Cape Breton

Cape Breton Island is the easternmost extension of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, separated from the mainland by the 1.5-kilometer-wide Strait of Canso (now spanned by the 1955 Canso Causeway, which is the only land connection to the rest of Nova Scotia). The island is 10,311 km² (similar in size to Connecticut), with a population of about 132,000, mostly concentrated in the Sydney metropolitan area on the eastern coast. Cape Breton's defining identity comes from its dual cultural heritage — the Scottish Gaelic-speaking communities that settled the island in the 1770s-1850s (mostly Highland Scots displaced by the Highland Clearances, who brought traditional Gaelic music, fiddle-playing, and Highland dance with them; Cape Breton is now the only place outside Scotland where Scottish Gaelic is still spoken as a community language) and the Acadian-French communities of Isle Madame and the Chéticamp region (descendants of the 17th-century French settlers who were expelled by the British in 1755 in the Grand Dérangement, with many later returning).

The defining travel feature is the Cabot Trail — a 297-kilometer circular scenic highway that loops around the northern half of the island, regularly ranked among the world's most beautiful drives. The trail passes through Cape Breton Highlands National Park (a 950-square-kilometer national park covering the northern third of the island, with dramatic Atlantic-facing cliffs, boreal-forest plateau, moose habitat, and a remarkable concentration of moose and bald eagles), the Acadian-French village of Chéticamp on the western coast, the Scottish-Gaelic village of Pleasant Bay (with its whale-watching cruises and the Whale Interpretive Centre), the dramatic Skyline Trail (an easy 7.5 km headland trail with breathtaking views from the famous boardwalk descent at the cliff edge), the small village of Ingonish (the trail's eastern entrance with the legendary Keltic Lodge resort), and the cultural anchor of the Gaelic College at St. Ann's (the only Gaelic-language educational institution in North America). The trail is most spectacularly photogenic during the late September-early October autumn foliage period, when the surrounding sugar maple and birch forests turn brilliant orange and gold.

Beyond the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton offers significant additional attractions. The Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site (a meticulously reconstructed 18th-century French fortress on the eastern coast, the largest such reconstruction in North America, with costumed interpreters demonstrating colonial life) is one of the country's most distinctive historical experiences. The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck (the inventor's summer estate, where he conducted later experiments with hydrofoils, kites, and tetrahedral structures; the small museum has the original AEA Silver Dart that made Canada's first powered flight in 1909). The Mi'kmaq First Nations cultural sites at Eskasoni (Canada's largest Mi'kmaw community) offer cultural experiences including traditional medicine, basketry, and the Mi'kmaq language. The Bras d'Or Lake (a 1,099-square-kilometer salt-water inland lake covering the center of the island, designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011 for its unique mixing of fresh and salt water and abundant bird life) supports significant boating, kayaking, and sailing. Most international visitors drive the full Cabot Trail in 3-5 days (1-2 nights in each major village), often as part of an extended Atlantic Canada road trip (PEI - Nova Scotia mainland - Cape Breton - return). The island is closely associated with the historic Glenora Distillery (Canada's first single-malt whisky distillery, founded 1990) and the legendary Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster.