Rich in charm and history, Halifax is a compact city perfect for exploring on foot. Visitors delight in strolling along the flower-lined paths of the oldest Victorian gardens in North America and watching military tradition come alive with the skirl of the bagpipes and the roar of the cannons at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. On sunny days, the city's gleaming waterfront is a treat for the senses, with broad walkways that connect inviting plazas and green spaces with eclectic shops, lively outdoor cafés, pubs, and fine restaurants. Nova Scotia's seafaring past is depicted through fascinating exhibits at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and experienced first-hand on tours of the bustling harbor. The cobbled lanes of the Historic Properties divulge a past full of tales and intrigue from the days when privateers used them to stash their loot. When the sun sets on the city, the non-stop nightlife moves to the beat of fiery Celtic fiddles playing in hundred-year-old pubs and cool jazz grooving through friendly clubs.

The coast is an adventure of its own, with the sun and surf inviting you to the broad sandy beaches of Martinique and Clam Harbor. The winding coast mesmerizes with its beautiful views as you drive to the Eastern Passage and Peggy's Cove, or paddle a sea kayak across pristine coves where seals and dolphins play. Cape Breton Island, just off the coast, was named by Condé Nast Traveler magazine as the World's Most Scenic Island, and National Geographic Traveler Magazine chose the entire region of the Maritime Provinces as one of The World's 50 Great Places! Whatever your interests and wherever you go, you'll encounter the friendly Nova Scotians who love their province and love to share it with visitors.