cabot trail

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia is one of the top places to travel in Nova Scotia. If you are visiting Nova Scotia, it is worthwhile to take a few days to explore this incredibly scenic destination. Below is an itinerary (and map!) for what to do for 3 days in Cape Breton, and amazing places to see along the Cabot Trail!

What is the Cabot Trail?

The Cabot Trail is a scenic roadway located within the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. To enter the National Park, you will need to pay a fee of $7.50 per day. Once paid, you will have access to all of the trails located within the park (the Skyline Trail, Franey Trail, etc.). You will be given a white receipt to put on the dash of your car to prove that you paid, and how many days you have access to the park.

When to visit Cape Breton

The summer and fall months (June-October) are the best times to visit Cape Breton. The winter months are cold, it gets dark early, and most places are closed. Also, the roads along the Cabot Trail have lots of turns and twists so it would be much more difficult to drive there in the winter.

Visiting for 3 days in Cape Breton in the fall is incredibly scenic with the fall foliage. The best time to visit is mid-October around Thanksgiving when the leaves are at their peak.

Should I drive clockwise or counter-clockwise on the Cabot Trail?

The answer to this is: either direction! I have driven both. Counter-clockwise is the most popular direction to take. If you drive counter-clockwise, for the majority of the trail you are on the outside lane closest to the ocean.

How many days should I spend on the Cabot Trail?

2 full days (and 3 nights) driving on the Cabot Trail is the minimum amount of time to visit. There is SO much to do during 3 days in Cape Breton that you will wish you spent more time there.

What to do for 3 days in Cape Breton

Hiking, visiting waterfalls, kayaking, whale watching and going to a ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) – a musical session with fiddle music – are all activities that can be done in Cape Breton along the Cabot Trail.

For a complete list of hikes along the Cabot Trail, click here.

Where to stay during your 3 days in Cape Breton

Night 1: Baddeck. The beginning of the Cabot Trail (if driving counter-clockwise around the trail). It is an hour from Sydney which is convenient for doing day trips to the area. It is also close to Usige Ban Provincial Park and North River Kayaking Tours.

Night 2: Ingonish. The entrance to the trailhead for Franey is only a 10 minute drive away, and it is a great mid-way point along the trail.

Night 3: Cheticamp or Inverness. These towns are close to the Skyline Trail and Gypsum Mine. This is also near the entrance to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and a convenient place to either start or end your roadtrip around the Cabot Trail.

3 Day Itinerary for Cape Breton

Getting to Cape Breton from Halifax it is about a 3 hour drive, so the majority of the day will be spent driving to Cape Breton. Depending on how late in the day you arrive, there are a few options for what you can do when you arrive in Cape Breton.

• Option 1: Spend the afternoon in Sydney, Cape Breton’s largest city. Visit the giant fiddle, see St. Patrick’s Church, have supper and explore some of the sites. If you have a full day in Sydney, it is worthwhile to check out the Glace Bay Miner’s Museum (30 minute drive from Sydney), or the Fortress of Louisbourg (40 minute drive away from Sydney).

• Option 2: Drive straight to Baddeck (the town considered the start of the Cabot Trail), and go on a hike at Usige Ban Provincial Park Falls (a 20 minute drive from Baddeck). The complete hike takes about 1.5 hours on a maintained pathway, and leads you to a tall waterfall. In the rain, it looks like a scene out of Twilight or Jurassic Park, with water cascading off of the mountains surrounding you.

Where to Eat in Sydney: The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse offers gluten-free options, and the best wings you will ever have!

Where to Eat in Baddeck: The Telegraph House in Baddeck offers a gluten free menu. Check their hours before you go, since they sometimes are only open in the evenings.

Where to stay night 1: Baddeck is a good option to stay your first night in Cape Breton. It is considered the entrance to the Cabot Trail, so it is the perfect place to start or end your journey. It is a small town with plenty of history, restaurants, shops, and museums. It is also close to hiking trails and kayaking adventures!

Within the town of Baddeck, there are lots of great options to stay as well.

Day 1 in Cape Breton

Morning: Kayak to a waterfall, see eagles soaring above, the admire the scenery from the water with North River Kayak Tours. They offer half day tours (3 hours long), or full day tours (6 hours long). Snacks are provided, and no experience necessary. Tours start at 9am and 1pm.

Afternoon: Drive along the Cabot Trail to the Franey trail, located in Ingonish. This hike takes about 2 – 2.5 hours to complete, so make sure you start the hike before it gets dark.

