maryann ns

It is a bit expensive and cheesy but a lot of fun. You get to see the view from the top of Citadel Hill, ride in the harbour and go on some main streets in town.

Check out the information here on Trip Advisor: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SHnC1bdaKtBLTr9bcJShb3a0escYZQKLWkZF4seT14I/edit

Check out this Trip Advisor Top Question: Sydney for Cruise Ship Visitors

Check out this document which is a Top Question on Trip Advisor: Halifax for Cruise Ship Visitors

Generally the fall colours are best the second week of October. This year because of a spring drought and a hot summer the colours were a bit muted and they were at their peak more into the third week.

This link has some good information even though it has not been updated since 2020:

Sydney cruise port guide

Here is some information from a post I made yesterday on Trip Advisor:

It is easy to walk around the main parts of Halifax on your own. Almost everything of interest is along the waterfront, up Spring Garden Road to the Public Gardens or on Citadel Hill.

Here are some links:

This one seems very expensive: https://www.toursbylocals.com/Halifax-Historic-Private-Guide

Official Halifax information: https://discoverhalifaxns.com/ and https://discoverhalifaxns.com/plan/visitor-guide/

This is free but self guided: https://discoverhalifaxns.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Leisure-Walking-Map-2019.pdf

You can make your own tour using this: https://www.gpsmycity.com/gps-tour-guides/halifax-552.html There is information in the site about each place.

This self guided tour may work for you and you can add or subtract places of interest; https://mywanderingvoyage.com/2017/08/20/explore-halifax-walking-tour/

These people may be able to do a walking tour: https://www.toursbylocals.com/Halifax-Tours?gclid=CjwKCAjwoMSWBhAdEiwAVJ2ndhouQATgmz5dS4fsdEX4cUGDB3_-1CKWEcEMU_dQlqUKCK7hfr2hyxoCrHAQAvD_BwE

Also check out Toms Port Guides

You need less than an hour to get to Peggy's Cove and if you get there before the tour busses you can have a pleasant short stay for a few minutes. Then follow the coastal roads to Mahone Bay. Just before you get there there is a wonderful view of the bay with three churches. Mahone Bay itself has shops and restaurants but I would push on to Lunenburg for lunch and a quick look around. Take the main road (103 back to Halifax.) Coastal Route  Highway Return  As you can see taking the coastal route and including Peggy's Cove and Mahone Bay may not be easily done in the time you have.

There are some boat tours out of Halifax Harbour but it is not a good place for whale watching.

If you want an active trip then look at GAdventures and their ship Expedition. We took this in 2019 starting in Bergen and ending in Longyearbyen. All excursions were included and most days there was a choice. Some were very strenuous but there were always alternatives. This included the Flam railway and trips into several fjords. We had a bus tour of the Lofotens while the ship sailed. 

The ship is small (130 passengers.) The food is decent and the ambiance is wonderful. We also took this shop to Antarctica.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRKwN8VuTzvSHn-wcnnxdGnSdzlnhCNuorbQle9q4IM/edit?usp=sharing

If you rent a car in Halifax you can see a couple other lighthouses besides the one at Peggy's Cove.

Check out the ones at Sambro Harbour Chebucto Head

This article includes a map.

Here are some more though some are too far away.

Nova Scotia Lighthouse drone project

For Sydney check out the lighthouse at Louisbourg and perhaps others on the map in the first link.

Here is more information about these two ports including car rental information: Halifax      Sydney

I have never heard of tea at the Citadel and googling it turns up nothing but cruise excursions.

There is lots in Halifax of interest to kids, including the Citadel. Here is a link for more information about Halifax.

There is no need for an expensive ships tour.

Yes, moose are almost gone from mainland Nova Scotia. They are still in Cape Breton but not close to where you can get from Sydney.

Newfoundland would be a better bet.

I have lived in Nova Scotia for seven+ decades and never seen a moose in the wild. Perhaps visit the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park outside of Halifax. You would need to rent a car.

Halifax information

What excursion is this? A ship's excursion?

Check out these sites for more information for Halifax:

Halifax cruise information

https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/tours/blue-shark-fishing-charters/2329

https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/tours/a-m-sea-charters/2317

The two companies above operate from the other side of Halifax Harbour. You could possibly take a taxi there or take the Woodside ferry and a taxi. Contact the companies for more information.

There are some boat tours available at Peggy's Cove but they may not include fishing. Here is a general list for the whole of Nova Scotia: https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/tours#Region=0&Community=0&Filters=BoatsToursCharters&View=Grid&Page=1&IncludeArea=1

Here is some information for Sydney.

In late May, Louisbourg will not be fully animated so consider going there the next time. (I know you will fall in love with Cape Breton and want to return!)

In case you decide not to take a ship's cruise here is some information for  Sydney,  Halifax,  and a bit of information for PEI.

You can pretty well judge the suitability of the timing of a cruise by the cost compared to the same cruise at different times.

June can be fine but be prepared for fog when close to the water as the air is warmer than the ocean.

Wow! Just wow! Thanks so much for posting this.

That is a bit late but there should be some leaves left. Further south than Nova Scotia you may be too late.

The best bet for fall colours is the second week of October. Hurricane Dorian ripped off many leaves but the second week of October (and into the third) was still the best.

Here is some information for cruise visitors to Halifax and Sydney Nova Scotia:

Halifax

Sydney

And for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Quebec City is a very popular port and many ships stay there overnight.

This year, as is typical, the second week of October was good for fall colours in Nova Scotia (Halifax, Sydney.) Some lingered into the third week. September is too early for that.

I am not a New Brunswick expert but with an overnight in Saint John I would rent a car and explore the Bay of Fundy. Try posting on the  Trip Advisor forum for New Brunswick.

A prime consideration could be how much time you have in port. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

Thanks for this, DragonOfTheSeas. It is now added to our compilation document of information for Sydney Cruise Visitors.   

Yes it has been mentioned quite a few times: See towards the end of this document with information for cruise visitors to Halifax.