What to do or not miss in New England

[kaffybear]

We are going to New England/Canada in October on the Star Princess. Is there any hints out there of what not to miss or good reccomendations on excursins to take.:rolleyes:

[chrysalis]

what ports you going to?

[kaffybear]

The ports we are going to are:

Newport,RI

Boston,MA

Bar Harbor,ME

St John

Halifax

We are taking the Star Princess on October 21

[MHS4]

Newport: Depending on the amount of time available, tour 1-3 of the "summer cottage" mansions.

Boston: Quincy Market -- there's a heritage walking tour & the duck tours are very popular.

Also check the USA Fodor's board for tons of info on all those ports.

[Coral]

I did this cruise last year - if you have specific questions, I will try to assist. There are also Canada and New England portions of CC which are very helpful.

[ssbeagle]

The ports we are going to are:

Newport,RI

Boston,MA

Bar Harbor,ME

St John

Halifax

We are taking the Star Princess on October 21

Did you see the thread I posted on this cruise on the roll call section? We are also on this cruise.

[Nitemare]

lots of good info for you in the New England board in Ports of Call here.

 

Boston depends a LOT on what you like. If you or anyone in your party is a baseball fan and has never been to Fenway Park you absolutely positively have to do the Fenway Park tour.

 

Duck Tours are more fun that the other trolley tours, but are shorter, more expensive, and much less of a learning experience.

[steimey]

Do a Peggy's Cove tour from Halifax. The first NE/CA cruise we took we did not do it. The second time we did. I thought it was good until I got home from the cruise and downloaded my photos...unbelievable. I used one of the lighthouse photos as my Christmas card. People mail a postcard from the lighthouse becaues it gets a special lighthouse postmark, most people were sending it to themself.

The ship's tour on HAL last August was about $38/person, you can not get it too much cheaper on your own.

[hill6]

The best mansion in Newport is The Breakers. Also go to Brick Alley Pub for lunch. Their chowder has won awards. The church right along the waterfront is where Jackie O and JFK got married. Their summer house is also one of the mansions you can tour. Lots of very nice shops along the waterfront.

[dennbr9]

Bar Harbour: Skip the organized tours, when you get off the Ship there will be someone organizing tours. We took a tour in a limo with a great guy named Bert who used to drive the tour buses. Had a great time at our own pace. If you can team up with another couple you can cut the cost.

 

Halifax: We did the Amphibious craft( I think it was called the Hopper)tour. Had a great young guide who gave us a great Historic tour of the port while seeing it from the land and out in the harbor - again we did not go through the ship to book this.

 

Dennis

[Cessna140]

I agree....if you can only do one mansion in Newport, make it the Breakers, it is awesome. It overlooks the ocean and the Cliff walk which is worth a visit in itself. The Elms is also very nice and they have a self guided tour with headphones so you can go at your own pace. There are lots of shops along the waterfront. I'm not sure if Hammersmith farm, summer home of Jackie Kennedy's parents, is still open to the public. It has been sold and I believe it is a private home now.

[booboo4031]

That's correct... Hammersmith Farmsmith farm is no longer open to the public. One estate that is beautiful is the former Doris Duke estate Rough Point. This tour is a seperate tour not offered by the Preservation Society. It is a beautiful estate that has not been opened to the public for very long and well worth the visit. It's on the point overlooking cliffwalk where Bellevue Avenue turns into Ocean Drive.

[normanb]

I live in Newport and this is the first time I've seen a post about it. Anyway, You do not need to do a ship's tour here. Just take a cab to one of the mansions. The Preservation Society of Newport has several mansions to tour, including the Breakers. Rosecliff and The Marble House are also ver popular. You can take a walk on the "Cliff Walk" which runs for a bout three miles on the water side of the mansions. I also agree with the other poster, have lunch at Brick Alley Pub on Thames St. Its one of the most popular restaurants in town. Its within walking distance of the cruise ship drop dock.

