Halifax Free Walking Tours
Halifax Free Walking Tours
Halifax Free Walking Tours
4.5
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About
Halifax Free Walking Tours are a by-donation pedestrian tour of Downtown Halifax. One of our dynamic tour guides will show you the highlights of the city they love, tell personal stories, and share fun and historical facts. You’ll see the historic and modern sites that make Halifax the awesome city it is. Start of tour: Observation deck of Citadel Hill End of tour: along the waterfront. One of our tour guides will be on the observation deck 10-15 minutes before tour start time. Look for the sentry standing guard and you will find a guide with a sign near the informational plaques facing downtown. Tour Schedule: June 1- September 1: Tours at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm every day September into November or before June 1: contact through our website, email, or facebook to book a time with us. N.B. We hope this doesn't come as a surprise, but Halifax Free Walking Tours will be suspending operations this summer season, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We wish everyone health and safety!
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
115 reviews
Excellent
90
Very good
19
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
2
PnMW
Bourne, UK14 contributions
Sept 2022
No Walking tours available so did it ourselves with the help of an excellent map and guide notes. Lucky that we had excellent weather and found walking hilly Halifax much warmer than we had anticipated.
We spent one evening and one whole day walking and visiting as many of the highlights we had identified as possible
Up hill to the Citadel, get there fot midday gun, and changing of the guard on the hour. Downhill to town clock. Further downhill to the ferry terminal and waterfront. Across on the ferry to Downtown Dartmouth. Back on the ferry, great views of the bridges and waterfront.Walked along the waterfront to Pier 21 and immigration museum very interesting, then back up the hill through the public park, impropmyu folk group in the band stand , then back to our hotel
We spent one evening and one whole day walking and visiting as many of the highlights we had identified as possible
Up hill to the Citadel, get there fot midday gun, and changing of the guard on the hour. Downhill to town clock. Further downhill to the ferry terminal and waterfront. Across on the ferry to Downtown Dartmouth. Back on the ferry, great views of the bridges and waterfront.Walked along the waterfront to Pier 21 and immigration museum very interesting, then back up the hill through the public park, impropmyu folk group in the band stand , then back to our hotel
Written 13 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NCRedhead105
Cary, North Carolina446 contributions
Sept 2015
We were on a New England/Canada cruise so we were only in Halifax for the day. We were able to walk to the meeting point at the Citadel from the cruise port in about 20 minutes. There were about 8 of us in the group...everyone else was visiting Halifax for an extended stay. Our guide , a local college student, gave us a good overview of Halifax, it's history, and it's present. You start at the Citadel and end at the water. It takes about 2 hours...not a lot of walking...lots of stopping and sharing information. Once the tour was over, we tipped her what we felt the tour was worth and then walked back to all the places she had taken us so we could explore these areas more. If you come to Halifax, I recommend you start your visit with this walking tour.
Written 21 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clashgour
London, UK26 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
Our guide was a student and a lifelong resident of Halifax/Dartmouth. She not only knew the place very well she told a lot of personal anecdotes which was great. Don't hesitate to go on this tour.
Written 25 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellen1686
Zephyrhills, FL117 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
The free walking tour (similar to Sandeman's in Europe) began near the town clock at the Citadel. Easy to find. There were about 8 of us, most from other places in Canada and us, the Floridians. Clare, our guide, provided lots of historical information and personal info - her grandfather was mayor of Halifax. Wear comfortable shoes!
Written 17 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosemarie NS
Trinidad and Tobago17 contributions
Aug 2019
Did this tour on my first full day in Halifax. There is a bit of a walk to get to the Citadel entrance where the tour begins. My tour guide was Ghislaine, a Kings University student I believe. She waited till the changing of the guard, and then our motley crew was off, walking progressively downhill towards the waterfront. Ghislaine did a good job of introducing us to Halifax origins and history. She did walk a bit too fast for some of the older folks in the group, but tempered herself after we gave feedback.Overall a good introduction to the area and the history of the town, with some personal recommendations on where to eat based on group questions. Be prepared for 1.5 hours of walking, not too strenuously though.
Written 4 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Warmhiker
Washington DC, DC77 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
We had registered and got there 15 late but caught up with the tour at the foot of the Citadel.
