About Halifax
There are many resources that provide great information about what to see in Halifax and Nova Scotia. We have listed some of them below. There are lots of activities to do before and after Nationals, so plan to spend some time touring around before or after Nationals. Whether a sea trip to go whale watching, sailing, or kayaking, or land activities like a hike in one of our national parks, sightseeing in historic Louisbourg in Cape Breton, or soaking in the great scenery on the Cabot trail, there are many indoor and outdoor activities to keep anyone busy.
The bottom of this page features a variety of links to travel information for Halifax and Nova Scotia.
Halifax shopping and restaurants
There are three main areas for shopping near the central CUC site: downtown Halifax, Quinpool road, and the Halifax Shopping Centre.
In downtown Halifax, you will find all the basics for shopping and a very diverse set of eateries throughout the downtown core. A short walk along Spring Garden Road, Barrington Street, and the Historic Properties will bring you by a wide diversity of shops. Don't forget to wander a bit off of those streets as some gems of restaurants are tucked away in some nooks and crannies.
Our green information web pages provide information on restaurants that promote environmental sustainability.
On Quinpool road, you will find more shops and restaurants, including a larger grocery store (Atlantic SuperStore).
If you're desperate for that shopping mall fix then your nearest resource will be the Halifax Shopping Centre at Bayers road and Connaught Street and the West End Mall just west of there. It hosts all the typical big box stores.
Getting Around Halifax
The majority of CUC 2006 in Halifax will be hosted in the downtown area
where you can walk between venues and from the hotels. The furthest is
at most a 2km walk. You can also rely on the Halifax Metro Transit bus
system to get you to the main sites. Getting to the Clayton Park and
Burnside fields will take a bit more time on the bus, but the CUC
organizing committee will be providing transportation from the main
field to the satellite sites. You can also consider renting a bicycle to
get around. We list more information on these alternatives on the
green mission web page.
Parking is available at both satellite sites. Parking around the Halifax Commons and the Wanderers Grounds will be limited.
Things to keep in mind
- Nova Scotia does not have Sunday shopping. Commercial stores and large grocery stores are closed. Exceptions appear in the tourist district along the Halifax harbourfront. Basic necessities can also be found at Pete's Frootique (fruits and vegetables) and the Shopper's Drugmart in downtown Halifax.
- When driving, you are allowed to make right turns on red lights. A flashing green light is an advanced green light for traffic, not a pedestrian-controlled light (as in BC). Also, pedestrians in Halifax think that they rule the road so keep an eye peeled for pedestrians who decide to cross the road abruptly. Finally, the two bridges that cross the Halifax harbour are toll bridges. The fare is 75 cents in either direction, collected at the Dartmouth end of the bridges.
- Halifax has a no-smoking policy in all public places (restaurants, pubs, etc.).
Halifax weather
Halifax has great summer weather. Expect warm days ranging from 25 to 30 Celsius and cool nights down to 15 Celsius. August is generally dry in Halifax. Being on the coast, expect some wind: a gentle breeze of 5 km/h is great to cool you off while the more gusty days at 30 km/h will require that you hone your precision throws on the field..
Detailed weather information is provided by Environment Canada.
