Cape Breton Island Things to Do

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This is a somewhat demanding hike you can do with the reward of beautiful waterfalls at the end, which happen to be the highest in Nova Scotia. It's 18km return, so an early start is a good idea if you want to stop and enjoy the scenery along the way. What amazed me about this hike, is that in the mid 1800's several highland Scot families settled here to make a life for themseles. As beautiful as the area is, it just seems to be an unlikely spot to settle, it's so isolated and the terrain is so rugged. You can still see remains of this settlement.
As with most hikes I recommend, you really need a good hiking book to do some of these hikes safely. Two suggestions are Hiking Trails of Cape Breton by Michael Haynes and Explore Cape Breton by Pat O'Neil. They are my bibles.
This website may help as well: http://users.syd.eastlink.ca/%7esmithdl/hikemenu.htm.

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You don't have to travel too far to get back to nature in the city of Sydney. This nature trail is just off Cottage Road. What a great place for nature lovers of all ages. I walked 4 of my classes (Grade 8's and 9's) here and they enjoyed this 3 kilometer self-guided nature tour. There are 10 stations that provide interesting information about the flora and fauna of the trail. One section has squirrels running all around and there are lots of birds to see.

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Main-à-Dieu is a picturesque fishing village that deserves a visit. There is a boardwalk system along the beach outside of town. There are several hikes that can be done from this area with some beautiful views of this rugged coastline. There's the Cape Breton Trail, the Gooseberry Trail and the Main-à-Dieu Trail.
You really need a good hiking book to do some of these hikes safely. Two suggestions are Hiking Trails of Cape Breton by Michael Haynes and Explore Cape Breton by Pat O'Neil. They are my bibles.
This website may help as well: http://users.syd.eastlink.ca/%7esmithdl/hikemenu.htm.

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A visit to the Fortress of Louisbourg requires at least a day. The Fortress is a reconstructed 18th century French fortified town. The residents of the town bring it to life. We visit Louisbourg every summer and experience something new every time and I always buy fresh baked bread from the bakery.

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This is the largest outdoor Scottish concert in Cape Breton. You can hear fiddles, bag pipes, harmonica playing and singing. This is also your chance to see highland dancing and step dancing.
The concert is always held on the last Sunday of July and starts at 3pm.

The Old Sydney Society has volunteers that organize Ghosts walks of downtown Sydney during July and August. This is a fun walk (or is it...?) for both locals and tourists that includes some very interesting history of the area. The walk finishes up at the Cape Breton Centre For Heritage and Science where you can enjoy a cup of tea with your guide and other visitors.

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Cape Breton is a beautiful place to visit when the leaves are changing in the fall. Add to that 9 days of Celtic music and culture celebrated all over the island and you may just have a hard time leaving this place when your time's up.
The Celtic Colours International Festival takes place every October and includes ceilidhs, concerts, dances, exhibits, tours and workshops that are held in every nook and cranny on the island. Many of own top artists are featured, like Buddy Mac Master, the Barra Mac Neils, Howie MacDonald, Mary Jane Lamond and J.P. Cormier, and that's just scratching the surface. Our local performers are joined by Celtic artists from Ireland, Scotland, the U.S. and Nordic countries.
Last year, a highlight for us was the Celtic Thanksgiving Dinner and Concert. This year, the opening concert, to be held in Port Hawkesbury, featuring the Chieftains, Ashley Mac Isaac, Mary Jane Lamond, Wendy Mac Isaac and Fiona and Ciaran Mac Gillivray is not to be missed.
The line-up can be overwhelming when you first peruse it, you simply can't do it all. Keep in mind though, that the tickets sell out quickly.

North of the Cabot trail is the Cabot's Landing Provincial Park. There is no proof, but it is assumed that Cabot landed on Cape Breton at this beach. The spot is marked by two or three plaques.

Note the nose on the statue. You would think that whoever is in charge of statues would have done a little more than give him a coat of white paint. Only in Canada.

Part of the reason it seems logical that Cabot would have landed here - it is the only boat-friendly cove at the end of Cape Breton, plus the hills on either side of the beach fit Cabot's description.

The park is a normal provincial park with picnic tables, washrooms, etc. -- a good spot to stop for lunch.