So being perfectly honest I probably have a much different review and experience than what most…read morepeople will have in this review. Skyline Trail is the most iconic Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. I came here over Christmas when there are probably more Moose than people in the park. There are no services open and its really desolate. So for those of you coming into the park in winter time be prepared. And they do not plow the parking lot. I repeat they do not plow the parking lot. I thought I could go through but the snow was much much deeper than it looked. And I got my SUV stuck for an hour in the middle of nowhere on Christmas with 3 other souls on board. There is cell service out here. And there's also no one that passes by in the winter on a Christmas here. We had to get on our hands and knees and dig our way out. Turned the traction control off and managed to back out. After that we still wanted to go for a hike. So left our car up in the initial staging area where the parking spots say 15minute parking only. We hiked for like 30 minutes and realized how big this Trail head parking really is because we were still within the parking lot. So we ended up getting some exercise in but only ended up getting some parking lot view. But we certainly made memories that will last a life time. But if you do come here in the winter time come ultra prepared. Get a starlink for communication or some form of satellite communication in case you have car problems. Do not go beyond the very first parking lot if there's snow on the ground. And enjoy this nature's paradise. Wintertime in Cape Breton is surreal.

1 hr & 40 min. Nice hike! Unfortunately it was too foggy to see any kind of a view. Groomed trails!…read moreLovely hike!

Locally owned, volunteer ran, the care this community has for this historic home is evident in…read moreevery step you take through the house. Travel through history, from the 1600s basement up to the 2 story which was added in 1920! It really is a Time Machine, as the docents speak about each era of merchant history and the family who played a large part in Nova Scotia's history. Definitely worth the trip. As good as any historic landmark I've ever visited! Don't miss it!

Visited the basement first, which had some really low ceilings, but you could see the original…read morewooden beams holding up the floor upstairs. Guides were nice. You also get a guided tour of the main level of the house. Four rooms upstairs that are self-guides. ($4 per person)

We only got one day of rain while we were on vacation so this museum was the obvious stop and we…read moreweren't the only ones to think that. So keep that in mind if you wanna visit on a rainy day. The museum itself is quite small, there are two rooms : one with a seasonal exposition that changes and one that is permanent. when you enter you see the sperm whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling as well as the story behind it's creation as well as information about the island and the history behind the names of the surrounding areas. There's also a small gift shop and ticket booth on your left to pass by before you can see the other rooms. The permanent exhibit is about life the island throughout the years and the significant landmarks to visit. When I visited the temporary exhibit was art by a local artist made from beach side scraps she found. It was gorgeous! A must stop!

The easiest trail I have ever been to. 40 Mins walk each…read moreside and then Breathtaking, Mind blowing view of Atlantic Ocean... Such a Masterpiece by God :) All you need is: a pair of good shoes, a strong and light walking stick. It serves 2 purposes: 1. helps you to walk of course 2. It is a weapon , in case you witness any wild animal (jungle is deep) & bear are commonly spotted at daytime Plan to spend some time there at the viewpoint, you won't be able to come back any soon anyway. It's mesmerising! Just carry water with you. Start the trail from the bottom of the Keltic lodge, where there is parking for around 30 cars. The best time to do the trail is the morning after sunrise. There is a circular path for trail start moving to your right , which is more beautiful and shorter path. The path is rocky so you can't take any bikes or baby buggy.

Formerly the Town Hall, this is now a heritage museum about the town of Glacé Bay. The docent are…read morevery friendly and knowledgeable. They served tea and biscuits (crackers and oat cakes - I think that's what they were called). There is an exhibit upstairs about Guglielmo Marconi (the person we can thank for all our wireless devices).

Bird island boat tours was one of the first things I booked for my Nova Scotia trip. As a birder…read moreand nature lover, this was a must do. I paid a $20 deposit at booking, and $62 per person upon arrival. There were maybe 8-10 total guests on the boat. We had an enthusiastic captain and first mate who pointed out good photo ops and the type of bird (or seal!) that was nearby. We saw tons of puffins, cormorants, razorbills, gulls, guillemots, kittiwakes, and a few eagles and herons. I highly recommend bringing binoculars (or you can rent for $8). They had a small gift shop where I bought cute puffin socks after the tour. I highly recommend this experience!

This tour was the first thing we booked when we began planning our vacation 10 months ago. I am so…read moreglad we did! The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and very good at pointing out the different birds we saw. They also discussed the history of the area and the reasons for changing bird counts over the years.

