Cabot Trail

[mfanderso]

Has anyone done the Cabot Trail excursion? I will be on the Maasdam in September 2008 and am trying to find ideas on which excursions might be good. I noticed that this one is 8 hours long and that seemed rather long. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Cruise buddie]

Hi Capebreton.

 

You suggest getting a local company to do a 4 hour tour of the Cabot Trail . Can you reccomend anyone as I havnt been able to find anyone.

 

regards

[mchiasson]

Hello!

If you are at all interested, you could even rent a car for a day and drive it yourself. You would have more flexibility to stop where you want (lots of look-off points, quick walking trails, moose sightings, etc...). If you drove it without stopping, it would take you about 6 hours to go from Sydney, around the trail, and back to Sydney. I'm not really sure if they can do a full tour of the trail in 4 hours (from Sydney)...it isn't possible to go from Sydney, around the trail, and back to Sydney again in that amount of time. You could probably rent a car for the day for about $50. You would still need to pay for gas and a day pass to enter the National Park, but you could probably do it for $100. If there are 2 or more of you, it would definitely be cheaper than a guided tour.

Let me know if I can provide you with any additional info.

Good luck!

[mfanderso]

Hello!

If you are at all interested, you could even rent a car for a day and drive it yourself. You would have more flexibility to stop where you want (lots of look-off points, quick walking trails, moose sightings, etc...). If you drove it without stopping, it would take you about 6 hours to go from Sydney, around the trail, and back to Sydney. I'm not really sure if they can do a full tour of the trail in 4 hours (from Sydney)...it isn't possible to go from Sydney, around the trail, and back to Sydney again in that amount of time. You could probably rent a car for the day for about $50. You would still need to pay for gas and a day pass to enter the National Park, but you could probably do it for $100. If there are 2 or more of you, it would definitely be cheaper than a guided tour.

Let me know if I can provide you with any additional info.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply. I think we have decided to rent a car for the day so we could have more control over what we see. Do you know what rental car companies are available and where we would have to go to get the car?

[mchiasson]

Hello!

I will call some of the car rental offices tomorrow to see what I can find out. Many of them are about 5-8 miles (or about a $7-9 cab ride) from the port, so you could grab a cab to the office to pick up the car. However, they may also be willing to bring the car to you and/or have a shuttle available, but I'll have to call them to find out more info (they aren't open tonight). I highly recommend doing the Cabot Trail if you are at all interested. It is VERY beautiful in the fall as the leaves change color, you will probably see lots of moose that time of year, and the traffic drops off so you aren't as likely to get caught behind lots of tourist traffic going over the mountains (you will go over 4 more major mountains, Smokey, North, MacKenzie, and French, as you do the trail). We live at the start of the trail (depending on if you go clockwise or counter-clockwise around it!), and have driven it +++ times for work, so I can vouch for its "worthiness" as a good excursion that time of year. The other nice thing about the car rental is that if, by chance, it is a rainy and/or foggy day where you won't see anything along the trail, you could change your plans and explore closer to the port if you wanted to.

I'll post again as soon as I talk to some of the car rental companies.

:-)

[mchiasson]

Hello,

Offices still not open yet, but wanted to share this website before I forget. It's a website dedicated to all things "Cabot Trail":

 

http://www.cabottrail.travel/

 

:-)

[mchiasson]

Hello,

Here is what I found out. I got these listings from http://www.canada411.ca

You could book the car online through the national reservation systems if you wanted to. I'm just providing the local numbers because that is what was listed. Also, regardless of where you book, as soon as you do I would call the local office to let them know ahead of time that you will need the shuttle...they may be there waiting for you rather than you calling and waiting for them to get there once you arrive.

 

Avis Car & Truck Rental - 902-563-2847

Sydney Airport , Sydney , NS

They have a shuttle that takes you from the port to the office, and vice versa

 

Budget Car And Truck Rental - 902-564-2610

224 Welton , Sydney , NS

They have a shuttle that takes you from the port to the office, and vice versa

 

Discount Car And Truck Rentals - 902-562-1155

Sydney , NS

(contact::Paul Carabin)

They have a shuttle that takes you from the port to the office, and vice versa

 

Enterprise Rent-A-Car - 902-539-6700, 1-800-736-8222, 1-800-325-8007

Sydney

446 Grand Lake Road , Sydney , NS B1P 5S8

They have a shuttle that takes you from the port to the office, and vice versa

 

It is also possible to consider just doing part of the trail, and allow yourself more time to stop and enjoy some of the scenery, attractions. How much time do you have in port? If you have 10 hours or so, I would do the whole thing. If you only have 8, you could be rushed. There is some really neat stuff along the trail, but you won't really have time to stop and see some of it if you only have 8 hours and it's going to take you between 5 and 6 hours just to do the driving.

