Bar Harbor, St. John and Halifax ideas?

[laurspag]

We are cruising in August on RCI.  Our ports are Bar Harbor, Maine, St. Jon, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.  We would really love to see so many of the scenic areas, but we prefer to explore on our own rather than do a tour as an excursion.  Since these are all new ports for me, I was wondering what is close by in the port area for each of these.  We love to explore on foot, or use thins such as a hop on, hop off bus. 

 

Of course, we love to find a good place to eat too!  I know there are always popular tourist spots, but the hidden gems that the locals go to are usually more fun for us.

 

Any suggestions?  We like history, scenery, places such as that.  Whale watching may be a tour we do though - that is a bucket list item.  

[cft8]

In Bar Harbor, we went to Acadia National Park. We went on a tour, but I'm sure others may have advice on whether it's possible to do it on your own. They do limit the number of vehicles that can come in. After that, we had time to walk around the town. St. Saviour's Episcopal Church is worth a stop to see the Tiffany stained glass windows. 

 

In St. John, we went out to Gillis of Bellisle Winery. We also did this on a tour, but I highly recommend it if you can get a rental car. Before we headed out there, we went to the New Brunswick Museum. We stopped to see the reversing rapids on our way back to the ship, but they were not really reversing at that time.

 

In Halifax we did a walking tour. I can't remember the name of the organization we booked with, but it was a great tour. Be aware if you go up to the fort that it's a steep walk; some in our group were not prepared for that! We also did the tour at Alexander Keith's Brewery & had lunch in their restaurant. We were pretty rushed for lunch, because of the timing of finishing the walking tour and the start of our brewery tour, but the food was good. One highlight for us was visiting the Central Library and seeing their green roof; there's also lots of neat art in the library.

[Northern Aurora]

We have been to Bar Harbor several times.  We have used Olli's Trolley for a tour of Acadia National Park and thought they were very good.  Bar Harbor has a "museum on the street" walking tour; while the buildings are private property there is informational signage on the street about the historical significance.  And we have had lunch twice at 59 Cottage (their name is also their location); excellent food both times.  They are about half a block off of the main tourist "drag" and both times we think we were the only locals there.

 

We have also been to St. John several times.  The reversing falls are interesting if they are actually reversing, but if they aren't then it is somewhat of a yawn.  The New Brunswick Museum is within easy walking distance of the cruise ship terminal, and there are also a number of interesting restaurants within easy walking distance too.  Also, in 2018 we walked on to a nice 90 minute trolley tour of the area.

 

In Halifax the Maritime Museum is excellent.  And the fort mentioned in the above post is the historic Citadel, which is well worth visiting; it is a national historic site.  Three times we have had the most wonderful lobster rolls in Halifax -- it is a little "lobster shack" type of place located in Goodwater Seafoods, which is in the public market.

[mets123]

I second Ollies tours of Acadia. It is very reasonable in price, but you are going in a school bus. A hot day could be brutal if it is humid. Lobster rolls are good most anywhere. And don't forget blueberry pie or blueberry ice cream, or both.  In Halifax, book the Duck Tour, but do it by yourself, and not thru  the cruise line. It's just a ten minute walk on the boardwalk from the cruise terminal.

[declansdad]

It is Saint John.

[gnome12]

On 5/21/2019 at 10:21 AM, declansdad said:

It is Saint John.

Yes, as declansdad points out, it is always written as Saint John, New Brunswick. We also have St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. If you are searching it helps to distinguish between them.

[Piper934]

Just returned from this trip today.  Here is what we did in the Canadian Ports.  I did a quick review of the Grandeur on the RCCL Forum if that interests you.

 

St. John we did something a bit different, we rented a car.  The Avis/Budget is pretty much right there.  So for about $120 Canadian for car and gas for the 5 of us.  We drove out to St. Martin to see the Sea Caves at low tide, went in the caves.  Very odd feeling seeing no water there, the boats in the fishing village just sit on the base until tide comes back in.  See lighthouses, covered bridges, the locals at information center and locals shops extremely friendly.  Visitor Center is a replica lighthouse that you can climb to top of for a great view.  Headed back in to town and went to the reversing falls.  Ran a couple errands and still enough time to get my Beavertail and browse the shops for a bit, about 5.5 hours.  Really proud of this one, ship price is $95 a person US for essentially the same thing, only difference is you get a bowl of chowder at a place famous for it in St. Martin.  Easy, easy to do on your own.