A lovely shop and salesperson. Lots of locally made pottery, jewelry and cozy items. I bought two…read moreanklets for my late teen daughters. They are really pretty with sea glass charms. Unfortunately, the first time my daughters wore them, 1 out of the three charms fell off (different designs but same problem). Another charm fell off and we found it. In addition, one of the anklets had an extension on the chain to allow you to size it for your ankle--that fell off. If it had happened to one of the anklets, I would have assumed human error--but it was both. I emailed the store through their web site twice but have not heard a response. I can be reached at rosericcimullen@gmail.com

This was one of the better craft stores along the Cabot trail up north, very friendly and welcoming…read moreand a great variety of crafts! We were struck by the pottery, particularly the glazed whale bowls and serving platters, got one of the latter. There was more than we had time to explore, a nice 2 level space that is quiet and well-organized, very nice service and a pleasant stop during a beautiful drive, much less chintzy than the other shops along the way and with a log-cabin feel. Very worth stopping for a visit!

Came up here during Christmas. There's a reason why the entire place is empty. Its cold, windy,…read moreand snowy. But you can experience raw natural beauty with zero crowds. Come prepared though. Awd and snow tires are a must. Satellite communication devices or starlink is also recommended as we had very large swaths of the drive without cell service. And if your car breaks down or you get stuck in a snow drift you are screwed. I think there was a part of the drive where I went easily 90 minutes without passing by anyone. I also wouldn't really recommend coming up here with an electric vehicle during the winter. But we enjoyed our time here. Just stayed at our Airbandb, cooked, played board games and reconnected with nature and our family.

It is a worthwhile drive for sure. It helps to have time to take in all the historical…read moredestinations, get a seafood meal along the way, go hiking and have good weather for viewing -- or else it's just another marine drive with maybe one or two spectacular views compared to other world class marine drives such as along the Oregon, Northern California and a big Sur coastlines where the wow moments are at every turn. While I wasn't as impressed with the destination drive route and park in general (as much the tourism ad copy raised expectations) there was a sense of uniqueness and individuality to the features that present themselves to the avid traveller.

Absolutely outstanding! The dwellings from each highlighted time period, and the costumed actors…read moreinterpreting that time and answering questions, were fascinating. For us the highlight was a ceilidh (visit), with fiddling, step dancing, story telling, and rich explantations of each. If you visit only one place in Cape Breton, this should be it!

Here's a place to take you back in time to learn and explore a sampling of the life of those who…read moretraveled from Scotland to start a life on Cape Briton. There are costumed and well-educated tour guide actors who will greet you in Gaelic and share what life was like in the new land. Seeing, hearing, and sometimes tasting as you climb around the steep hills of the village. The views are incredible! We were lucky and it was a very sunny day! Take the time to really walk, explore, and ask questions.

Dark, icy waters from a distant alpine lake cascade down a dramatically undulating, 65-foot rock…read moreface framed by the leaves of the surrounding forest - creating one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen! The leaves had just started to turn into autumn hues and I can only imagine how much more magnificent the view must be during peak fall splendor. You'll find this glorious waterfall in the Highlands - of Canada though and not Scotland lol! I had no idea Canada had a highland territory and their highlands are every bit as incredible as its Scottish counterpart. You'll even find an abundance of Gaelic used here - Beulach Ban is Gaelic for "White Gorge" for example. The falls are found along the northern stretch of the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park - and considering the remoteness, the falls are fairly easily accessible. The trail to the waterfall itself is very short - less than 1/10th of a mile - as long as your car can make it down the muddy, poorly maintained, pothole filled road lol! But during my visit, most cars had no issues making the drive, including mine. As long as you pay attention and go slowly you should be fine. It's narrow but there are opportunities to pull to the side to allow passing - all the drivers I encountered were courteous and patient. And if you don't want to risk it, there's plenty of parking in a paved lot at the start of the road and the trek down only adds 2km (1.25 miles) to your hike. At the trailhead you'll find a small parking lot that fills up fast, but there is also room to park along part of the road. To the right of the parking lot you'll find bathrooms and picnic tables, as well as the trailhead of the longer Aspy Trail. Like most national parks in North America, Cape Breton Highlands National Park charges a fee to enter and you just have your permit displayed in your window to park legally. The fee is nominal though at $9CAD daily - totally worth it and I highly recommend!