Corner Brook & Sydney

Looking for help with excursions for Corner Brook 8:00-5:00 & Sydney 7:00-3:00 we will be sailing to these ports for the first time in the fall. Need help with what we should see & what not to miss. Thanks

Looking for help with excursions for Corner Brook 8:00-5:00 & Sydney 7:00-3:00 we will be sailing to these ports for the first time in the fall. Need help with what we should see & what not to miss. Thanks

In Sydney try the Coal Miners Museum in Glace Bay. The Underground Mine Tour is worth it just by itself. I was there 2 weeks ago (on business) and it was awesome.

Just an FYI on the tour - its NOT accessible and there are sections that require you to crouch unless you are like 10 or so.

I have never done an excursion in Sydney, preferring to just wander through the town. There is usually a craft market in the pier building and one of the local churches usually has lobster suppers and a craft fair. The "downtown" area is very quaint and an easy walk from the port, and we always stop at the Tim Horton's for TimBits and a refreshing beverage. My parents have done the Mine Tour and sailing on the Bras d'Or. They report that both tours are definitely worth it. If you like traditional music, there is usually a performance called "Spirit of the Fiddle" which gives a general overview of traditional island music.

In Corner Brook, I took a nature walk. It was one of the best tours I have ever done. It was cold and raining so the route was altered a bit from the norm, but it was a great tour, definitely worth it. As I recall, there is a commercial district not far from where the ship was docked, but it was quite cold when we were there, so we were very happy to have transportation from the pier.

If you do a search on the Ports of Call - Canada page you will find many previous reports. Just look to the right of the blue bar at the top of the page.

For Sydney, it depends upon when you are going. The two main things I recommend are Louisbourg and Baddeck.

If you are going before Oct. 15, I suggest going to see Fortress Louisbourg. The quickest, most economical way to get there is to rent a car. There are many posts about this. You can also reserve a taxi or probably pick one up at the dock. The ship's tours from what I have read do not give you enough time. Once you are inside the Fortress you will not need a guide, as people acting the roles of actual people who lived in Louisbourg in 1744 will explain things. If you go there, try to have lunch or at least a drink in the pub.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/index.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Fortress+Of+Louisbourg,+Cape+Breton,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.027005,-60.077362&sspn=0.24219,0.676346&geocode=FeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw%3BFWt2vAIdZ8hr_CnfpPkNVqhCSzEQdCafkpSbcQ&oq=port+&mra=ls&t=m&z=11

If it is after Oct. 15 and/or you would like a fairly short scenic drive, then I would rent a car and go to Baddeck and Iona, returning to Sydney another way. This will take you around the scenic Bras D'Or lakes (really an inlet of the sea).

In Baddeck you can see the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and walk around the village. There are shops and restaurants there.

In Iona (which is one of the most beautiful places I have been) you can tour the Highland Village.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Baddeck,+NS+to:Alexander+Graham+Bell+National+Historic+Site,+Baddeck+to:Iona,+NS+to:Christmas+Island,+NS+to:Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.026905,-60.07716&sspn=0.24219,0.676346&geocode=FeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw%3BFc1tvwIdDPVg_CnPkSNJLGJdSzHz0SeXSM56XA%3BFWF8vwIdARdh_CGgaKDXZTcWmimRaNcULGJdSzGgaKDXZTcWmg%3BFZJPvQIdijBg_Cl3_U_XX2hdSzG-umoFiqZDow%3BFRVTvQIdPNpg_CmLNVmJ_mddSzHgrABkv7cAyg%3BFeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw&oq=port&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/en/home/default.aspx

For Corner Brook, you could rent a car and drive into Gros Morne National Park. The scenery is beautiful.

If you do a search on the Ports of Call - Canada page you will find many previous reports. Just look to the right of the blue bar at the top of the page.

 

For Sydney, it depends upon when you are going. The two main things I recommend are Louisbourg and Baddeck.

 

If you are going before Oct. 15, I suggest going to see Fortress Louisbourg. The quickest, most economical way to get there is to rent a car. There are many posts about this. You can also reserve a taxi or probably pick one up at the dock. The ship's tours from what I have read do not give you enough time. Once you are inside the Fortress you will not need a guide, as people acting the roles of actual people who lived in Louisbourg in 1744 will explain things. If you go there, try to have lunch or at least a drink in the pub.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/index.aspx

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg

 

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Fortress+Of+Louisbourg,+Cape+Breton,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.027005,-60.077362&sspn=0.24219,0.676346&geocode=FeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw%3BFWt2vAIdZ8hr_CnfpPkNVqhCSzEQdCafkpSbcQ&oq=port+&mra=ls&t=m&z=11

 

If it is after Oct. 15 and/or you would like a fairly short scenic drive, then I would rent a car and go to Baddeck and Iona, returning to Sydney another way. This will take you around the scenic Bras D'Or lakes (really an inlet of the sea).

