When I first moved to Nova Scotia, I had the opportunity to work in downtown Halifax during my summer internship. I spent a lot of time downtown that summer, and one thing that always caught my attention was the Harbour Hopper.

Every time I saw it driving through the streets, filled with people waving and taking in the city, I thought, I need to do that one day.

It became one of those Halifax experiences I always wanted to try but somehow never got around to doing. Even when my parents came to visit, I made sure they got to experience it, but I still hadn’t done it myself.

So, finally, on a perfect summer day, I made the time to hop on the Harbour Hopper.

And I genuinely loved the experience.

Here’s why.

Booking My Harbour Hopper Tour

I purchased my Harbour Hopper ticket online ahead of time because I had other commitments that day and wanted to make sure the time slot I needed didn’t sell out. One thing I liked about booking online was being able to see which tour times had discounted tickets.

On the day of my tour, I was running a little late and started to worry that I wouldn’t make my time slot. Thankfully, I arrived just in time.

While I was checking in, one of the attendants asked if I would prefer to join the next tour instead. I was actually so happy about this because it meant I could arrive early for the next departure and choose a seat I really liked rather than rushing to take whatever was left.

I found a great seat and even got a picture in the driver’s seat of the Harbour Hopper before we left. The tour was already off to a good start.

Seeing Downtown Halifax Differently

Once the tour started, I found myself looking out at downtown Halifax and thinking about all the time I had spent there during my internship.

I knew downtown Halifax, or at least, I thought I did.

What I quickly realized was that while I was familiar with the streets and landmarks, I didn’t actually know much about the history behind them. And that became one of my favourite things about the Harbour Hopper experience.

As we drove through the city, we passed familiar Halifax landmarks and made our way towards Citadel Hill. This was where I learned something that genuinely surprised me. Citadel Hill has always been one of my favourite places to visit in Halifax. I have been there several times over the years, yet somehow, I never knew there was a moat around the fortifications.

How did I not know this? I had visited so many times and had never noticed it. If I hadn’t gone on the Harbour Hopper, I probably still wouldn’t know. It immediately made me realize that I need to go back and do a proper tour of Citadel Hill because clearly, there is still so much for me to learn.

Exploring Familiar Halifax Streets

From there, we continued towards Spring Garden Road. This part of the tour felt especially nostalgic because Spring Garden is an area I know very well. Seeing it from the Harbour Hopper was refreshing, especially when I thought about how much the area has changed over the years. We caught a glimpse of the Halifax Public Gardens and passed some of the city’s familiar landmarks, including the church at the end of Spring Garden Road and Cows Ice Cream.

We continued through downtown, passing Barrington Street and the Grand Parade, where so many concerts, celebrations and public events take place. One of the fun things about riding the Harbour Hopper through downtown is simply waving at people.

There’s something funny about sitting in this massive vehicle, driving through streets you normally walk along, while people stop to look and wave back at you.

But, of course, the best part was still to come.

When the Harbour Hopper Becomes a Boat

We eventually made our way towards the Halifax waterfront and the casino. And then came the moment I had been waiting for. Our vehicle went from driving on land to cruising on water with a big splash. The transition was so much fun. Our driver sang songs and kept everyone entertained as we entered the harbour. The timing couldn’t have been better either. After riding through the city on a hot summer day, suddenly being out on the water felt incredibly refreshing. The city tour had officially turned into a harbour cruise.

Seeing Halifax From the Water

Once we were on the water, I got to see Halifax from an entirely different perspective. I took the tour around the time of SailGP, there was even more activity happening around the harbour. I saw catamarans, private boats and some of the preparations happening along the waterfront. We cruised past the Halifax waterfront and got closer views of the ships in the harbour.

And I finally figured out exactly where Georges Island was. I had always had a general idea of where it was, but I had never been completely sure. Seeing it from the water finally helped me understand where it sits in relation to the Halifax waterfront.

We also saw the Bluenose II and got much closer views of the cruise ships than I normally would from land.

For someone who already loves the Halifax waterfront, seeing the city from this perspective made me appreciate it even more.

 

Is the Harbour Hopper Worth It?

I left the Harbour Hopper feeling like I knew the city I love just a little bit better.

And I think that was my biggest takeaway from the experience. I had lived in Halifax for years. I had worked downtown. I had walked many of these streets countless times. I had visited some of the city’s most popular attractions. Yet, during one tour, I learned things about Halifax that I had never known before. So, if you’ve ever wondered whether the Harbour Hopper is worth doing, my answer is yes.

I think it’s a great experience whether you’re visiting Halifax for the first time or you’ve lived here for years.

If you’re a tourist, it’s an easy way to get familiar with downtown Halifax and see several of the city’s landmarks while learning a little about its history.

And if you’re a local, you might be surprised by how much you learn about places you’ve walked past hundreds of times. Sometimes, you don’t realize how much there is to discover about the place you call home until you experience it like a tourist. For me, the Harbour Hopper was one of those experiences.

I went because it was something I had wanted to do since my early days in Nova Scotia. I left feeling like I knew Halifax a little more and loving my city even more than I did before.