 

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me at:

lafamillechiasson at hotmail dot com

 

Good luck!

[mfanderso]

mchiasson,

 

Thank you so much. You have been so helpful. We will be in port from 8am to 5pm. We had been told by others that it might be too foggy to see anything on Cabot Trail. That is one reason we wanted to rent a car. If the weather was not nice enough for the drive, we could opt to do something else. There are 4 of us so this also would save us money over the ship's tours.

[mchiasson]

Hello,

It can be very foggy on the mountains some days (but it isn't always like that). The only problem is that it can be sunny in Sydney, but really foggy on the trail (and vs). Once you arrive in Sydney, it would be worthwhile to do a bit of quick resarch to figure out what the weather is like in Sydney vs the other areas that day. I can help you out with that once your trip gets closer. There are some resources available to figure out that information.

:-)

[mchiasson]

Hi Capebreton,

With all due respect, I drive the Cabot Trail for work and it can be done in 6 hours (no stopping as I have indicated). The car rental companies also say it takes roughly 5 1/2 to 6 hours from Sydney. Again, that's in ideal conditions and no stopping. Throw in fog/traffic/a moose that won't move, and even the 7.5 hours you suggest may not be enough time. I totally agree with the comment about if you are late. The roads in Cape Breton aren't always clearly marked, so it might be easy to get lost? Most of the roads/routes are not highways, and there are TONS of "country roads". Even getting back to Sydney can be a bit confusing sometimes! If you miss the right exit, you end up in North Sydney, rather than going to the highway that will take you to Sydney.

Good luck!

[Cruise buddie]

Hi Capebreton

 

Thanks for this information. We have contacted Tartan Tours after deciding that the Cabot Trail is probably too far to enjoy . ( We have been on many a ship that has left people behind) .After looking at the Cape Breton web site we might try Dominion Provincial Park.

 

Thank you again for the valuable information.

[ilovhywd]

The Cabot Trail seems to be the preferred destination, but the ship's tour will probably be approx. $200 per person. Before we would spend $800 for four of us to take a bus tour, couldn't we hire a taxi or a car and driver at the pier that would take us to the most scenic regions?

 

Forty people getting on and off buses at every view point takes a bit of time. Also, the mandatory restroom stops. The only advantages to taking the ship's tours, in my opinion, is (1) not having to worry about getting back to the ship on time and (2) the excellent knowledge that the guides have about the local area.

 

Mchiasson, do you know if taxis or minivans customarily arrive at the port when the cruise ships arrive?

 

Thanks!

[PHYLLISR]

Anyone cruising Eurodam 10/1/08? (Quebec City/Ft. Lauderdale?

Phyllis

[mchiasson]

Hello!

I don't actually live in the Sydney area, so I am not sure on that one. I can only assume so, but can't say for sure.

Sorry!

[bcscot]

Just one month till we head for Nova Scotia. It has still been snowing in BC so we hope that we will not need the help of a snowplough when we drive the Cabot Trail!:(

 

Graham.

[mchiasson]

Hi Graham,

Things were looking better here the past few days (I was outside playing in the WARM sun with the kids all afternoon on Wednesday).....and then we had flurries again today! Go figure! However, most (if not all) of our snow has disappeared, so you should be fine snow-wise in 3 weeks (may still be a bit chilly, but no major snowbanks with the exception of the possibility of the odd one here and there in the park). Here's hoping the warmer weather makes a swift return! Still ice off of the coast, so the air/wind is still chilly, but it should (I hope!) be gone before you arrive. Lobster season due to begin right around when you arrive! The fishermen have been working on their traps all month.

:-)

[PennyAgain]

I'll be in Nova Scotia in about 3 weeks. I'm taking clothes I can layer and a raincoat with a liner. I hope that is enough!

 

Ice off the coast!

[mchiasson]

Here's what we woke up to this morning (near the entrance to the National Park/Cabot Trail).

We had nice weather last week, so here's hoping the warmer weather makes a speedy return!

[PennyAgain]

What can I say when it was 32F (0C) at my house in North West Texas this morning!

 

I bought a rain jacket with a warm liner when I was in Nova Scotia on a prior trip. Seems it will be making a return!

 

I really don't care what the temperature is as long as I am properly dressed. It is just so wonderful to be in Nova Scotia!

 

Thanks for the photo!

[Retired 07]

Hello!

