Suggestions for Sydney

[Cruzin-K]

I was thinking of a ship's excursion to the Fortress of Louisbourg, but according to this site

 

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/visit/heures-hours.aspx

 

it's closed on Saturdays :( (low season - we'll be there October 24)

 

How can the cruise line offer a tour to someplace that is closed :mad:

 

Anyway, any suggestions for other decent attractions near Sydney.

 

What about just getting off the ship and wandering around town. Will there be anything to see/do on a Saturday in late October :confused:

Edited March 23, 2015 by Cruzin-K

[maryann ns]

Apparently Louisbourg will open up for cruise ship tours. However you will not get the full experience that you do in the summer.

 

Alternatives include renting a car and going to Baddeck to see the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. This is a lovely drive on a good day: https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Baddeck,+NS+to:Iona,+NS+to:Christmas+Island,+NS+to:Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&hl=en&sll=44.004261,-62.918551&sspn=9.243121,21.643066&geocode=FcgPwAId-nZp_Ck3cZLkLvtnSzGi1NYfQuHwCg%3BFc1tvwIdDPVg_CnPkSNJLGJdSzHz0SeXSM56XA%3BFZJPvQIdijBg_Cl3_U_XX2hdSzG-umoFiqZDow%3BFRVTvQIdPNpg_CmZziwES11dSzEAyrn5qH_PAw%3BFcgPwAId-nZp_Ck3cZLkLvtnSzGi1NYfQuHwCg&oq=es&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

 

Here are some previous threads with information:

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g154973-i2203-k6613063-o10-Port_stop_advice-Sydney_Cape_Breton_Island_Nova_Scotia.html#57623877

 

Post#97 etc: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1769976&page=5

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2083753

 

http://www.tomsportguides.com/SydneyNS-10-05-2011.pdf

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1824562

[Cruzin-K]

Wow! Thank you for all the info. I'll look through it all. I've seen Tom's port guides before. He did a great job putting those together.

[J-D]

We went to Louisbourg on a Princess ship's tour on a weekday in early October 2014, near the end of the autumn shoulder season as defined by Parks Canada. There were more re-enactors and more open rooms than we had expected based on the Parks Canada website -- certainly enough to keep us busy and informed during the 2.25 hours on the site (not counting the 0.75 hr bus ride each way). I do not know whether there would be as much activity at Louisbourg during ship tours on low-season dates later in Oct.

 

Our tour was greatly enhanced by the tour guide, a Canadian Navy veteran ("Navy Nick") who gave a lot of historical information during the 0.75 hr rides from Sydney to Louisbourg and return The only negative was that there were no photo stops en route. We were glad to have taken this Louisbourg tour, despite the fact that I had been there once before--decades ago, early during the restoration process.

 

If we return to Sydney by ship, we would probably go to Baddeck, though visiting the coal mine also sounds interesting.

 

Another popular alternative is a road trip on the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park--I did that many year ago (not during a cruise). The scenery is spectacular, especially in autumn with the fall colours. However, the distances from Sydney are long in relation to the time available during a port call. If you foresee returning to Nova Scotia by land sometime in future (preferably in autumn), the Cabot Trail would IMHO be better saved for then, when you would have enough time available to travel the full route. (Day trips from Sydney travel only part of the route and then double back.)

 

John

Edited March 23, 2015 by J-D

[Cruise_More_Often]

We have done two tours with Don Blackwood Tours that we thoroughly enjoyed. The first time Don took us along the Cape Breton Trail to Ingonish. This past September, we planned another Cape Breton tour with Don, but due to closure of the ferry and roadwork, Don took us to Baddeck, where we visited the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and had a wonderful lunch in Baddeck at the Bell Buoy Restaurant. We can highly recommend Don Blackwood Tours. Don is the former Head of Tourism for Cape Breton Island.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Cruise_More_Often

[pizzalady1]

We rented a car and drove to Glace for the Miner' Museum. It was absolutely fascinating. The tour was conducted by a retired miner and we went down into a real coal mine, bending lower and lower as we entered further into the shaft. We finally ended up in a "room" where we could stand up. It is hard to believe what the minors did for pennies a day. There is usually a ship excursion if you want to go that way.

Edited March 24, 2015 by pizzalady1

[maryann ns]

I have done all of those things (but not with a guide or on a tour.) They are all wonderful so you have a difficult decision to make.