| Cape Breton, Nova Scotia |
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| Destination Guide |
North America > Canada > Nova Scotia
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The city of Sydney and the towns of Reserve Mines, Glace Bay, Dominion, New Waterford, North Sydney, Sydney Mines and Louisbourg are the major population centers on Cape Breton and are home to three-fourths of the people living on the island.
Glace Bay (population 19,501), at the junction of Routes 4, 28 and 255, is a former coal-mining town. "Glace" is French for "ice," and the town was named for the ice drifting in the harbor in winter.
Attractions include:
(1) several shopping areas
(2) a wharf with a small fishing fleet
(3) Renwick Brook Park
(4) Savoy Theatre on Union Street, built in 1927, is an active performing centre with a variety of entertainment staged throughout the year
(5) Tours of the Miner's Museum at Quarry Point, including Ocean Deeps Colliery which brings to life the history of Cape Breton coal mining.
(6) At Table Head, the Marconi National Historic Site features a small museum which documents Marconi's telegraphic achievements in Cape Breton.
Sydney (population 26,083) is situated in a large, protected harbor and is known as "The Steel City." It is Nova Scotia's third-largest community. Sydney's many visitor services include accommodations, banks, university, restaurants, shopping areas, police, hospitals, parks, museums, recreational facilities, harbor cruises, an airport and a bus terminal. The city is also a major cruise ship destination.
Founded in 1785, Sydney was first settled by Loyalists from New York State, who were followed 20 years later by immigrants from the Scottish Highlands. Sydney boomed at the turn of the century with the construction of the Dominion Steel and Coal Company steel plant at Whitney Pier, still the city's major industry.
Tourist attractions in Sydney:
(1) Wentworth Park, a narrow band of green area near the city centre, with duck ponds, walking paths and picnic areas
(2) Cossit House on Charlotte Street, built in 1787, the oldest house in Sydney and now a provincial museum
(3) St. Patrick's Church, an historical museum located on the Esplanade near the government wharf
(4) Jost House on Charlotte Street, a 200-year-old wooden dwelling
(5) Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science
(6) The University College of Cape Breton
(7) Action Week: an annual festival of music, sports, and special events held in August
(8) Centre 200: a sports and culture complex which hosts events throughout the year.
(9) Lingan Golf and Country Club, an 18-hole course which welcomes visiting players
(10) Summertime Productions, which performs variety revues throughout the province, and to the Cape Breton Chorale, a community choir whose repertoire includes traditional Nova Scotia folk songs.
A number of highways radiate from Sydney, leading through area towns to scenic highways and major tourist attractions. These include Route 4 to Glace Bay, 19 km (12 mi.) away; Route 22 to Louisbourg and the Fleur-de-lis Trail; and Route 28, an alternative route to Glace Bay via New Waterford, 22 km (14 mi.) away, and Dominion.
Reserve Mines (population 1,898), a former mining district, is the location of Sydney Airport. This airport has daily flights to major Canadian and American cities and to the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
New Waterford (population 7,695) is located at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, near the entrance to Sydney Harbour. The wharf is busy with the activities of a local fishing fleet.
In 1925 the town was the site of a bitter strike that included armed battles between townspeople and British Empire Steel Company police. A monument on Baker Street tells the story of this tragic event, and June 11 is now celebrated as Miners' Memorial Day throughout the coalfields of Cape Breton.
River Ryan, located on the outskirts of town, features a public beach as well as great fishing, a campground, and restaurant facilities equipped with picnic tables.
The Colliery Lands Park in New Waterford is located on the site of the former No. 12 and No. 16 coal mines. A memorial commemorates the 298 miners killed over the years in the local collieries. The park features an exposed coal seam, a representative mine slope, a coal hopper-car display, picnic tables and a bandshell. New Waterford Coal Dust Days are held annually in July.
Dominion (pop. 2,517) is a former coal-mining town. Dominion Seaside Days are held annually in August. Dominion Beach Park is a major recreation area, with picnic tables and supervised swimming.
Sydney River (pop. 3,279) is at the junction with Routes 305 and 125. A suburb of the city of Sydney and a major shopping district, Sydney River is the location of a visitor information centre, painted in the colors and design of the Cape Breton tartan. Route 4 continues along the south shore of the Bras d'Or Lake to St. Peter's.
North Sydney (pop. 7,260), is an historic seaport incorporated in 1885.
It is the terminus for Marine Atlantic ferry service to Newfoundland.
Attractions include:
(1) Seaview Golf & Country Club, a public 18 hole course.
(2) Gallop's Funland amusement park for family fun.
(3) Harbour tours, yacht rentals and Marine Atlantic day cruises are available.
(4) Local entertainers provide traditional and modern musical ceilidhs at various venues throughout the town, including the Marine Atlantic Terminal.
