Cape Breton Road Trip Road Trip

1

Halifax to Baddeck

248.7 miles: 4 hours, 20 minutes

In 1621 Scottish King James VI granted the territory that became Nova Scotia (Latin for “New Scotland”). On almost any summer Sunday—and summer is the best season to take this road trip—Nova Scotians of Scottish descent gather together for a ceilidh (kay-lee), or party. You just might hear some traditional fiddle music while winding your way through the countryside.

Recommended Stops

Nova Scotia Museum of Industry

147, North Foord Street Stellarton, Nova Scotia

St. Ninian Cathedral

121, Saint Ninian Street Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Shutterstock.com/David P. Lewis

2

Baddeck to Whycocomagh

130.7 miles: 3 hours, 14 minutes

The Cabot Trail encircles magnificently scenic Cape Breton Island, which also is the location of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. One of Canada’s most famous scenic drives, this loop road is a visual feast of spectacular ocean views, lush green valleys and impossibly picturesque fishing villages. Plan your itinerary in advance to get the most out of the journey.

Recommended Stops

Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

559, Chebucto Street Baddeck, Nova Scotia

Margaree Salmon Museum

60, East Big Intervale Road Margaree Centre, Nova Scotia

Wikimedia Commons/Martin St-Amant

3

Whycocomagh to Louisbourg

138.5 miles: 3 hours, 4 minutes

More scenic splendor comes courtesy of Bras d’Or (Bra-door) Lake, actually an inland sea connected to the North Atlantic Ocean by two channels. This recreational boating paradise offers one panoramic vista after another. Near the town of Louisbourg, Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site is an impressive reconstruction of a massive 18th-century fortification.

Recommended Stops

Saint Patrick’s Museum

87, Esplanade ,

The Jost House

54, Charlotte Street ,

flickr/Dennis Jarvis

4

Louisbourg to Sherbrooke

167.4 miles: 3 hours, 18 minutes

After leaving Louisbourg the route follows the southern shoreline of Bras d’Or Lake, which underscores the fact that at no point in Nova Scotia are you more than some 56 kilometres (35 miles) from a body of water, whether it be lake, bay or ocean. Little Port Hawkesbury, which bills itself as “Cape Breton’s front porch,” is one of Canada’s major shipping centers.

Recommended Stops

Highland Village Museum

Iona Iona, Nova Scotia

Sherbrooke Village

42, Main Street ,

Shutterstock.com/DOPhoto

5

Sherbrooke to Halifax

125.0 miles: 2 hours, 53 minutes

Nova Scotia’s craggy southern coast fronts the open Atlantic. Pocked with coves and natural harbors and sprinkled with offshore islands, it’s a rich marine life environment and thus has long provided small fishing villages with an economic livelihood. End your Nova Scotia adventure in cosmopolitan Halifax, where several outstanding festivals take place in summer.

Recommended Stops

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

1055, Marginal Road ,

Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

5425, Sackville Street ,

The Prince George Hotel

1725, Market Street ,

Book Now