If you are at all interested, you could even rent a car for a day and drive it yourself. You would have more flexibility to stop where you want (lots of look-off points, quick walking trails, moose sightings, etc...). If you drove it without stopping, it would take you about 6 hours to go from Sydney, around the trail, and back to Sydney. I'm not really sure if they can do a full tour of the trail in 4 hours (from Sydney)...it isn't possible to go from Sydney, around the trail, and back to Sydney again in that amount of time. You could probably rent a car for the day for about $50. You would still need to pay for gas and a day pass to enter the National Park, but you could probably do it for $100. If there are 2 or more of you, it would definitely be cheaper than a guided tour.

Let me know if I can provide you with any additional info.

Good luck!

 

Hello!

I have been reading this thread with great interest, as we will be in Sydney on October 8 this year. We would love to see the Cabot Trail, and hopefully peak fall foliage! It sounds like renting a car would be our best option. However, I get a little paranoid about missing the ship. We will be there from 8a.m. to 5 p.m. If we were to, say drive out for 2.5 -3 hrs. and turn around and drive back, would we still be able to see most of the sights, and wildlife?

Thanks!

[rickb]

Hello!

I have been reading this thread with great interest, as we will be in Sydney on October 8 this year. We would love to see the Cabot Trail, and hopefully peak fall foliage! It sounds like renting a car would be our best option. However, I get a little paranoid about missing the ship. We will be there from 8a.m. to 5 p.m. If we were to, say drive out for 2.5 -3 hrs. and turn around and drive back, would we still be able to see most of the sights, and wildlife?

Thanks!

 

In that amount of time your best bet would be to head towards Ingonish. It is about a 1.5-2 hour drive from Sydney to Ingonish. By going that direction around the Cabot Trail you would get to go over Cape Smokey. It is only around 1000-1200 feet but it right along the ocean and very scenic. The Ingonish area is also very nice.

 

Also, I should add that if you are a golfer, Golf Magazine top 100 courses in the world ranks Highland Links in Ingonish as the highest ranked course in Canada for about 10 years straight. It has been as high as the mid 30's and has sometimes been called the Pebble Beach of Canada (I see that you are from California). It is easy to find right in Ingonish.

[mchiasson]

What can I say when it was 32F (0C) at my house in North West Texas this morning!

 

I bought a rain jacket with a warm liner when I was in Nova Scotia on a prior trip. Seems it will be making a return!

 

I really don't care what the temperature is as long as I am properly dressed. It is just so wonderful to be in Nova Scotia!

 

Thanks for the photo!

 

The good news is, it melted by the end of the day (there is hope!). I would suggest that you check the Environment Canada website for the 5 day forecasts before you leave. You can check them for different areas within the province as well which might be helpful, as the weather can vary significantly in different areas of the province (especially this time of year).

I hope this link will work (it should be the link for the 5 day forecasts for Nova Scotia...you have to choose the community you want the info for before it brings up the forecast).

 

http://weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/canada/index_e.html?id=NS

 

Enjoy your trip!

[mchiasson]

In that amount of time your best bet would be to head towards Ingonish. It is about a 1.5-2 hour drive from Sydney to Ingonish. By going that direction around the Cabot Trail you would get to go over Cape Smokey. It is only around 1000-1200 feet but it right along the ocean and very scenic. The Ingonish area is also very nice.

 

Also, I should add that if you are a golfer, Golf Magazine top 100 courses in the world ranks Highland Links in Ingonish as the highest ranked course in Canada for about 10 years straight. It has been as high as the mid 30's and has sometimes been called the Pebble Beach of Canada (I see that you are from California). It is easy to find right in Ingonish.

 

I would agree that going as far as Ingonish should give you a good taste for the trail. Once you head along the trail, it is where you will find one of the entrances to the National Park (Cheticamp is the other main entrance on the other side of the Island). The drive from Sydney to Ingonish is a beautiful drive, and there are lots of little shops and such along the way. As a very easy short-cut, you can even take a short $5 ride across a little cable ferry (The Englishtown Ferry)! If you don't find that you see any moose, you can always drive just a bit past Ingonish (there are often some between Ingonish and Neil's Harbour, the next community along the trail). Just as a heads up, "Ingonish" actually spans an area about 16 kms along the trail, and includes 5 different communities (Ingonish Ferry, Ingonish Harbour, Ingonish Beach, Ingonish Centre, and Ingonish). So don't feel that you missed something you were looking for because you drove through one of the smaller communities that is included in "Ingonish"...it may just be further up the road!

Lots of great little restaurants and such in the Ingonish area as well.

 

Have a great trip!

[bcscot]

OK, so it is not only Cape Breton having crazy weather. On Vancouver Island we have had several days of summer weather in the upper 70s & today we had hail & sleet!

 

Springtime in Canada! I am sure Vivaldi wrote his 'Four Seasons' after a day trip here in the spring!:)

 

Graham.