 

Halifax was cold and windy, early season so a lot of waterfront activities and shops not opened yet.  We have been before so just did a quick walk around the town, big hill to climb but manageable if in ok shape.  The highlights here that are easy, cheap or free to do on your own.  Walk up to the Public Gardens for a nice stroll through the park, head over to the Citadel to see the fort, they shoot the cannon off at noon every day, a few dollars and some interesting history there.  Walk back down the hill and you can watch the guys do glass blowing by the Ferry Terminal.  If you want take the Ferry Ride across the bay and back for a couple bucks for something to do, good view of Halifax coming back in.  Walk the Riverfront back to the ship, stop and read the signs and placards along the way, some very good history. Another Beavertail if you didn't get one in St. John or need another.  Once again we pride ourselves and do it our selfers, there is a Halifax walk and Ferry ride excursion for $40 a person, you can do it your self for like $4, you don't have narrator but you can research the history before and just read the signs.  Lastly right before the ship there are some shops, restaurants, farmers market, brewery very close if you don't want to venture far.

 

Nice thing about New England/Canada ports and adventuring is that it is very, very safe.  Very easy to navigate.  Most cell plans include Canada.  In US ports if you get tired call an Uber, or find the local bus schedules by using Maps.  Maps and bus routes work well in Canada as well.  Let me know if you have any questions.

[Piper934]

Here is Bar Harbor and the US Ports...

 

The Ports of call were very nice, we love going up here and it was our 3rd time.  We like to explore on our own and do a lot of walking while in port.

 

Boston is such an easy city to walk around if in good health.  This time we walked about 2 miles to Boston Common via China Town.  Chinatown was very nice, must stop and eat at the Dumpling King, see the gate, park with locals, etc.  This trip we rode the Swans for a few bucks and a nice little ride.  Freedom Trail is easy to pick up from Boston Common in you want to see the history.  Prior time we walked to the Aquarium(1.7 miles) did a Harbor Cruise and then Hop On/Off to see all the sites.

 

Portland another stop that is easy to get around.  Last two times we did a visit to the Holy Donut for their famous Maine Potato Donuts.  Get the Coffee Cake, it is out of this world.  After that we like to take the Casco Bay Mail Run.  It is about a 3 hour ride out in to the bay, that is narrated so you learn some history, see some beautiful scenery and islands.  It is a working boat so you can watch them take the cargo on and off the boat as they work through it. runs about $16.

 

Bar Harbor is another easy to walk.  They have a map of like 25 sites that you can follow the signs and the trail.  My favorite is always the land bridge, see it at low and high tide and be amazed. Takes you around the city and you learn alot about the heritage and city.  Of course walks goes through all the shops and eateries as well.

 

Feel free to ask any questions that you have.

[shipgeeks]

Bar Harbor has a free bus circuit of the park.  Just show up at the Village Green.

In Halifax you can walk to the Maritime Museum, Immigration Museum, and other spots just by strolling the waterfront boardwalk, which is right at the ship.

We always find the town of St. John interesting just by walking around.  City Market, churches, old buildings that have been repurposed, waterfront.

[declansdad]

Sorry but as a native New Brunswicker this bothers me. It is Saint John not St. John, I know it's petty but around here people take offense to it. Also in Halifax you are taking the ferry across the harbour not the bay.

 

Happy that you enjoyed your cruise.

[laurspag]

Thank you all for posting such good information.  There are so many wonderful things to see in these ports so it is hard to choose.

[Striperchaser]

Just returned from this cruise on Saturday 5/25. We rented bicycles in Portland just outside the gate for 20.00 for half day and with maps pedaled out to do Back Bay Loop and other parts. Bar Harbor walked the loop and shopped.

St John took the trolley ride with Jody as our guide a great tour. And Halifax cold rain and wind and Hop on hop offs that ran about 30-45 mins between buses, that sucked in the weather.

Newport was cancelled for high wind.

Hope this helps.

[KmomChicago]

On ‎5‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 9:08 PM, Piper934 said:

Just returned from this trip today.  Here is what we did in the Canadian Ports.  I did a quick review of the Grandeur on the RCCL Forum if that interests you.

