They say once you visit Cape Breton your heart will never leave. There is just something about this place that grabs a hold of you and captures your heart and soul.  From the rugged coastline, the beautiful sunsets, the fresh salt air, and the many characters you’ll encounter along your journey, it’s real, unpretentious and a breath of fresh air.

But I have to be honest, as I am bias.  I had the good fortune to live on the island for 4 yrs and it’s the place I’ll return to for summers when I retire.

A peninsula located in the northeast part of the province of Nova Scotia it is connected to the mainland by the Canso Causeway. Surrounded by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Northumberland Strait, and Cabot Strait it is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty. From rocky shorelines, rolling farmlands, emerald green glens and the world famous Cabot Trail there is dramatic scenery at every turn.

The west side of the Island was my stomping grounds and I’m openly partial to it, and there’s no better way to experience it than biking the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail. Part of the Trans Canada Trail system this 92-km trail stretches from the start of route 19 in Port Hastings all the way north to Inverness.

While biking the once railway track you’ll take in awe-inspiring natural beauty while breathing in the fresh salt air and peacefulness of the calm surroundings. Along the way you’ll encounter vibrant Celtic communities, active fishing harbours, warm water beaches in West Mabou, the Glenora Distillery in Glenville where you can sample Canada’s only single malt whiskey, before ending your journey in the small town of Inverness, home of the only true links golf course in Canada.  You can plan your visit from a multi-day cycling itinerary to a short 1 or 2 hour excursion while visiting other points on the island.

But if fast food and chain hotels are what you’re looking for then this isn’t the place for you. Here you’ll find family run restaurants and quaint B&Bs such as the Dusky Diamond in Inverness. This is a place where hospitality is an enduring tradition, and it lives on by welcoming visitors looking for a lot more than a mint on their pillow.

The Island remains what it has always been, a seductively quaint and authentic experience that will allow you the opportunity to interact with warm and friendly locals and experience their traditions firsthand. From the Sunday night square dances in Glenco, to the many festivals full of Celtic culture you can be as busy or still as you want.

I feel extremely blessed for my Cape Breton experience. This place has soothed, stimulated, and expanded me in ways no other place has.  And when I come home to Cape Breton I am reminded of how to live; simply, joyfully and with spaciousness. So, if you’re looking to get off the beaten path, to find something new and meet the locals, then discovering the road less traveled on Cape Breton Island couldn’t be a better choice.

Insider Tip:

If you want to experience spectacular fall foliage and toe-tapping live music, then plan your stay during Celtic Colours International Festival. For nine days in October, you’ll find some of the world’s finest musicians sharing the stage with Cape Breton’s best singers, dancers, players, and storytellers in communities across the island.

Golf lovers will relish at the chance to play world class courses of Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs in Inverness. Ranked #1 and #6 in Canada you can find out for yourself what all the fuss is about.