Custom 2 day touring - Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove / Annapolis Valley - December 1 & 2, 2025 - We booked a private tour (it was out of season) and Mel was great. He customized a tour for my husband and I showing us Lunenburg, Peggy’s Cove, Annapolis Valley, Oak Island, and many other cool spots around Nova Scotia. Mel was a reat tour guide: knowledgeable, fun, and personable. I highly recommend his services and will definitely use him again when we return to the area.
Oak Island Custom Tour w/Boat tour- October 24, 2025 - Mel is Marvelous! Second time visit, and once again Mel customized a tour per our request. Our private tour for two started early, as we departed our cruise ship early. This enabled us to visit a museum and the Oak Island gift shop - we thoroughly enjoyed! He also arranged our Salty Dog boat trip, so it was one stop shopping. He timed our tour perfectly and shared in-depth knowledge of Oak Island and the general region. He applied his expertise of the area and perfectly timed our tour - an important aspect as we were required to return to our ship on time. Mel's personal relationships with area attractions provides guests with unique experiences only he is able to deliver. Definitely book him early!
Cape Breton Fall Colours Tour - October 10 - 12, 2025 - Don't even hesitate, just go ahead and book with Down East Tours! I came back yesterday from a 3 day Cabot Trail tour with this company and it FAR exceeded my expectations (and I'm a dreamer). Mel, the owner and driver on the trip, had the knowledge needed to provide me with many amazing experiences. He even went out of his way to help me make a dream come true (finding sea glass), and I did! He was kind, patient, and somehow met my needs without my even knowing I needed them. For example, we went to a beach, and on impulse I took off my shoes and socks and waded into the water. I was going to be spending the rest of my day with sandy feet inside my shoes, but as soon as I got out of the ocean, Mel was there with towels and a bottle of water. He even keeps the windshield and windows clean all the time so everyone has the best view possible. As for driving ability, I sat in the front seat and was not concerned for a moment. He drives safely and carefully and the van is very comfortable. I VERY highly recommend Down East Tours and will definitely be booking with them again!
Custom Prince Edward Island Tour - October 2, 2025 - Excellent tour. Mel not only did the tour of PEI but also specialized it with what we really wanted to see.
Peggy's Cove & Lighthouse - October 1, 2025 - Mel was an excellent guide. He was friendly, informative and entertaining. He drove us around the area and provided a lot of information about The Halifax Explosion. We stopped at the Titanic Cemetery. Then on to Peggy’s Cove and the lighthouse. We had plenty of time to explore the area. We stopped at a cute food truck for some delicious fish and chips and burgers. Mel was very engaging and fun to be with. I highly recommend Mel with Downeast Tours!
Oak Island and South Shore Coastline - September 23, 2025 - Mel is personable, passionate, professional, and filled with knowledge about Oak Island and the surrounds. This is a bucket list trip for my wife and it didn’t disappoint. The add on cruise around the island was awesome, and the trip to the pub frequented by the crew was great!
Experience Both Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove - October 2025 - Mel was great! He listened to what we wanted to do, so we were really able to have a fully customized experience. He also knew when the better times were to visit certain places to avoid the crowds. We did the 8 hour tour and visited the Titanic Graveyard, Lunenberg, Mahone Bay, Peggy’s Cove trip, with a few stops at breweries, a distillery, a glass blowing shop where we watched a tumbler being made and got to see a piece of the Berlin Wall! Mel was extremely knowledgeable and we learned A LOT on this trip. Highly, highly recommend if you are looking to explore and don’t want to have the hassle of driving or figuring out where to go. Worth very penny, Thanks Mel!
Private Experience Peggy's Cove and Coastal Sites Half-day Tour - October 2025 - Mel is a superb guide and a truly genuine person. From the moment you meet him you know his main priority is you: your welfare and satisfaction. We were a group of 3 seniors, one of whom used a walker. We traveled very comfortably in a Dodge Van. We never knew what surprises Mel would bring us during our half day tour. Throughout the tour Mel gave us a thorough background and history of the sites we visited. The day was filled with laughter, great sights and sounds and incredible memories. Down East Tours deserves every kudo imaginable, and it is due to its owner/guide Mel.
