A Winter Journey to Nova Scotia


© Lynne A. Williams
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Mar 20, 2001


One of the really enjoyable aspects of this train was the domed observation car. Sitting high above the tracks, the traveler can see for many miles, over the beautiful, snowy Nova Scotia landscape. There was also a lounge for relaxation and a dining area for meal service. The food was quite good and very reasonably priced.

We arrived in Halifax in the early evening, disembarking at the small, beautifully restored train station. This station is reminiscent of the days when the train station was an integral part of a city, and sat firmly at the center of downtown. Right next to the station was the Westin Nova Scotian, and what a pleasure it was to be able to walk to our lodging. Part of the Westin chain of hotels, the Nova Scotian is an elegant brick building, a Halifax landmark, within short walking distance of the harbor and the downtown neighborhood. There is also a hotel shuttle to the downtown area. Although I usually do not stay in either luxury hotels or chain hotels, I really like to support those businesses that encourage rail travel, and what better way to support rail travel than to locate directly next to the train station.

Halifax is the perfect city for walking. The harbor is active, with both working and pleasure vessels. The downtown area is filled with restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as many interesting shops, galleries and bookstores. Since we were only to be in town for one day, we were unable to see as much as we would have liked. However, that just gives us a reason to return.

We did visit the Pier 21 National Historical Site, which is the “Ellis Island” of eastern Canada. The site includes a very interesting multi-media presentation about Canadian immigration, and gives a good sense of what it might have been like to be coming to an unfamiliar land, and probably never being able to return to home. After Pier 21, we checked out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which houses many Titanic artifacts, and discovered that Titanic fever is still as hot as ever.

Being hungry and thirsty after all of that walking, we headed to the Granite Brewery, a great brew pub in downtown Halifax, with a wide selection of local brews and a menu of hearty food. As the day wore down, we headed for the Upper Deck, a restaurant housed in the old Privateers’ Warehouse. The continental cuisine was pricey, but very good.

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
1.   Jul 8, 2001 11:02 AM
Your site is really nice and, especially, well-written; it was a pleasure reading your work.

Your piece on Halifax further whetted my appetite for a visit--especially if train travel is involved. M ...

-- posted by MrLion



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