Cape Breton

So much to discover on this island home

Condé Nast Traveler called Cape Breton the “#1 Island in the Americas.” Discover why. From Cape Breton Highlands National Park to the Fortress of Louisbourg to Eskasoni Cultural Journeys, this most easterly part of Nova Scotia invites you in

By Alec Bruce

Step back in time to the 1700s at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site.

Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia / Corey Katz

What’s hot this summer

The Centre de la Mi-Carême in Grand Étang offers a unique display of locally crafted masks and interactive exhibits depicting the evolution of la Mi-Carême, one of the oldest Acadian traditions and still celebrated in the area every winter. (Mi-Carême is a celebration involving masks and disguises.) Visitors can learn more about this celebration at the centre by watching a series of short theatre pieces. Then, step back in time through fortress walls and be transported to the 1700s at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Chat with French soldiers, sailors and servants while sipping Fortress Rum and watch lacemaking. See stew simmer on an openhearth fire and check out children playing 300-year-old games.

Pjila’si! Welcome to Eskasoni Cultural Journeys. Nestled along the Bras d’Or Lakes in Cape Breton’s rolling heartlands, where the highlands meet the lowlands, there’s history, culture and beauty waiting to be discovered. There is a tremendously vibrant cultural heart in this region, beating with the drums of the Scottish who settled in the land of the Mi’kmaq. Meanwhile, the Membertou Heritage Park in Membertou consists of a two-hectare site offering a living history of the people of Membertou, along with a large indoor exhibit and program area that offers the visitor full immersion to an ancient culture.

Eskasoni Cultural Journeys can be found nestled along the Bras d’Or Lakes in Cape Breton’s rolling heartlands.

Photo: Destination Cape Breton Association

Experience the stories and oral history of the Membertou community through re-enactments and cultural presentations.

Discover North America’s only living history museum for Gaelic language and culture when you visit Highland Village Museum | Baile nan Gàidheal in Iona. This breathtaking 17-hectare site features one of the most unbelievable views of the Bras d’Or Lake, 11 historic buildings, including three frame houses (c. 1830–1900), a store, a carding mill, a church, a shingle mill and a forge. Cape Breton’s culinary splendors are as rich and varied as its cultures. For 30 years, Taste of Nova Scotia has been inspiring you to eat, drink and explore the province. From local road-trips off to discover Nova Scotia’s wine country, to out-of-province visitors in search for the perfect seafood chowder, food adventures await. Now, the mobile app makes that so much easier (get it here: tasteofnovascotia.com/taste-of-nova-scotiamobile-app). While you’re there, check out the rest of the website! This year’s Culinary Trails will once again feature a physical paper passport that can be stamped, and new digital stamps via the app at participating locations. For more details, visit the Nova Scotia Culinary Trails sites, Good Cheer Trail, Chowder Trail and Lobster Trail.

The Highland Village Museum | Baile nan Gàidheal is a living history museum dedicated to Nova Scotia’s Gaelic culture and language.

Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia

Old friends and new favourites

Rising from the sea and clinging to mountains, the 298-kilometre-long Cabot Trail is a winding mix of roadway, paths, stairs and stunning beauty that takes you from unreal ocean vistas to quaint fishing villages. Zip through in a day or take several days to experience the journey of a lifetime along one of the world’s most scenic drives. As you hug the world-famous Cabot Trail coastline, you’ll wind through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where lush, forested river canyons carve into the ancient plateau, edged by rust-coloured cliffs. The cool maritime climate and rugged landscape of the park permit a unique blend of Acadian, Boreal and Taiga habitats, plants and animals — where the mountains meet the sea.

The Bras d’Or Lake UNESCO Biosphere Reserve lies at the very heart of Cape Breton Island. And not just geographically. Stretching around the lake, it includes Baddeck, Dundee, St. Peter’s and Iona, plus the First Nations communities of We’koqma’q, Wagmatcook, Membertou, Eskasoni and Potlotek. Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011, the Bras d’Or Lake and its watershed area was recognized for the residents, who live in harmony with nature and work to promote a healthy environment, economy and culture. Charter a sailboat in St. Peter’s or Baddeck, paddle the inlets of Baddeck Bay, hike to Uisge Ban Falls, take part in a Mi’kmaw cultural journey in Eskasoni, or join a ceilidh: embrace the beauty and living culture of this tranquil area.

Peer into the singular heart and mind of the man who helped shape the modern world at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck. Feel Bell’s legacy come to life as you explore remarkable artifacts, photos and full-scale replicas that mark his masterful career as an engineer, inventor, scientist and humanitarian — from airplanes and kites to deaf education and artificial respiration.

The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck.

Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia / Wally Hayes

At the Marconi National Historic Site in Glace Bay, rediscover the real roots of modern communications. In a world of nanosecond speeds and cloud technology, it’s hard to remember a time when wireless messages couldn’t even cross the Atlantic. Guglielmo Marconi would change the world forever with the first official transatlantic exchange of radio messages at Glace Bay. Find out how Marconi triumphed at his first permanent transatlantic wireless station at Table Head.