Halifax Discount Car Rentals

Halifax Attractions and Things to See

Halifax is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, in Canada, and is the biggest population center in the Atlantic Canada region, as well as the biggest city in Canada east of Quebec City. It has grown into a major economic hub with a big concentration of government services and private companies, that include the Department of National Defense, the Port of Halifax, natural gas extraction, agriculture, mining, forestry and fishing, with many levels of government located here also. The territory had been settled for thousands of years by the Mi'kmaq Indians, who settled here calling it Jipugtug, which meant great harbor. The first permanent Europeans would settle here in the area and establish the town of Halifax, naming it after the British Earl of Halifax in 1749. That founding would begin the Father Le Loutre's War, with the capital area being invaded 13 times by the Acadians and Mi'kmaq.
The city is a significant cultural center in the Atlantic provinces, with a large number of museums, theaters and art galleries, along with a majority of the area's national quality sports and entertainment facilities that includes the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Neptune theater, the Music Room, Symphony Nova Scotia, the Khyber ICA, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and more. It also is the host to many festivals that occur during the year, like the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, Natal Day, occasional Tall Ships events, the Atlantic Film Festival, the Halifax Busker Festival, the Multicultural Festival, Shakespeare by the Sea, Greekfest and the Atlantic Jazz Festival. It has been used and is still being used by American and Canadian filmmakers that use the streetscapes, and many consider it to be the culture hub of the Maritimes.
There are numerous sports venues, like junior hockey, outdoor recreational opportunities that include the lake beaches and the ocean beaches, along with urban and rural parks, being host to a number of significant sports events that included the 2003 World Junior Hockey Championship, the 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, the CIS Men's Basketball championship, the 72nd Ice Hockey World Championship, and more. Halifax has many outstanding architectural structures, regional landmarks, along with many historical buildings that includes the fortress of Citadel Hill, that houses the iconic Halifax Town Clock. The city's south end contains many grand Victorian houses, with the north and west end containing many blocks of well preserved wooden residential houses that have notable features like the Halifax porch. Major parks includes the Shubie park, Dartmouth Commons, Public Gardens, Halifax Citadel National historic site, Halifax Commons, Sir Sanford Fleming Park, Point Pleasant Park, the Long Lake Provincial Park and York Redoubt National Historic park.
Since the city is located on the Atlantic Ocean, they get fresh fish and other seafood on a daily basis, with many local farms bringing in local farm fresh produce and meats that are cooked the day they received them and provide great fare for a decent price. There are many international restaurants located in the city as well, with Irish, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese, seafood, Canadian bistros and more that is sure to please any palate with outstanding culinary delights made fresh and served up in style, making you want to lounge around for a while and enjoy the local scenery with a good drink, wine, or beer. One local favorite is the Halifax donair, that are made with spicy roast beef, sliced and served with chopped onions and tomato; with a special donair sauce that makes the sandwich what it is. Other favorites include the donair pizza that has the same ingredients and is served on pizza dough instead of flatbread. The fishcakes are great, as are the local brews, with good coffee shops, and the wood-fired smores at Morris East.