The Town of Dominion

Industrial Cape Breton is more than just the city of Sydney. Many people neglect to venture into the smaller towns and villages where there are many nice beaches, parks and museums. One town, in particular, has much to offer visitors and it is only a short drive away from the city center.

Dominion is a very small town located between Sydney and Glace Bay. From Sydney, visitors can drive straight on the Sydney/Glace Bay Highway until the Gardiner Road turn off. It’s a fairly short drive but along the way, golf lovers can stop at Lionel’s Golf Center for a round of golf or avail of the driving range. At the end of Gardiner Road, a right turn takes visitors along a scenic coastal drive toward Dominion.

Dominion’s star attraction is the very long sandbar that is a center of almost everything that happens in the town. In the warmer months, people from all over industrial Cape Breton come to the beach to swim in the warm waters, walk the scenic boardwalk that runs along a large portion of the sandbar or just sit and enjoy the scenery which includes beautiful sunsets in the evening.

The town of Dominion itself is home to a number of restaurants and take-outs. Many people like to grab some fries, a coffee or an ice cream cone at the Bayside Canteen or one of the other eating establishments in the town and enjoy it at the beach where there are many picnic tables.

In the evening right before sunset, a family of curious and friendly red foxes make an appearance and it is quite entertaining to just and sit watch them as they play and frolic in the parking lot and nearby marsh. After sundown, the nearby Sandbar pub hosts live music and entertainment throughout the week. If you are in the area in mid-July, you’ll be able to catch some of the festivities during Seaside Daze. This week-long festival hosts various sporting competitions, concerts, children’s activities and beach parties.

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Andrea MacEachern is a freelance travel writer and amateur photographer living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca