Free Things To Do In Halifax

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Looking for some free things to do in Halifax? Sometimes you need to get out of the house but there’s just no money left in the fun account, or maybe you’re doing a no spend month! Luckily there are way more free things to do in Halifax than I thought! Here are all the free things I could find:

Parks & Hikes

In warm weather there’s nothing better than getting outside to hike or relax in a park. There are so many parks in and around Halifax that it would be impossible to list them all, but here are a few of my favorites.

Point Pleasant Park

It’s hard to imagine a visit to Halifax without mentioning Point Pleasant Park. This park makes up the entire southern tip of the Halifax Peninsula and has 39Km of walking trails. It is dog friendly with some areas being off leash. Not only is the park beautiful but it has a rich history. You can find the Prince Of Wales Tower, which was built in 1796, it was used as a powder magazine, and it is a National Historic Site of Canada. 

Public Gardens

The Public Gardens opened in 1867 – so it’s as old as Canada! They are Victorian style gardens with a couple of ponds, fountains and lots of places to sit and relax. It is only open seasonally from May 1st until November 1st.

Sir Sandford Fleming Park

Known as The Dingle to most locals, this park is located on the North West Arm of Halifax. This park was donated to Halifax by Sir Sandford Fleming – the creator of standard time zones! There are paved walking/biking trails, a sandy beach with a boat launch and lots of bird watching to be had. Make sure to climb to the top of the Dingle Tower for some great views!

Peggy’s Cove & Swissair Flight 111 Memorial

A bit outside of Halifax but Peggy’s Cove is iconic to Nova Scotia, and free to visit! Explore around the lighthouse, just stay off the black rocks! You can hike Polly’s Cove and get a different view of the area. Just down the street you can visit the Swissair Flight 111 memorial, where you can learn and remember the 229 people that died in the crash in 1998. 

The Beach

One of my favorite things about Nova Scotia is how close we are to the ocean. I love visiting the beach, although they are a little far away from Halifax, you can have your toes in the sand after a short drive. Crystal Crescent Beach is only about 40 minutes from downtown and has beautiful white sand and free parking! Rainbow Haven is closer if you’re on the Dartmouth side, and is a nice beach that has change rooms and washrooms onsite. 

Related: The Best Beaches In Nova Scotia

Crystal Crescent Beach

Bluff Trail

The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail is located in Timberlea and is comprised of 4 loops. The full 4 loops are 30km long, and would require camping. The first loop called the Pot Lake Loop is 9km long and should take 3-4 hours to complete. Parts of this hike are difficult, but the wilderness is beautiful. 

Duncan’s Cove

If you’re looking for a hike with beautiful views in Halifax, this is the one! Duncan’s Cove is about 35 minutes from downtown. It can be a bit challenging at times, as it is not maintained. The hike will likely take you 3-4 hours round trip during this 8K hike. The views of the Atlantic ocean are amazing, and you can explore 2 WW2 era bunkers. 

Museums

Luckily there are some free museums in Halifax, and also some free museum nights at some museums that aren’t normally free. You can learn a lot about Halifax history and art.

Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

**Currently closed and will reopen in a new location**

The Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame highlights Nova Scotian athletes in all sports. Athletes like Sidney Crosby, Colleen Jones and Ellie Black all have a place in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame!

Halifax Naval Museum

The Halifax Naval Museum is located on the Canadian Forces Base Halifax (Stadacona) and showcases the history of Canadian Naval forces throughout the years. You can view uniforms, weapons, documents, models and more. It is free to enter, you just need to show government issued ID at the Gottingen Street gate to CFB.

Listen To Jenn and Meggan on the The Travel Mug Podcast chat about Halifax

Free Museum Nights

Discovery Centre

The Discovery Centre is a “hands-on” science centre that is definitely kid approved! Learn about energy and its many forms, health and how our bodies work, explore flight in a flight simulator and explore oceans and weather. It is only free on Wednesdays from 5-8pm (not currently due to Covid-19)

Related: Indoor Things To Do In Halifax

Art Gallery Of Nova Scotia

FREE ADMISSION Daily July 1- August 31 2021!

The Art Gallery Of Nova Scotia highlights mostly Canadian and Nova Scotian artists with some international artists as well. Although all of the art is interesting, I love seeing Maud Lewis’ house and art showcased. Her home was restored and brought into the museum, and you can see so much of her work on display.

Architecture & History

We have lots of interesting architecture in Halifax if you look for it. Some of it new, and some of it as old as Canada with a rich history, there’s lots to explore!

Halifax Central Library

A visit to the Library is always a great way to spend the day, and the Halifax Central Library has so much to do. First you can check out the amazing architecture, since it was built in 2014, it has won awards for it’s design. The criss cross staircases always remind me of a modern Hogwarts! The library hosts workshops and also has space to use to record music, podcasts, etc. and many areas to sit and read!

Province House

Did you know that you can actually take a tour of Province House? You can actually watch proceedings of the Nova Scotia House Of Assembly, and the building itself is a National Historic Site that you can tour and learn about its history. It also has a library that you can use. 

Citadel Hill & The Clock Tower

Citadel Hill and the Halifax Town Clock are almost synonymous with Halifax. Although you have to pay to go into the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, you can take in views of Halifax from the top of the hill for free. There are plaques that describe how Halifax was destroyed during the Halifax explosion in 1917. The “Old Town Clock” was built 1803, and is now a Classified Federal Heritage Building. Unfortunately you can’t go inside at this time.