 

St. John we did something a bit different, we rented a car.  The Avis/Budget is pretty much right there.  So for about $120 Canadian for car and gas for the 5 of us.  We drove out to St. Martin to see the Sea Caves at low tide, went in the caves.  Very odd feeling seeing no water there, the boats in the fishing village just sit on the base until tide comes back in.  See lighthouses, covered bridges, the locals at information center and locals shops extremely friendly.  Visitor Center is a replica lighthouse that you can climb to top of for a great view.  Headed back in to town and went to the reversing falls.  Ran a couple errands and still enough time to get my Beavertail and browse the shops for a bit, about 5.5 hours.  Really proud of this one, ship price is $95 a person US for essentially the same thing, only difference is you get a bowl of chowder at a place famous for it in St. Martin.  Easy, easy to do on your own.

 

Halifax was cold and windy, early season so a lot of waterfront activities and shops not opened yet.  We have been before so just did a quick walk around the town, big hill to climb but manageable if in ok shape.  The highlights here that are easy, cheap or free to do on your own.  Walk up to the Public Gardens for a nice stroll through the park, head over to the Citadel to see the fort, they shoot the cannon off at noon every day, a few dollars and some interesting history there.  Walk back down the hill and you can watch the guys do glass blowing by the Ferry Terminal.  If you want take the Ferry Ride across the bay and back for a couple bucks for something to do, good view of Halifax coming back in.  Walk the Riverfront back to the ship, stop and read the signs and placards along the way, some very good history. Another Beavertail if you didn't get one in St. John or need another.  Once again we pride ourselves and do it our selfers, there is a Halifax walk and Ferry ride excursion for $40 a person, you can do it your self for like $4, you don't have narrator but you can research the history before and just read the signs.  Lastly right before the ship there are some shops, restaurants, farmers market, brewery very close if you don't want to venture far.

 

Nice thing about New England/Canada ports and adventuring is that it is very, very safe.  Very easy to navigate.  Most cell plans include Canada.  In US ports if you get tired call an Uber, or find the local bus schedules by using Maps.  Maps and bus routes work well in Canada as well.  Let me know if you have any questions.

We are planning almost exactly what you did. We already have our rental car booked at the same agency in Saint John and also plan to drive to St. Martins and eat chowder at The Caves restaurant while we enjoy boats sitting in the sand and the view of the caves, and perhaps the walk over to them as our visit coincides with low tide. In Halifax will head straight for the fort; can you give me an idea of how long the walk is from the ship?  My husband had to rush at Fort Charlotte in Nassau (we were traveling with a group that kept moving) so I am going to let him take his time at the Citadel.

 

In Bar Harbour, we will probably just walk around the town unless we can find a deep sea fishing vendor.  Can you tell me if you can walk over to Acadia or do you have to get a ride to get there from the ship? 

 

Declans Dad, you are not being petty. I get that it is offensive when people use incorrect names for places and so I am being careful to get it right for our visit to Saint John. Please know that nobody is trying to be flippant or rude.  In the states I am not aware of any Saint town where the word is NOT customarily abbreviated. It just would not occur to us that this would ever be an issue, particularly since many other Canadian Saint towns are abbreviated in the same manner we use.

[Piper934]

40 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

We are planning almost exactly what you did. We already have our rental car booked at the same agency in Saint John and also plan to drive to St. Martins and eat chowder at The Caves restaurant while we enjoy boats sitting in the sand and the view of the caves, and perhaps the walk over to them as our visit coincides with low tide. In Halifax will head straight for the fort; can you give me an idea of how long the walk is from the ship?  My husband had to rush at Fort Charlotte in Nassau (we were traveling with a group that kept moving) so I am going to let him take his time at the Citadel.

 

In Bar Harbour, we will probably just walk around the town unless we can find a deep sea fishing vendor.  Can you tell me if you can walk over to Acadia or do you have to get a ride to get there from the ship? 

 

Declans Dad, you are not being petty. I get that it is offensive when people use incorrect names for places and so I am being careful to get it right for our visit to Saint John. Please know that nobody is trying to be flippant or rude.  In the states I am not aware of any Saint town where the word is NOT customarily abbreviated. It just would not occur to us that this would ever be an issue, particularly since many other Canadian Saint towns are abbreviated in the same manner we use.

 

You can get to Citadel walking in just over 20 minutes, mostly up a nice sized hill.  Try to get there prior to noon, they shoot the cannon daily at that time.  They have a little demonstration.

 

I've never done Acadia and my understanding is that you would need to drive there. The local bus wasnt running yet on our trip, not sure if that would get you there either. 

