From Wikitravel

Cape Breton Island [1] is the northernmost island in Nova Scotia.

[edit] Cities

Sydney - largest city on the island

Baddeck - summer resort area and convenient starting/finishing point for the Cabot Trail

Chéticamp - center of Acadian culture on the Cabot Trail

Louisbourg - one-time French colonial town best known for its reconstructed fortress

[edit] Understand

Cape Breton Island was a separate colony until 1820 when it was merged into Nova Scotia against its will. It is the only place in North America where there is still Gaelic spoken, a legacy of the large migration (about 50,000) from the highlands of Scotland in the first half of the 19th century. There are also pockets of French, remnants of the Acadian history described in the Longfellow epic poem "Evangeline", in towns such as Margaree and Chéticamp. There is strong island identity and sense of community, which increasingly unifies the Mikmaq population of the island as well.

The island has consistently lost industrial investment and jobs in the past ten years. The closing of the coal and steel industry however have no doubt contributed to its very positive ratings for ecological stewardship.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

The most common way to get into Cape Breton is by car via the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 104) at the Canso Causeway from mainland Nova Scotia.

[edit] By bus

There is bus service offered by Acadian Lines.

Shuttle Service is provided between Halifax and Sydney and environs by several companies who travel at various times throughout the day. Excellent value.

[edit] By air

Cape Breton Island is serviced by Sydney Airport. Most flights to and from Sydney go to Halifax and then to major destinations such as Toronto and Montreal.

[edit] Get around

Cape Breton is most accessible by car. The main road is the Trans-Canada highway (Hwy 105), which connects Sydney on the east coast with the causeway to the mainland on the west. You can rent a car in Sydney if necessary. Like any place, you see more if you get off the main road, and the Nova Scotia government has been helpful in this regard by creating a number of scenic drives. These include the:

• Cabot Trail - Mountainous, windy and sometimes foggy, this drive alternates between hugging the ocean and crossing the rugged Cape Breton Highlands. Considered one of the top drives in Canada.
• Fleur-de-Lis Trail - Covers the southern French-influenced part of the island.
• Ceilidh Trail - Covers the western part the island with its strong Scottish influence.
• Bras d'Or Lake Scenic Drive - follows the shoreline of Bras d'Or Lake.

Road maps and additional information on the island is readily available at any tourism information center (located at entry points and any major towns and cities).

A more adventurous option to get around the island is to cycle. The roads tend to be narrow and windy, so prior experience is recommended.

Regardless of your mode of travel, watch out for moose on the roads.

There are many small cable ferries between the islands. They usually go every few minutes and charge $5.

[edit][add listing] See

Cape Breton is noted for its unique and vibrant traditional Scottish violin music incubated by its relative isolation over the years- so much so that music lovers from Scotland come here for a taste of their own past. Typically a duo of violin and piano play hearty dance music that can be seen at community halls throughout the island. The early-evening tourist-targeted concerts are well advertised; later at night you can find ones that draw the entire local community. Some of the most important musical centres are Judique, Margaree Valley and Chéticamp.

The island as a whole ranked second in the world in a National Geographic study of ecotourism, which was conducted in 2002 and 2003.

• Cape Breton Highlands National Park. You need an entry permit at $7 a day per person (there are group and family discounts). The Cabot Trail runs through the national park. There are many hiking trails starting along the Cabot Trail.

Scenery is a major reason to visit Cape Breton. Plan to stop along the many spectacular lookoffs on the Trail - this will lengthen your travel time between destinations.

• Fortress of Louisbourg, 259 Park Service Rd, Louisbourg, +1 902 733-2280, [2]. This is a reconstruction of the 18th century fortified French town whose presence plagued the British colonies of New England. Its busy harbor was once one of France's most signifiant economic and military assets in North America. If you enjoy the colonial restoration at Williamsburg in the United States, don't miss Louisbourg. 1 May-30 Jun, 9:30AM-5PM. 1 Jul-31 Aug, 9AM-5PM. 1 Sep-15 Oct, 9:30AM-5PM. Closed 1 Nov-3 Apr.

• The Bras D'Or is a unique brackish lake with its own unique ecological characteristics, and some islands in that lake are sacred to the Mikmaq.

• Bay St. Lawrence and Meat Cove. Two scenic fishing villages along a scenic drive off the Cabot trail. Turn north at Cape North.

• Joe's Scarecrows at Cheticamp on the Cabot Trail. Scary gallery of scarecrows with halloween masks. Entrance is free, but they ask for a small donation.

• Les Trois Pignons, 15584 Cabot Trail Highway, Cheticamp, +1 902 224-2612. Museum of Acadian culture based on collection of antiques started by Marguerite Gallant.

• Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada, Chebucto Street (Route 205), Baddeck, [3]. Open 9AM-6PM (Jun 1-30), 8:30AM-6PM (1 Jul-15 Oct). Entrance $6.50.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Celtic Colors Festival [4]. Spanning hundreds of events across dozens of towns, the music options at Celtic Colors are not solely Celtic but include folk and some Acadian Zydeco (Acadeco) and jazz, and an increasing amount of world music.

