Halifax - Past & Present

Halifax - Past & Present

Departing from the cruise ship dock you will tour the working dock area including the Halterm Container Pier before heading to Point Pleasant Park where your guide will give an informative talk regarding the past and present of this historic area of Halifax. You’ll tour through the expensive residential area along the non-commercial part of Halifax Harbour known as the Northwest Arm, and then pass by both major local universities, St. Mary’s and Dalhousie.

It’s time for a stroll through the Public Gardens,in our optionone of the finest example of a formal Victoria Garden to be found in North America.

Then, you'll experience a driving visit to the Halifax Citadel. Here we will stop for photos, but not enter the fortress. The Citadel is the reason for the founding of Halifax in 1749. As we leave the Citadel and tour down to the harbour, we will pass a number of historic sites along the way. Our route will take us by the naval dockyard area and under both Harbour bridges as we make our way past the site of the 1917 Halifax Explosion on our way to visit the Titanic Cemetery. Here you will see the grave sites of the Titanic victims and learn of the Halifax connection to this 1912 tragedy. But, first a coffee/rest stop.

Making our way to the " place where time began" your driver/guide will show you the only remnant of the ship that blew up in 1917 - the Mont Blanc. Just outside the Peggy's Cove Preservation Commission Lands is West Dover - another Atlantic Ocean fishing community - we'll briefly visit the government wharf - scenic picture and you will have a panoramic view ( from the parking lot of a co-operative B&B ) of the Peggy's Cove lands to the west. Our route to Peggy’s Cove allows us to get numerous vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, and see many of its scenic inlet's and coves.

You'll experience and see the dramatic changing topography as we get closer and closer to Peggy’s Cove. You'll spend a bit of time here at this “most visited place in Canada". Two stops, first, " the swimming hole" ( a restroom break as well ) and " the deGarth Memorial ": then we go to the lighthouse area, passing the actual "Cove" itself. Our return route takes us along the shoreline of historic Saint Margaret's Bay ( stories of religion, rum-running, bootlegging, Anne Murray, space ship engine production for NASA and sugar maple products). We'll have photos stops at Hackett's Cove and Glen Haven PLUS if you wish a stop at the Swiss Air Flight 111 Memorial. We also stop at Tantallon & Acadian Maple for a chance to learn about this important industry & a rest-room stop before heading back to the cruise ship. There is also a chance to shop at this stop.