Oak Island and South Shore Coastline Tour - September 11, 2025 - Mel met us at the port and right away he made us feel comfortable with his friendly banter. I had been in touch with him since i booked the trip and because we wanted to go to Oak Island he kept me updated as whether it was possible to go on the island So when i first booked it i gave Mel a rough idea of where we wanted to go, the only definite was Oak island & The Mug & Anchor, Mel worked out an itinerary which took us to the causeway as the island was closed, we got out of the van to take some photo’s, but as we got in his van again he started to drive across the causeway and onto the carpark on the island, he had been keeping it hidden from us that he had sorted and we were going onto the island, my friend is a big fan of the show and i can’t tell up how happy he was and myself for being able to step onto the island, we couldn’t get any further on as they were filming that day, but a big thank you to Mel on doing this for us. After the island he took us to the official shop then we stopped off at the Mug and Anchor for lunch. After lunch he took us to one of the cemetery’s where the victims of the Titanic were laid to rest. Mel was very knowledgable about the whole area and he also had a great sense of humour. We were a party of 4 adults and there was plenty of room in his van and Mel makes plenty of pit stops for tea’s, p’s and shopping. I would highly recommend his tours and would definitely use him again if we went back to the area. Big thank you to Mel Zilkowsky.
Annapolis Valley / Wine Tasting / Bay of Fundy - September 9, 2025 - This was our second tour with Mel. He was great both times. He is very personable and knowledgeable about Halifax. He was on time picking us up and getting us back to our ship in plenty of time. He took us to a restaurant for lunch that was a quaint, hidden gem that you would never find on your own. We saw the low and high tides at Fundy Bay-awesome! I would highly recommend Mel for a private Halifax tour.
Halifax Titanic & Fisherman's Cove - August 20, 2025 - Loved Mel's details, sense of humour and patience with my teenagers. He found a way to engage them. Details were interesting and touching. Good communication when booking and meeting up. Would recommend! A+++
Exploring Eastern Canada - August 16, 2025 - Excellent tours to PEI and Lunenburg, Mahone Bay and Peggy's Cove. Mel went above and beyond to accommodate us, especially when we wanted to get the best photo opportunities. He was knowledgeable and witty and the vehicle was comfortable and clean! I would highly recommend Mel and Down East Tours!
Extended Day to Prince Edward Island - July 27, 2025 - Mel, Down East Tours, created the memory of a lifetime for our group! His knowledge of PEI and Nova Scotia is outstanding. His communication was fun as well as factual. Pick up from our hotel (and later return that evening) made the journey stress free. The van was extremely comfortable with great views from all seats. We followed an outlined itinerary to see beautiful PEI, and yet Mel was flexible to change stops within our trip. I highly recommend you consider multiple tours with Mel, Down East Tours, to discover all the gems of Nova Scotia.
Custom Multi-day Touring of Nova Scotia - July 13 to 26, 2025 - Top Notch Exploration of Nova Scotia's Highlights - We created a custom 2-week itinerary with Mel and traveled throughout much of Nova Scotia. Our favorite parts were Cape Breton, the Annapolis Valley, and Trout Point Lodge. Our interests were primarily cultural/historical with some hiking and Mel did a great job to help us hit all the points we were interested in. He was open to our feedback and always a consummate professional. We especially appreciated his light-heartedness, easy-going nature, and humor. The vehicle was clean and comfortable and the housing selections on point. We appreciated his insights and knowledge of the areas we visited. There is so much beauty to discover in the province and we felt like even 2 weeks was not long enough to soak it all up - we hope to return in the future!
