Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada Port Guide - Toms Port Guides
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada Port Guide - Toms Port Guides
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada Port Guide - Toms Port Guides
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<strong>Sydney</strong>, <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>, <strong>Canada</strong> <strong>Port</strong> <strong>Guide</strong><br />
<strong>Sydney</strong> is the cruise port for Cape Breton Island, one of the world's most scenic islands with rugged Atlantic<br />
coastline, mountains, beautiful forests, and Bras d'Or saltwater Lakes. The area has a rich Celtic history of<br />
settlement by Scots and steel production using local iron ore and mining coal from under the sea. During tourist<br />
season, reenactors staff the Celtic Highland Village, Fortress Louisbourg, and other areas “taking you back in<br />
history to experience what life was like years ago”. There is also the world famous home and museum of<br />
Alexander Graham Bell, and a Coal Mine Museum with walks under the sea.<br />
Cape Breton Island can be overwhelming; it is 4000 square miles!!!! Consider these points:<br />
• Tourism is seasonal. Cruise ships may arrive before or after the tourist season. Ships can arrange for<br />
tourist sites to be open for their excursions. Otherwise, these sites would be closed. If you are planning<br />
self guided tours, check open days and times for the sites you plan to visit. Most tour sites open around<br />
mid-May to June and close around mid-October. And be mindful of travel time!<br />
• Time in port is very important. You can see a few sites in 4 hours, but you really want 7 to 9 daylight<br />
hours in port to maximize sightseeing. If possible, book a ship with a full day in port.<br />
CAVEAT<br />
I've tried to be accurate, but recognize things change. Please verify information for your travel plans. Opinions<br />
expressed are my own. You are free to use and share this document, but do not use it for commercial purposes.<br />
This port guide is protected by copyright law - see the last page of this port guide for more information<br />
Tom Sheridan<br />
I would like to thank Isabelle Mullaley for her extensive help with this port guide. She lives in <strong>Canada</strong> and<br />
knows this area well. I would also like to thank Lynda & Larry Muche' for sharing their car rental experience.<br />
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Table of Contents<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong> – ship's dock location 2<br />
Local <strong>Sydney</strong> tours 3<br />
Highland Village Museum & scenic drive to Iona 4<br />
Alexander Graham Bell Museum & scenic drive Baddeck 6<br />
Cabot Trail scenic drive to Ingonish & Keltic Lodge area 7<br />
Fortress Louisbourg 10<br />
Cape Breton Miners Museum 10<br />
Planning your shore excursions 11<br />
Self <strong>Guide</strong>d Touring & Renting a car 14<br />
If you have a few days, tour Cape Breton Island Trails 16<br />
Goal of port guides, your feedback is important 18<br />
Ship's dock location in <strong>Sydney</strong>.<br />
Note the large Ceilidh fiddle next to the dock.<br />
The street address for the ship's dock is “Esplanade & York St., <strong>Sydney</strong>, <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>”<br />
The street address is important to find the dock on a Google Map and to program into your GPS.<br />
Be sure to visit the passenger terminal. There is a small gallery with paintings and sculpture. There's a video of<br />
Cape Breton Island and a free museum displaying animals, scale models of sites such as Fortress Louisbourg<br />
and murals to introduce you to the history of the area. In the main room, you'll find a wide variety of crafts and<br />
souvenirs for sale by local artists.<br />
Tour desks are staffed with locals. Canadians are friendly and helpful. They love people from the US as long<br />
as the conversation is not ice hockey. The tour staff can update you on current activities. For example, the local<br />
church occasionally serves a seafood lunch which gets rave reviews.<br />
Photo tip<br />
When the ship arrives, a thousand people rush to the Ceilidh fiddle to take a picture.<br />
Usually, I don't want a lot of people I don't know in the foreground of my photos.<br />
If you wish to take a photo with no one in the foreground, wait until the ship is about<br />
to leave. There will be a long line of passengers boarding the ship and no one near<br />
the fiddle.<br />
This is the perfect time to get an unobstructed photo of the largest fiddle in the world.<br />
See photo at left.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 2 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
