4 Days on Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail
Gorgeous view from Middle Head Trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia
I never would have thought that going from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia would result in such a different landscape, but it does! Prince Edward Island is full of red sand cliffs, billowing grass, and a flatter landscape that reaches out to the water. Nova Scotia - which translates to “New Scotland” if you didn’t know - is much more lush, filled with dense forests, hills, and “mountains,” alongside the water's edge.
Prince Edward Island was at the top of my Canada must-stop list, as an avid Anne of Green Gables lover, and to be honest, Nova Scotia wasn’t really on my radar. My mom, on the other hand, requested we add it to our travel itinerary with the main desire of traveling along the Cabot Trail and seeing the Bay of Fundy. Since it would take some of the weight of the travel planning off of my plate (and from what I could tell, it looked like a good time), I was in.
Of all the places we visited across Canada, Nova Scotia ended up being one of my favorites (if not my favorite overall). This is one of the reasons why, even though I love a solo trip (and highly recommend traveling solo, especially for women), I also love traveling with other people so we can share new ideas, destinations, and activities that maybe we wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
In case you’re like me and wondering “What is the Cabot Trail?” let me give you a quick overview. It’s a scenic drive considered one of those most beautiful in the world - I mean, sold - that loops around the northern part of Cape Breton Island, situated on the eastern tip of Nova Scotia. In addition to the landscape, there are numerous shops to stop at as well as outdoor activities to explore and fully immerse yourself in the landscape and culture of this gorgeous bit of Nova Scotia.
Here is how we covered the Cabot Trail across three nights:
Traveling in style with my sexy compression socks
Day 1 - Prince Edward Island to Baddeck, Nova Scotia
We drove from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia, through New Brunswick. After initially driving from Maine to P.E.I., a lot of the terrain looks similar - which, slight tangent, towns that border another country fascinate me, seeing how they influence the other even though they are technically in different countries. If the closest grocery store is in Canada… do you just bring your passport to grab some milk and eggs? Anywho, ‘twas a longer drive and we did hit some rain, but as someone who loves a moody weather vibe, I didn’t mind PLUS we found this great little bakery/cafe stop (Sheryl’s Bakery & Cafe) as we initially crossed into Nova Scotia, where we warmed up with some chili and biscuits. Imagine that, WARMING UP in summer. Gosh I love Canada.
We decided to start the Cabot Trail on the southeast side of the province, staying only one night in Baddeck before we worked our way northeast around the loop. Our first day in Nova Scotia consisted of drive time between Canada’s two smallest provinces. After a light unloading, we walked around briefly before a quick bite at Tom’s Pizza. The highlight of my day (after the chili and biscuits of course) was seeing a bald eagle sitting on the roof of one of the buildings in town. Never in my life have I seen a bald eagle alive and in the flesh until we hit Nova Scotia!!
Day 2 - Baddeck to Cheticamp
For our first official day on the Cabot Trail, we kicked off with a solid breakfast before heading northeast towards the start of the trail. As I mentioned, the trail consists of plenty of outdoor activity options and hiking paths as well as, to our absolute delight, small shops along the way featuring work from various artisans. Additionally, there is a strong Galeic tie in Nova Scotia so seeing that represented within the local businesses and community (not to mention hearing the variety of accents throughout both Nova Scotia and P.E.I.) was really cool.
Some favorite stops:
Bean There Cafe - Grabbed bagel sandwiches and a coffee (mom)/mocha (moi) for a full belly before we started our drive.
Highwheeler Cafe & Bakery - Honorable mention here as it wasn’t open when we visited town but I desperately wanted to give it a try. Please visit and tell me how it is.
The Gaelic College - If you want to hear some bagpipes first thing in the morning, this one’s for you (and me). There is also a cultural center and shop to explore.
Piper Pewter - A neat place to stop with Celtic and Scottish hand-crafted pewter products. I bought a pin but they have jewelry, kilt pins, crests, and more!
Colouratura Art Gallery & Cabotto Chocolates - Peruse (and maybe purchase) various art before grabbing some sweets, for a quick break.
Glass Artisans Studio & Gallery - Walk up and watch a skilled craftsperson blow glass in their studio (you can ask them questions too!). Then head over to the shop for an array of fun creations. I finally got some art of my beloved lupins in the form of stained glass here!
Wildfire Pottery - Quirky shop for a peruse. The gentleman behind the counter serenaded us with a North Carolina fiddle tune.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park - You can’t not go through this if you’re driving the Cabot Trail. You’ll find numerous hikes and outdoor activities as well as a few more shops to stop at. You will have to pay a minimal entrance fee to drive in.
