Rental Car Saint John, NB Oct 11

[mdod]

I've been looking at the NCL Boston to Quebec cruise on Oct 9th but haven't booked it yet. It will be in Saint John on Sun, Oct 11. I wanted to rent a car and drive to St Martins and The Fundy Trail Parkway but it looks like the airport is the only place to get a car. Enterprise on Station St is closed on Sundays and the Avis right by the harbor is only open 10-2. Are there any other options? The airport doesn't look close. One of the reasons we were interested in this cruise was to see the Bay of Fundy. As it is we won't get to see as much of the difference because low tide falls right in the middle of the time we are in port. I don't want to spend all my time getting the car and I don't want to take a tour.

[Loann]

Discount www.discountcar.com 633-4440 (toll free in Canada only 1-866-310-2277)

Budget 1-800-268-8900

Delta www.dletamotors.ca 634-1125

National 1-800-car-rent or 634-1313

These four are all on Rothesay Ave - a short taxi drive from uptown. I don't know about hours - just looked them up in the yellow pages. Good luck!

[mdod]

Thanks Loann. Discount is closed on Sundays and Budget is only open 10-2. We are supposed to be in Saint John from 8-5. The Avis at the airport opens at 9 and it is half way to St Martins. We could pick-up the car there and return it at the downtown location. Is there any way to get to the airport besides a cab? It's 35 miles to the airport so I assume a taxi would be hefty. Also, I can't remember how quickly we can get off the boat. Would it be best to just wait until 10 and get a car downtown?

[Acey]

Thanks Loann. Discount is closed on Sundays and Budget is only open 10-2. We are supposed to be in Saint John from 8-5. The Avis at the airport opens at 9 and it is half way to St Martins. We could pick-up the car there and return it at the downtown location. Is there any way to get to the airport besides a cab? It's 35 miles to the airport so I assume a taxi would be hefty. Also, I can't remember how quickly we can get off the boat. Would it be best to just wait until 10 and get a car downtown?

 

The airport is only 10 miles from ship - the taxi is a flat rate - $30 last time I cabbed it to the airport in January. Make sure there are no additional fees to leave the car at the uptown AVIS. I would enjoy uptown for a couple hours, then pick up the car at 10:00 - low tide at St. Martin's is the best - the boats are sitting on their side with no water in harbour and you can walk into sea caves. Even if you don't get there until 11:00 or 12:00 - that's plenty of time to enjoy the area.

[Loann]

I agree. Don't waste that much money on a cab to get an extra hour in St. Martins. I would wait until 10 as well. Too bad places aren't open earlier. I guess they assume (wrongly) that no one needs a car early morning on a Sunday!

[mdod]

Thanks Acey. I was mapping from downtown Saint JOhn and forgot they report in Km in Canada, but it still says 28 Km. I'm just about to bail out on this cruise. I was looking for a rental car in Bar Harbor to go to Acadia National Park and apparently cars are very inconvenient to get there too. We have all day there so I wanted to spend more time in the park that the 2 1/2 hr tour allows. I didn't expect to be able to do as much as we usually do on our trips but this is turning into a very limited experience of the area ;-(

[cruisinnewfy]

We are taking the cruise in September. In Bar Harbor we are going to use the pubic buses to get around the park the bus schedule seems to allow you to see quite a bit of the park. The only thing I'll miss is suposedly the best lobster roll is just outside the park and can't get there in the time allowed.

 

In St. John, we are going to attempt to get a car at the airport. we will return it downtown and don't care about the cost because the ships tour is $140 per person and private tours are $225. Still a savings.

 

In case you reconsider.

[sapper1]

Thanks Acey. I was mapping from downtown Saint JOhn and forgot they report in Km in Canada, but it still says 28 Km. I'm just about to bail out on this cruise. I was looking for a rental car in Bar Harbor to go to Acadia National Park and apparently cars are very inconvenient to get there too. We have all day there so I wanted to spend more time in the park that the 2 1/2 hr tour allows. I didn't expect to be able to do as much as we usually do on our trips but this is turning into a very limited experience of the area ;-(

I don't rely too much on mapquest or other routing tools for this area. I have done some local routing out of curiosity and they take you on some rather interesting and sometimes impossible trips. Maybe that is why it says 28 kms. Acey is correct in his 10 km estimate.

I tried Mapquest from the outskirts of Saint John to my home and it wants to take me down a dog walking path through the woods behind the university!! Even the GPS in the car lists a walking path in our neighbourhood as a main thoroughfare.