This Mural in the Museum Tells the Story of Industry in <strong>Sydney</strong><br />
Local Tours of <strong>Sydney</strong> & Popular Sites Outside <strong>Sydney</strong><br />
In May 2011, our ship was late getting into <strong>Sydney</strong> due to wind. Our ship's excursion to Cabot Trail was<br />
canceled due to inadequate time in port. We booked the only tour available - a 2.5 hour “Historic <strong>Sydney</strong> &<br />
Coastal Drive Tour” of residential areas which included Whitney Pier Historical Museum (a house turned into a<br />
museum) and a drive along the coast to Fort Petrie. This was billed by the cruise line as the “Most Popular<br />
Tour”. I was disappointed in the tour; it was not what I wanted to see and it wasn't very picturesque.<br />
Local tours of <strong>Sydney</strong> include bus rides through the area and a walking tour around a few blocks of old homes,<br />
museums, and churches near the dock.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong> is the cruise ship port to access one of the most beautiful islands in the world and/or to visit the<br />
Alexander Graham Bell Museum and Fortress Louisbourg. The Coal Mine Museum is also popular.<br />
We've been to <strong>Sydney</strong> three times on cruise ships. The memorable tours we loved were:<br />
• The ship's 7.5 hour excursion to Highland Village, Baddeck, Alexander Graham Bell Museum and lunch<br />
at Inverary Resort. Yeah, the tour was pricey, but it was one of our best excursions ever. The scenery<br />
was breathtaking - mountains, lakes, eagles, fall color of trees, and we had a superb seafood lunch!<br />
• A private 9 hour tour of Cabot Trail to Ingonish and Keltic Lodge with many short stops to view and<br />
photograph the rugged Atlantic coastline, lakes, mountains, trees in fall color, a fishing village, etc.<br />
It doesn't get much better than these two tours which I describe in detail in this port guide. On our next visit, we<br />
might go to Fortress Louisbourg. We won't visit the Coal Mine because my wife doesn't like to go underground.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 3 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Highland Village Museum/An Clachan Gàidhealach<br />
Address<br />
4119 Highway 223 Iona, NS, B2C 1A3 <strong>Canada</strong><br />
Ship’s tour length 3.5 hours including 2 hours bus travel time<br />
Website<br />
http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/en/home/visitus/default.aspx<br />
Normal open hours June 1 to October 16 (2011) - Daily 9:30 am to 5:30 pm<br />
Phone (902) 725-2272<br />
The vision of the Highland Village Museum/An Clachan Gàidhealach is to be internationally acknowledged for<br />
advancing research, fostering appreciation, learning and sharing authentic Gaelic language and heritage while<br />
serving a vibrant Gaelic cultural community. The mission of the Highland Village Museum/An Clachan<br />
Gàidhealach, a living history museum, is to research, collect, preserve and share the Gaelic heritage and<br />
culture of <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong> and represent it accurately and vibrantly. The Highland Village is focused on growing<br />
Gaelic language and cultural interpretive programming on site as well as working with the wider community to<br />
facilitate the reconstruction of Gaelic language in <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>.<br />
The village is on a large, attractive site with scenic views and buildings representing the history of construction<br />
in the area beginning with stone huts. It has a farm, a complete village with homes, a church, a schoolhouse,<br />
and buildings used by tradesmen such as a blacksmith. There are reenactors in period costume to greet you as<br />
you enter the buildings and explain what life was like. The visitor center has an excellent collection of<br />
souvenirs and good prices on books about Cape Breton. It's a great place to visit and to take postcard photos!<br />
See the link below for an excellent video with some stunning views of the area<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=b7aDudgcC2I&feature=player_embedded<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 4 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Highland Village Photos<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 5 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site<br />
Address<br />
559 Chebucto Street, Baddeck, NS B0E 1B0, <strong>Canada</strong><br />
Ship’s tour length 4 hours including 2 hours bus travel time<br />
Website<br />
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/grahambell/visit.aspx<br />
Normal open hours May 1 to October 31 (2011) - Daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm<br />
Phone (902) 295-2069<br />
Note: Cruise ships offer a combined 7.5 hour tour of Highland Village & Alexander Graham Bell Museum with<br />
lunch at the Inverary Resort. It's pricey, but well worth because it is an efficient use of limited time in port.<br />
The museum is in Baddeck. It is a scenic area. See the slide show at this weblink<br />
http://baddeck.com/slideshow/index.html<br />
The Alexander Graham Bell museum is one of <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>’s finest national historic sites. Set just a few meters<br />
back from the waters of Bras d’Or Lakes, it commemorates the life and work of the man who created the<br />
telephone from his Baddeck home, Beinn Bhreagh, along with a slew of other inventions.<br />
You’ll want at least 2 hours to find out about Bell’s man-carrying kites, a record-breaking hydrofoil and how he<br />
taught deaf people to speak.<br />
The museum is particularly good at involving children. There’s a special discovery area for kids, where you’ll<br />
often see demonstrations of experiments. Then there’s the chance to dress up in period clothing that Bell and<br />
his wife Mabel would have worn.<br />
Kite-making workshops are staged occasionally. Phone ahead to find out when the next one is scheduled.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 6 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Photo taken in front of Alexander Graham Bell Museum<br />
Cabot Trail Scenic Drive to Ingonish Beach and Keltic Lodge Area<br />
The ship's excursion is 7.5 Hrs including 5 hours travel time and lunch. We used a private guide for a 9<br />
hour tour. Cabot Trail is drop dead gorgeous.<br />
Cape Breton Island is 4000 square miles with 4 major driving trails. Each one would take a full day. The best<br />
way to see the area would be to spend a week leisurely driving the trails, going whale watching, and visiting the<br />
small villages staffed with reenactors during tourist season. But it's impossible to do that in the limited time a<br />
cruise ship is in port. Even an experienced driver who knows the roads, the location of the ferry boats, and the<br />
scenic areas off the main road can only take you as far North as the Ingonish Beach area.<br />
I'm sure the ship's excursion is very good, but given a choice between riding a bus vs. a private tour in a van, I<br />
opt for the private tour. A van has more flexibility in terms of where it can go and stop for photos. I do not like<br />
to take photos through windows of a moving bus considering blur, reflections, and dirt on the glass.<br />
A private tour is more flexible and personal, driving small back roads to fishing villages and scenic locations.<br />
Also, the private tour is less expensive than a ship excursion.<br />
The challenge is finding an excellent guide. Our cruise critic travel companions found Don Blackwood. He is<br />
the former head of tourism for Cape Breton Island and is an outstanding guide. I highly recommend him, but<br />
please recognize his schedule books early because he's in great demand.<br />
Don Blackwood, Blackwood Tours, 654 Willow St, New Waterford, NS, B1H 3W4 <strong>Canada</strong><br />
Phone: 902-862-3791 (office) or 902-537-2976 (mobile)<br />
Email: donblackwood@seascape.ns.ca<br />
See photos of the Cabot Trail area on the next two pages.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 7 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Cabot Trail near Ingonish<br />
Englishtown Ferry<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 8 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Highlands Links at The Keltic Lodge, Ingonish Beach, <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong><br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 9 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site<br />
Address<br />
Louisbourg, NS <strong>Canada</strong><br />
Ship’s tour length 3.5 hours including 1.5 hour bus travel time<br />
Website<br />
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/index.aspx<br />
Normal open hours May 15-October 31 9:30 am -5:00 pm<br />
Phone 902-733-3552<br />
This video shows the site and the military reenactors. They are also called animators<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=lAuDENs_4Us&feature=player_embedded<br />
Fortress Louisbourg is a popular tourist site and it is relatively close to the ship. En route, you will pass<br />
through attractive scenery of rolling hills and the pristine Mira River, the longest river in <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>.<br />
The fortress was the most expensive fortification built in North America. Complaining about the high cost, the<br />
