Scenic Cape Breton Island

The scenery is simply unbelievable. I brought my camera with me whenever I left the house and took pictures on most of these trips. The Cabot Trail, which was definitely the highlight of my trip, is rated as one of the best driving routes in the world.

Cape Breton also has an abundance of great beaches. Many of which are very secluded. They are ideal for exploring and swimming. If you are someone who enjoys seafood, this is the perfect place for you. Fishing is one of the main industries here so fresh seafood is never far away.

This is a place that I will continue to come to for years to come.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

The Cabot Trail loop stretches 300 kilometres from Margaree to Baddeck around the most northern section of Cape Breton Island. It is along this trail that the Cape Breton Highlands National Park is located. I have driven the trail from the Baddeck side before but I find that the best route is to leave from the Margaree side. Whichever way you choose, I recommend you start quite early. It will take the entire day to travel, as you will make frequent stops for photos.

At the point at which the National Park starts, there is a toll both. You must stop here to pay the entry fee, around $7.00 for the two of us, to take advantage of any of the park facilities. This fee is well worth the price. You will also be given a map of the park that has numbers from 1 to 28. These numbers represent individual trails, of various lengths, that are available for walking and sight seeing.

Probably the best trail we took was Skyline, number 7. It is fairly long, it took us about two hours to make the trek. As we drove along, we could see people walking on top of a large mountain across a valley. We stopped at the next trail, number 7, and hoped that it would take us there. It did. It was probably the best walk I’ve ever had in my life. The panoramic photo below of the road across the valley is the place in which we first saw the people walking on the mountain. On this trail we saw a moose, whales as well as some fantastic scenery.

Another trail worth stopping at is number 11, MacIntosh Brook. This is a short wooded trail that follows MacIntosh Brook. At the end of the trail is a beautiful waterfall.

If you like big waves, make a stop at Black Brook Beach. The waves are so big here, it’s hard just to keep on your feet. The water is pretty cold here though as it is located directly on the Atlantic Ocean.

Once you pass Ingonish, you’ll be out of the park. It is from this point on that you will experience some of the most challenging driving on the Cabot Trail. The roads are very windy and change elevations quite quickly. You’ll be talking about this road trip weeks after your home. We certainly did.

We are fortunate enough to have family in this picturesque village that are generous enough to allow us to stay with them during our vacations. Port Hood is also the hometown of NHL great Al MacInnis, whom I have personally seen many times during the summer break.

As the village is located directly on the ocean, it is only a short walk to one of the many beaches. The village’s main beach even provides lifeguarding services, a snack bar and change rooms. If you are looking for a great deal on seafood, take a walk down to the wharf and see what they have to offer. I can guarantee that you will not find fish any fresher. There are a number of inns and cottages for rent but inquire early. Accommodations are quite often booked a year in advance.