Tag: Sightseeing

There’s a rule in Cape Breton for driving that you should be aware of.  Don’t use side roads.  Even if they are on your mapping software.  There’s something strange about road maintenance in Nova Scotia. Here’s the letter I wrote to The Chronicle Herald in an attempt to warn others and effect change. Hi Voice of the People, For your consideration …. It was a lovely post Canada Day weekend in Cape Breton. We (tourists from BC) were returning to Baddeck from Louisbourg when we encountered a Canada-wide phenomenon called highway repairs. We thought we’d be clever and avoid them. […]

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Port Morien is located just outside the town of Glace Bay in the industrial part of the island.  Once a thriving fishing and coal mining town, it is now a quiet place where many Cape Bretoners come to retire after spending their working years in the oil fields of western Canada. The best way to get to Port Morien is via the scenic route – from Glace Bay, along Tower Road and through the village of Donkin.  Along the way, it is well worth it to stop at Big Glace Bay Beach and take a refreshing dip in the Atlantic […]

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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 […]

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Cape Breton Island Overview Just a little bit east off the Coast of mainland Nova Scotia in eastern Canada is the tiny island of Cape Breton. While the island belongs to the province of Nova Scotia and is a part of Canada, it is nothing like any other place in the country … or in the world for that matter. It is hard to know where to begin in telling you what the island has to offer because there is so much. The culture, the history, the scenery, the beaches, the hiking, the food, the nightlife! One can travel to […]

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Tourists visiting Nova Scotia invariably want to see a perfect fishing village. They yearn to experience the fresh sea air with gulls and terns circling overhead, brightly coloured fishing shacks propped up on stilts along a rugged shore, weathered, shingled saltbox houses clinging to the rocks and brilliantly painted fishing boats bobbing in a protected cove. Of course not many functioning fishing villages are picture perfect. But Peggy’s Cove comes pretty close to the ideal. It is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and there are very good reasons for this. The drive from Halifax to Peggy’s […]

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 Exploring colourful towns in Nova Scotia. Lunenburg is a colourful town with a colourful history and you can see it the minute you arrive. Georgian and Victorian style buildings in reds and blue-greens stand up along the hillside from the bay below. I instantly got a sense of a long and proud, seafaring tradition from the tall ships in the harbour to the many marine-related businesses around its shores. The fresh salt air, blue sky and sunshine immediately invite you for a walk around town. Established in 1753, Lunenburg was the first British Colonial settlement outside of Halifax. Many of its buildings […]

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Normally we come to Baddek to visit my wife’s father in the fall when the tourist season is finishing (October 31st) and the airfare is cheaper. This time it was to be a bit of a working holiday, so we came in June. We landed in Halifax late but managed to get to our favourite hotel, Inn on the Lake in Fall River near the airport, in time for a nightcap in the lounge. We highly recommend this place for its ambiance, warm service, comfortable rooms, excellent cuisine and pleasant views of Lake Waverly. The only drawback is there seems […]

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Situated at the south end of the Annapolis Valley is the town of Annapolis Royal. The picturesque town has some of the most beautiful heritage buildings in Nova Scotia. Take a leisurely walk through the town past the stately Victorian homes and explore the many shops that offer some of the highest quality Nova Scotia crafts to be had anywhere in the province. Right in the centre of Annapolis Royal are the extensive Historic Gardens that are sure to inspire enthusiasts of horticulture as well as photographers and children who will enjoy the Rose Maze. This garden, one of the […]

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Without a doubt the most scenic drive in Nova Scotia is the Cabot Trail. This winding, hilly highway that circles the coast of the upper end of Cape Breton Island, should be a must on every vacationers itinerary. The views are breathtaking. One’s experience on the Cape Breton Trail is entirely at the mercy of the weather. If it is wet and foggy, as it frequently is in the spring and early summer, there is a chance that the blue waters of the Atlantic that crash into the shoreline along the trail will be obscured. We drove the trail on […]

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The Annapolis Valley is one of the most scenic regions of Nova Scotia. It is well known for its agriculture, in particular vineyards, and orchards. From the highway and the villages in the valley there are dramatic views of the steep headlands on the coast of the Bay of Fundy. A drive through the valley takes you through several peaceful and quaint maritime towns and villages scattered among the gently rolling hills. If more drama is to your taste you will surely wonder at the surging tides of the Bay of Fundy, one of the natural wonders of the world. […]

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