Thanksgiving in Halifax anything different?

[sam's girl]

Our cruise ship will be in Halifax October 12 which is the Canadian Thanksgiving. Will tours be on? Are shops open? Or is it like the US Thanksgiving and a family gathering time? Should we stick to ship excursions or can we plan something on our own? Is something special happening? Since we are RT to Boston, we will be in Halifax twice on this cruise, so we will have the opportunity to do tours on the second go-round. If there is a chance to celebrate another holiday...we're up for it.

[Langley Cruisers]

I can't speak specifically for Halifax, but Thanksgiving is one of those great eating holidays where you might find many things are closed. Many businesses will make it a three-day holiday weekend (our Thanksgiving is always on a Monday which is great - we can make it a long weekend, in many cases).

 

Just a heads up for you.

[Brimist]

It sounds like we may be on the same cruise...NCL Spirit?

It's been a long time since we have been to Canada. Trying to decide on what to pack. Do you have any ideas?

[PennyAgain]

Mostly everything will be closed and not all tours will run.

[DanJ]

The shops, restaurants and bars along the waterfront should be open that day, but it is a national holiday, and the downtown area should be all closed. They may have some sort of tourism exemption, but it's also not tourist season by then either, so some seasonal places might already be closed. I would think the city tours and Peggy's Cove tours would still operate. Not sure what other tours they offer. I would plan to wear pants and a jacket and maybe have a sweater handy that you can remove if weather is warmer.

[sam's girl]

It sounds like we may be on the same cruise...NCL Spirit?

It's been a long time since we have been to Canada. Trying to decide on what to pack. Do you have any ideas?

 

 

We are on the same cruise! Have you checked the Spirit Roll Call thread for our trip? Everyone is trying to decide what to pack. Might get some help there. Coming from FL, it's always a big decision:)

[sam's girl]

The shops, restaurants and bars along the waterfront should be open that day, but it is a national holiday, and the downtown area should be all closed. They may have some sort of tourism exemption, but it's also not tourist season by then either, so some seasonal places might already be closed. I would think the city tours and Peggy's Cove tours would still operate. Not sure what other tours they offer. I would plan to wear pants and a jacket and maybe have a sweater handy that you can remove if weather is warmer.

 

 

If this is a three day weekend event, I guess that means the same thing will happen in St. John on Sunday. Halifax isn't so bad since we will be back the following week, but St. John is only once so I guess we better stick to the ship excursions. Layering is the only way to go as far as clothes are concerned. Just hoping for very little rain.

[DanJ]

If this is a three day weekend event' date=' I guess that means the same thing will happen in St. John on Sunday. Halifax isn't so bad since we will be back the following week, but St. John is only once so I guess we better stick to the ship excursions. Layering is the only way to go as far as clothes are concerned. Just hoping for very little rain.[/quote']

 

It depends on what New Brunswick's law is on Sunday shopping. I've been out of the loop on that lately.

[LindaKE]

The shops, restaurants and bars along the waterfront should be open that day, but it is a national holiday, and the downtown area should be all closed. They may have some sort of tourism exemption, but it's also not tourist season by then either, so some seasonal places might already be closed. I would think the city tours and Peggy's Cove tours would still operate. Not sure what other tours they offer.

 

It just dawned on me, right after I canceled the ship's (NCL Spirit) excursion to Peggy's Cove, that it will be Thanksgiving Day. Supposedly normally there's a lot going on on the boardwalk along the water front. DH suggested that there will probably be things open there since the economy is so bad all around the world. If not, I guess we can stroll around then go back to the ship for a nap. I hope some restaurants are open. I was dreaming of lobster for lunch in either Halifax or St. John.

[Ephraim]

It just dawned on me, right after I cancelled the ship's (NCL Spirit) excursion to Peggy's Cove, that it will be Thanksgiving Day. Supposedly normally there's a lot going on on the boardwalk along the water front. DH suggested that there will probably be things open there since the economy is so bad all around the world. If not, I guess we can stroll around then go back to the ship for a nap. I hope some restaurants are open. I was dreaming of lobster for lunch in either Halifax or St. John.

 

Canada is officially out of the recession.... so much for DH's suggestion.

 

Stores catering to tourists will definitely be open. Some things may be closed on Thanksgiving day itself, including banks because it is a legal holiday.

 

Incidentally it's Saint John, NB. It is never abbreviated.

[LindaKE]

 

Incidentally it's Saint John, NB. It is never abbreviated.

 

 

Thanks for the corection. From now on it's Saint John, no abbreviation. It's things tourists do, that insult locals when the tourists are not meaning to be offensive; they're just ignorant.

[DanJ]

Thanks for the corection. From now on it's Saint John, no abbreviation. It's things tourists do, that insult locals when the tourists are not meaning to be offensive; they're just ignorant.

 

It's hard for Canadians to keep them straight as well. Add to the fact that when talking about cruises, we have Saint John New Brunswick, St John's Newfoundland, and St John, US Virgin Islands, it's even easier to mix them up.

 

There will definitely be things to do along the waterfront. It just won't be the same beehive of activity as say next Monday, which is also a holiday, simply because of the time of year.

[maryann ns]

Stores will mostly be closed, but there should be some shops along the waterfront. It might be a great day to hire a driver or rent a car and drive along the coast. Take in Peggy's Cove for sure, but there are many other scenic spots. Get a good map or GPS and hug the coast.

 

Restaurants will be open and you can get lobster at several. I never eat lobster in a restaurant because it is easy to cook at home, but McKelvie's, Five Fishermen, and Salty's should have lobster.