Canadian Maritimes - July 8, 2012

Might other members of the tour group want to "introduce" themselves via this Forum before we meet in Halifax on July 8th? Are you from Canada or the US? What are your primary interests regarding this tour? sightseeing? dining (fresh seafood)? shopping? visiting historical places? Have your found the Tauck recommended reading list helpful?

FYI - The Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI tourism offices all have web sites on the Internet and offer excellent free brochures, as well as maps. And, if you have not already read "Anne of Green Gables," you might really enjoy reading this book before we visit Cavendish on PEI.

For shopping, many of the stores cited in the tour guides (e.g., Moon, Lonely Planet, Frommer's) have web sites and on-line stores. Can someone - perhaps a Tauck rep - advise whether purchasing souvenirs in Canada and having them shipped to the US or whether ordering them from the store web sites after we return home would be preferable?

Comments

  • Hi Apple Blossom,

    In regards to shopping, it is purely up to you whether you'd like to shop in Canada and take them/ship them home or buy them online. Is there something specific you were hoping to find? When I visited the Canadian Rockies last month, most people on my tour bought souvenirs that they packed into their suitcases.

    Hope this helps,
    Emily
  • I note that the Canadian Maritimes Tour includes a visit to Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. I have read about Amos Pewter and have checked their web site. If the tour stop allows sufficient time to shop in Mahone Bay, I would like to purchase some pewter jewelry as souvenirs for other members of my family. Also, I note that the tour includes a Lobster Dinner (at mid-day) in New Glasgow, PEI. Near New Glasgow is the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company, that has gift packages (preserves and other food items) on their web site. Can you tell me whether or not the Tauck Tour includes a stop at the PEI Preserve Company? (I would definitely have any gifts I might purchase there shipped.) In the past, I also would carry non-breakable souvenirs home in my luggage. However, with the airline weight restrictions, I now find that shipping souvenirs can be less expensive than paying "overweight" baggage charges.
  • edited June 2012
    I did this trip last July, so my comments reflect that departure. TDs can, and often do, tweak little things within the daily itinerary.

    We "passed through" Mahone Bay, rather than stopped there for any length of time. From memory, there was a photo opportunity to capture all the pretty church spires in the one, iconic shot, but there wasn't any free, shopping time. So I would suggest the internet might be the best option for the pewter.

    We certainly did stop at the PEI Preserving Company shop. I do remember the TD saying that this was a "special" stop, though. I don't know if this was "special" because time allowed or just special because we were early for lunch at New Glasgow or just plain special because .... it was the day after Canada Day? I just checked my photos for the sequence and we certainly stopped at the PEI jam shop ;) before lunch. I have the photo of a very interesting display table formed by the lower half (waist down) of a kilted gentleman ... carved in wood ... to prove it! :))

    I'm not sure what to advise..... perhaps hedge your bets with some online shopping? Whatever ... you will have a great trip. The maritime provinces are an absolute delight and the locals are wonderfully friendly. And Celtic humour prevails!

    Cheers,

    Jan
  • Jan - Thank you for the feedback. Perhaps our TD will also include a stop at the PEI Preserve Comapny. If so, I will plan my souvenir shopping accordingly.
  • edited June 2012
    Good luck with those stops, Apple Blossom. Glad I could actually remember the details! If you can think of anything else you need to know, just ask. I might still remember even more details!

    Just one thought. If you happen to suffer from motion sickness on occasion, pack some over-the-counter medication for the roads on Cape Breton Island. It's not that they're bad roads ... far from it, but they are windy and last for quite some time, particularly the road in and out. (The road surface on the full day tour of the Cabot Trail is much smoother, but still windy in parts.) If your seat rotation on the bus happens to take you towards the back rather than the front, you will feel the full swing of the chassis and the bounce above the wheels. By the time you get there, you're in the midst of it and there will be no opportunity to buy any travel medication then. Too late, she cried! You will have one afternoon, a whole day (possibly) and one morning to worry about .... and possibly make yourself sick by just worrying about it. :(( Better to be prepared, even if you are sitting up front! By the same token, lots of people prefer to sit at the back of the bus, all the time. Go figure........

    Cheers,

    Jan
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