I required a hiking activity so we compromised on the Middle Head trail, which offered an easy fresh air break from the car with some pretty views (and maybe whale sounds?).
Groovy Goat Farm - Grab some goat milk soap and walk around back to the barn to pet all the cute animals. What more could you want?!
Salty Rose’s & the Periwinkle Cafe - Another honorable mention. We hit it after it had already closed for the day and man, was I sad. I desperately wanted to grab a lavender London fog, peruse, and relax.
TIPS:
Before you map your drive, download the latest Artisan Trail Map so you don’t miss any of the great shops along your route!
Make sure you fill up on gas before you enter the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. As you near the entrance, you’ll see some warning signs about how long until the next station. It does get much less populated as you route yourself north, so be careful with your tank.
Don’t forget your sunscreen! I love these sticks for my purse and this lightweight cream for every day. The breeze may be cool but the sun will still getcha.
Keep an eye on closing times to plan your day(s). There aren’t many ways to adjust your drive along the loop but peep some of the opening hours of the above shops to make sure you’ll have time to hit them before they close, even if it means you backtrack a bit toward your hike (or choose a different one), since the trails will be open later.
Get out of the car! There are so many scenic pull-offs with beautiful views that you’ll miss if you simply drive by them.
Day 3 - Chéticamp + surrounding
There comes a time in life when you become excited about a birdwatching tour. I guess my early 30s was that time for me. To be fair, who doesn’t want a chance at spotting real-life tiny cartoon birds, aka puffins?? Plus, I love a good boat ride. Since our boat tour wasn’t until the early afternoon, we took the morning to explore around Chéticamp before weaving back to Englishtown for our water excursion.
Some favorites:
Donelda’s Puffin Boat Tours - A very thorough ride out to the various rocks where many types of birds perch. You get your money’s worth, though I do wish it had been just a little shorter.
Freya & Thor Gallery & Cafe - Reallyyy cute spot with so many art pieces I desperately wanted to take home.
Aucoin Bakery - I basically can never turn down a bakery, especially a French boulangerie. Also, pie slices? Yes, please.
Lola’s Proud to be Hookers - I mean, how could you not stop with a name like that? Sadly, based on the conversation with one of the sales associates, it’s an underappreciated art but the creations they make and the time that’s put in… amazing!
The Cable Room at the Telegraph House - I will always stop for a roast chicken dinner. This was excellent and the perfect warm-up after being quite damp post-bird boat ride. Heads-up that you probably should make reservations unless, like us, you come way before the dinner rush (and get lucky).
TIPS:
If we were to have spent even a day longer, or do it all over again, I probably would have found us a stay with a kitchen. On some of the days it would have been much nicer to have been able to make our own meals (at least a few) as in certain parts the restaurant options can be limited, and not that exciting.
I love a road trip so my car is always well packed for most activities but one thing I didn’t think to bring and wish I had was a pair of binoculars. Especially for the bird boat tour, as it can be really hard to see all the different birds from far away.
Be sure to pack wet weather gear. I had a pair of rain boots as well as a rainjacket that I was very thankful for on our boat ride, but we also encountered some rainy weather across both Nova Scotia and P.E.I. so waterproof clothing options are a must.
By the end of our boat ride, after we grabbed dinner in Baddeck, we were pretty wiped (and soggy) so we headed back to our stay. My mom was desperate to see a moose before we left Cape Breton so after picking the brain of our Airbnb host, who gave us tips on where we could see them, we ventured out at dusk. Pretty sure my mom has a death wish since after almost giving up, she spotted one and then proceeded to have me keep doing u-turns so she could try to get better shots of him. We (and the car) did survive though.
Day 4 - Chéticamp to Lunenberg
Today was a drive, explore, drive day. Starting out early from Chéticamp we made a quick pittstop at Marguerite Boutique et Provisions - I love a little cafe with shoppable knickknacks! - for a hot beverage before finishing off the remaining loop of the Cabot Trail, simply enjoying the views. From my perspective, the best parts of the trail are going North from Baddeck and then around and down through Chéticamp. After that it somewhat tapers off - still some pretty views though fewer shops to stop at. From the Cabot Trail, we headed toward the cute town of Lunenberg, with a lunchtime stop in Halifax for a bite to eat and a walkaround.
Overall, even though it feels sacrilege to say as a devout Anne of Green Gables lover, these few days exploring the Cabot Trail were some of my absolute favorites of our Canadian road trip.
If you’re visiting Nova Scotia soon, I hope you find yourself along this route, exploring some of our favorite stops. Just know, there will be a woman in the world (me, wherever I am) jealous of you the entire time.
Be sure to tag @accentgolden in your adventures, I’d love to see them!
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