• Whale watching tour. There are boat tours all along the coast. Sighting of whales is almost guaranteed. Tours takes two hours or more.
• Biking the Cabot Trail. [5] Many people think that biking the Cabot Trail is the best way to see it. Featured in the September 07 issue of Bicycling magazine, as North America's Best Ride.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Many of the smaller communities have only a general store that sells groceries, sundries, acts as a post office, etc. These small general stores have a very limited selection of groceries - better to stop in a bigger centre like Baddeck or Cheticamp for groceries.

• Floras, Point Cross, +1 902 224-3139, [6]. Handcrafts. Especially traditional Acadian rug-hooking made by locals. Demonstrations.

• Local pottery sold along the Cabot Trail.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Seafood, especially lobster, is the thing to eat on Cape Breton. The Aspy Bay oysters are also good. As mentioned in the "Buy" section, if you plan to save money by getting groceries, do so at larger centres such as Chéticamp and Baddeck. Small convenience stores tend to be more sparsely stocked than convenience stores you would find in cities.

• Rusty Anchor, Pleasant Bay, +1 902 224-1313. Great seafood, fantastic seaside patio. If you are lucky you can spot a bald eagle hovering above you. Sandwiches $C10, special seafood plates $C20.

• Cedar House, TCH 105m Boulebarderie Centre, at the Seal Island brige between Baddock and Sydney, +1 902 674-2929. Bakery and restaurant. Good seafood chowder at reasonable prices. Open 10AM-8PM, May-Oct.

• Glenora Inn & Distillery [7], Route 19, Ceilidh Trail, Glenville, +1 800 839-0491. Breakfast 7AM-9AM, lunch 11AM-3PM, dinner 5PM-9:00PM. Nova Scotian, Scottish, and North American fare. Daily tours of North America's only single malt distillery 9AM-5PM, $6.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

A good number of Bed & Breakfasts and hostels are dotted throughout the island. A few examples follow:

• Lingan Bayview A & B [8] +902 862 6127 or +1 866 231 0643 On the beautiful island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Canada. Located 20 minutes from the city of Sydney, in the small fishing village of Lingan, this Bed and Breakfast offers spectacular views, morning and evening, from each room. A quiet, beautiful area just steps from the ocean, this is one of the top 5 places recommended for bird watching. Nearby attractions include Two Rivers Wildlife park, Fortress Louisburg, Miners Museum, and the scenic Cabot Trail.

• Keltic Lodge [9], Middle Head Peninsula, Ingonish Beach, +1 800 565-0444. This resort and spa is located on the spectacular Middle Head peninsula. There are views of the sea to both sides. Just behind the main lodge is the start of the hiking trail to the tip of Middle Head. Double room $190 in high season, $290 including 2 X gourmet dinner and breakfast. The dresscode is casual smart.

• Glenora Inn & Distillery [10], Route 19, Ceilidh Trail, Glenville, +1 800 839-0491, email: info@glenora1.ca. Sleep at North America's only single malt distillery. Has restaurant and bar. Rooms from $120.

• Silver Dart Lodge [11], 257 Shore Road, Baddeck, +1 902 295-2340. email: sdladmin@maritimeinns.com. Open May-Oct. Rooms from $99-119.

• Cabot Trail Hostel [12], Pleasant Bay, +1 902 224-1976. email: hostel@cabottrail.com. Bed $20/night. Clean establishment, friendly owners!
• Castle Rock Country Inn, 39339 Cabot Trail, Ingonish, tel: +1 888 884-7625 (email: castlerock@ns.sympatico.ca) [13], Spacious, comfortable, non-smoking rooms with satellite TVs and queen-sized beds. Small licensed dining room and lounge with excellent food and Nova Scotian wines. Large patio in back has beautiful views of the bay - eagles and other wildlife can often be seen. Friendly hosts and cute-yet-inconspicuous pets. $89-$148. (Packages also available.)

• Bear on the Lake Guest House [14], 10705 HWY 105, Aberdeen (Between Whycocomagh and Baddeck), +1 902 756-2750. email: info@bearonthelake.com. Private rooms with private lounge from $65-75. Dorm rooms $25-$30. Features include: free BBQ, patio overlooking the lake, linens, laundry facilities, tours of the Cabot Trail can be arranged.

[edit] Get out

If you want to do a bit of island-hopping Atlantic Canada-style, you can take one of two ferries from North Sydney to Newfoundland. The ferry to Port aux Basques on Newfoundland's south-west coast is the shorter of two and runs daily throughout the year. The ferry to Argentia is much longer (about 14 hours) and only runs in the summer, three times a week. Ferry services are provided by Marine Atlantic.

This is a usable article. It has information about the region and for getting in, as well as links to a few destinations. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!