Custom Annapolis Valley Tour - July 12, 2026 - Kitchen Party - We had The best tour and tour guide! Mel is so informative and makes learning about the history of the area so much fun!! We started our journey with a Coffee break at Just Us! Coffee in Grand-Pré. Our next stop was at the Grand Pre Viewing Park which had a beautiful panoramic view. Next stop was at Blomidon Estate Winery where we had flights of their red and white wines. The winery had a beautiful seaside setting, perfect for pictures! Next stop was at Cape Blomidon North Mountain for scenic views and delicious ice cream. We stopped at Halls Harbour for fish and chips and lobster rolls and photos by the Bay of Fundy. Our final destination was at Benjamin Bridge Winery for the Kitchen party. The band, Mac & Hawes were amazing! Thank you Mel for the most incredible day!!
Prince Edward Island Extended Day Trip - July 11, 2025 - Our Extended Day trip to Prince Edward Island was a highlight of our first trip to Canada! Our guide Mel noted all the areas we wanted to see & made sure we saw the Anne of Green Gables sites, beautiful Cavendish Beach & Cliffs, Covehead lighthouse & even a little time in Charlottetown. He had a wealth of knowledge about the area that he shared with us on our drive from Halifax. It’s a long day but so worth it- highly recommend PEI and Down East Tours!
Experience Both Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove - June 25, 2025 - Mel was on time picking us up, really informative about the history of the area. I would highly recommend Mel to anyone wanting a relaxing tour of the east coast. A+++.
Experience Peggy's Cove and Coastal Sites - DATE: Jun 23, 2025 - We enjoyed every minute of our tour with Mel. He is very knowledgable, not only about history of the area but also about lobster fishing . The details he knew about the Titanic and the cemetery were fascinating as were the details of the Halifax explosion. He also made the ride fun, with little trivia quizzes for us. His timing was great, so we avoided crowds and he made adjustments as needed. Gave us great recommendations for photos and food. Was a fun, entertaining and educational trip. Mel is tech savvy and used a microphone to make it easier for back seat passengers and had great info - maps, pictures etc - on his ipad. This made trip even more enjoyable. All around GREAT tour
Experience Both Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove - June 18, 2025 - Mel is a top notch tour guide. He tailored our daylong trip according to our interests. Since everything was new, we couldn’t know ahead of time at which places we would like to linger. Mel couldn’t know either. But he could see and judge our interest level and he altered the schedule accordingly as the day progressed! He was fine with staying longer at a place and then juggled the remainder of the tour to fit. That is the hallmark of a really great tour guide! Thank you Mel for giving us extra time where we wanted it!!
Custom Multi-day Tour of Nova Scotia - June 8 - 15, 2025 - My 3 sisters and I put together a 7 day customized tour with Mel traveling to Lunenburg then up to Cape Breton Island and it was the best decision we ever made. We planned the route ahead of time but each day we picked where we wanted to stop along the way. We would say ‘Mel we would like a scenic place to eat or we need a coffee - and he would say I know of a place’! We saw so many amazing things that only a local and smaller tour could get to. His attention to detail was amazing - he arranged transportation to/from the airport, we had our own itinerary books, there was always water and a cooler in the van in case we needed it plus he left umbrellas outside our hotel room on the day it rained The van was very comfortable to ride in and we had lot of space to put luggage etc. Overall it was the best experience and I only wish we had a longer vacation!
Custom Multi-day Tour of Nova Scotia - June 8 - 15, 2025 - A fabulous week long adventure seeing the scenery and raw beauty of Nova Scotia/Cape Breton, a specialized tour. Had previously toured the other regions of NS with Mel in 2023 and just had to book again with him - such a perfect vacation. He dares to go where no commercial tour bus could ever venture showing and stopping along the way at beaches, trails, historical sites not to mention the best restaurant foods, coffee houses and of course shopping! His knowledge of the Maritimes is extensive. Mel is professional, attentive, courteous, intuitive and an excellent driver. He is not above participating in some karaoke to pass the travel time! We thought he was the best the last time we booked with him, and this time was over the top, thanks sooooo much Mel!