Related: Visiting The Halifax Citadel

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Halifax’s Grand Parade is the oldest building in Halifax, and also the oldest existing Anglican place of worship in Canada. It was built in 1750, and still hosts weekly services and community events. They have free guided tours all year round. The building survived the Halifax Explosion with little damage. However you can still see a “face” in one of the windows, it is said to be the profile of a deacon that was standing there when the explosion took place. Despite attempts to clean the glass, the outline remains!

Sports & Activities

Playing a sport and being active doesn’t have to cost money! There are so many ways to play and try different things in Halifax

Halifax Common

Almost the heart of Halifax you’ll find the Halifax Common, or to us locals “the Commons”. It is a large park with softball diamonds, a cricket ground, tennis courts, a playground and a skateboard park. You can relax on the grass or meet up with some friends for a game of frizbee! There is also a city-owned pool for those hot summer days. 

The Oval

The Emera Oval is in the Halifax Common and opened in 2011 for the speed skating event at the Canada Games, which was hosted in Halifax that year. Now it is a free spot to go ice skating in the winter, with free skate rentals, and rollerblading in the summer, also with free skate rentals! 

St Mary’s Boat Club

I had no idea, but you can borrow canoes and stand up paddle boards from St. Mary’s Boat Club on weekends from June 1st to September 30th for an hour for free! They will also supply all safety equipment! What a great way to try out some water sports for free.

Snowshoe and Sport Equipment Rentals

You can rent Snowshoes from many HRM recreation centres. Perfect for those snowy days! Some recreation centres have Nordic walking poles, skateboards, tennis rackets, and other sports equipment. Check out this list to see what the closest rec centre to you has. 

Free Festivals & Events

So many free festivals around Halifax throughout all seasons! We have checked many of these out, and will be attending new ones this year.

The Buskers

July 31st – August 2nd 2021

The Halifax Busker Festival has been a staple on the Halifax Waterfront for more than 20 years. Every summer performers from around the world come to our city to show us their talents. We love checking out some of the performances. While it is technically a free event, the performers do rely on donations since they are not paid to attend the event. See the schedule and more information here.  

Halifax Jazz Fest

July 14th – 17th 2021

Halifax Jazz Festival is the largest music festival in Nova Scotia! The event has concerts all throughout the week that you have to buy tickets for, but the afternoon concerts are generally free! They also put on concerts in the Spring concerts for free. Check out their website for the 2021 event calendar! 

Nocturne

October – 2021 dates TBD

Nocturne: Art At Night is a free festival that showcases visual arts. It takes place in downtown Halifax and downtown Dartmouth, and numerous businesses and community organizations get involved. Wander around in search of art, you’re sure to find something awesome! For all the official info check out their website.

FIN Outdoor

In the summer FIN puts on a series of free movies in parks around Halifax for everyone to enjoy! Last summer the theme was sing-a-longs, and they showed classics like Grease, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. See their website for more info.

Nova Multifest

VIRTUAL in 2021 Alderney Landing, Dartmouth.

At Nova Multifest you’ll be able to experience performances, demonstrations and exhibits that highlight the multiculturalism of Nova Scotia. Admission is free, but delicious food from around the world will be available to purchase!

East Coast Kite Festival

August 21-22 2021, Citadel Hill

This family-friendly free event takes place on the Garrison Grounds at the Halifax Citadel. There will be a bouncy castle, face painting, kite workshops, kites for sale or rent and a display of unique kites! You can bring your own to fly as well. See their Facebook page for more information

Holiday Parade Of Lights

November 2021 -Date TBD

The Holiday Parade Of Lights in Downtown Halifax is a great event to kick off your holiday season. This approximately 2 hour parade will have festive floats, marching bands, dancers, great costumes, and of course, Santa!

Halifax Waterfront

You can’t have Halifax without the water, it’s really in our blood. Luckily there’s lots of free things to do on the Halifax waterfront!

Halifax Seaport Market

The Halifax Seaport Market is the oldest farmer’s market in North America, and for good reason! The market itself is free to enter, although there are a lot of delicious foods, beautiful art, and unique crafts available to purchase. On Saturdays local musicians usually provide some nice background music while you browse the vendors. 

Related: One Day In Halifax Nova Scotia

The Boardwalk

How can you mention Halifax without mentioning our beautiful waterfront boardwalk. It is 4km long and the most visited attraction in Nova Scotia. It’s also totally free to walk along. Of course there are many shops and restaurants along the way, and sometimes ice-cream is worth splurging on!

Scotiabank Family History Centre at Pier 21

If you are researching your family history, someone at the Scotia Family History Centre inside the Pier 21 Immigration Museum can help you find immigration records, and ship information. It is free to go in (you don’t have to pay the entrance fee to Pier 21), the only thing you have to pay for is if you want copies of records.

Free Day Trips From Halifax

There are lots of free things to do outside of Halifax too! Here are my favourite day trips from Halifax that will only cost you gas money:

Burntcoat Head

Experience the world’s highest tides by walking on the ocean floor at Burntcoat Head Park, only about an hour and 14 minutes from downtown Halifax.

Read more about Burntcoat Head Park

Cape Split

Cape Split is my favourite hike in Nova Scotia, not just because I got engaged there! It is about 15km long round trip and it takes about 4-5 hours to complete. It is about an hour and a half from downtown Halifax.

Read more about Hiking Cape Split

Oak Island Interpretive Centre

If you’re obsessed with The Curse Of Oak Island TV show like I am, then you probably want to visit Oak Island! The tour tickets sell out fast, but you can visit the Oak Island Interpretive Centre for free! It’s a small museum that displays things found on the island.

Read more about visiting Oak Island

Final Thoughts

See?! I told you there were so many free things to do in Halifax! Did I miss anything? What is your favourite free thing to do in Halifax?