Best Day Trips from Halifax, Canada
Are you looking for the best day trips from Halifax, Canada?
Halifax is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, and the largest city in the Atlantic Canada region with a population of almost half a million people. Halifax is a great city for day trips.
It’s also a popular cruise port, and many visitors to Halifax are just in the city for one day as part of a cruise itinerary that often goes from the Northeastern United States to Atlantic Canada.
Whether you’re visiting on a cruise, or you’re staying in Halifax for several days and want to get outside the city, these are the best day trips from Halifax that will allow you to explore more of Nova Scotia.
Note: I have recommended guided tour options for most of the day trips below. If you’re on a cruise, it’s important to double-check with the tour operator to make sure the timing of the tour works out with the arrival and departure times of your cruise ship. Most tour operators are aware of this.
If you don’t want to do a guided tour, you can also get a rental car. It’s an easy and scenic drive from Halifax to these destinations. Public transportation is limited and not available in some places.
Personally, I rented a car because I wanted to have maximum flexibility. It also worked out to be much cheaper than taking a guided tour. You can check DiscoverCars for rental car prices.
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Best Day Trips from Halifax:
Lunenberg
Lunenberg is one of my top picks for a day trip from Halifax. This charming small town has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its cultural impact. Founded in 1753, this picture-perfect port town is full of history. Fishing is the main industry here, and you can also take boat tours out in the harbor.
Lunenberg is located about one hour and 10 minutes from Halifax by car. It’s a small town and you don’t need more than a couple of hours here, which is why I recommend combining it with the next destination.
If you’d prefer to take a tour, this guided tour combines a visit to Lunenberg with Peggy’s Cove, while this guided tour includes Lunenberg, Peggy’s Cove, and a vineyard in the Annapolis Valley.
Peggy’s Cove
Another one of the best day trips from Halifax is Peggy’s Cove. As I mentioned, this can be combined easily with Lunenberg (which is what I personally did!) Peggy’s Cove is a quaint waterfront village that is home to Nova Scotia’s most iconic lighthouse. It’s definitely worth a stop to see it.
Peggy’s Cove is also quite small, so you don’t need more than an hour or so here. It’s located 45 minutes from Halifax by car. I recommend coming here before or after you visit Lunenberg.
You can also visit Peggy’s Cove on a guided tour. If you’re short on time, this half-day tour visits Lunenberg and Peggy’s Cove, while this longer tour also includes a visit to the Annapolis Valley.
Annapolis Valley
Another great destination to visit on a day trip from Halifax is the Annapolis Valley. Located northwest of Halifax, this region of Nova Scotia is famous for its beautiful countryside and vineyards.
As one of the top wine regions in Canada, the Annapolis Valley is home to many small vineyards and wineries. It’s located about one hour and 10 minutes from Halifax by car. However, if you plan to do any wine tasting, it’s a better idea to take a guided tour so you don’t have to worry about driving.
This guided tour provides a scenic journey through the Annapolis Valley, as well as the opportunity to taste local wine and cheese. If you want to visit multiple highlights of Nova Scotia in just one day, then I’d recommend this guided tour which includes Lunenberg, Peggy’s Cove, and the Annapolis Valley.
Cape Split Provincial Park
Located on the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Cape Split Provincial Park offers some of the best views in Atlantic Canada. This is an excellent destination for an active, outdoorsy day trip.
Cape Split Provincial Park is located one hour and 30 minutes from Halifax by car. There are walking paths that will take you along the dramatic cliffs of Cape Split, offering incredible views of the Bay of Fundy.
Based on the location of Cape Split Provincial Park, you could also easily combine it with a visit to Wolfville, a charming town in the Annapolis Valley which is on the way coming from Halifax.
Truro
One more fantastic day trip from Halifax is the town of Truro. Nicknamed the “Hub of Nova Scotia” because of its central location, this charming small town makes a great base for exploring the rest of the province. There’s also a lot you can do on a day trip to Truro, which is located northeast of Halifax.
Truro is just over one hour from Halifax by car. The town itself is a lovely place to walk around for a couple of hours, and you shouldn’t miss visiting Victoria Park, which is walkable from town.
This beautiful park is home to several walking trails and picturesque waterfalls, making it a scenic stop on your day trip to Truro and a great place to spend an hour or two wandering around and exploring.
Top Day Trips from Halifax
This guide showed you the best day trips from Halifax.
While Halifax is a cool city that is worth exploring, the real beauty of Nova Scotia lies outside the urban center of Halifax. If you have several days in Halifax, I’d recommend spending at least one day taking day trips outside the city. Lunenberg and Peggy’s Cove would be my top suggestions for day trips.
Even if you’re visiting Halifax on a cruise with limited time and you must choose between exploring the city or taking a day trip, I’d still recommend going outside the city to explore on a day trip.
Enjoy your visit to Halifax!