Caleb was fantastic and gave historical, fun points along the way. We ended up at the pier and was a good overview of the history and city of Halifax. It was up and down through town and we enjoyed every minute. Wear good walking shoes as the streets are uneven at times, but would totally do this one again - thanks, Caleb!
Caleb was fantastic and gave historical, fun points along the way. We ended up at the pier and was a good overview of the history and city of Halifax. It was up and down through town and we enjoyed every minute. Wear good walking shoes as the streets are uneven at times, but would totally do this one again - thanks, Caleb!
Written 2 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Boris E
Staunton, VA949 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
I felt more than fortunate to find this free walking tour during our short stay in Halifax. Even prior to arriving, I was able to reach out and a fast response was given regarding tour information and specific times. I would highly recommend that you check their website and find out more information about the walking tour company, times and specific seasons where they are more or less active. During the summer, they offer two tours at 10:00 AM and 03:00 PM each day, so I was more than thankful for their availability to do this, but would recommend checking their site out first for any changes/updates.
We decided to do the morning tour and Katie was more than punctual. She was waiting for us on top of the Citadel before 10:00 AM. Within one hour and a half, we were able to cover key locations within Downtown Halifax and it gave us a great overview of the city. Downtown Halifax is a small, but she gave us suggestions to do after our tour to compliment our experience in the city. I do believe that she is still learning about the city and did her best in providing an answer to every question asked during our tour.
One thing that I would like to emphasize is that the tour guides are college students and they are taking some of personal time to do this on the side. Even though it is free, tips should be provided for their time. As other reviewers might not agree with my review or the performance by Halifax Free Walking Tours, we should be thankful that something like this exists in Halifax and at least you are getting some information that you may not be able to find sometimes on your own.
Overall, I would recommend them and appreciate their effort in educating tourists about this region in Canada.
We decided to do the morning tour and Katie was more than punctual. She was waiting for us on top of the Citadel before 10:00 AM. Within one hour and a half, we were able to cover key locations within Downtown Halifax and it gave us a great overview of the city. Downtown Halifax is a small, but she gave us suggestions to do after our tour to compliment our experience in the city. I do believe that she is still learning about the city and did her best in providing an answer to every question asked during our tour.
One thing that I would like to emphasize is that the tour guides are college students and they are taking some of personal time to do this on the side. Even though it is free, tips should be provided for their time. As other reviewers might not agree with my review or the performance by Halifax Free Walking Tours, we should be thankful that something like this exists in Halifax and at least you are getting some information that you may not be able to find sometimes on your own.
Overall, I would recommend them and appreciate their effort in educating tourists about this region in Canada.
Written 29 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nevben
Exeter, United Kingdom123 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
We find that walking tours are the best way to get an understanding of areas not previously visited. And this was no exception. Cameron is a well informed guide who led us on a wide ranging tour from the Citadel through to Pier 21. Along the way he explained the development of the city with many interesting facts and stories such that by the end the city was beginning to feel familiar.
A two hours walk which was well worth the effort.
A two hours walk which was well worth the effort.
Written 23 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Nevben,
Thanks so much for the kind words and I am glad you enjoyed the tour. I hope that everything was done well and the recommendations I gave also helped you guys out. If you ever come back to Halifax Please let us know, we should be able to give you guys more cool info about the city.
Regards
Cameron,
Halifax Free Walking Tours
902-449-8869
Written 25 September 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
StPeteCruiser
St. Petersburg, FL18 contributions
May 2014 • Solo
I arrived on Holland America's Maasdam, the first spring arrival of the season (May 2014) and luckily found Cameron and his walking tour. We started at the Citadel and worked our way down thru Halifax finishing at the harbor. He is a young and handsome man who is very well spoken and knows his material. You will enjoy this tour and him and Halifax. Although it is "free", expect to give him something at conclusion....I think you will be happy to do so!
Written 21 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancy S
Indianapolis, IN44 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
Tour was very easy to set up via email. We liked the idea that it was done by college students.
Our guide, I believe, was Erin. She met us promptly at the observation area outside the Citadel. As we walked down the hill, she stopped on occasion to point out sights/buildings and explain their significance. It was great that there were only 4 of us on the tour, plenty of opportunity for questions. While she stated that she was still learning about the area, we felt that her knowledge was quite extensive.
