Waterfront, Citadel Hill & Downtown
Halifax's working waterfront boardwalk is 4 km of wharves, historic buildings, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic ($10), and the best fish-and-chips in the Maritimes at John's Lunch. Halifax Citadel National Historic Site ($12) above the waterfront is one of the best-preserved star-shaped fortifications in North America — the noon cannon firing has sounded daily since 1857. Spring Garden Road and the South End have the city's best independent retail and café culture.
Dartmouth, Ferry & North End
The Alderney Gate ferry from Halifax to Dartmouth ($2.75 each way, 12 minutes) is one of the world's great commuter ferry crossings — the harbour view from midway is genuinely outstanding. Dartmouth Heritage Museum's Quaker House ($5) is the oldest surviving building in Atlantic Canada. Return to Halifax for the afternoon and explore the North End: Gottingen Street has galleries, wine bars, the Khyber Centre for the Arts, and a craft brewing scene that has put Halifax on the national beer map.
Cabot Trail: Cape Breton Day One
Rent a car and drive north from Halifax to Cape Breton Island — 430 km, a comfortable 4-hour drive across mainland Nova Scotia. Begin the Cabot Trail clockwise from Baddeck on the Bras d'Or Lakes shore. The trail ascends into the Cape Breton Highlands National Park ($9 day pass) with views over the Gulf of St Lawrence from 400-metre headlands. The Skyline Trail (8.8 km loop) ends at a boarded lookout suspended above the coastline with frequent moose sightings.
Cabot Trail Day Two & South Shore
Drive the Cabot Trail south from Cheticamp through the highlands to Ingonish. The Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts at St Ann's is the only Gaelic college in North America. Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Site ($18) is the largest historical reconstruction in North America — a recreated 1744 French colonial fortress and town with costumed interpreters. The Cape Breton Miners' Museum in Glace Bay gives access to an actual former coal mine.
South Shore: Mahone Bay & Lunenburg
The Lighthouse Route (Highway 103 West from Halifax, then Highway 3) leads to two of Nova Scotia's finest small towns. Mahone Bay (78 km from Halifax) is famous for the three wooden churches — United, Lutheran, and Anglican — reflected in the harbour waters. Lunenburg (15 km further) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved planned British colonial settlements in North America. The Bluenose II schooner berths here. Return to Halifax (95 km) or fly from the area.