 

In Baddeck you can see the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and walk around the village. There are shops and restaurants there.

 

In Iona (which is one of the most beautiful places I have been) you can tour the Highland Village.

 

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Baddeck,+NS+to:Alexander+Graham+Bell+National+Historic+Site,+Baddeck+to:Iona,+NS+to:Christmas+Island,+NS+to:Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.026905,-60.07716&sspn=0.24219,0.676346&geocode=FeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw%3BFc1tvwIdDPVg_CnPkSNJLGJdSzHz0SeXSM56XA%3BFWF8vwIdARdh_CGgaKDXZTcWmimRaNcULGJdSzGgaKDXZTcWmg%3BFZJPvQIdijBg_Cl3_U_XX2hdSzG-umoFiqZDow%3BFRVTvQIdPNpg_CmLNVmJ_mddSzHgrABkv7cAyg%3BFeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw&oq=port&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

 

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/en/home/default.aspx

 

For Corner Brook, you could rent a car and drive into Gros Morne National Park. The scenery is beautiful.

Hi Maryann. We took a tour through the ship called Bra'D Lakes Grand Tour in early June of this year. It was very nice but I should have listened to you when you said it was easy to do it on your own. I paid $300 for two people and it was very nice but would have been so much cheaper to rent a car. It was such an easy drive. The commentary was good but it was mostly about Canada's government and health care system and I think alot of people already know about that. Save yourself the money and do this tour on your own. I would have loved to spent more time at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and less time in the town of Braddeck or stopping for lunch. Highland Village was very nice too.

Hi Smitty3000: Thanks for confirming that renting is the way to go out of Sydney.

maryann

I am in the process of discussing a private boat trip with Crystal Waters out of the Cornerbrook Yacht Club for our too short port call in Cornerbrook in September. Familiar with them? Recommend? They are giving me a price of $40 pp for a 2 hour tour with narration of the bay and an additional $10 pp for anyone who wants to particpate in a Screech In.:D

Thoughts?

In Corner Brook, we plan to just go for a walk along the Corner Brook Stream Trail.

http://www.cbstream.com/

The ship offers the same walking tour for $44, but there is no reason that we can't just go on our own. That way we can be on our own schedule. We can go as far as we want, I expect we will go much farther than the ship's tour. We can go as fast or slow as we like. And it is "free". And if the weather does not cooperate, then we will do something else.

clay clayton, I cannot help you as I have not been to Newfoundland for many years (except to ski!)

Check out this company on Trip Advisor and google it as well. It sounds like it would be a great trip.

Thanks...have done both..there is little info and not many reviews out there which is a little worrisome.

http://www.cornerbrook.com/default.asp?mn=1.22.94

http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/canada/newfoundland-and-labrador/newfoundland/corner-brook/activities_h2374883_sports-and-the-outdoors.html

They are at least reputable enough for the city of Corner Brook to list them and to be in Fodor's.

Yep, I found them on the Cornerbrook website initally.

Thanks!

I have taken the cruise on NCL and visited Corner Brook and Sydney. They were excellent stops. I rented a car and tried to do Louisbourg and Baddeck in one day. I wish I would have just stayed at Fort Louisbourg. It was fascinating. Baddeck is nice, too, but too much to do in one afternoon.

In Corner Brook, we toured Gros Morne. That was a nice excursion as well.

I wanted to tour Gros Morne but our time in Cornerbrook is much shorter than what NCL normallly spends there...the result of higher fuel prices making them slow the ship down between ports I suspect:mad:

If you do a search on the Ports of Call - Canada page you will find many previous reports. Just look to the right of the blue bar at the top of the page.

 

For Sydney, it depends upon when you are going. The two main things I recommend are Louisbourg and Baddeck.

 

If you are going before Oct. 15, I suggest going to see Fortress Louisbourg. The quickest, most economical way to get there is to rent a car. There are many posts about this. You can also reserve a taxi or probably pick one up at the dock. The ship's tours from what I have read do not give you enough time. Once you are inside the Fortress you will not need a guide, as people acting the roles of actual people who lived in Louisbourg in 1744 will explain things. If you go there, try to have lunch or at least a drink in the pub.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/index.aspx

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg

 

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Fortress+Of+Louisbourg,+Cape+Breton,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.027005,-60.077362&sspn=0.24219,0.676346&geocode=FeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw%3BFWt2vAIdZ8hr_CnfpPkNVqhCSzEQdCafkpSbcQ&oq=port+&mra=ls&t=m&z=11

 

If it is after Oct. 15 and/or you would like a fairly short scenic drive, then I would rent a car and go to Baddeck and Iona, returning to Sydney another way. This will take you around the scenic Bras D'Or lakes (really an inlet of the sea).