[mringenoldus]

We loved the free shuttle in Halifax. thank goodnes the ship cancelled our tour! It would have been a waste of money. The free shuttle driver was as good as any tour guide. Don't miss the very fun and unique tour at Alexander's Brewery. I don't want to say too much as it might spoil the fun.

 

We had been to Boston on several ocasions, so we rented a car and headed to Plymouth to their reenactment village. Very interesting.

 

Be sure to be on deck for sailaway from St. John NB. There is a very special moment in that port. Probably one of my most lasting memories of our trip.

 

We had great weather for our week - hope you do also. This is a great itinerary.

[mr green]

Go to Salam from Boston, and go to the Witches Museum, its a must. john

[Pam in CA]

Go to Salam from Boston, and go to the Witches Museum, its a must. john

If you go to Salem, the Peabody-Essex Museum is the real "must do." It's a world-class museum with displays and information about the history, topography and flora/fauna of the region. It really isn't boring since you'll see a lot about whaling and exhibits from the Far East, including a house bought in China and reassembled exactly the way it was.

 

Also, if you go to Salem, you should spend some time going to Marblehead. It's right next to Salem and has a beautiful harbor with over 2,000 sailboats. The history of Marblehead is very interesting (if you like history, which I do). It was incorporated in 1629 and there is still an active lobster industry. 'Headers rowed Washington across the Delaware and rescued him from Brooklyn Heights. There are a couple of excellent restaurants right near the public dock: The Landing, right on the dock and harbor which is a bit fancier and more expensive; and half-way up State Street, Maddie's Sail Loft, an authentic sailors local pub and restaurant with informal but fabulous food.

[ssbeagle]

I was in Newport about 2 years ago attending a wedding and it was very nice there. It was also very chilly the end of May. How is the weather in October? I really would like to see the shops and pubs along the waterfront. The mansions are really pretty and it was a nice ride around and along the water.

[booboo4031]

The weather in October can have very wide swings. I went to college there... and on a nice sunny day it can be gorgeous and in the sixties but on a damp rainy day it can feel like it's in the upper 30's. The key is to bring layers that you can add on and take off. Also bring a light pair of gloves in case that wind is whipping off the water and it's rainy. If your used to the warm weather, you might find it downright cold.

[Pam in CA]

The weather at any time of the year can have wide swings although it's less likely in the winter. I've seen it go from 90-degrees to 60-degrees in half an hour in July. It's "wait a minute" weather -- just wait a minute and it'll change. It all depends on which way the wind is blowing, i.e., from the north, the south, the west or the east. Each means different weather and temperatures. If the wind shifts, you'll get a change.

[jjones]

I enjoyed the Oli's Trolley tour in Bar Harbour very much - the longer tour, not the short one - goes through Acadia National Park (beautiful). Also, the Public Gardens in Halifax are lovely.

[senatorgirth]

I live in Newport and this is the first time I've seen a post about it. Anyway, You do not need to do a ship's tour here. Just take a cab to one of the mansions.

 

I second normanb's good advice: definitely tour a mansion or two in Newport, Rhode Island, and you don't need to take the ship's tour. A cab will do. You might have your driver take you through the pretty downtown, too, and along beautiful Ocean Drive.

 

The duck tours are very popular in Boston. If you want to see things on your own, the safe and efficient subway (known locally as "the T") is a good way of getting around. It's also tough to beat a nice picnic on Boston Common, the city's central park with a view of the state capitol on Beacon Hill.

[jima53]

If you are a fan of the U.S. Navy you might visit the USS Constitution, it oldest ship still active in the navy.

 

Jim

[AliceJ]

If you go to Boston, visit the Boston Common, then cross the street to the Public Gardens - take the Swan boats - "swan shaped" boats that are manually pedelled around a small lagoon. If you have ever read "Make Way for Dumplings" by Robert McCloskey, this is the place. If you are visiting New England - McCloskey is just great!! He's written several great books on coastal Maine as well.

 

Love New England, LOVE Maine, have a great time!!!