My wife and I were visiting Cape Breton, Nova Scotia for the first time. We had arranged for the tour before we left our home in Maine. The tour was supposed to begin at 8AM in Sydney. We were staying at an inn on the Cabot Trail, about an hour and a half drive from there, which would have made for a VERY early start for us. When my wife inquired whether we could be picked up at our inn, we were told yes, we would be picked up at 11. This really made the tour doable for us, and we were thrilled.
On the morning of the tour, we were a little anxious that we might have misinterpreted the agreement for the time of pickup (it seemed a little too good to be true!). But, true to their word, our tour guide, Arrie, arrived at the prescribed time. Although the tour was for four people, there was only my wife and me.
For eight hours, Arrie made Cape Breton come alive. Interwoven with some history of the area, he made sure we saw some of the island's most amazing sights, and there were SO many! Along with the places he had planned, he encouraged us to let him know anytime we wanted to stop to take a longer look or take pictures.
Midway through the tour, Arrie asked where we might want to have lunch. He asked what kind of food we enjoyed, and then he recommended the Rusty Anchor. The atmosphere was lively and the food was excellent!
Arrie also pointed out other restaurants and places of interest we might enjoy during our stay on Cape Breton. These included the Main Street Restaurant and the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. His recommendations added to our enjoyment of the island beyond the tour itself.
At the end of the day, we could not have asked for a more enchanting experience. Arrie was knowledgeable, engaging, and personable. We could not have had a more remarkable day nor a more remarkable guide.