This East Coast Island Is A Magical Fall Oasis & Here's What To Do There (PHOTOS)
A fall getaway is calling! 🍂
Cape Breton Island.
Now that the air is getting cooler and bright yellows, oranges and reds are starting to blend into the trees, it's the perfect time to plan your fall getaway.
Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia comes alive during the season, with breathtaking displays of fall foliage and long oceanside drives to enjoy them from.
While the West Coast is known far and wide as the place to go to see Canadian beauty at its finest, the East Coast flies a bit under the radar. But it has its own stunning views, incredible hikes and hidden gems that shine even brighter in the fall season.
Cape Breton Island is famous for its coastal drive, the Cabot Trail, which is especially beautiful as the leaves change colour. You can wind along the road with rocky cliffs covered in brightly coloured leaves on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other — stopping along the way to visit charming small towns.
The 298-kilometre loop takes you around the entire northern half of the island, including through the Cape Breton Highlands, making the perfect road trip for the fall with tons of stops you can pepper in along the way.
While just driving the Cabot Trail alone draws in visitors from all over, the island has a lot else to offer in the fall for anyone looking to embrace the season, so there's no shortage of things to do.
If you're tempted to make a fall escape and see more of Atlantic Canada, here are a few of the things that should be on your Cape Breton bucket list this season.
Go for a hike in Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Cape Breton Highlands National Park is full of incredible scenery, and there's a long list of hikes you can go on to enjoy it.
At the top of that list is the popular Skyline Trail, which looks out on the seemingly endless horizon and leads you along the breathtaking coastline. The dramatic view of the rolling hills and rocky cliffs that hug the shore is as picturesque as it gets, which explains why this trail is so popular.
For a more difficult hike, you can take on Franey Trail, which makes you work for the unbelievable view — mountains, ocean, forest and river all in one.
Whatever trail you're on here, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife — especially moose!
Visit Meat Cove
This impressive spot is well worth the visit, especially with the backdrop of changing leaves. Located at the northern tip of the island, you'll get views of the rugged coastline and the wide open ocean.
You can do the Meat Cove Mountain Trail hike here to immerse yourself in nature and stroll along the scenic beach afterward.
Explore Egypt Falls
This short but challenging hike will get your blood pumping, but the cascading waterfall surrounded by yellow will make it worth the journey to reach it.
It takes about 20 minutes to do this hike in the Margarees, and you can rest at the top beneath the breathtaking falls. Sit and have a snack or a picnic with the waterfall as your soundtrack and beauty surrounding you.
Stop in Baddeck
Get a taste of Cape Breton charm at this small oceanside village. You can walk along the charming downtown area, stopping in at local shops in restaurants, enjoy a view of the sailboats floating in the water and the idyllic lighthouse and head out to one of the hikes in the area, like Uisge Bàn Falls Provincial Park.
This is also the beginning of the Cabot Trail, so it's the perfect first stop on your road trip.
Take a tour of the Glenora Distillery
The "first single malt whisky distillery in North America" is right here on Cape Breton, and it's a fun way to mix up your trip to the island.
Even if you're not a big whisky fan, the tour gives some interesting history in a beautiful setting, and seeing the inside of the distillery is a cool experience. Plus, you get to sample the product.
You can also make this an overnight stop on your trip and stay at the inn on their property.
Kayak amidst the fall colours
If you want to get off the road and see the coastline from the water, you can head out on a kayaking tour. North River Kayak Tours offers half-day and full-day guided tours around the island, so you can explore Cape Breton gliding through the ocean.
Ride the gondola up Cape Smokey
This is the "first and only gondola in Atlantic Canada," and it will take you up Cape Smokey to get views of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Ingonish and the sparkling ocean.
It's especially magical in the fall, as you ride up the mountain among all the fall colours. Once you're at the summit, you can grab some food and walk around, enjoying the sights.
Don't skip the beaches
Beaches aren't just for summer, and a visit to Cape Breton without walking along its stunning beaches would be a waste. Ingonish, Inverness and Point Michaud beaches are all stunning and worth a stop.
You might not be sunbathing, but you can walk along Inverness Beach looking for sea glass, or watch the waves at Point Michaud. Make sure to time your beach stroll right so you catch a stunning sunset — you won't regret it.
Check out Celtic Colours International Festival
If you time your trip right, you can catch the Celtic Colours festival, which runs from October 6 to 14 this year. There are a ton of events scattered around the island during the festival, making it that much more lively and fun to explore.
You can check out the schedule of different activities and events and buy tickets on the festival website.
Take a break at Salty Rose's & the Periwinkle Café
With all the hiking, sightseeing and kayaking you'll be doing, you might want a pit stop to grab some coffee.
There are a bunch of amazing local shops and restaurants to check out all around the island, and one of them is definitely Salty Rose's and the Periwinkle Café. The charming cafe and shop in Ingonish has a mouthwatering menu with freshly baked goods and local drinks.
They also have a display of local goodies and jewelry so you can grab a souvenir for your trip.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
- 11 Of The Best Places To Visit In Canada, According To Our Travel Team (PHOTOS) ›
- This Stunning Nova Scotia Beach Has A Kilometre Of Soft Sand, Turquoise Waters & Sand Dunes ›
- This Tiny Oceanside Village In Nova Scotia Is Overflowing With Charm & Is A Perfect Getaway ›
- This Canadian destination named among the world's 'top natural phenomena' for travellers - Narcity ›