Spring is just around the corner, and it’s time to celebrate! It’s time for rain, flowers, rain, longer days, warmer air, and rain! Alright, there might not be that much rain…but you never know. That’s why this list includes lots of outdoor activities as well as some indoor ones, so you have something to do on the not-so-fair weather days. Enjoy the renewal that comes with the equinox, and make this spring a time to remember.
Patio Season Begins
Thanks to some innovating, patio season is beginning earlier this year, and I honestly couldn’t be happier. Restaurants with patios all over Halifax are set for spring, with covers and deck heaters at the ready. Check out your favourite place and see when they’re ready to seat you outside, and enjoy the warmer weather and great food as spring gets underway. It’s a great chance to try out new places and see where you can find the best outdoor seating before it gets too hot to do too much wandering.
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Biking
No more ice means it’s time to bike! There are several places to bike around Halifax, including the Commons, Point Pleasant Park, and most of the area’s trails. With the city’s added bike paths on the road, it’s a great time to get out and into city cycling with the whole family. Pro tip: get your tires pumped up before you go out so you get a smooth and fun ride.
BLT Trail
If you want to watch spring come alive, you should visit this trail at least once a week. The trail stretches along a flat path that was once a railroad line, so it’s perfect for walks and cycling. Stop off at the Bike and Bean café for a snack, take some pictures, and enjoy this urban-natural walk. And the best part is that the BLT connects to other trail systems, so if you want to keep on walking and enjoy the extra daylight, you don’t even have to leave the trail!
Frog Pond
Spring at Frog Pond is fascinating because you’re reminded after many cold months of how it got its name. The frogs have woken up and are busy creating new tadpoles, so your walk will include frog noises once again. You’ll be able to see the whole forest waking up as March turns to April turns to May, and since it’s a short walk it’s a great option for taking kids. You can teach them about the wildlife they see and hear, get them some exercise, and instill a love of nature for even the very young.
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Bowlarama
This is one of the rainy-day ones, but bowling is fun all of the time in my view. Bowling is a great activity for groups of all ages, because as long as people don’t get insanely competitive, it stays fun. Ask for the bumpers to be put down to keep everyone engaged, and wear pale colours to enjoy the glow in the dark parts of the alley. Eat some bowling alley food, try for some trick shots, and check out the arcade between rounds!
Central Library
The Central Library is ready to welcome you to a whole host of spring fun. While most of the programs remain virtual for now, it’s very possible that some will be brought back into the library as vaccination numbers continue to rise. And while you’re waiting for that, there’s lots of stuff to do at the library. Play video games, enjoy the recording studio, and spend some story time together. You can even pick out some cookbooks or activity books to learn a new springtime hobby.
5440 Spring Garden Road/ Phone: 902-490-5700
Citadel Hill
Do you want a stunning view of Halifax in springtime? Would you also like that view to include learning about the history of the Citadel Hill Fort? Then you need to head to Citadel Hill. If it hasn’t been raining, the hill is the perfect place for a picnic, and if it has been raining you can always trek up the road of the hill and get a workout in. The fort itself opens on May 1st, which is a little way off, but the road lets you see quite a bit, and when the doors are open you can learn all about Halifax back when it was a baby city.
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Crystal Crescent Beach
It might be too cold to swim yet without a wetsuit, but Crystal Crescent Beach is still a wonderful place to visit in the spring. You can walk on the three interconnected beaches just fine, or you can walk the boardwalk that goes between them. If you’re looking for a longer hike, you’ll find Pennant Point Trail ready for you. It’s a challenging hike that involves some clambering and a GPS comes recommended, but the view from the end is well worth the wait through the snow and ice.
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Farmer’s Market
With spring comes the wakening of the earth…and that means spring produce! And what better place to enjoy it than at the farmer’s market? The Seaport Market is in the process of moving, as explained at the link below, but even during the transition you’ll be able to find local artisan and farmer offerings for sale. Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth, a savory tooth, or you just want fresh herbs, a trip to the farmer’s market will get your palate all ready for spring.
Get Air!
Look, it’s been a long year, we’ve all been cooped up a lot, and sometimes it’s simply too rainy to be fun outside. But we all need exercise and fun, so it’s time to head to Get Air! Get Air! is a trampoline park in Dartmouth that’s designed for all ages (including having a separate bouncy place for the very young). Run the obstacle course, hang out in the pit, or just see how high you can bounce. It’s a great outing for families and groups, and everyone needs a bounce in their step right now…so why not use a trampoline to do it?
Address: 612 Windmill Road, Dartmouth/ Phone: 902-702-8790
Halifax Commons
As the snow melts from the Commons, get ready to enjoy every inch of the grounds! There’s a playground, a skate park, paths for walking and biking, several sports fields, and lots of open space where you can do whatever you like. Make sure to bring snacks and sunscreen so you can enjoy your outing to the fullest. Also, the Emera Oval will be transitioning from its Ice Rink phase to its Skating Oval phase, so when that’s ready you can bike, roller blade, roller skate, and more, helped out by the free equipment rentals and the Beaver Tails truck!
Address: 5816 Cogswell Street
Hatfield Farm
Ever wanted to see a farm in spring time, as everything turns green and there are baby animals to see? Of course you have, and Hatfield Farm is close by and ready to welcome you! Hatfield Farm offers a range of activities, from the petting zoo to a rubber rodeo to wagon rides and Easter Egg Hunt, all designed for families to enjoy. You can even spend the night there and wake up to a cowboy breakfast, perfect for a spring long weekend getaway.
