2 Best Sights in Halifax, Nova Scotia

This tiny spit is the final resting place of almost 200 American prisoners of war who died while imprisoned in Halifax during the War of 1812. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled a memorial in 2005 to honor the men, who died of communicable diseases such as smallpox and were buried in mass graves. Over time, the island, now a park, has become naturally linked to the mainland, so you can walk to it without getting your feet wet.

Most of the city's former fortifications have been turned into public parks, including this one, which encompasses 186 wooded acres on a headland south of downtown with walking trails and seafront paths. The major military installation here is a massive round tower dating from the late 18th century, but the greatest threat the park ever faced came from Mother Nature. In September 2003, Hurricane Juan tore through, uprooting or damaging 75,000 trees (about 75% of the park's total) in a matter of hours, in the process leaving present-day parkgoers the same harbor views that must have inspired its use as a military command post in the first place. Having been nurtured since the storm, Point Pleasant is again immensely popular with strollers, joggers, and dog walkers. It's the perfect vantage point from which to watch ships entering the harbor, and in summer it's the site of Shakespeare by the Sea performances.