Custom Multi-day Tour of Nova Scotia - June 8 - 15, 2025 - Sister Trip 2025 with Mel! Two years ago, four of us (sisters) booked Mel as our personal tour guide/driver for a few day trips (Peggy's Cove, Fisherman Cove, Titanic Grave Site, Coastal Sites) and he was amazing. Very knowledgeable, very friendly and very in tuned to what we liked and what our interests were. He did more for us then we asked of him. He was so good that we rebooked him again this year to take us on a 10 day trip to see Lunenburg and Cape Breton. We made suggestions as to what we liked and wanted to see and he put together a whole itinerary including travel to and from the airport, (all four of us arrived at different times and different airlines, but he managed to pick us all up) hotels to stay at, restaurants to eat at, popular sites to visit, breaking each day down with departure and arrival times, pit stops and site seeing points. We knew exactly what each day would look like. And if we decided we wanted to change something, he was onboard with every suggestion we made. He was amazing. He's friendly, professional, knowledgeable and really goes beyond what is asked of him. And he does it all with grace and kindness. We drove in comfort, we felt safe, we saw some really amazing sites, and had a lot of fun with Mel. I can't say enough about him. He's like "our brother from another mother". If you are looking for a great and very professional tour guide, please contact Mel. He's really is amazing.
Custom Multi-day Tour of Nova Scotia - June 8 - 15, 2025 - Our vacation with Mel was so exceptional, I almost hesitate in sharing it because he is like the best kept secret! We returned for a second tour with Mel this year and it did not disappoint. We traveled around Nova Scotia for 8-9 days with him and there was never a dull moment. If we wanted to stop for a great coffee and snack, he knew where to go. Sight seeing spots were breathtaking, we hiked, shopped, met the locals and ate in great places. We even danced some evenings with local singers and had the best vacation ever! Everywhere we went, people knew Mel and some told us how lucky we were to have him as our guide. Of course we knew that, and it made us feel special. If you are planning a trip to Nova Scotia area, do yourself a favour and book a tour with him. Whether if be for 2 days or 10 days, he will remain professional, polite, considerate and interesting. Mel gets to know what the group likes and will go out of his way to make sure your trip is memorable. No question is too simple and he puts you right at ease as soon as you meet him. The safety and well-being of your group is foremost in his mind and whether he is navigating traffic or helping you hike up some steep paths, he always has you in mind. His excellent passenger vans include bottled water, Wifi and plenty of room for your luggage. They are comfortable and clean! Mel, thank you SO MUCH for taking such good care of us this year. You are the BEST. WE want to take you on all our trips! :)
Experience Both Lunenburg & Peggy's Cove - DATE: June 7, 2025 - Mel was amazing, understood our group dynamic and made the day informative and enjoyable. Mel's detailed knowledge was very much appreciated. He was attentive, and entertaining. We had a great day! Thank you Mel for putting up with our shenanigans and somewhat off colour humour. Best tour ever! P.S. Mel's Playlist was on point, Raise a little Hell!
Valley Wine Tasting Custom Tour - DATE: June 2, 2025. Mel is a fabulous tour guide, he felt like a long time friend. Very accommodating, professional and friendly. I highly recommend using him as your guide anywhere in NS and PEI. Our customized tour was absolutely perfect. Thank you Mel!
Extended Day to Prince Edward Island - June 2025 - Halifax to PEI and back again. Mel was a highly informed, friendly, and flexible tour guide. We enjoyed spending the day with him on our round trip adventure from Halifax to Prince Edward Island. 5⭐️s and highly recommend.
Experience Peggy's Cove and Coastal Sites - DATE: March 13, 2025 - Mel gave us a wonderful trip! We loved his historical knowledge, culinary experience and personality. We had a marvelous time
