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Routes · North America

Los Angeles to Nova Scotia: Cape Breton Island

Los Angeles → Baddeck → Chéticamp

Baddeck
"View from the steamer, Baddeck CB A.jpg" by Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge Dusk (2) 2019-06-21 (Sydney)
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A coastal highway & Celtic music Best season (general guide): Jun–Oct

Cape Breton, at Nova Scotia's northern end, is an island of highlands, sea cliffs and Celtic traditions. This route spends three nights in Baddeck and three in Chéticamp. From Los Angeles you'll connect via Toronto or Halifax to Sydney, Nova Scotia. The Cabot Trail is a scenic road looping around the island's northern tip, climbing through Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Baddeck: day one, drive from Sydney; day two, Bell museum; day three, Fortress of Louisbourg. Then spend days four to six in Chéticamp: day four, drive the Cabot Trail; day five, Skyline Trail; day six, whale watching.

The Skyline Trail, in the park, leads to a headland above the sea where moose are often seen. Baddeck, on the Bras d'Or Lake, was the summer home of Alexander Graham Bell, and a national historic site tells his story. The Fortress of Louisbourg, on the east coast, is a large reconstruction of an eighteenth-century French fortified town.

Chéticamp is an Acadian village, and the island's Celtic music is celebrated each October at the Celtic Colours festival. June to October is the season, with autumn colours in October.

Alexander Graham Bell built hydrofoils and flying machines at Baddeck, and the Silver Dart made the first powered flight in Canada there in 1909. Gaelic is still spoken in parts of Cape Breton, and the Gaelic College at St Ann's teaches the language and music.

Lobster rolls and seafood chowder are found in many coastal restaurants. Cape Breton's Celtic Colours International Festival is held every October.

Getting there and around: fly into Sydney, go on to Baddeck overland, go on to Chéticamp by road, and return by road to Sydney for the flight home.

Suggested outline

  1. Los Angeles

    Start

  2. Baddeck

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    A lakeside village on the Bras d'Or.

  3. Chéticamp

    By road · 3 nights suggested

    An Acadian village on the Cabot Trail.

    Cabot Trail Cheticamp
    "Chéticamp River Cabot Trail Entrance.jpg" by Mykola Swarnyk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Baddeck — Arrive; drive from Sydney· Los Angeles → Sydney (by air), then Sydney → Baddeck (overland)
  2. Day 2 · Baddeck — Bell museum
  3. Day 3 · Baddeck — Fortress of Louisbourg
  4. Day 4 · Chéticamp — Drive the Cabot Trail· Baddeck → Chéticamp (by road)
  5. Day 5 · Chéticamp — Skyline Trail
  6. Day 6 · Chéticamp — Whale watching
  7. Day 7 · Chéticamp — Travel home from Chéticamp· Chéticamp → Sydney (by road), then Sydney → Los Angeles (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Baddeck

Nearest airport: Sydney Search fares · Sydney ↗

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