Discover amazing national historic sites all within the city of Halifax. Each site was part of the vast defense complex that once surrounded the city, overlooking the seas watching for incoming French ships! Make the detour to learn about the tragic upheaval for the Acadians in Grand-Pré.
Let these must-see Nova Scotia destinations inspire your next visit!
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Historic star-shaped fort from 1749 overlooking the harbor.
- Walk: Downtown Halifax
- Transit: Sightseeing tour bus
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
How to get there
- Walk: It’s right downtown. Climb the stairs in front of the Old Town Clock, or take the gentler climb from Sackville Street.
- Transit: The Big Pink Sightseeing Tour bus drops you off at the Citadel’s front gate.
What to do
- Join the 78th Highlanders! Don an authentic uniform, practice drills, and learn how to fire a rifle or play a drum.
- Visit the newest signature exhibit Fortress Halifax - A City Shaped by Conflict and immerse yourself in the history of Kjipuktuk (Halifax)
- Learn about the history of alcohol in the British military as you savour unique spirits created by Compass Distillers, and aged in oak barrels stored on-site.
- Slip into the shadows of the Citadel and hear stories of its haunted history on a ghost tour.
Explore the vast Halifax Defence Complex
Visit a series of forts and batteries that helped protect and defend this valuable harbour. Make plans to visit all five centrally located Parks Canada administered national historic sites including Georges Island, Fort McNab, York Redoubt and Prince of Wales Tower.
A tiny island in the Halifax Harbour with a rich and fascinating history.
- Walk: Downtown Halifax
Georges Island National Historic Site
How to get there
- Walk: Catch the ferry or join a guided kayak tour to the island, the views are one of a kind.
What to do
- Learn about the fascinating history of the island and its significant contribution during the world wars.
- Explore the subterranean maze of tunnels and hidden fortifications on a guided tour below Fort Charlotte.
A sacred site
Discover why Georges Island is a sacred and culturally significant site for the Acadian community.
The first Martello tower built in North America, dating back to the 1790s.
- Drive: 10 minutes
- Transit: 25 minutes
Prince of Wales Tower National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Ten minutes from downtown via Tower Road in Point Pleasant Park.
- Transit: The number 9 bus from downtown brings you to the Point Pleasant Park entrance.
What to do
- Take a self-guided tour and let your imagination run wild as you follow interpretive panels telling the story of more than 200 years of clashes between the British and the French.
- Pick up a meal in town and enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the edge of the ocean, or take a bike ride along the trails.
- Birdwatchers may be rewarded with the sight of rare warblers or beautiful green-coloured vireos.
Did you know?
The tower is almost three times as wide as it is high with eight-foot thick walls.
27 buildings and armaments first built in 1793 to protect Halifax.
- Drive: 20 minutes
- Transit: 40 minutes
York Redoubt National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: 20 minutes from downtown via Purcells Cove Road/NS-253 S.
- Transit: Take the number 20 bus to Herring Cove and transfer to the 15 to Purcells Cove.
What to do
- Hike along the armaments and imagine life here in the 1700s. Look out for canons perched high on the bluffs and explore the past with the help of the visual displays.
Location, Location, Location
Look down towards the harbour from the vantage point of York Redoubt and you’ll see why the British picked this spot: as it boasts a spectacular view over the Halifax Harbour—all the better for spotting French battleships!
Once the epicentre of Acadian culture, now a memorial to a tragic upheaval.
- Drive: 1 hour
Grand-Pré National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Around 1 hour by car on the NS-101 West.
What to do
- Immerse yourself in the Acadians’ tragic upheaval during the 18th century with a guided tour.
- Walk in the Victorian gardens to view the famous Statue of Evangeline and admire the spectacular landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Weekend getaway anyone? Spend the night in an oTENTik for an immersive experience of Grand-Pré’s magnificent landscape.
On your way back
Stop by Fort Edward National Historic Site to step inside Canada’s oldest blockhouse and travel back to the mid-1700s when British troops struggled for control of North America during the age of empire.
North America’s oldest military blockhouse.
- Drive: 50 minutes
Fort Edward National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Around 50 minutes by car on the NS-101 W.
What to do
- Step inside the original historic blockhouse, its wooden floorboards creaking as you walk in the footsteps of the soldiers who were stationed here.
- Spot graffiti scratched into the walls and run your fingers along the musket slits. Imagine life in the mid-1700s as British troops imposed colonial rule over the indigenous Mi’kmaq people and Acadian settlers.
- Pack a picnic or head for a hike high above Nova Scotia’s historic Minas Basin.
Tragic Past
In 1755, Fort Edward was used as a prison and deportation centre for 1,200 Acadians during the Deportation of the Acadians.
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