King said that it cost so much and was large enough that he expected to see it from France. It is a very large<br />
and picturesque 12 acre site with 50 buildings.<br />
Today it is a living museum and faithful recreation of a 250-year-old town. Many reenactors or animators staff<br />
the site in period costume as soldiers, musicians, merchants, street vendors, bakers, servants, and fishermen.<br />
Period homes, exhibits, and theme centers line the streets, as well as along the busy waterfront.<br />
The port guide lecturer on our cruise ship said that sometimes the Fortress is open to the public, but the<br />
reenactors are not present. If you are doing a self-guided tour, it would be wise to contact this tourist site to<br />
determine if the reenactors will be present the day your ship is in port. You could spend a full day at Fortress<br />
Louisbourg because there is a lot to see and enjoy.<br />
Cape Breton Miner's Museum -<br />
Address<br />
17 Museum St, Glace Bay, NS<br />
Ship’s tour length 4 hours incl. 1.5 hours bus travel time & a 1 hour visit to Glace Bay Heritage Museum<br />
Website<br />
http://www.minersmuseum.com/<br />
Normal open hours June 1 – October 31 10 am – 6:00 pm Underground tours by appointment.<br />
Phone 902-849-4522<br />
Coal mining, under the seabed, began in the early<br />
1700's when the French needed fuel to construct<br />
the Fortress Louisbourg. Subsequently, it became<br />
the largest coal mining operation in the world.<br />
Today, the mine is closed and there is little<br />
evidence it was ever there, underneath your feet.<br />
The ship's excursion tour includes a 20 minute<br />
walk into the mine accompanied by retired miners.<br />
You can experience, first hand what it was like to<br />
extract coal. Underground tours of the mine are<br />
by appointment.<br />
Note: cruise ships make special arrangements to<br />
spend 20 minutes with a miner, but on self-guided<br />
tours, people spend an hour touring with the<br />
miner. Typical self-guided tour time for the<br />
Miners Museum, including travel time, is 3 hours.<br />
The ship's excursion is 4 hours, including travel time, because it includes another 1 hour stop at the Glace Bay<br />
Heritage Museum, which features exhibits chronicling the area's history and contributions or you can explore<br />
the Miner's Village which has a company house and store.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 10 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Planning Your Shore Excursions<br />
The cruise line description of shore excursions is an excellent starting point<br />
Your cruise ship website lists all the tourist attractions for a port. This is an excellent starting point to create a<br />
list of places of interest you might wish to visit. Don't be distracted by the price of the tour because you have<br />
the options of private and self guided tours.<br />
As you plan your vacation, remember there are limited things to do and see in <strong>Sydney</strong>. The most popular tourist<br />
sites are outside the city. As a general rule, the closest popular tourist sites are 1.5 to 2 hour round trip travel<br />
time from the cruise ship. You will need at least one hour to explore a site, so your minimum excursion length<br />
is 3 hours (including travel time). It is possible to combine a few tourist sites if you have a full day in port.<br />
Focus on the description of the tour, the names of the places visited, the length of time of the tour, and details of<br />
the itinerary. The excursion description includes how many minutes are spent riding on the bus, time at each<br />
stop, and free time for shopping. I'm not keen on shopping on Cape Breton Island, I would rather see the sites.<br />
The “Official” tourist information website is an excellent resource<br />
The www.<strong>Nova</strong><strong>Scotia</strong>.com website covers ALL museums, parks, and tourist sites. It is an excellent resource to<br />
learn more about the places you may wish to visit. Here is the menu screen for this website:<br />
The top right hand corner has a box titled “Search”. Type the name of any place you are interested in. You do<br />
not have to use the full, official name of the tourist site, just a few words. For example, to learn more about<br />
the “coal mine museum” enter that string and the information below appears.<br />
Results 1-5 of 5 for coal mine museum (0.1201 seconds).<br />
Cape Breton Miners' Museum - Attractions - Museums<br />
The Cape Breton Miners' Museum in Glace Bay pays tribute to the contribution of the region's coal miner and<br />
coal mining industry in the advance of civilization. ...<br />
www.novascotia.com/en/home/thingstoseeanddo/novascotiaattractions/listingde...<br />
