You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Best way to get from Maine to Cape Breton?? - Cape Breton Island Forum However, there are better options for getting to Cape Breton Island. At Big Intervale Fishing Lodge, we pride ourselves in being situated right in the heart of hiking and ATVing country, allowing our guests to enjoy the splendours of the wilderness in every season. In this section of the site, explore the ways to enter Canada and, more specifically, how to get to Cape Breton. You need to have a valid Parks Canada pass when youre inside the park. It will take about 17 hours to drive from Ottawa but it's a fun excuse to make extra stops along the way and you'll be able to drive your own car around the island. Destination Cape Breton Association Inc. 2023. Getting to Cape Breton Island is always transportive. Over 20 cruises visit Nova Scotia between April and November each year. Thanks a lot to Sanel and our skipper Enis for a really amazing day. We have partnered with our friends at Sydney & Cape Breton Taxi Tours to offer TWO Sightseeing Tours in one shore excursion PLUS a tasty trailside lunch! The bridge allows boats to travel through the Stait of Canso on their way to the Bras d'Or Lakes in the interior of the island. The price was very affordable and the service was incredible. Entry to Canada Ports of Entry Traveling to Cape Breton from within Canada Click here to submit an addition/edit to this page Last Modified: October 1, 2021 Leave your heart in each corner of our Island. I was sleeping upstairs that night, in one of the caf's two vintage-chic rooms with 1970s-inspired wallpaper (doubles from $175). Hope you and your family can get back again! Our skipper Enis was super fun and caring towards nature. Theres even a guest book you can sign! In 2009, Jeremy and Melanie White, who had honeymooned on the island years earlier, bought a run-down farm near Bras d'Or Lake online, sight unseen. I hoped to see Minke whales or the odd humpback, but despite Captain Kinnon MacKinnon's best efforts to track them down, I saw neither. Cape Breton Island | Regions | Tourism Nova Scotia Cape Breton Island has been ranked the #1 Island in North America byCond Nast Traveler readers and #1 Island in Canada byTravel + Leisure readers. Search experiences that may have limited interaction with crowds. The J.A. We will email you if you're a winner. Stay at one of the most charming whisky distilleries in the world. You can stroll along the charming boardwalk, which leads you down to the beach. The trip from Amherst to Cape Breton is usually around 3 1/2 hours. With no time constraints, enjoy the freedom to stop anywhere and explore. Cape Breton's most popular off road UTV/ATV Side-by-side Trail Tour to experience Cape Clear look-off and on road Sydney & Cape Breton Taxi Tours. Along the way, be sure . Proudly known as North America's 1st single malt whisky distillery, Glenora Inn & Distillery is located in a picturesque glen. I didnt get to spend a lot of time here, but there are some lovely places to stay and restaurants. Onto Baddeck, the most picturesque village in all of Nova Scotia. On the other side of the Cabot Trail is the town of Ingonish. more. Motel As, Hadzici: See traveler reviews, candid photos, and great deals for Motel As, ranked #1 of 1 hotel in Hadzici and rated 5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Visitor Information -- A number of tiny local tourist information centers dot Cape Breton Island, but you're best off grabbing a pile of info at the bustling Port Hastings Info Centre (tel. For a more affordable option, check out Tullock Inn & Gifts. Cape Breton Highlands National Park has been on my Canada bucket list for so long, and it was well worth the wait. Our group have never seen the water so clean, with the high mouintains all around us. Petersfield Provincial Park in Westmount, N.S. (One and done, that's what I say.) The Bras d"or is a Unesco designated Biosphere. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Skipper Anis was professional in acting in some of the situations that we faced. Where Bienvenue means welcome and Acadian culture flourishes along the coast, revealing the historic St. Peters Canal, lively fishing communities, a championship golf course, and the Islands best surf. I visited the last week of August and got quite a bit of rain and wind! With a few more stops for pictures along the way, your heart may never leave Cape Breton Island ! Chticamp is an excellent place to base yourself if you want to enjoy the many activities in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The world-famous Cabot Trail loops around northern Cape Breton. You can usethe + or - signs on the google map belowto zoom in or out. Another great time to visit Cape Breton is when the leaves change color during the fall. Cabot Trail Discovery Tour. Plan your visit - Cape Breton Highlands National Park - Parks Canada Sydney is the capital city of Cape Breton. I cant recommend this experience enough, its easily one of the best things to do in Cape Breton. But Cape Breton remains a sleepy delight Canadians turn to when they need a break from it all. Theres not a lot to do here, but the scenery is spectacular, and its the perfect place to go if you want to experience kayaking in Cape Breton. 