[mdod]

Thanks for the comments. I thought this thread was dead. I did end up booking the cruise. When it dropped to $499 pp I figured we couldn't lose. I discovered the bus in Acadia National Park and I have booked a car from Avis in Saint John. I may look into fees for the airport pick-up and downtown drop-off but since we want to be in St Martins at low tide (11:57) and we want to go to the Fundy Trail Parkway, I'm not sure we'll gain much.

 

I don't know how long it takes to do the Fundy Trail Parkway but I doubt we could get there in time to finish it and make it back to St Martins in time for low tide. However the entrance it only 10 km from St Martins. If we got the car at the airport, would it make any sense to pick up the car and go directly to the end of the Fundy Trail Parkway and work our way back toward St Martins, returning to St Martins for low tide and then return to finish the Fundy Trail afterwards? That would have us at the Fundy Trail Interpretive Center ahead of the tour groups and going against traffic.

 

Acey or Sapper1, someone posted that they took a detour along a shoreline road to St Martins and walked around a lighthouse. Do you know what route she is referring to?

 

 

[Acey]

Thanks for the comments. I thought this thread was dead. I did end up booking the cruise. When it dropped to $499 pp I figured we couldn't lose. I discovered the bus in Acadia National Park and I have booked a car from Avis in Saint John. I may look into fees for the airport pick-up and downtown drop-off but since we want to be in St Martins at low tide (11:57) and we want to go to the Fundy Trail Parkway, I'm not sure we'll gain much.

 

I don't know how long it takes to do the Fundy Trail Parkway but I doubt we could get there in time to finish it and make it back to St Martins in time for low tide. However the entrance it only 10 km from St Martins. If we got the car at the airport, would it make any sense to pick up the car and go directly to the end of the Fundy Trail Parkway and work our way back toward St Martins, returning to St Martins for low tide and then return to finish the Fundy Trail afterwards? That would have us at the Fundy Trail Interpretive Center ahead of the tour groups and going against traffic.

 

Acey or Sapper1, someone posted that they took a detour along a shoreline road to St Martins and walked around a lighthouse. Do you know what route she is referring to?

 

 

 

This is the lighthouse they are talking about:

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/new_brunswick_st_martins_lighthouse.htm

There is easy access whether arriving in or leaving St. Martin's. Go to google maps and in search field type in "West Quaco, Saint Martins, Saint John County, NB" Zoom in closer too see on map what road to go down.

 

May I suggest this intinerary instead:

8:30 - disembark ship and check out Barbour's General Store, the Old Saint John City Market and surrounding locale. AVIS is 2 minutes away from market.

10:00 - Pick up your AVIS car

11:00 - Arrive in St. Martin's - Enjoy a bowl of world famous fish chowder at one of the local restaurants right on the beach overlooking the seacaves. (Cave View Family Restaurant and Sea Side Restaurant)

After lunch - explore the sea caves at low-tide. Snap photos of fishing boats laying in harbour with no water.

12:30 - drive the Fundy Coastal Parkway, stopping along the way for some photos.

1:30 - drive to the lighthouse you mentioned and have dessert or cooked lobster and enjoy the quiet.

2:00 - go over and visit the miniture horses:

http://fundyfarmcottages.com/Seasong/bedand.htm

2:30 - head back to Saint John and drop keys off at AVIS drop box - maybe before hand drive up Fort Howe overlooking harbour for a snapshot of ship.

 

I don't think it's worth the hassle or expense to go to airport for car - if there is a flight in how long might you have to wait in the airport to be served? I wouldn't worry about crowds along the Fundy Parkway - there are many lookout points to stop off at that you can adjust by a few minutes if need be.

 

Hope this helps.

[Acey]

I put together these directions for AVIS to St. Martin's and then St. Martin's back to either AVIS or Fort Howe. This way there will be no time wasted getting directions at AVIS and you can hit the road running. I would plan on being there a few minutes prior to opening so you can be served first.

 

AVIS TO ST. MARTIN’S (APPROX. 45-50 MINUTES)

IF YOUR CAR IS IN THE INDOOR PARKING GARAGE, TURN RIGHT

IF YOUR CAR IS AT THE COAST GUARD PARKNG LOT ACROSS THE STREET, TURN LEFT

YOU WILL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BE AT A SET OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS

GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THE LIGHTS AND UP THE HILL

AT TOP OF HILL, GO STRAIGHT THROUGH LIGHTS AND TAKE EXIT ON IMMEDIATE RIGHT (SIGN WILL SAY STATION STREET / SUSSEX) KEEP RIGHT OF FORK AT END OF RAMP AND PROCEED TO THE RIGHT ONTO STATION STREET