(5) A museum located at the North Sydney Fire Station provides information on the town's history and its large number of heritage homes.
Port Hastings Museum and Archives
The museum is open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm in May and June; In July and August the hours are 8:30 am Monday to Friday; and weekends 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm.
Overlooking the Strait of Canso on Church Street is an old house, built in the late 1880's. Among the main exhibits is a well-organized display highly popular with tourists. Composed of photographs taken by Angus Walker, and the companies involved, it tells the story of the building of the world's deepest causeway which was gouged out of nearby Cape Porcupine. Incorporating a railway, highway and a canal, the mile-wide Canso Causeway created an ice free harbor capable of handling the largest supertankers. Navigated by the first commercial vessel in September of 1955, the Causeway profoundly influenced the economic development of both the Strait area and all of Cape Breton.
The Pioneer Room contains artifacts revolving around the work and leisure of earlier times, and a display in the upstairs hall features two of the oldest holdings in the museum, a century old quilt and a wedding dress.
Beaton Institute of Cape Breton Studies
Located on the campus of the University College of Cape Breton, the Beaton is open to the public weekdays.
The Beaton Institute is a research center and archive mandated to collect and conserve the social, economic, political, and cultural history of Cape Breton Island. Relevant material is organized and made available for the use of students, academics, researchers, media, and the general public.
The Beaton's holdings include over 3,000 manuscript groups, 50,000 photographs, 3,500 audio and video tapes, 1,500 maps and plans, and 1,500 books.
Sydney Mines (pop. 7,551) grew up around the great coal fields of Sydney Harbor, A beautifully restored post office which has since become the Town Hall is located at the center of the business district. Various town events, such as Canada Day and a fall festival, feature nationally known local musicians and artists throughout the tourist season. A number of craft locations in the town feature locally produced crafts, including a unique line of pottery depicting the mining heritage of the area.
Sydney Mines Community Heritage Museum
The fortress grounds are extensive and the weather is changeable so comfortable shoes and a jacket or sweater is recommended. Allow one full day to visit.
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site
History comes alive as visitors relive the glorious days of New France in 1744 at the largest historical reconstruction in North America. Plan to spend a day on the animated streets of the fortress, visiting the townsfolk in their homes and soldiers at local pubs as they talk about their war with the British.
Enjoy authentic 18th-century dining at one of the period restaurants or picnic along the Mi'kmaq Interpretive Trail. A day at the fortress is an unforgettable history lesson.
Miners' Museum
Put on a helmet and join a retired miner for an underground tour at the Ocean Deeps Colliery. This is a unique adventure at the Miners' Museum in Glace Bay. Experience a day in the life of a Cape Breton coal miner and visit the exhibits, company store and period miner's home. Later, relax and enjoy a meal at the historic Miners' Village Restaurant.
Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site
Nestled in the lakeside community of Baddeck, the museum is a tribute to one of the most influential men of the 19th and 20th centuries, Alexander Graham Bell. The museum contains the world's largest collection of artifacts, photographs and personal mementoes of Dr. Bell, inventor and humanitarian.
Inventing the telephone at age 29 was just the beginning for this teacher of the deaf. Learn how the secrets of flight were revealed to him through kites, eventually leading to the first controlled flight in the British Empire. Samples of Bell's work are on display at the Museum and visitors can participate in experiments and kite making programs.
Whale Interpretive Center
Pleasant Bay's Whale Interpretative Centre is a stop along the Cabot Trail. The Centre traces the natural history of 16 species of whales from evolution to present day. (open May 15 - October 30).
Gaelic College of Celtic Arts & Crafts
Learn to speak Gaelic or play the fiddle. Watch as kilted dancers dance to the bagpipes in this little corner of Scotland.
The Great Hall of the Clans explores visitors' heritage. Hosts daily and weekly events throughout the season, including a lunch-time ceilidh series.
Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre
For a glimpse into the life of the Mi'kmaq people, don't miss the Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre, located at the Wagmatcook First Nation. Join an interpretive guide for a tour of this magnificent cultural site and its heritage exhibits, artifacts and demonstrations in Mi'kmaq drumming, dancing and storytelling.
St. Peters Canal
One of the highlights on the Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive is St. Peters Canal, the only national historic canal in Atlantic Canada. Man made and operating on a lock system, the canal links two great bodies of water, the Atlantic Ocean and the Bras d'Or Lakes. Picnic on the well tended lawns or fish awhile while watching yachts, schooners and fishers pass through.
Glenora Distillery and EconoMuseum
The Gaels are reputed to having invented "Uisge Beatha"- "The Water of Life" and they claim that Gaelic improves the flavour of the whiskey. In Glenville, on the Ceilidh Trail, is the home of North America's only single malt whiskey distiller, Glenora Distillery.
