Parks Canada Ghost Tour of Citadel Hill

On Friday night we took our next door neighbours, who are 14 and 16, to the Parks Canada Ghost Tour of Citadel Hill in Halifax, NS.

We wanted to test out the tour to see if it was too scary for our own children, who are 8 and 10, and we had a great time doing it!

Citadel Hill is a National Historic Site in Halifax, NS. A British fort, completed in 1856, it was built to help defend the city of Halifax against invasion from American forces; however, never saw battle.

The Citadel is impressive in the dark, seeming larger than in the daytime. It was a beautiful, clear night and there was a wedding going on at the Citadel so it wasn’t as quiet as it might be on another night. It’s a little harder to get spooked when there are people walking around you than if you were all alone in the fort. We stepped through the main iron gates and gathered to hear the first story of the spirit of a heart-broken woman who wanders inside the main building of the fort.

We traveled deep into the prison, where a long-lost soldier has been seen by visitors, into the exterior walls of defence and back up to the main fort. The stories we heard were very well researched, often quoting multiple sources of night guards and cleaners, who had witnessed the apparitions.

At times I was a little spooked, due to the dark and the stories being told. The tour guide was fantastic. He knew his stories well and was able to answer any questions the group had for him. It was a very entertaining and educational way to spend a Friday night in Halifax. The tour took approximately an hour and a half, from start to finish, and we would definitely do it again. I think this tour would be ok for children if they are older than 10 or if they are not easily frightened by the dark. I highly recommend it for locals or any visitors to Halifax as a fun addition to a daytime tour of Citadel Hill.