 

In Baddeck you can see the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and walk around the village. There are shops and restaurants there.

 

In Iona (which is one of the most beautiful places I have been) you can tour the Highland Village.

 

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Baddeck,+NS+to:Alexander+Graham+Bell+National+Historic+Site,+Baddeck+to:Iona,+NS+to:Christmas+Island,+NS+to:Port+of+Sydney,+60+Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.026905,-60.07716&sspn=0.24219,0.676346&geocode=FeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw%3BFc1tvwIdDPVg_CnPkSNJLGJdSzHz0SeXSM56XA%3BFWF8vwIdARdh_CGgaKDXZTcWmimRaNcULGJdSzGgaKDXZTcWmg%3BFZJPvQIdijBg_Cl3_U_XX2hdSzG-umoFiqZDow%3BFRVTvQIdPNpg_CmLNVmJ_mddSzHgrABkv7cAyg%3BFeQWwAIdlG1p_CFVQ_v0LVL7zymDSwr7K_tnSzFVQ_v0LVL7zw&oq=port&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

 

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/en/home/default.aspx

 

For Corner Brook, you could rent a car and drive into Gros Morne National Park. The scenery is beautiful.

I will be in Sydney on Thurs Oct 18 7 A.M.- 3 P.M. would you still recommend going to Fortress Louisbourg? Can we get a taxi or car service to take us there & back to the ship? What would you think the cost might be? If we do not go to the Fortress can we get a cab or car service to take us to Baddeck & Iona? Do you have any recommendations for cab or car service? Thanks

Since Louisbourg will not have animators after October 15, I would suggest that you rent a car and take the drive to Baddeck and Iona. The Alexander Graham Bell museum will be open. http://www.visitbaddeck.com/attractions/bell.html

This is the route I would take: http://*******/maps/SYuFr

You will have to come back (preferably on a land trip) to see Louisbourg, the Cabot Trail and all the other wonderful things in Cape Breton. http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/visit/heures-hours.aspx

There will likely be taxis on the dock and you may be able to arrange something with them.

Google toms port guides and you will find more information and the name of one private tour operator.

Looking for help with excursions for Corner Brook 8:00-5:00 & Sydney 7:00-3:00 we will be sailing to these ports for the first time in the fall. Need help with what we should see & what not to miss. Thanks

You would have time to go to Gros Morne if you're in port 8-5. Depends on your own level of desired activity. The park is divided into two sections on each side of Bonne Bay. The southern end is about an hours from Corner Brook. Add another 45 minutes to the north side or a hour for Western Brook pond. The park has a great web site with all of the fascinating things about the area. If I can answer any more specific questions, let me know. There really is not much of that area I haven't been to. Been going there for about 30 years.

Let me know if you need any more help.

Molly

Do you need to rent a car to get there or can you walk?

Sorry, Lou 33 my question about walking or renting a car was directed to you. Carol

Hi Molly - We will be in Corner Brook 8-5 in October and have a rental car reserved. Trying to decide between driving to Gros Morne National Park or Captain Cook Trail & Lark Harbor. Which would you recommend? Our cruise ship does not offer any tours to Gros Morne so that may be less crowded that day. Any help you can give on planning our day will be greatly appreciated. Joan

Is it worth the drive there if we aren't going to hike? Can you just do a driving tour? How far from the port?

Sorry, Lou 33 my question about walking or renting a car was directed to you. Carol

As far as I know, you can just walk there from the pier.

I have not been to Grose Morne National Park for many years, so I cannot help too much.

Here is a map which should help a bit.

http://*******/maps/hTZp3

You can also drive around in the park, but I can't find a decent map. http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/rech-srch/clic-click.aspx?/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=79930&query=driving%20grose%20morne&hiword=GROS%20GROSS%20MORNES%20MORNING%20driving%20grose%20morne

http://*******/maps/0wRtO

You would be able to get help by writing to them or at the entrance.

Hello, we will be on the ten day norwegian on Sept 30. In Cornerbrook on Oct. 7th and Sydney on the 8th. As the 8th is the Canadian Thanksgiving, will everything be closed? Should we rent a car in both ports? Any suggestions on where? what company? We love to just pit pat around and I loved the advice posted earlier. Any help would be great.

Thanks you

I would contact the car rental companies and see what they say. Google for them or check canada411 Enterprise is known for delivering the car to you.

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