Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

Chebucto Street, Baddeck

Telephones, airplanes, record-players and hearing aids are all items we have come to take for granted. Learn how Bell's genius for invention has touched us all.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park

Canada's top-ranked scenic drive winds through this protected coastal wilderness area, over magnificent highland plateaus, through glacier-carved valleys and along spectacular river canyons.

Celtic Colours International Festival

October 8–16, island-wide

This award-winning annual event features Cape Breton's finest singers, players, dancers and tradition-bearers in concert with internationally renowned performers.

Great Hall of the Clans

St. Ann’s

Learn the history of the Great Scottish Migration from the Highlands, through the artifacts of the clans who first settled this area.

Highlands Links Golf Course

Ingonish Beach

This resplendent 18-hole championship course, designed by Stanley Thompson in the Scottish tradition, consistently ranks among Canada's top ten. The eagles soaring among the nearby mountaintops are sure to inspire your game.

La Portage Golf Course

5580 Cabot Trail Rd. Cheticamp

Le Portage is set in the centre of the Acadian community of Cheticamp on a plateau overlooking the ocean with well contoured fairways and large greens.

Keltic Lodge

Ingonish Beach

High on a cliff surrounded by the Atlantic, this stately resort has been a summertime haven for well-heeled vacationers since 1940. A majestic view of Cape Smokey rising out of the sea is a stunning backdrop to myriad recreational opportunities including hiking, kayaking, beachcombing and golf.

Les Trois Pignons

15584 Cabot Trail, Chéticamp

Delve into Chéticamp's vivid Acadian history and culture through the medium of its world-famous hooked rugs.

Whale Interpretive Centre

Pleasant Bay

Open a window into the intricate underwater world of the magnificent sea mammals that reside just off this salty coast.

Cabot Trail look-offs

Twenty-four different look-offs are scattered along the trail, giving visitors ample opportunities to pull safely off the road to take pictures, observe wildlife or learn about a special aspect of the Park. In particular, the look-offs at French, North and MacKenzie mountains offer unforgettable vistas of the rugged coastline, fishing boats in the Gulf and purple-hued Cape Smokey rising dramatically from the sea.

Joe’s Scarecrow Village

Between Margaree Harbour and Chéticamp, the small community of Cap Le Moine is known island-wide for Joe’s Scarecrow collection. With more than 100 characters—including some heads-of-state and celebrities you'll be surprised to meet in Cape Breton—it’s a photo opportunity that's just too silly to miss.

Moose

In this colourful tapestry of woodland, tundra and bogs, moose are often seen grazing in the quiet shallows of lakes and streams. If you see moose approaching the roadway, be cautious—use your camera's zoom feature and enjoy these magnificent creatures from a safe distance.

Arts North

Cape North

Northern Cape Breton's pristine beauty influences the gallery's artisans, whose work ranges from stoneware pottery, to hand-forged silver jewellery, to carved driftwood whales.

Centre de la Mi-Carême

Grand Etang

You'll be delighted by the quirky and playful hand-crafted masks that pay tribute to the 200-year-old Acadian tradition of "Mi-Carême," a mid-Lent celebration in which homeowners must guess the identities of the elaborately disguised visitors.

Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts

St. Ann’s

Traditional Scottish kilts, tartan accessories, clan flags, leather-bound journals, stained glass and Celtic jewellery can be found in the College's craft shop.

Kingross Quilts and Fibre Art

Big Intervale, Margaree Valley

Internationally renowned fibre artist Anne Morrell Robinson presents an array of fine quilts, hooked rugs, painted floor cloths and wearable art.

Larch Wood

117 Bridge Road, East Margaree

Heirloom end-grain larch wood cutting boards are works of functional art.

Seasonal Treasures

Chéticamp

Fine oil paintings, stained glass, hooked rugs and other handcrafted goods all reflect the beauty of the seaside environment.

Sunset Gallery

15856 Cabot Trail, Cheticamp

Elaborate folk art carvings and paintings by fifteen local artists with on site bakery and studio of William Roach.

Cape Breton Clay

664 East Big Intervale Rd, Margaree Valley

Unique pottery with sculptural additions, intricate painting and colourful glazes, reflecting the bounty and sea life of the Island.

Great Hall of the Clans

St. Ann’s

Take a workshop in Gaelic language, or visit the interpretive centre to explore displays on Scottish language and tradition, dance, piping, fiddle, piano, song, storytelling and textiles.

Keltic Lodge Resort & Spa

Ingonish Beach

Relax and indulge in a full-body seaweed wrap, aroma-therapy massage and luxurious mani-pedi after your yoga class, at this Aveda concept spa.

Margaree Salmon Museum

60 East Big Intervale Road, North East Margaree

Learn about the history of salmon angling on the Margaree River, in a former schoolhouse housing an excellent collection of photographs and memorabilia.

North Highlands Community Museum

Cape North

Watch boatbuilding, weaving, ropemaking, blacksmithing and other activities of the area's early settlers.

Cabot Trail Relay

Baddeck, May 28–29, 2011

Get set, go! One of Canada's most popular running events, the race's 17 relay legs take participants through more than 275 kilometres (185 miles) of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Music at The Barn

Margaree Valley, June through November, 2011

The Normaway Inn hosts nightly music, fiddle concerts and traditional Celtic square dances at “The Barn” throughout the summer and early fall.

Festival de l’Escaouette

Chéticamp, July 1–August 28, 2011

This eight-week summertime festival celebrates the area's rich Acadian culture and traditions with music, dance and theatre. Don’t miss Le Grand Cercle, running July 21–25. This award-winning musical unites close to 200 performers to depict the history of Acadie.

Festival of Cape Breton Fiddling

St. Ann’s, August 20-21, 2011

For 37 years, this annual weekend of non-stop music and dance has been drawing crowds to the Gaelic College grounds. The 100 Fiddlers Concert is a testament to musical endurance and high spirits.

Hike the Highlands Festival

Ingonish, September 9–18, 2011

Ten days of guided hikes, workshops on nature photography, geo-caching and Nordic walking, and other celebrations. Hikes are available for beginners and seasoned trekkers alike.

Golfing

Breathe in panoramic views of Beinn Bhreagh and the Bras d'Or Lakes at the Bell Bay Golf Club in scenic Baddeck. Le Portage Golf Club, near Chéticamp, offers Acadian hospitality overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. And as one of the world's top 100 courses, Highlands Links represents the essence and purity of the game as it's meant to be played.

Hiking

The 25 hiking trails in Cape Breton Highlands National Park range from easy strolls to challenging climbs—but they all lead to panoramic views of canyons, highlands and seacoasts. The variety of trails provides a chance to intimately explore the complex habitat of northern Cape Breton Island.

Kayaking

Immerse yourself in nature and see the coastal cliffs from a different perspective: explore the small coves, beaches and sheltered inlets of the Cabot Trail by kayak, dipping your paddle alongside seals, seabirds and even whales. Great locations include Smelt Brook, North River, Ingonish and South Harbour.

Salmon fishing on the Margaree River

Yes indeed, a river runs through it. Anglers have been lured to the Margaree's tumbling rapids and waterfalls, deep pools and still marshes for generations. Tie a fly and cast your line—licenses, maps, guides and equipment are available from a variety of operators. When your basket is full, stop into the fish hatchery in Margaree Valley or the Salmon Museum in North East Margaree.

Whalewatching

Pods of Atlantic pilot whales spend their summers gorging on squid just off the shores of Pleasant Bay and Chéticamp. Book a zodiac tour to get up close and personal with these highly social sea creatures, which are likely to be as intrigued by you as you are by them.