MOVE TO THE LEFT LANE – YOU WILL SEE HARBOUR STATION ARENA ON LEFT AND POPSICLE FACTORY ON RIGHT. CONTINUE STRAIGHT

YOU WILL COME UP TO ANOTHER SET OF LIGHTS – GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THEM AND THEN MOVE INTO THE RIGHT LANE ONCE PAST THE IRVING GAS STATION – YOU ARE NOW ON CITY ROAD

YOU WILL PASS THROUGH A PEDESTRIAN SET OF LIGHTS AND THEN COME TO ANOTHER SET OF LIGHTS AT HAYMARKET SQUARE (YOU’LL SEE AN OVERPASS ABOVE YOU). GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THIS SET OF LIGHTS

MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE SO THAT YOU ARE TO THE RIGHT OF THE FORK IN THE ROAD AND ARE ON THORNE AVENUE

CONTINUE GOING STRAIGHT WITHOUT MAKING ANY TURNS. YOU WILL SEE CANADA’S LARGEST OIL REFINERY (300,000 BPD) ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AND IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES THE AIRPORT WILL BE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE

CONTINUE STRAIGHT ON ROUTE 111 TO ST. MARTIN’S

TURN RIGHT ONTO MAIN STREET AND HEAD DIRECTLY TO COVERED BRIDGE/BEACH/SEA CAVES AREA

ST. MARTIN’S TO FORT HOWE LOOKOUT IN SAINT JOHN

REVERSE OF EVERYTHING ABOVE; HOWEVER WHEN YOU GET TO HARBOUR STATION ARENA / POPSICLE FACTORY TURN LEFT AT SET OF LIGHTS GOING UP ONTO BRIDGE

ONCE ON BRIDGE STAY ON BRIDGE GOING STRAIGHT AND TURN RIGHT AT 3RD SET OF LIGHTS (MCDONALD’S RESTAURANT IS ON THE CORNER)

TURN RIGHT AT NEXT IMMEDIATE SET OF LIGHTS (GOING AROUND MCDONALD’S) ONCE YOU START TO GO DOWNHILL YOU’LL NOTICE A LITTLE FORK IN THE ROAD ON THE LEFT – TAKE IT AND THEN START GOING UPHILL AND THEN TAKE A RIGHT GOING UP FORT HOWE AND THEN RIGHT AT TOP TO GO TO OBSERVATION AND PHOTO OP AREA

EXACT REVERSE TO GO BACK TO BRIDGE THAT WILL LEAD YOU RIGHT TO AVIS

ST. MARTIN’S TO AVIS

REVERSE OF EVERYTHING ABOVE; HOWEVER WHEN YOU GET TO HARBOUR STATION ARENA / POPSICLE FACTORY GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THE SET OF LIGHTS

TURN LEFT ONTO SMYTHE STREET

GO ONE BLOCK AND TURN LEFT ONTO UNION STREET

GO UP STEEP HILL 1 BLOCK AND TURN RIGHT AT SET OF LIGHTS

AVIS IS DOWN THE HILL

*** THE IRVING STATION YOU PASS WHEN YOU FIRST LEAVE THE UPTOWN PAST THE POPSICLE FACTORY IS AN IDEAL PLACE TO TOP UP GAS (TO AVOID EXTRA CHARGES). JUST EXIT STATION ON SIDE STREET AND UTILIZE SET OF TRAFFIC LIGHT TO SAFELY NAVIGATE BACK ONTO STATION STREET***

[mdod]

Wow Acey, thanks for the directions. So you'd only plan to spend an hour on the Fundy Trail Parkway? Do you just drive and get out at scenic look-out points? I was planning extra time because I thought there were some short hikes that we could do too.

 

I checked the car rentals yesterday for pick-up at the airport and return in town and, surprisingly, the total from Budget was only $33. Obviously we'd still have to pay for the taxi to the airport. I went ahead and made that reservation while I'm deciding what to do. I know we could get hung up at the airport and there's no guarantees that we'll save much time but I'm leaning strongly toward renting a car from the airport.

 

My priority is to see the natural sites first. If we get lucky, we'll get there early and see what we want and then we can return the car and safely spend whatever time we have left looking around Saint John without worrying about having car trouble or something. I've lost 40 pounds the past year and a half and don't want to put it back on so I don't want to be stopping to eat yummy food. Our stateroom is on deck 4 and we're taking the steps everywhere to help make up for the chocolate buffet. :D

[Acey]

Wow Acey, thanks for the directions. So you'd only plan to spend an hour on the Fundy Trail Parkway? Do you just drive and get out at scenic look-out points? I was planning extra time because I thought there were some short hikes that we could do too.