Address: 1840 Hammond Plains Road // 902-835-5676 or 1-877-835-5676
The Ovens Park
The Ovens Park is one of those places that’s hard to describe, but I will do my best. The trail leads high over the crashing oceans, and you can see the caves below and hear the pounding of water as it rushes in and out of them. If walking isn’t your thing, you can also get a guided kayak or canoe trip where you’ll learn about the history of the area. If you’re anywhere Lunenburg, or you want to take a drive out there, the Ovens are a must-see!
Peggy’s Cove
Watching the sea turn from winter to spring is a subtle pleasure, and Peggy’s Cove is the perfect place to enjoy it. Peggy’s Cove is a beautiful village with an iconic lighthouse (literally), which makes it a great place to start a spring photo album. The restaurant by the lighthouse has excellent food and there are trails nearby, so you can fully enjoy the Cove. Just don’t go on the dark rocks, they are dark because they are wet, which means they are slippery and you will hurt your head when you fall.
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Point Pleasant Park
Point Pleasant Park’s recovery from Hurricane Juan in 2003 has been remarkable, and it’s most obvious in the spring. As both old and new trees get back their leaves, you can wander the paths and enjoy the park’s rebirth. There are trails ranging from flat to quite steep, and there are lots of landmarks in the park, with everything from war memorials to a tower to a gazebo! If you’ve been waiting all winter to have a nature walk, this downtown Halifax park is the place to go!
Public Gardens
The Public Gardens no longer close during the winter, but spring is still welcomed as a return to the park’s usual beauty. Flowers start to peek through the ground, the pond thaws and the birds start to return (including the iconic ducks), and the paths are free of ice and snow. Every walk in the spring will be different as the flora and fauna wake up once more. And as always, since the Public Gardens is on the corner of Spring Garden, it’s the perfect place to shake off the winter blues.
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Putting Edge
Another rainy day destination, Putting Edge is an indoor mini golf course….that glows in the dark! This adds an interesting challenge to mini golf, because while the balls glow in the dark, there are shadowy places on the courses and glowing elements to make depth perception a bit wacky. It’s lots of fun, and a great family outing when the day is cold and damp. Like the bowling alley, make sure to wear light clothing so you can glow in the dark too!
Address: 182 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax/ Phone: 902-450-0029
Rain Walks
If you’ve made it this far in the article, you’re probably thinking “hey, I like the rain, and I have a great raincoat and rainboots!” If this is the case, then by all means you should go for a Halifax rain walk! It’s simple and versatile—simple because you just have to wait for a rainy day, and versatile because you can really walk anywhere. My personal suggestions are the Waterfront, the Commons, and the Public Gardens, because they will be pretty walks and you’ll be able to duck inside a store or shelter quite easily if people get fussy.
Rainbow Haven
This might be a bit of a stretch, but I really encourage going to Rainbow Haven during the water-is-too-cold-without-a-wetsuit months. In the first place…well, you can get a wetsuit if you really want to swim. Secondly, this is one of the HRM’s most popular beaches, so it’s crowded in the summer. Come and beachcomb and frolic while the crowds are low. It’s been a long winter, and if you’ve been craving a beach day then you can get an early look at Rainbow Haven.
2249 Cow Bay Road
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Salt Marsh Trail
One of the surest signs of spring is the return of the songbirds from the south; the migrations are fascinating to observe. Salt Marsh Trail is one of the best places to observe them, because it is internationally recognized as a great place for bird watching. You can observe dozens of bird species here during the spring, and the trail is long and flat so you can also get in a great workout. Exercise and ornithology in the salt marshes; what more could you want?
Scavenger Hunt
This is a great option for kids and adults alike, because you have the freedom to customize your scavenger hunt to fit your needs. There’s lots to see and do in Halifax, so use your imagination! You can plan one around nature, stores, landmarks, food…whatever you most want to enjoy about Halifax. You can also follow the Scavenger Hunt.com hunt on your mobile, where you buy tickets for the event but you put it on yourself (see the website for details).
Shubie Park
Dartmouth in spring is just as beautiful as Halifax, and Shubie Park is a great place to explore that. This park sits along the Shubenacadie Canals, so you can enjoy the history and geography of that site while you’re there. If that’s not your thing though, you can also go canoeing, hiking, biking, picnicking, and so much more. It’s right in the heart of Dartmouth, so it’s also a decent place for a rain walk—it’s not far from nearby restaurants and other indoor activities.
Thrift Shopping
Spring cleaning can be a pain, but one of the best parts of it is finding new wardrobe items. And thrift shopping is a great way to do that while being green and budget conscious. There are several thrift shops across Nova Scotia and Halifax (see the three linked below), so you’re sure to find a place that becomes your new favourite for finding hidden gems. Best of all, some of them support non-profit initiatives, so you’re not only stepping up your look, you’re helping someone else in need.
Waterfront Walk
The Waterfront has changed so much since I was a little girl (they replaced the old deathtrap playground for one thing), and yet it remains a fun tradition for visitors and locals alike. There’s lots to see and do, from the splash pad at one end to the Casino at the other. In between, you’ll find the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, a playground, the Wave, lots of places to eat, and lots of opportunities to go for a boat ride. In the springtime you can walk to your heart’s content without worrying about crowds or finding shade, so get out there and see what’s new on the Waterfront!
Harbour Hopper
It’s a truck! It’s a boat! It’s both! The Harbour Hopper is one of the most recognizable vehicles in all of Halifax, and deservedly so. When you hop aboard you’ll be treated to an in-depth tour about Halifax, both on land and—after a splash!—in the Harbour. It’s enjoyable whether you’ve lived here your whole life, you’re new to the city, or anything in between. It doesn’t start until June, but if you’re familiar with Nova Scotia you know that June is one of those wonderful in-between months—not quite summer yet, so you can still enjoy spring activities!
By: Adrienne Colborne