Need PEI excusion help

[takemewithyou]

I need help from PEI people:

I am looking at what to do in Charlottetown on 10/7/08.

 

Option 1: Just walk around the town and visit shops and have lunch - assuming most shops will not be seasonal and therfore, closed.

 

Option2: Tour thru HAL: Uniquely PEI - 7 hours. Visit Rossignol Winery. Tour winery and have have tasting. Lunch at Inn at Bay Fortune. Greenwich National Park visit.

 

Option 3: Tour thru HAL: Island's Finest - Anne, Lobster and scenic drive - 4 1/2 hours. North shore drive, Cavendish beach, Anne of Green Gables homestead, lunch at PEI Preserve Company.

 

Option 4: Tour thrus HAL: Dalvay by the Sea 5 hours: Leave via Victoria Park, lobster lunch in "one of Canada's premier dining rooms". The hotel's web site says it is closed this time of year??? Wallk along the beach, see a lighthouse, etc.

 

What is worth seeing? I am not a big "Anne fan". Right now I am leaning towards either option 1 or option 2. I would like to see some of the countryside. As far as lunch is concerned - one tour features PEI Preserve Co and the other features Inn at Bay Fortune.

 

*We don't want to rent a car. We'd rather be driven around.

 

Any opinions?? Thanks.

[MonaCD]

Option 2, the Winery tour and lunch at Bay fortune does sound good but if you went with option 3, the Island's Finest, (or another option the Panoramic Island Drive) you would probably have time to walk around Charlottetown as well.

 

Below are links to threads where I have provided information to other cruisers on pretty much the same questions you are asking. If I haven't covered it all somewhere in there I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=788572

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=818547

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=778880

[takemewithyou]

The panoramic island drive says it goes along the southern shoreline. Stops at Victoria-by-the-sea, continues on to the Confederation bridge. Do you think we would see enough of the island on this one to get a good idea of what it is like?

 

I have read the previous threads you linked me to. Someone else mentioned to me that the northern shoreline was the best. I am just a bit confused, trying to do some of my own research and fugure it all out.

 

If I make time for shopping in Charlottetown by going on the panoramic island drive in the morning, will most of the shops and restaurants be open 10/7 or shut down for the season ?

 

Thanks :)

[MonaCD]

The panoramic island drive says it goes along the southern shoreline. Stops at Victoria-by-the-sea, continues on to the Confederation bridge. Do you think we would see enough of the island on this one to get a good idea of what it is like?

 

I have read the previous threads you linked me to. Someone else mentioned to me that the northern shoreline was the best. I am just a bit confused, trying to do some of my own research and fugure it all out.

 

If I make time for shopping in Charlottetown by going on the panoramic island drive in the morning, will most of the shops and restaurants be open 10/7 or shut down for the season ?

 

Thanks :)

 

Both the Panoramic and the North shore tours will give you enough of an Island experience to get a good idea what it is like. As I said to someone else "... I guess if you made me choose, I'd have to say the north shore is more scenic, it is after all, the home of our one and only National Park. Red cliffs, white sand dunes and beaches and blue waters. Now having said that, there are things you'll see long the south shore you won't see along the north, the Confederation Bridge being one of them. Also, the north shore is more for tourists, the south more for Islanders, the beaches less crowded, less tacky tourist attractions and more just the natural Island shining through."

 

I'm not sure if they make any adjustments for those tours that are late in the season or if the seasonal stores along the north shore or near the pier open when cruise ships are in. But there will be plenty of shops open in Charlottetown, it is the Provicinal capital with a population of about 33,000.

 

Don't agonize over it too much, it will be great whatever you choose. You'll just have to come back in the summer and spend a few days to see it all. :D

[takemewithyou]

Thanks, Colleen. I think I will just keep it simple and take your recommendation of the panoramic island drive and shopping in the town. Hopefully, we will be able to come back some day for a real visit. :)

You have helped me narrow down the choices.

[MonaCD]

Thanks, Colleen. I think I will just keep it simple and take your recommendation of the panoramic island drive and shopping in the town. Hopefully, we will be able to come back some day for a real visit. :)

You have helped me narrow down the choices.

 

Glad to help. Now I could be wrong but if you're coming here on HAL I think you'll be here on October 5, not the 7th. That happens to be the last day of the Fall Flavours Festival and there will be many special things on that day both within Charlottetown and around the Island, check it out here http://www.fallflavours.ca/events/calendar-of-events/?act=events&task=listings&calendar_date=2008-10-5 Not that I want to make your decision any more difficult :p

 

I have emailed one of our major tour operators on the Island to see if they can tell me more about what's available in October, they'd be better informed. I'll pass on whatever pertinent info they provide.

[MonaCD]

For example, here's one of the things going on in Downtown Charlottetown on Sunday as part of the festival....

 

Farm Day in the City -Oct 5, 11:00am-5:00pm

Location: Downtown Charlottetown

Fee: FREE

 

A DAY LONG CELEBRATION OF FARMING FOR URBANITES!

 

City dwellers are invited to come to downtown Charlottetown and taste the immense bounty of PEI’s rural community. Our theme this year is 2008 International Year of the Potato. In honor of the great potato, Chef Michael Smith, our local food hero, will prepare and serve piping hot potatoes with special sauces from the Cuisine Machine. Bring your appetites as local beef, pork, chicken, lamb and veggies will be grilled and served as part of the biggest BBQ Charlottetown has ever seen! How about a hot steamy cob of corn dipped in freshly melted butter. A big Farmer’s Market will top off this event with PEI Farmers and Processors selling, promoting, and offering demonstrations about their wares to the public. There will be local musicians, kids interactive activities, Pumpkin Fair, Fresh Pressed Apple Cider, and Food Bank Fund Raisers.

Come on over on Sunday and enjoy the fruits of our land. It’s all fresh it’s all local…it’s 100% PEI!

 

Seems to me this might be a day just to stick around Charlottetown! And check out the Lobster Lovers Feast happening that day as well, sounds like it would make a great excursion that is not offered through the cruiseline and limited availability.

[takemewithyou]

I am on the Maasdam and we are there the 7th. I believe it is the Eurodam that is there on the 5th.

 

Wish it was us, but it's not. I have the itinerary right in front of me. My cruise leaves Montreal on the 4th. We are in Quebec City on the 5th.

Thanks.

[takemewithyou]

Duplicate post.

[MonaCD]

I am on the Maasdam and we are there the 7th. I believe it is the Eurodam that is there on the 5th.

 

Wish it was us, but it's not. I have the itinerary right in front of me. My cruise leaves Montreal on the 4th. We are in Quebec City on the 5th.

Thanks.

 

Oops, when I did a cruise search on HAL the only one I noticed come up was the Eurodam, too bad, looks like some really good stuff happening on the 5th. I'll be moved to Halifax by then but I may come back just to take in some of the events of the Fall Flavours.

[H2OLady2006]

Need help with findinga whale watching tour in PEI or NS.

[MonaCD]

Need help with findinga whale watching tour in PEI or NS.

 

Sorry, don't know of any out of PEI, only seal watching , if there were they'd be off East Point. Waters are fairly shallow around PEI, we get the odd beached whale but don't hear much about them being spotted.

 

Novas Scotia would be the place to whale watch, in fact, last week a couple of Orcas were spotted not far from Halifax by a whale watching tour. You can find a list here http://www.explorenovascotia.com/adventures/index.cfm?cid=16