New England Exc on our own??

Hi Everyone:

Doing the Glory in September - Boston, Portland, Saint John, Halifax. First time in New England. Have booked hop on hop off trolley for Boston so that is good. Want lobster, chowder. Like history. Titanic interesting. Like scenery. Don't want to ride bus for a good while for tour. Van maybe for shorter drive with stops along the way which makes me think local booking not through ship.

Anyone have any good independent recommendations for the above ports?

Sure appreciate your help.

Hi Everyone:

 

Doing the Glory in September - Boston, Portland, Saint John, Halifax. First time in New England. Have booked hop on hop off trolley for Boston so that is good. Want lobster, chowder. Like history. Titanic interesting. Like scenery. Don't want to ride bus for a good while for tour. Van maybe for shorter drive with stops along the way which makes me think local booking not through ship.

 

Anyone have any good independent recommendations for the above ports?

 

Sure appreciate your help.

Half the people in Boston are tourists, easy city to navigate and can get discount tickets to almost anything there once on ground. The trolly / duck tours are popular. Depending on your interests I can point you in a direction. History, see the monument, north end, Fenway Park. Food, the North End is a must. It is a driver / 7 iron away from Faneuil Hall / Government Center. Beer lover - hit up the Boston Beer Works, Sam Adams, or a few of the famous bars, like the Bull and Finch. A must-do is pick up some pasteries at Mikes Pastry in the North End, on Hannover Street.

For Boston, book a duck tour in advance. You'll learn much less than on the Hop on, hop off, but it's much more fun.

Use the "T". Get a T map from the site MBTA.com, and borrow a tourbook from the library (or get a comfy chair at B&N and take notes), and do it yourself. No need for a local guide (if there even is such a thing).

Signs are all in English, most of the locals speak something approximating English, so you'll be fine.

Like mtsnd said, if you like baseball at all, the Fenway tour is a must. And if you take the T to get there go to Kenmore station, not Fenway. It's closer and more trains go there.

Trolley tour that goes out to Portland Headlight is short (1.5 hrs I think), interesting overview, neat town to walk about on your own, have great lunch.

Enough on Halifax waterfront with Maritime Museum, fortress up the hill etc. that you don't need any sort of "tour"/trolley although there is one.

Thanks for some really good ideas. Will do.

:)

Thanks for some really good ideas. Will do.

 

:)

I went to Boston recently and being a good tourist I walked the Freedom Trail. It's a very good free thing to do on a cruise visit, and obviously you can do as much of it as time or energy allows.

Parts 1 & 2 are all within a square mile of the usual start point, Boston Common.

Part 1 Boston Common to King's Chapel

The Freedom Trail destinations in this first one are Boston Common, Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, the Old Granary Burying Ground and King's Chapel.

Part 2 Boston Latin to Paul Revere's house

Boston Latin public school, Benjamin Franklin Statue, Old Corner Bookstore, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Site of Boston Massacre, Faneuil Hall and Paul Revere's house

Part 3 Old North Church to the Bunker Hill Monument

Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, the U.S.S. Constitution and finally the Bunker Hill Monument (on Breed's Hill )

That last part is the one that requires most walking as you go out to Charlestown, a neighbourhood of Boston.

USS Constitution

The 20-minute tour of the great ship is free and takes place every 30 minutes but you need photo ID to get past the security check so take your passport with you.

The whole thing is about 3 miles, and there's plenty of other things to see along the way. Your ho-ho trolley will doubtless go to most, maybe all of these, but some are more visually interesting than others. My top 5 would be the OGBG, USS Constitution, Paul Revere's House, Bunker Hill Monument & Copps Hill Burying Ground (assuming you have time on your own at Boston Common.)

All the best, Tony

HI all!

I think Halifax is a very good place if you're interested in the Titanic. The Maritime Museum is there & many graves (over 100) in Fairview Lawn Cemetery

one of which was the unknown child whose identity was proven through DNA testing a few years ago,

The biggest tides in the World are at the Bay of Fundy which is near to Saint John. Hopewell Rocks is a nice place with a museum if that tour's offered. ST Martin sounds interesting & St Andrews by the Sea is a lovely town with a beautiful garden.

I'm really looking forward to my cruise even though I've been to most of the Canadian places before. I especially want to see Boston.

Maybe check out some other roll calls & see what tours those people are doing.

~ Jo ~ :)

Please be careful of using the free bus (Fred) in Halifax. I was waiting for over an hour for a bus at the Citadel and feared I would watch the ship leaving port without me! I wanted to call a cab, but the people at the Citadel didn't seem to know how to do that. Luckily, a very kind driver of the HOHO bus asked if I was on the ship and insisted I come aboard even though I didn't have the required ticket. Apparently the free bus changes the schedule and goes on their own time! I learned my lesson, always the paid bus after that. ;)

Halifax - http://www.halifaxtaxitours.com/ great tour,Les was our driver

http://www.nova-scotia-van-tours.com/ (Garry Jollymore)

http://www.yourcab.ca/ make sure Johnathon is your guide

Saint John - http://www.freedomtours.com/

www.myexcursions.com/

http://roystours.webs.com/

You wanted recommendations, here are some. All of these companies are talked about a lot on CC. Have at least 4 on a tour to make the cost reasonable per person.

All very good info and thanks again.

Will check out the info.

Happy V Day to All!

Me again. I have read above again and am trying to narrow down Portland excursion. I like the trolley tour idea. BUT, am I missing out if I don't go to Kennebunkport? Are the towns very similar? I know CCL has an excursion land and sea to Kenne, but may be too long to see both that and Portland.

Want to wander around and eat someplace good and just look and absorb and enjoy New England vibe.

Are they very similar?

Help??? :)

Portland is an older city with much revitalization

Kennebunkport is a town

Cute shopping area, you might get to drive by George HW Bush's house on a tour, there's a place on the bridge that has one of the Top 5 lobster rolls I've ever had (and I've had more than my share).

Depends on what you're looking for.