Glenora features tours of the kiln, milling production,warehousing and bottling, and interpretive displays on "The History of Whisky" and "How to Make Whisky".
Gut of Canso Museum and Archives
9 Church St.
Port Hastings
625-1295; O/S 625-0779, 625-2794.
Open Jun 15 to Oct 15.
History comes alive in this 100-year-old Cape Breton house overlooking the Canso Strait: Pioneer Room, commerce room (local history), family room, early hobbies & pastimes. Displays on the construction of the world's deepest man-made causeway and its impact on the railroad, ferry and lives of families in the area. Admission free, donations
MacDonald House Museum
Open Jun 15-Sep 7, 9am-5pm daily. 258-3317.
Lake Ainslie, East
Open Jun 15 to Sep 7.
3458 Hwy 395. On Lake Ainslie. Gothic-style, 150-year-old farmhouse; furnished rooms; exhibit room features crafts, housing loom and spinning wheel. A barn displays farm machinery and tools; also used for square dances and concerts during the summer. Restored one-room schoolhouse (c 1920
Mabou & Vicinity--Mabou (pop. 400) is situated on a deep and protected inlet along the island's picturesque west shore. Scenic drives and bike rides are a dime a dozen hereabouts; few roads fail to yield opportunities to break out the camera or just lean against your vehicle and enjoy the panorama. The residents are strongly oriented toward music in their activities, unusually so even for musical Cape Breton Island.
Evening entertainment tends to revolve around fiddle playing, square dancing, or a traditional gathering of musicians and storytellers called a ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee).
The village of Marble Mountain, on the southwestern shore, offers an intriguing glimpse into history. The town was once a bustling metropolis of sorts. In 1868 a lustrous seam of marble was located here, and by the early part of this century a full-scale mining operation was in effect, supplying builders worldwide. At it peak, the quarry employed 750, and the town was home to more than 1,000. Today, it's reverted to a sleepy backwater. The Marble Mountain Museum and Library in a former schoolhouse is open summers only, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am to 5pm; it provides a glimpse at the former prosperity of the area.
Chéticamp
The Acadian town of Chéticamp (pop. 1,000) is the western gateway to Cape Breton Highlands National Park and the center for French-speaking culture on Cape Breton. The change is striking as you drive northward from Margaree Harbour--the family names suddenly go from MacDonald to Doucet, and the whole culture and cuisine change.
Chéticamp is noted worldwide for its hooked rugs, a craft perfected by early Acadian settlers. Those curious about the craft should allow time for a stop at Les Trois Pignons, which houses the Elizabeth LeFort Gallery and Museum, Main Street (north end of town) (tel. 902/224-2642), and displays 20 of the 300 fine tapestries created by Dr. LeFort, along with a number of other rugs made by local craftspeople. It's open daily 8am to 6pm in July and August; 9am to 5pm spring and fall. Closed November through April. Admission is C$3.50 (US$2.35) adults, C$3 (US$2) seniors, free for ages 12 and under.
Several boat tour operators are based in Chéticamp Harbour. Seaside Whale and Nature Cruises (tel. 800/959-4253), and Acadian Whale Cruises (tel. 877/232-2522 or 902/224-1088), both set out in search of whales, seals, and scenery, and both have hydrophones on board for listening to any whales you may encounter.
The Cabot Trail climbs and descends the hairy 1,000-foot-high promontory of Cape Smokey, which explodes into panoramic views from the top. At the highest point, there's a provincial park where you can cool your engine and admire the views. A 7-mile (11km) hiking trail leads to the tip of the cape along the high bluffs, studded with unforgettable viewpoints along the way.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada
Cheticamp
Open year-round.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park protects 366 sq. mi. of highlands and coastal wilderness in northern Cape Breton.
Les Trois Pignons: Museum of the Hooked Rug and Home Life
15584 Main St.
Cheticamp
Open May 15-Oct 15, daily 9am-5pm (July & Aug, daily 8am-7pm). 224-2642; 224-2612; fax 224-1579.
Admission charged.
Acadian, cultural, genealogical and visitor information centre. The museum's theme joins the story of the settlement of Cheticamp and the story of the hooked rugs. Guided tours. French spoken. Admission charged.
North Highlands Community Museum
Cape North
Open Jun 2 to Oct 5
Admission free; donations welcome. Open Jun 2-Oct 5, 10am-6pm. 383-2579.
Display of artifacts, photographs and papers illustrating the way of life experienced by northern Cape Breton's early settlers. Exhibits include shipwrecks, gypsum quarry, store, diaries, and church histories. Extensive local genealogy and archives. Information centre.
Whale Interpretive Centre
Pleasant Bay
Open May 15 to Oct 20.