Tour a Mine, Springhill Miners' Museum - Attractions - Museums<br />
Tour a Mine, Springhill Miners' Museum is located in Springhill (off Route 2) in the Fundy Shore and<br />
Annapolis Valley region. Tour the depths of a Springhill coal ...<br />
www.novascotia.com/en/home/thingstoseeanddo/novascotiaattractions/listingde...<br />
Cape Breton Island Travel | Cabot Trail | Acadian History & Festivals<br />
A <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong> Museum Pass, good for twelve months, will pay for itself in a hurry. and descend to a coal mine<br />
beneath the ocean floor on the Fleur-de-lis and ...<br />
www.novascotia.com/en/home/discovernovascotia/uniquely_novascotia/cape_bret...<br />
Cape Breton Island | Hotel | Activities | Travel<br />
From museums, artisans, tours and golfing the island provides plenty of .... The area was populated with<br />
logging mills, gold mines, hunting lodges and cabins. ...<br />
www.novascotia.com/en/home/ourregions/ourregions/capebreton/default.aspx<br />
novascotia.com - Discover Your <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong> Roots Contest<br />
He worked in the coal mines for a short time, but then joined the Royal ...... I<br />
found my family surname in the history museum exhibit of families who were ...<br />
www.novascotia.com/en/home/blogsforumsandcontests/contests/discoveryourroot<br />
Click on the link for the first of the 5 search results Cape Breton Miners' Museum - Attractions – Museums<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 11 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
This screen is displayed<br />
This screen has the full name, address, contact information, and open times for the museum.<br />
Now click on “Maps & Directions” The screen below appears<br />
Note the map and the website www.minersmuseum.com<br />
Under the heading “Getting there from”, I typed the street address for the cruise port and pressed enter.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 12 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
The Map and driving directions from the cruise ship to Cape Breton Miners Museum is displayed<br />
This map (above) shows detailed driving directions from the cruise ship to the museum. The estimated driving<br />
time is 28 minutes, but the cruise ship's detailed itinerary shows 40 minutes for the bus to reach this site. Use<br />
the more conservative time estimate by the cruise ship. Always increase driving time to allow for delays.<br />
Now that you know the official name of the tourist site, the address, the website for the museum, open times,<br />
and driving route, you can get more detailed information. By visiting the www.minersmuseum.com website<br />
you'll find entrance fees, see some photos, etc. You will also learn that underground tours are by appointment<br />
only. If you want to go on that tour, call or email the website and ask for additional information.<br />
Also, with this information in hand, you can do a Google search for reviews, find photos, etc. and more<br />
descriptive information from others who have visited this site. ALL of the information you want for any tourist<br />
site near <strong>Sydney</strong> port is only a few mouse clicks away if you use the techniques outlined above.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 13 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Self <strong>Guide</strong>d Touring & Renting a Car in <strong>Sydney</strong><br />
Three issues to consider for self guided touring and renting a car in the Cape Breton Island area:<br />
1) <strong>Sydney</strong> is a seasonal tourist area. My cruise ship docked twice in <strong>Sydney</strong> in October, at the end of the<br />
tourist season when trees were in full color. Highland Village was open for our ship's tour; they closed for the<br />
winter as we left. When we stopped for lunch on our private tour along Cabot Trail, the restaurant owner said<br />
he was closing that day for the winter. On our May 2011 cruise, the port lecturer told us Fortress Louisbourg<br />
might be open to the public, but he doubted the reenactors would be present. It was too early in the season.<br />
2) If your cruise ship arrives “out of tourist season”, the cruise ship makes special arrangements for sites to<br />
be open for ship's tours. For a self guided tour, you need to check which tourist sites are open. Ferries are open<br />
year round, but one was closed in May 2011 due to road work. Cabs and limos for self guided tours are at the<br />
ship's dock during tourist season, but it's rare to see them “out” of tourist season.<br />
3) Efficient use of time in port - My priority is to see as much of Cabot Trail as possible. It's a 5 hour round<br />
trip drive to Ingonish Beach and related sites. Renting a car wastes an hour. Tours give me an extra hour and<br />
the guide knows which back roads go to fishing villages, the best scenic outlooks, and where the eagles are. My<br />
tour is more efficient and I see more. I pay $$$ for it, but enjoy some of the best tours I've ever encountered. If<br />
time were not an issue, I'd stay on Cape Breton for a week with a rental car to leisurely see the sites.<br />
If your research confirms the tour sites you wish to visit are open when your ship is in port, self guided<br />
touring and car rental is easier. Ideally, your ship will be in port 7 to 9 daylight hours.<br />
If you plan to rent a car, the Doers and Dreamers guide is a must read. It helps you follow the roads and<br />
know what to look for. See https://www.novascotia.com/en/home/planyourtrip/travel_guides/default.aspx<br />
Many people rent cars to tour the area around <strong>Sydney</strong> and enjoy it. Our May 2011 cruise to <strong>Sydney</strong> was early<br />
for the tourist season. I met two couples who planned to rent a car. Our ship arrived late so we only had 4<br />
daylight hours in port. My excursion tour to Cabot Trail was canceled, ugh! One of the couples canceled their<br />
plan to rent a car. Lynda and Larry Muche' rented a car. Here is their experience renting a car “out of season”.<br />
Car rental experience of Lynda and Larry Muche' in May 2011.<br />
We had read you could walk to the car rental office, but we disagree. It seemed to be several miles from the<br />
seaport. It took a bit of time to find the van at the ship's dock to take us to the rental office. We were told it<br />
would be out back of the terminal, which it was, but not directly and we had to walk around the lot to find it.<br />
We called the rental agency twice and spent about 20 minutes finding the rental pickup van which had NO sign<br />
or markings.<br />
It took a good half-hour to rent the car, as there was a line and only three agents. On the plus side, our agent<br />
was helpful with the map and how to return the car after-hours.<br />
It took no time to return the car, as we just parked it, locked the doors, and used the drop box for the keys. We<br />
were lucky to spot a cab immediately and it took approximately 10-15 minutes to get back to the ship.<br />
The entire car rental procedure is a minimum of an hour.<br />
We drove to Baddeck and Bras d'Or Lakes. We had planned to drive part of Cabot Trail, completely around the<br />
lake, but changed our mind. There were notices on the highway that one of the ferries was closed and we were<br />
unsure of how to drive around the lake without the use of the ferries. Also the ship's bus tour had been<br />
canceled. The rumor on the ship was the bus was canceled due to fog. If the experienced driver on the bus<br />
could not drive that tour route, we doubted we could.<br />
Car rental for the two of us was still cheaper than the cost of the bus tour, so we would recommend it but would<br />
probably share with another couple or rent a van with two couples. Would we do it again Yes, the price of the<br />
rental and gas is still less than the bus tour but we would use the Cruise Critic website again to do a ride-share.<br />
The main reason to recommend car rental is that it is cost effective. But it is not time efficient.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 14 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Tips on Renting a Car in <strong>Sydney</strong> <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong><br />
The first question is, “Which car rental agencies are near the port” You know the street address for the<br />
cruise port. Do a Google search for “car rental near Esplanade & York St., <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>, <strong>Canada</strong>”.<br />
Search Results<br />
1. Places for car rental near Esplanade & York St, <strong>Sydney</strong>, NS, <strong>Canada</strong><br />
National Car Rental<br />
www.nationalcar.ca - <strong>Sydney</strong> Airport, <strong>Sydney</strong> Arpt, <strong>Sydney</strong> - (902) 567-1953<br />
U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer<br />
www.uhaul.com - 159 Kings Road, <strong>Sydney</strong> - (902) 539-7815<br />
Enterprise Rent-A-Car<br />
www.enterpriserentacar.ca - 446 Grand Lake Road, <strong>Sydney</strong> - (902) 539-6700<br />
Discount Car and Truck Rentals<br />
carrental.ca - 81 Victoria Road, <strong>Sydney</strong> - (902) 563-2806<br />
Budget Rent-A-Car - <strong>Sydney</strong><br />
www.budget.com - 224 Welton Street, <strong>Sydney</strong> - (902) 564-2611<br />
Budget<br />
maps.google.com - 501 Esplanade, <strong>Sydney</strong><br />
Alamo Rent A Car<br />
www.alamo.ca - <strong>Sydney</strong> Airport, Al <strong>Sydney</strong> Airport C9A5, <strong>Sydney</strong> - (902) 567-1953<br />
More results near Esplanade & York St, <strong>Sydney</strong>, NS, <strong>Canada</strong> »<br />
I used Google Maps to find directions from the cruise ship street address to Budget Car Rental at 224 Welton St<br />
See the map below – it's 2.9 km and 5 minutes from the cruise ship to the Budget rental office<br />
If I were renting a car, I would repeat this process for all car rental agencies to determine their location and<br />
whether any were within walking distance of the ship.<br />
Also, if I were renting a car from the Budget Car Rental, I would do a Google search for “gas stations near 224<br />
Welton St., <strong>Sydney</strong>, <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>, <strong>Canada</strong>”. This would provide options to refill gas before returning the car.<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 15 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
CAPE BRETON ISLAND = A GREAT VACATION DESTINATION<br />
If I had a week in June through September, I'd rent a car and tour Cape Breton Island Driving Trails.<br />
I would visit the fishing villages to see the reenactors and go whale watching. It's on my “bucket list”.<br />
If you plan to rent a car, the Doers and Dreamers guide is a must read. It helps you follow the roads and know what to look for.<br />
See https://www.novascotia.com/en/home/planyourtrip/travel_guides/default.aspx<br />
Cabot Trail<br />
Ceilidh Trail<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 16 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Fleur-de-lis Trail The Evangeline Trail is North & West of Halifax<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 17 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com
Goal of <strong>Port</strong> <strong>Guide</strong>s - Your Feedback Is Important<br />
Goal<br />
<strong>Port</strong> guides are designed to help you plan a great cruise vacation<br />
by providing information including:<br />
• Where the ship docks,<br />
• Whether you can walk to the nearby town,<br />
• Things to see and do,<br />
• Options for self-guided or organized tours, and<br />
• Travel issues unique to the port area.<br />
With this information in hand, you can plan the cruise for your priorities. Knowledge of ports is important<br />
because you have to make many decisions and commitments long before your ship arrives in the port.<br />
Why feedback is important<br />
User feedback helps me fine tune the subjects included, the length of guides, format, etc. And I welcome<br />
offers to collaborate with me by providing information for inclusion in the guides.<br />
The guides serve as an introduction to a port and are not intended to answer every question about the details<br />
of each port and tourist destination. There are other sources of information such as www.CruiseCritic.com<br />
for your detailed questions. Knowledgeable CC members will share their information.<br />
Help “spread the word” about my website<br />
The only negative feedback I get is, “I wish I knew about your port guides before my vacation”. My<br />
website is new, created in April 2011, and it is virtually unknown among cruisers. If you see value in my<br />
port guides, tell your friends, post a reference to my guides and my website on the blogs, etc. And if you<br />
wish to receive email notification when new port guides are available, send your email address to me at<br />
<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s@gmail.com<br />
I wish you a great cruise vacation.<br />
Regards,<br />
Tom Sheridan<br />
Copyright Notice<br />
My port guides are protected by copyright law. You are free to use them for non-commercial purposes, to<br />
attach them to emails and distribute them as electronic or printed files, but you cannot sell them. You are<br />
free to post the port guide pdf files on web sites. But it is better to post a link to my web site. This makes it<br />
easier for people to see the new guides and obtain the latest updates. The name of each guide includes the<br />
date it was published or last updated. For example, the guide for Rome is “Rome-04-10-2011.pdf”.<br />
Use this link for my website: www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com<br />
You cannot change my port guides and must leave this copyright notice intact. The guides are exclusively<br />
owned by Thomas Sheridan. I can be contacted by email at: <strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s@gmail.com<br />
<strong>Sydney</strong>NS-10-05-2011 Page 18 of 18 For more guides, see www.<strong>Toms</strong><strong>Port</strong><strong>Guide</strong>s.com