Travel the 185-mile Cabot Trail to view some of Cape Breton Island’s most stunning scenery. Completed in 1932, the road was designed to connect several fishing villages that were previously isolated from one another. Visiting the communities that lie along the trail introduces travelers to the diverse ethnic and cultural influences -- Acadian, Irish and Scottish -- that played a role in settling the area. At times the trail follows the banks of the Margaree River, a world-class salmon fishing destination, while at others it climbs steep hillsides overlooking the sea. Its northern portion traverses stretches of the rugged Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
A national treasure, the Fortress of Louisbourg is North America’s largest reconstruction project, according to the Fortress Louisbourg Association, which works with Parks Canada to ensure that this historic site is preserved and protected for future generations. Founded in 1713 by the French, the fortress and surrounding community were once a thriving center for fishing and trade. Its fortifications were designed to deter the threat of invasion but proved inadequate in 1758 when British forces captured the fort. A decade later, the fortress fell into disuse. Reconstruction efforts began in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, visitors see Louisbourg much as it was during its heyday. Costumed townspeople go about their trades in shops and workplaces throughout the fortified area.
Inventor Alexander Graham Bell first visited Cape Breton Island on a sailing trip in 1885. He fell in love with the area, which reminded him of his native Scotland. From 1888 until his death in 1922, Bell and his wife spent much of their time at his sprawling estate overlooking Baddeck Bay, part of Bras d’Or Lake. Today, Parks Canada maintains roughly 25 acres of the former Bell estate -- the bulk of the estate remains in family hands -- as a memorial to Bell’s inventive genius. On display is a full-size replica of the Silver Dart -- Canada’s first powered and controlled airplane flight -- built to celebrate the original’s 1909 flight. Other exhibits explore kites of the world and artifacts from Bell’s life and work. Interactive exhibits allow children and adults to learn more about the mysteries of science that intrigued Bell and to which he devoted much of his life.
Perched high on a hill overlooking Bras d’Or Lake near the village of Iona, Highland Village Museum is a 43-acre living history museum that celebrates Nova Scotia’s Gaelic heritage. This museum complex encompasses 11 historic buildings and is manned by staff members attired in historic costumes. Farm animals graze peacefully on hilly pastureland that looks much as it did when the area’s first Scottish residents settled here. Exhibits in some of the village’s buildings offer visitors insights into the Gaelic language, music and lifestyle. The museum is open daily from early June until late October.