The Franey trail can be done as an out-and-back or a loop. The first half of the loop is very challenging with lots of steep hills and stairs. There are scenic lookouts that overlook the valley and river. If you do the loop, the way back is an old service road and much easier to descend.

It is recommended to do the trail as an out-and-back since it is more scenic and takes less time than the loop. However, either way you go the view from the top is worth it!

Where to Stay Night 2: Ingonish is the town closest to the Franey trail, and a good mid-way point along the Cabot Trail.

The Knotty Pine Cottages and Ingonish Chalets both have beautiful views, and offer pet-friendly accommodations.

Day 2 in Cape Breton

Morning: Spend the morning driving along the Cabot Trail to the Skyline Trail. This will take the majority of the morning. It is gorgeous, so take your time!

Stops to make along the way: Mary Ann Falls (currently undergoing construction in 2023, so check before you go), Lone Shieling Trail, and all of the look-out stops along the way.

The Skyline Trail is the most popular trail in Cape Breton, and is featured on all of the advertisements you may see. It can either be completed as a loop or an out-and-back. I have done both, and prefer it as an out-and-back since the loop isn’t as scenic and takes longer to do.

The Skyline Trail is the only trail in the National park that does not allow dogs. If you have dogs with you, a nearby option with similar views is Blueberry Hill.

Afternoon: After the skyline trail, drive about 20 minutes to Cheticamp for lunch. Cheticamp is along the ocean with lots of restaurants so it will be easy to find somewhere to eat.

After lunch, The Gypsum Quarry Mine is only 15 minutes away from Cheticamp, and takes about an hour to visit. It’s a lake surrounded by hills , and a look-off point overlooking the lake. It’s very scenic and a popular place for Instagram photos.

Where to eat in Cheticamp: Every Saturday from 2pm-6pm The Doryman Pub and Grill has live fiddle music. Cheticamp is small, but filled with restaurants so it will be easy to find a spot.

Where to stay night 3: It is recommended to spend the night in Cheticamp. If you don’t have time to hike to the the Gypsum Quarry Mine that day, you can easily visit the next morning since it is only 15 minutes away.

Day 3 in Cape Breton

The last day in Cape Breton will mostly consist of driving back home. In the morning, it is worth to check out Egypt Falls. It is a 15 minute walk to the falls, but very steep. There are ropes and stairs to help you along the way, but be careful since it can get slippery with leaves and mud.

This trail is not within the National Park, so the entrance isn’t as well marked. The entrance to the trailhead is marked with an orange stake in the ground. It is also quite popular, so going in the morning will help beat the crowds.

Other places to see on the 3rd day in Cape Breton:

• The Glenora Inn & Distillery for a tour and tasting.
• The Celtic Music Interpretive Centre for lunch and live fiddle music! Ceilidhs are from 11:30 to 3pm from Mondays to Saturdays, and at 12pm on Sundays.

Top Tips for visiting Cape Breton

• You won’t be able to see everything! There are SO many hikes to do along the trail. Depending on how long your visit is, you will unfortunately have to pick and choose what you want to do.

• A good rule of thumb for hiking in Cape Breton is 2 hikes per day. This will give you enough time to hike before it gets dark, have lunch and take your time driving along the Cabot Trail for photo stops.

• Dogs unfortunately are not allowed on the Skyline trail. (Read this post about how to travel around Cape Breton with dogs)

• It doesn’t matter which direction you drive on the trail. Both are scenic in either direction.

• Bring lots of snacks! We saved money (and time!) by bringing breakfasts to eat in the morning, and snacks for hiking. This allowed us to eat out in a restaurant once a day.

• Be careful of the wild life. There are bears, coyote and moose, so it is best to hike with others, and bring either coyote or bear spray with you (can be purchased at Canadian Tire or on Amazon). There are signs at every trail head which will tell you what to do if you encounter an animal.

• The AllTrails app is extremely useful for planning hikes. It provides a map of the trail, and will show where you are on the trail. Other people who have completed the trail will share their advice, tips, photos and time it took them to hike.

• If you aren’t bringing your own car, then it is recommended to rent a car (or RV!) while traveling around Nova Scotia. If you are beginning your road trip in Halifax, there are 4 rental companies located at the Halifax Airport to choose from.
  • Budget Car Rental
  • Alamo Car Rental
  • Dollar Car Rental
  • Avis Car Rental

Have you been to Cape Breton and driven the Cabot Trail? What was your favourite place to see? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂

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