The harbour is ice free all year round, due to the warm Gulf Stream current. There are also six military bases located here. The city was the gateway to Canada for immigrants arriving from Europe by boat.

The retail heart of the Downtown is Barrington Street. In Brewery Market many of the buildings still house their original occupant, such as the Brewery Market and The Bank of Nova Scotia on stately Hollis Street. Built in 1820, the brewery building is a example of the industrious spirit of Nova Scotia, and today is home to Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery it also houses offices, restaurants and shops.

The city of Halifax has prohibited smoking in all restaurants and bingo halls, but permits smoking in bars, casinos and private clubs only where they have separately enclosed and ventilated rooms. Halifax has a lot of bars and pubs for a city of its size.

The restored buildings from the original settlement of Halifax, particularly along the storied water front, can be toured by visitors.

Cathedral Church of All Saints which opened in 1910, is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture. The church is well known for its stained-glass windows and the woodcarvings of its pulpit and chancel. Queen Victoria granted the letters patent for the Dean and Chapter in 1865. After decades of fundraising and building, the gothic-style structure which has been compared in size and style to the cathedrals of England 1910.

Many victims from the sinking of the liner Titanic in 1912 are buried here at Fairview Cemetery. This cemetery is the final resting place of 121 victims of the Titanic. The graves can be easily located in a graceful arc of granite tombstones. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has an exhibit about the disaster.

Halifax has a restored military fort called the Citadel which is on a hill in the centre of the downtown area and was founded in 1749. It was built to defend the harbour and city against the American attacks. It was used during the First and Second World Wars. Today the Citadel is no longer in use for military purposes and is operated by Parks Canada to give visitors an insight into early military life in the country.