52. L'abri is owned by Basil Doucet and Jaron Felix. 'Laps for Leo' running event to raise money for Cape Breton boy The Best Cape Breton Island has to offer, direct to your inbox. Cape Breton Islands capes, keys and coves region. Lora is a full-time digital nomad on a quest to visit every country in the world and pet as many dogs as she can along the way. We were picked up from the train station and later dropped off there free of charge which was very nice. The original site was destroyed, but Parks Canada rebuilt it to 1/4 of its size. Stages and venues are scattered all over Cape Breton Island, but the heaviest concentration of events takes place near the festival headquarters in Sydney. The Cabot Trail, a scenic roadway that takes you around the greater part of Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island, is one of the most famous drives in Canada. Thank you so much for the nice words and we are very happy you had a great day with us. It seems like I will have to make a trip back to Cape Breton there just wasnt enough time for all the hikes! Ive been in helicopters before, but this was an entirely new experience. We will see you there. Cape Breton Island | Map, Population, History, & Facts Im pinning for later. Based on our booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, this experience is likely to sell out through Viator. Over the last 15 years, she has traveled to 70+ countries and six continents solo. 10 Euro per person. This guide will help you plan the best Cabot Trail Itinerary. Another gorgeous spot to visit in Cape Breton is the North River, between Ingonish and Baddeck. Highland Village, Baddeck, Bell Museum Tour, Shared Cruise Excursion - "Mini" Cabot Trail, Half-Day Fortress of Louisbourg Guided Tour, Best of Cape Breton Small Group Tour from Sydney, Cabot Trail: a Smartphone Audio Driving Tour, Private Shore Excursion UTV/ATV Side-by-Side Trail Tour, Cultural Great Scots Tour from Port of Sydney, Private Off-Road UTV/SXS Cape Breton Highlands Excursion, See more Virtual Experiences around the globe, St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), Florence Duomo (Cattedrale di Santa Maria dei Fiori), Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Tours and Tickets, Pearl Harbor National Memorial Tours and Tickets, Art Institute of Chicago Tours and Tickets, Aquarium of the Pacific Tours and Tickets, Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Tours and Tickets. Its very pet friendly! What made the ride even more exhilarating was that we decided to take the side doors off the helicopter before flying! See listing for full offer details. Cape Breton Island: How To Spend A Weekend At Canada's - TheTravel Depending on what direction you are coming from, there are a few options for where to start your Cape Breton road trip. But buses within the island are few and far between. - Treat yourself with a barbeque. Cruise shipsthat travel toCape Breton dock at the port in Sydney and many go to Baddeck as well. You can't go wrong. 3 days & 2 nights accommodations in a Small Yurt or Lodge room or Large Yurt or Tiny house. You will then enjoy a narrated drive to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. One of my favorite activities from the trip was taking a helicopter tour with Celtic Air Services from Cheticamp. Get up close and personal with some of Nova Scotias most dramatic coastal scenery: this full-day driving tour along the Cabot Trail makes the region accessible. I drove it in my tiny Chevrolet Cruze, but I was nervous! Maximize time in port in Nova Scotia with a small-group sightseeing tour along the Cabot Trail. And with so many hiking trails left to explore, I have a feeling Ill be back again soon. From there, its just a short walk to the falls. The ferry ride from Port-aux-Basques, Nfld takes about 4.5 - 6 hours (4.5 - 8 hours for nighttime crossings) and the ferry from Argentia, Nfld takes 14 - 15 hours. driving. So that's fine. via the Cabot Trail (West), traveling through Middle River, Lake O'Law, Margaree Harbour. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Really Really good Tips!! Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. I hiked this solo and had to give myself a lot of encouragement to make it, but I felt so rewarded when I got to the top. He was picking up trash everywhere where we found one (even after other companies), leaving the lunch spot in a nearly spotless condition (we left some food for the wild horses that live nearby). The classic way to see the best of the island is the Cabot Trail, a two-lane highway that loops around the island's north and connects its wilderness areas and several of its historic towns. How to get to Cape Breton Island from 5 nearby airports Airports near Sydney Transport Tickets Hotels Car Hire Search accommodation with Expedia Closest airports to Cape Breton Island The nearest airport to Cape Breton Island is Sydney (YQY). Live music always includes