 

I checked the car rentals yesterday for pick-up at the airport and return in town and, surprisingly, the total from Budget was only $33. Obviously we'd still have to pay for the taxi to the airport. I went ahead and made that reservation while I'm deciding what to do. I know we could get hung up at the airport and there's no guarantees that we'll save much time but I'm leaning strongly toward renting a car from the airport.

 

My priority is to see the natural sites first. If we get lucky, we'll get there early and see what we want and then we can return the car and safely spend whatever time we have left looking around Saint John without worrying about having car trouble or something. I've lost 40 pounds the past year and a half and don't want to put it back on so I don't want to be stopping to eat yummy food. Our stateroom is on deck 4 and we're taking the steps everywhere to help make up for the chocolate buffet. :D

 

I believe there may be a small hiking trail at the end of the parkway by the interpretation centre. The Budget location "in town" is actually in the East end of Saint John and is an approx. $12 taxi ride back to ship. The only rental agencies with locations near the ship are AVIS and Enterprise.

[mdod]

The Budget location "in town" is actually in the East end of Saint John and is an approx. $12 taxi ride back to ship. The only rental agencies with locations near the ship are AVIS and Enterprise.

 

Thanks for the head's up. I hadn't looked up the location yet. I was looking through my notes last night and only saw comments about Avis and Enterprise so I was getting worried. I was thinking I had read that Budget was farther from the dock but easier to access as far as finding your way back to return the car but I couldn't find that in my notes. LOL..I searched Google maps for the Budget in Saint John and the same address came up in two totally different locations, one NE of town and one way NE of town.

 

It is interesting checking on cars. When I booked with Budget yesterday, Avis was about $20 higher. Then when I checked again after reading your post, Budget had gone up $10 and Avis was $30 more. Then I just checked again and Budget is back down again and Avis is $35 more.

 

I don't suppose there is anything near the Budget office that we could want to walk to after dropping off the car? Presumably we'd have to plan extra time for getting a cab because it's away from downtown, right?

 

Decisions, decisions. Nothing is easy, is it?

[Acey]

Thanks for the head's up. I hadn't looked up the location yet. I was looking through my notes last night and only saw comments about Avis and Enterprise so I was getting worried. I was thinking I had read that Budget was farther from the dock but easier to access as far as finding your way back to return the car but I couldn't find that in my notes. LOL..I searched Google maps for the Budget in Saint John and the same address came up in two totally different locations, one NE of town and one way NE of town.

 

It is interesting checking on cars. When I booked with Budget yesterday, Avis was about $20 higher. Then when I checked again after reading your post, Budget had gone up $10 and Avis was $30 more. Then I just checked again and Budget is back down again and Avis is $35 more.

 

I don't suppose there is anything near the Budget office that we could want to walk to after dropping off the car? Presumably we'd have to plan extra time for getting a cab because it's away from downtown, right?

 

Decisions, decisions. Nothing is easy, is it?

 

Budget is about 6 or 7 KM's from the ship on a commercial avenue. From Budget it's a 10 to 15 minute walk to shopping centres - but may not be of much interest as they are no different from any other malls you would find in any other city - unless you are interested in Roots Canada outlet.

[sapper1]

Wow Acey, thanks for the directions. So you'd only plan to spend an hour on the Fundy Trail Parkway? Do you just drive and get out at scenic look-out points? I was planning extra time because I thought there were some short hikes that we could do too.

 

I checked the car rentals yesterday for pick-up at the airport and return in town and, surprisingly, the total from Budget was only $33. Obviously we'd still have to pay for the taxi to the airport. I went ahead and made that reservation while I'm deciding what to do. I know we could get hung up at the airport and there's no guarantees that we'll save much time but I'm leaning strongly toward renting a car from the airport.

 

My priority is to see the natural sites first. If we get lucky, we'll get there early and see what we want and then we can return the car and safely spend whatever time we have left looking around Saint John without worrying about having car trouble or something. I've lost 40 pounds the past year and a half and don't want to put it back on so I don't want to be stopping to eat yummy food. Our stateroom is on deck 4 and we're taking the steps everywhere to help make up for the chocolate buffet. :D

There are parking areas along the Parkway where you can get out and hike along a trail that goes alongside the road. There are areas where you can take steps down to the beach as well.

At the Interperatation Centre you can walk down the path and across a suspension bridge and along a trail on the other side of the stream. When we have visited that area we have spent several hours although we didn't have a lot of other places we wished to visit at the same time.

There used to be a shuttle bus that would take you back to your parking area after you hiked along the trail for a while. I don't know how late in the season that would run though. You could ask at the entrance gate.

[mdod]

Thanks for all your help Sapper1 and Acey. I'm still undecided. The good news is that I only have 4 more weeks to worry about it! :o