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We recently were on a cruise which stopped at Halifax and opted to take a local tour with Mel. Wow, what a great time we had....Mel was amazing. He took us to local villages and scenic coves that big buses wouldn't never make it through. The Halifax explosion memorial and the Titanic gravesite were very interesting due to Mel's narrative with specific details and information. This was an outstanding tour and highly recommended to anyone who visits Halifax.…
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Date of experience: September 2019
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Response from MelZilkowsky, Owner at Down East Tours
Responded Oct. 10, 2019
Thank you so much for your comments. Such a wonderful day exploring the history of Halifax and our coastal drive experiencing the beauty of Nova Scotia. All the best !
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On our Princess cruise through New England and Canada, we decided to book a private tour with Mel from Down East Tours. There were 6 of us and the vehicle was comfy enough. We chose Peggy’s Cove and the Titanic graveyard as a must see for the tour and left the rest to Mel. He didn’t disappoint. We had plenty of bathroom breaks, great scenery, good storytelling and a wonderful lunch at a great local restaurant. We avoided most of the “big bus” crush because Mel knows how to time your stops for maximum enjoyment. One of the highlights of our trip so far! …
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Date of experience: September 2019
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Response from MelZilkowsky, Owner at Down East Tours
Responded Oct. 2, 2019
Thank you so very much for the comments. Loved showing all of you the sites and hoping you return to explore more of Nova Scotia in the future. Cheers !
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Mel was amazing, personable and knowledgeable; he shared history, customs and local faire. We stopped when we wanted and Mel ensured us if a fabulous visit to Peggy's Cove followed by a delightful meal at a local restaurant, The Rhubarb. Having toured with Mel, allowed us to enjoy the area without the crowded bus of cruisers! Book with Mel and enjoy a leisurely tour!…
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Date of experience: September 2019
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Response from MelZilkowsky, Owner at Down East Tours
Responded Sep. 19, 2019
Thank you for your review. I love showing my guests the sites away from the crowds and of course enjoy the local flavours of Nova Scotia !
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My wife and I wanted to do a private tour in Halifax during our cruise stop that we could tailor to our liking. This was just what we wanted. An adventurous tour with lots of stops and sights seen without having to worry about other tourists. Mel was absolutely amazing with a great personality. He was extremely knowledgeable of the area and knew just what we would enjoy seeing. We were picked up right off the ship and dropped off at the waterfront shopping just as we requested. Mel took us to an amazing local seafood restaurant where we had a delicious lobster roll and bowl of seafood chowder. Mel takes great pride in his touring company and it shows. We saw all the sights of the area while avoiding the cruise ship tours. If you're looking to do a private tour in Halifax, this is the tour to book. I leaned a long time ago not to book excursions through the ship unless you want to see half the sights with a heard of complaining tourists. Save yourself the remorse and book this private tour, you won't regret it!…
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Date of experience: July 2019
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Response from MelZilkowsky, Owner at Down East Tours
Responded Aug. 2, 2019
Always great time having wonderful guests on tour ! It was a pleasure showing you both the sites without the crowds of ‘bus’ people. So happy that the Lighthouse also received some Love from Texas ! Thanks so much for the review and touring with me .. cheers !
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+1
Easily a five star rating. We were looking for something a bit more personal than taking one of the cruise line bus tours with 1000 of your closest friends heading to Peggy's Cove. Where you go on the tour is up to you telling Mel and then he customized the experience. Initially we were thinking to go see Oak Island, but when we got there we changed our mind due to the distance and Mel didn't skip a beat. Along the way we stopped at such places as the Titanic grave sites (Mel timed it so that we were literally the only ones there, before the tours), he took us along the shore lines to see the colorful fishing boats, stopped at piers, talked to the local fisherman, ate at a local restaurant, even stopped at the house of an author for a book on Peggy from Peggy's Cove (that place was 'interesting' to say the least. Along the way Mel told us stories, most were true, some he gave us the wink that they were just funny. I think those were just to see if we were listening. Traveling with 2 young teens, they had a great time, the entire time! We talked to the rest of the people we were traveling with to see how their cruise ship booked excursions were and they all said hands down they would have loved to be on ours.…
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Date of experience: June 2019
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Response from MelZilkowsky, Owner at Down East Tours
Responded Jul. 8, 2019
Thanks for the fantastic review. I’m always willing to customize my tours and was happy to show you a piece of Nova Scotia. Also, thanks for the great photos you added ... yes ... indeed I did catch a fish that big once ;) I’m sure there is one with Matt showing off his strength too ... I’ll find it and post it ! All the best to all of you ! Cheers
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