[declansdad]

10 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Declans Dad, you are not being petty. I get that it is offensive when people use incorrect names for places and so I am being careful to get it right for our visit to Saint John. Please know that nobody is trying to be flippant or rude.  In the states I am not aware of any Saint town where the word is NOT customarily abbreviated. It just would not occur to us that this would ever be an issue, particularly since many other Canadian Saint towns are abbreviated in the same manner we use.

 

 

Thank you.

 

Many years ago it was was abbreviated but the city council decided to change it to help avoid the confusion between Saint John, NB and St. John's, NL.

[gnome12]

57 minutes ago, declansdad said:

 

 

Thank you.

 

Many years ago it was was abbreviated but the city council decided to change it to help avoid the confusion between Saint John, NB and St. John's, NL.

It must have been many years ago; I am in my 60s and only remember Saint John. 🙂

[declansdad]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

It must have been many years ago; I am in my 60s and only remember Saint John. 🙂

 

I think officially it has always been Saint John but people always used St John. I'm guessing it was at least 30 years ago when the city made an effort to get people to always spell out the name.

[cft8]

13 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

 

In Bar Harbour, we will probably just walk around the town unless we can find a deep sea fishing vendor.  Can you tell me if you can walk over to Acadia or do you have to get a ride to get there from the ship? 

 

This page has some information about parts of the park you can walk to from downtown Bar Harbor, but   the main part of the park, including highlights like Cadillac Mountain and Jordan Pond are not walkable. https://www.nps.gov/acad/traffic.htm. That page also has information about the Island Explorer bus route, if that will be running when you are there.

[olemissreb]

My mom and I are doing Ollie's Trolley in Bar Harbor - twice!  The first one is a tour of Bar Harbor itself (30 minutes) and the second will be the 2 1/2 hour tour to Acadia National Park.  We'll find somewhere to eat lunch in between the 2 tours.

 

In Saint John, we are taking the City Transit tour on one of the city transit buses.  2 hour tour for $25.  The rest of the day we're going to kind of take it easy.

 

In Halifax, we are renting a car and driving up to wine country to taste some wine and get some lunch.  We are also going to tour Grand Pre Historical Site - interesting to us because we lived in Louisiana where the Acadians ended up.  We are also going to stop at the Mount Olivet and Fairview Lawn Cemeteries to see the Titanic graves - something my mom is fascinated with.  This will probably be the busiest day of our cruise, but it's toward the start, so we can relax more afterwards.

[jamacka]

Nova Scotian, here.  I can tell you for sure that Halifax is easily accessible by walking from the ship.  It's a small city and has a lovely waterfront.  But if you're looking to see scenic areas outside the city, an excursion might be necessary.  I live in the Annapolis Valley and we are the bread basket of Nova Scotia.  Farmland, orchards and many award winning vineyards.  If there's an excursion to the Wolfville area.. maybe a wine tour or something.., I really recommend it.  Likewise, there will definitely be excursions to Peggy's Cove which is the iconic east coast fishing village.  If you google pictures of Nova Scotia, almost certainly the Peggy's Cove lighthouse will be among them.

[phabric]

We will be in Bar Harbor with Princess.

 

I was thinking on taking the Ollie’s Trolley tour.  

 

Is is it easy to find the tour company once off the ship?

[antmaril]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

We will be in Bar Harbor with Princess.

 

I was thinking on taking the Ollie’s Trolley tour.  

 

Is is it easy to find the tour company once off the ship?

Yes.  It is right there.  Easy peasy.

[phabric]

Thanks

[phabric]

On 5/29/2019 at 4:26 PM, olemissreb said:

My mom and I are doing Ollie's Trolley in Bar Harbor - twice!  The first one is a tour of Bar Harbor itself (30 minutes) and the second will be the 2 1/2 hour tour to Acadia National Park.  We'll find somewhere to eat lunch in between the 2 tours.

 

In Saint John, we are taking the City Transit tour on one of the city transit buses.  2 hour tour for $25.  The rest of the day we're going to kind of take it easy.

 

 

 

I will doing the New England & Canada Cruise Oct 2020.

 

Can you come back after your cruise, and tell how you like these tours.

[olemissreb]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

 

I will doing the New England & Canada Cruise Oct 2020.

 

Can you come back after your cruise, and tell how you like these tours.

I will if I remember!