don’t believe me— Dolores Clairbourne, Two if by Sea, and the television series Haven were all shot in Chester.

When people ask me for my Nova Scotia chowder recommendation, I have to tell them about The Kiwi Café. I’m not sure what a classic Nova Scotia chowder is supposed to be, but I imagine anyone who eats this one full of lobster and haddock, won’t care. It’s delicious. Barely a potato in sight, and I’m pretty sure a full lobster in each bowl, the only rival it has is my own and maybe my grandmothers. If seafood is what you are after, you can’t go wrong with this chowder. They have other fair as well, all day breakfast, sandwiches; they use Java Blend Coffee (locally roasted in Halifax since 1938), bread from La Have Bakery and sell four-dollar farm fresh eggs. They even carry specialty items that you probably can’t find anywhere else in Chester, like Thai curry pastes and Comptoire du Sud sugar cubes. I’ve never actually tried their take home meals, but I imagine they are as seriously delicious as everything else I’ve tried.

Mahone Bay must be as famous for it’s harbour view as it was for wooden boat building back in the day. If you’re on our route, you’ll get the best view as we drive in to the town. Everyone oh and ahs over the three churches that tower over the water, each one a different denomination and each differently beautiful in it’s own way. I’m not sure why exactly this has become such a spectacular thing to see, but when you see it, there is something a little quirky and strange about the whole deal, but mostly it’s just beautiful. The harbour itself is full of small islands—some are even populated. If you missed Amos Pewter when we were at Peggy’s Cove you can always make up for it here. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, this is the location where everything gets made, so if you’re luck and stop in at the right time, you might be able to see how it’s all done. If you happen to miss something being made, the staff is super knowledgeable and happy to tell you everything there is to know about pewter in Nova Scotia. If you’re into learning on your trip, you should check out the wooden boat-building museum. Shipbuilding is how Mahone Bay got its start.

Peggy's Cove

It’s no secret that Peggy’s Cove is the most photographed lighthouse in the world. There’s a good reason for that. Duh. Look at it. But really, even after my hundredth visit, I’m still astonished by what this small little village has to offer. That’s right, village. Peggy’s Cove is more than it’s lighthouse. 

 Personally, I start to get excited when we reach West Dover; the landscape starts to change, and you start to see the water lined with fishing shacks and docks in perfect pastels. If you’re keen, you’ll notice the giant boulders scattered around that look like they’ve been perfectly placed as if part of some giant’s Zen garden. For a lot of people, Peggy’s Cove is what comes to mind when they think of Nova Scotia, so it’s natural to get excited when you first see the sign. You take a deep left hand turn off the highway and it feels like you’ve gone back in time. The village is small, housing only 640 people year round; however, the population on any given sunny day has got to be in the multiple thousands. It’s always fun to see how many people from so many cultures know this place exists. The first time someone sees the lighthouse, their eyes expand to about the size of their face. Magic is what I call this sort of thing, and Peggy’s Cove is full of it.

We suggest to anyone going to Peggy’s Cove to start at the top. Drive all the way up to the parking lot. From there you can cover the whole village by foot in about 15 minutes. Take some time, explore the rocks (remember to stay off the black rocks: we’re very serious about this. The danger is real.), try to capture your perfect lighthouse picture, take a seat and watch the waves crash, you might even be lucky enough to catch a porpoise playing in the water. 

Then make your way down to the village. Amos Pewter has been in Nova Scotia since 1974 and has cool little affordable gifts and keepsakes for anyone’s taste. If you take the AR shuttle to Peggy’s Cove, it might be a little early to grab an ice cream, but if your morals allow for an ice cream breakfast, I highly HIGHLY suggest going to Dee Dee’s (you can always check out their other location in Halifax). They have local flavours like haskap berry, or fancy fun mixes like my personal favourite Banana Cardamon (yup, really, and it’s delicious), or try one of their classics like chocolate, or if you want to spice it up a bit, you can try the Mexican chocolate. I’ll stop there; I could do a whole other blog post on the magic that is Dee Dee’s ice cream, and just might! 

Don’t miss Roger's Buoys Shop. This place is ever changing mix of all sorts of coastal delights and treasures. Even though most things are for sale, it’s like a little underwater coastal museum, with giant whale bones, buoys, and glass bottles from a lifetime ago. 

Something I look forward to every time I go up this way is the rock. A giant granite wall carved by William E. deGarthe in the 1980’s that depicts his vision of Peggy arriving in the cove. There is something mythical about this rock, and the story of Peggy’s arrival, that a lot of people miss if they only go to see the lighthouse. Every time I look at it, I see something new. There are 32 figures carved into the rock, and you’d almost never believe it unless you count them out individually. 

Now, the bus won’t actually stop at the next location I’m going to talk about, but if you are on your own and have the time, check out the Swiss Air Flight 111 memorial that has been put up right down the road. If you don’t know the story, there was a plane crash in 1998 of a flight coming from New York City going to Geneva. Fishermen from the area and families rushed to the aid in the recovery process but unfortunately, there were no survivors. It's a tragic story, definitely, but how people in the community came together to recuperate whatever they could from the freezing ocean waters is a remarkable one. 

I don't want to end on such a dark note, so I'm going to tell you briefly about Clam Pond. It's a little over a kilometre walk from the village, but it's totally worth it. The pond is more like a small lake or large tidal pool that's full of fish and other underwater life. Great place to cool off  (Peggy's Cove is not for swimming) and get an idea of what's lying on the bottom of our ocean. 

We hope to see you there soon! 

Who Am I And Why This.

“Why aren’t you guys coming here?” 

“It’s so big!”

“It’s too expensive!” 

“There’s no way to see everything I want!” 

Ah! Ha! It was my moment, and everything clicked into place. They were right. From what I saw, unless you rent a car, the options for travellers were pretty slim in Canada, especially outside the Toronto-Montreal corridor. And Canada is so much more than that bottleneck. We have some of the most expensive flights around the globe. Our expanse is enormous; Most of the backpackers don’t want to travel in a personal bubble. They are the people who want real experiences of the places they visit, and they want to meet local people, impossible things to do while handling the wheels of a car. 

So, I’ll be honest, I never imagined myself starting a business, but after hosting travellers in my home for the last three years and seeing that no one else is catering to the market of tourists I love so much, I felt it absolutely necessary to do something. So, I’m doing something, and I’m excited to have all of you be a part of it. I can’t wait for our first ride on July 1st, my perfectionist side says that’s too soon, but my good side: the fun side says: “let’s do it!”  

I’m that other freckled redheaded kid from across the strait (the Northumberland Strait that is), who upon moving to Nova Scotia, immediately fell in love and starting calling it home. Ten years later and better travelled, I decided I want to make this place more accessible so that others would get the same opportunity I did to fall in love. 

When I first had the idea for Alternative Routes, I was traveling across Canada, from Edmonton to Halifax. It was the third time I’d made this journey, but the first time I noticed how many hotels, motels, and campgrounds were almost empty, or already shut down— and it was the middle of summer.  This piqued my longing and my curiosity. I had just returned from a lengthy journey backpacking through Europe and Africa, and what I saw just wasn’t matching up with what I was hearing from my peers:

 “Oh Canada, you guys have the best nature.”

 “Canada is amazing, so wild and so much to see.” 

“ I can’t wait to visit Canada.” 

These were the phrases echoed by everyone I came across during my hostel stays.  So, I couldn’t help but wonder: why aren’t they coming? If they were coming, these beautiful little towns, which had evidence of a once booming tourism industry, wouldn’t be coughing up so many ghosts. So, I got on the social media and started asking these friends: