I have been a bit delayed in posting updates because of summer activities! With everything from a river cruise to checking in on my Dad in assisted living, we've been quite busy. But the time has come to make plans and I have done just that!
We are staying at the Hyatt on the Hudson in Jersey City for two nights prior to our cruise. We chose this hotel because it's convenient to Manhattan as well as Bayonne, where our cruise departs. The PATH train or the ferry to Manhattan are convenient to the hotel and the views of Manhattan are touted to be awesome!
As we want to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, I booked tour tickets online at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The Memorial is complimentary, but there is an entrance fee to visit the museum and you can purchase tickets online up to three months in advance.
Following our early morning visit to the Museum, we'll spend the day in the city, finding a fun spot for lunch, shopping, sightseeing, museum hopping and more!
Next on my agenda is to decide what we want to do in our ports of call. We generally love to wander on our own, wining and dining, seeing the sights and chatting with the locals.
As Ken hails from New England, he is looking forward to those yummy fried clams that are prevalent along the coast. Me? I can't wait for lobster anyway... broiled,steamed, baked & stuffed, grilled, and of course the delicacy of Maine.. the lobster roll! So in our Maine ports of call, Portsmouth and Bar Harbor, we are definitely wandering on our own.
Ken has been doing some "restaurant research" and has come up with restaurants for lunch in our ports of call.
Bar Harbor: Galyn's,, just up from the pier gets great reviews on Tripadvisor... and they serve lunch... AND lobster! Another option that gets great lobster reviews in Bar Harbor is Stewman's Lobster Pound, about a 5 minute walk from the pier. Note that Bar Harbor is a tender port.
Halifax, Nova Scotia: There are several restaurants for lunch that get great reviews on Tripadvisor. There are a couple of Irish Pubs:
Old Triangle Irish Alehouse and Durty Nelly's Irish Pub
and a few seafood restaurants including the casual Salty's, McKelvies, and Five Fishermen
In Sydney, the place to go for some good Irish food & music is the Governor's Pub.
Quebec City
Panache, across the street from the cruise port
Portland, Maine - Portland Lobster Company and Becky's on Hobsons Wharf
Charlottetown, PEI - Lobster on the Wharf