The only negative for us was that we were unaware that the Citadel itself was not part of the tour. Had we known this in advance we would have allowed time to tour it prior to the Walking Tour. Perhaps we should have inquired.
Normally we don't do Walking tours as we are older and don't like to hold others back.
As it was a down the hill tour, we decided to give it a try. We lasted 2 of the 2 1/2 hours.
At that point we were along the Waterfront and there were things we wanted to take more time to see, so we said good-by to the others.
All in all, we would highly recommend this tour to anyone seeking a more personalized experience. Don't forget to tip your guide!
Our guide, I believe, was Erin. She met us promptly at the observation area outside the Citadel. As we walked down the hill, she stopped on occasion to point out sights/buildings and explain their significance. It was great that there were only 4 of us on the tour, plenty of opportunity for questions. While she stated that she was still learning about the area, we felt that her knowledge was quite extensive.
The only negative for us was that we were unaware that the Citadel itself was not part of the tour. Had we known this in advance we would have allowed time to tour it prior to the Walking Tour. Perhaps we should have inquired.
Normally we don't do Walking tours as we are older and don't like to hold others back.
As it was a down the hill tour, we decided to give it a try. We lasted 2 of the 2 1/2 hours.
At that point we were along the Waterfront and there were things we wanted to take more time to see, so we said good-by to the others.
All in all, we would highly recommend this tour to anyone seeking a more personalized experience. Don't forget to tip your guide!
Written 23 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
how far is Citadel Front Yokohama Hotel to Daikoku pier?
Written 11 March 2024
Does the tour cover Citadel well? Or should I still plan my own visit to Citadel?
Where does the tour end?
Written 27 June 2021
How is the availability for the week of Aug 1st? Is there any easy place to park? How much is parking and do they take credit cards?
Written 31 July 2018
You can book or do as we did just turn up for 1000 or 300 tour daily... check schedule when you are coming
You start at citidel on top of city and walk to the bottom at harbour
Suggest leave car at accommodation and walk up to citadel or taxi and then walk back to accommodation at the end or taxi
It isn’t far at all
Written 1 August 2018
Hi, How are you? I read that one can show up and join the tour as well as book in advance via email. Could you let me know what is the best way to positively join this tour on a given day?
We are a party of 3 who will visit Halifax on 7/5, 6, and7. Thank you. Eric.
Written 24 June 2018
Hi Eric, we run tours every day at 10 AM and 3 PM, but due to some change ups in our guides we may have limited availability that week. Please refer to our facebook for any cancellations (HalifaxFreeWalkingTours on facebook)
Written 26 June 2018
annie021900
Halifax, Canada
What time do the tours start? I will be in Halifax on June 26 through the 28th.
Written 21 June 2018
We run tours at 10 AM and 3 PM each day. Check our website/facebook/twitter for updates on cancellations!
Written 22 June 2018
I would like to book a tour on Friday May 11th at 500 pm starting @ Prince George Hotel.
Written 9 May 2018
Hi there, all of our tours start on top of Citadel Hill at the observation deck near the main entrance to the fort. As well, unfortunately we do not have a guide that would be available for 5 PM. Would 3 PM be able to work?
Written 10 May 2018
Hi Flavia, so sorry we didn't respond to your message in time! If you happen to be in Halifax again, reaching us through our email or facebook is best for when we are in our off-season. Sorry again and hope you had a nice stay in Halifax!
Written 15 April 2018
naturegranny1
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
how far are you from the lord nelson hotel what are the sights you see
Written 9 July 2017
The Lord Nelson is about a 10-15 minute walk from the observation deck of Citadel Hill. We talk about the Citadel, pass by Spring Garden Road, go by St. Paul's Church, and then walk along the Halifax Waterfront.
Written 10 July 2017
Party of 5 seniors will be in halifax on October 1 after 2am for the night. Are there any walking tours available. If so please provide time and cost. Thanks
Written 18 September 2016
As Trip Advisor does not permit contact information, Google Halifax Free Walking Tours and contact them directly.
I don't seem to see any tours listed on their calendar after September 5th, but check with them just in case.
Best Regards
Written 19 September 2016
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