A unique and stimulating experience, opening a window on the world of the whale and the intricate web of life. Life-size models of whales, exhibits, interactive media, touch tank. Admission adult $4.50, child/senior $3.50, family $14. MC, VS, DD. G, PW, B, Pic, P25. Open May 15-Oct 20 (special groups until Nov 30). 224-1411; fax 224-1751.
Octagon Arts Centre
Dingwall
Open Jun 27 to Oct 16.
Small performing arts centre; superb acoustics. Chamber series, Ceilidh series. Nature talks. Admission varies. AMCC. PW, R. Open Jun 27-Oct 16. 383-2246; fax 383-2092.
Pirogue Fisheries Museum
Cheticamp
Park entry fee charged mid-May to mid-Oct. Open year-round (reduced services early Oct to late May). 285-2691; 224-2306; brochures 888-773-8888.
Exhibits and interactive displays on the fishing industry of the area, rag rug demonstrations, Acadian homestead, and Gallery of the Sea. Bilingual.
Open year-round: 10am-9pm daily. 224-3349; fax 224-2801.
Admission charged.
The park offers 26 hiking trails, camping, golf, wildlife, swimming, Interpretive programs at outdoor theaters in summer. The Cheticamp Information Centre (wheelchair-accessible) offers a large exhibit on sightseeing and hiking opportunities, nature puzzles and games, a slide show and a large nature bookstore.
The Cossit House
75 Charlotte St. (902/539-7973 or 902/539-1572) is Sydney's oldest house, built in 1785. Restored and furnished with a collection of 18th-century antiques.
Jost Heritage House,
54 Charlotte St. (902/539-0366 or 902/539-7998), was built in 1787 and once served as a store. It includes an early apothecary
June through August Monday through Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm, and the same days 10am to 4pm during the fall
St. Patrick's Museum
87 Esplanade (902/562-8237)
Cape Breton's oldest Roman Catholic church which dates to 1828. It is to the public daily in summer from 9:30 - 5:30pm (1pm Sun). There is an old burying ground and a collection of local artifacts.
Lighthouse at Neil's Harbor
Located in a postcard-perfect fishing village on the far side of the fishing fleet is a squarish red-and-white lighthouse which is now an ice-cream parlor.
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Park
July-Aug daily 9am-6pm; May-June and Sept-Oct daily 9:30am-5pm
Louisbourg, NS
(902)733-2280
Closed Nov 1-Apr 30
You will wander through the impressive gatehouse--perhaps being challenged by a costumed guard on the lookout for English spies--and then begin wandering the narrow lanes and poking around the faux-historic buildings, some of which contain informative exhibits, others of which are restored and furnished with convincingly worn reproductions. Chicken, geese, and other barnyard animals peck and cluck as vendors hawk freshly baked bread out of wood-fired ovens.
Highland Village Museum
Free guided tours by costumed interpreters.
Hours Mid-May to mid-Oct daily 9am-6pm (mid-July to late Aug until 8pm)
Location Rte. 223, Iona
Phone 902/725-2272
Closed mid-Oct to mid-May
The Highland Village is located near Iona, on a grassy hillside with sweeping views over the lake. The living history museum contains a 43 acre village featuring 10 buildings that reflect the region's Gaelic heritage, including historic structures moved here from locations around the island and exacting replicas. These range from the Black House (ca. 1790), a stone and sod hut of the sort an immigrant would have lived in prior to departing Scotland, to a schoolhouse and general store from the 1920s. Staffers dressed in historical costume will answer any questions you may have about early island life.
The Margaree River has been accorded celebrity status in fishing circles--it's widely regarded as one of the most productive Atlantic salmon rivers in North America, and salmon have continued to return to spawn here in recent years, which is unfortunately not the case in many other waterways of Atlantic Canada. The river has been open to fly-fishing only since the 1880s, and in 1991 it was designated a Canadian Heritage River.
Margaree Salmon Museum
The Margaree River, world famous for its salmon, runs through rural valleys and hills that are a dream come true for photographers, artists, and outdoorsmen. At the Margaree Salmon Museum learn the rich history of salmon fishing in this area and enjoy the incredible collection of salmon flies, rods, reels, and many other artifacts of sports fishing.
Organized Tours
Puffin Tours--Thirty minutes west of Sydney (just off the Trans-Canada Hwy. en route to St. Ann's or Baddeck) is the home port of Bird Island Boat Tours (tel. 800/661-6680 or 902/674-2384). On a 2 1/2-hour narrated cruise you'll head out to the Bird Islands, home to a colony of around 300 nesting puffins. You'll get within about 60 feet of the colorful birds (they nest in grassy burrows above rocky cliffs), and you may also see razorbills, guillemots, and the occasional bald eagle. Three tours are offered daily in summer; the fare is C$28 (US$19) adults, C$12.50 (US$8) children 6 to 12; free for children under 5. Reservations are suggested.
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