Halifax waterfront. Credit: Pixabay license

New England cruises have plenty of shore excursions to satisfy the tastes of anyone with an interest in history, nature or culture.

The big city cruise ports such as Boston and Quebec City emphasize history and culture while the smaller ports have more to offer with nature and cozy harbor views.

U.S. Shore Excursions

Boston visitors can rediscover the American Revolution on the Freedom Trail or jump on an Old Town Trolley to see historic landmarks. Some of the historic tours include visits to Lexington and Concord, where the Revolutionary War began.

Boston by Duck tours allow visitors to jump on a World War II amphibious vehicle to see more history and then float onto Charles River to visit the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Baseball fans can visit the home of the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Baltimore attractions and shore excursions include the USS Constellation, Harborplace, National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center. We especially recommend the National Aquarium, known as one of the best in the country.

Bar Harbor lighthouse is a popular attractions. Credit: Wikimedia Creative Commons license

In Maine, Bar Harbor excursions emphasize scenic viewing and nature tours at Acadia National Park. Portland has city, scenic, boat and lighthouse excursions.

Newport, Rhode Island, offers tours of some of the most famous mansions from past wealthy Americans. The Vanderbilts, one of the most famous wealthy families, built two of the most popular mansions for cruise visitors.

Marble House was modeled after the Petit Trianon at Versailles. The Breakers was modeled after 16th century palaces in Genoa and Turin. It stis on a 13-acre estate overlooking a spectacular view of the coastline. If built today, the total cost would be $200 million.

Canada Shore Excursions

Like Boston, Quebec City is packed with history and culture dating back to the early settlers on the North American continent. Highlights include Old Town walking tours, the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and the suspension bridges over Montmorency Falls.

Excursions in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island also focus on walking and scenic tours.

The larger Halifax in Nova Scotia has more excursions ranging from duck boat tours to food, beer and historic walking tours. The smaller Sydney in Nova Scotia has two standout attractions: the Fortress of Louisbourg and the “World’s Largest Fiddle” sculpture next to the cruise terminal.

St. John in New Brunswick competes with Halifax for the most and widest variety of tours among the mid-sized cities. Excursions that may not be available at other ports include whale watching and zip lining.

The small port of Saguenay near Quebec City has among the fewest excursions for any port. The dominant attraction and excursion site there is Saguenay National Park.