a fiddle and drum, and the road signs appear in both Gaelic and English except in the Acadian part of the island, where they're in French. I didnt even know we had beaches like this in Atlantic Canada; the golden sand is so soft to walk on. As with many Nova Scotian communities on the ocean, the heart of Sydney is its waterfront. Experience an unforgettable rafting adventure! Cape Breton Highlands National Park is located on northern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. It starts in Baddeck. He's a talkative character and he likes to get to know others. You can rent kayaks and SUP from the Inverary Resort adventure center and paddle to Kidston Island Lighthouse. I saw families with small children, so it is accessible. There are 2 ways to get from Halifax to Cape Breton Island by bus or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. 7pm every Sunday from July 2-August 6. Update Photo: Courtesy of Cape Breton Destination Association. Bustling ports and hidden beaches. Glace Bay is a town rich in culture, history and, oddly enough, wildlife. Witness the construction of a great kilt, learn some Gaelic & more! However, we didnt find any whales because the seas were so rough. Our guide was really funny and supported us (rafting-beginners) very well, even prepared evapii for us. The most popular hike in the park is the Skyline Trail. Let the world see your hotel experience through your eyes. Your guide will safely bring you back to your hotel in downtown Sydney. The Best Cape Breton Island has to offer, direct to your inbox. Best of Cape Breton Small Group Tour from Sydney. Theres also a cute lighthouse just outside of it and an excellent restaurant attached to the rooms. Youll discover the highlights of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, will thread your way along mountains and fishing villages, will get right up close to crashing waves, and more. There's so much to see an do on the Island. What food & drink options are available at Motel As? Offers may be subject to change without notice. . I love watching them from the comfort of inside a warm room. Free admission for youth. The first connects it to the Bretons of northwestern France which discovered Canada. We managed a two night stay at the Keltic Lodge and it was glorious. Then gear-up for the woods - hearing, smelling, seeing the natural beauty of Cape Breton first hand. To create a new list, please delete some old ones. Its just a half-hour drive from Inverness and a 15-minute hike down from the road. This and display ads allow me to keep the site up to date and give back. Spoken in four languages and celebrated in her music and dance. Getting here is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Its very steep but doable! There are direct flights to Sydney from Toronto and Montreal and from other North American and European cities via Halifax. Raft Kor a shuttle bus transportation called Shuttle Kor. One of the other content creators on this campaign has written a review of it along with everything else you need to know about eating in Cape Breton. Is the Cabot Trail on your bucket list? Theres also a beach hut on Inverness beach serving food which I really wanted to try, but sadly it was closed the day I was there. Its a gorgeous road, and youll pass right by the Glenora Inn, which is about 10-minutes before Inverness. via the Englishtown Ferry (Route 312), accessed from Exit 12 of the Trans-Canada Highway 105, at the western base of Kelly's Mountain. As I took my last bite, I felt a deep sense of appreciation settle in. I discover something new every time, especially in the fall, once the summer rush has abated. Its also on Google Maps, although that will take you slightly past the actual trailhead. Theres also a beautiful lighthouse you can visit in Louisberg! 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Its the largest reconstruction of its kind in North America, offering visitors a unique and fun way to learn about this period of history. Let us show you some of our favourite hidden gems! Badet var passe stort. By ferry: There are 2 ferries that travel to Cape Breton from Newfoundland. How long does it take to drive the Cabot Trail? Gaelic people from Scotland arrived in the 1700s, and the area's Celtic roots are displayed everywhere. Cape Breton Island Travel Guide - Expert Picks for your Vacation While it is possible to drive the Cabot Trail in one day, I recommend spending at least three. Cape Breton is so much more than Cabot Trail. Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Special Events -- Celtic Colours(tel. Parks Canada even has a 10 hikes in one day challenge, which will earn you a souvenir magnet if you show proof at one of the visitors centers! There are 3 ways to get from Cape Breton Island to Prince Edward Island National Park by bus, car or plane Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. The views are unparalleled to anything else in Cape Breton. Places to Go on Cape Breton Island | Destination Cape Breton We head toward the village of Baddeck on the shores of the Bras Dor Lakes, Canadas largest inland sea.