3-Day Cape Breton Itinerary With Kids: Cabot Trail Road Trip

If you only have three days in Cape Breton, I’d spend most of them exploring the Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Highlands National Park rather than trying to see the entire island. That’s exactly what we did. Here’s our 3-day Cape Breton itinerary.

Cape Breton was one of the places I was most excited about on our Maritime road trip, and the famous Cabot Trail was a big reason we added it to our itinerary. But we only had three days, which meant we had to make some choices.

I would have REALLY loved to visit the Fortress of Louisbourg and explore Sydney, but we simply didn’t have enough time to do everything without spending our entire visit rushing from one place to the next.

So we decided to focus almost exclusively on the Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

And I’m really glad we did.

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Our 3-Day Cape Breton Itinerary at a Glance

Here’s what our Cape Breton itinerary looked like:

Day 1: Antigonish to Chéticamp: Egypt Falls → Belle Côte → Chéticamp

Day 2: Chéticamp to Ingonish: Skyline Trail → Lone Shieling → Beulach Ban Falls → North Highlands Community Museum → Neil’s Harbour → Green Cove → Groovy Goat Farm

Day 3: Ingonish to Baddeck: Middle Head Trail attempt → Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site → Baddeck → drive to Shediac, New Brunswick

💡 More on the Cabot Trail and Cape Breton:
7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Driving the Cabot Trail
15 Best Stops on the Cabot Trail With Kids
Our Experience Hiking the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton, NS
Is the Cabot Trail Worth Driving With Kids? Our Honest Take

Day 1: Antigonish to Chéticamp

Our first day in Cape Breton wasn’t technically a full Cabot Trail day. We started the morning in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and had to drive to Cape Breton before we could even start exploring.

From Antigonish, it’s roughly 50 km to Port Hastings, the entrance to Cape Breton Island, but we made a detour to spend the morning at Pomquet Beach (that I really recommend).

Also something worth remembering when planning your itinerary: arriving in Cape Breton doesn’t mean you’ve arrived at the Cabot Trail. We still had quite a bit of driving ahead of us before reaching our first big stop of the day.

Stop 1: Hike to Egypt Falls

Our first big adventure in Cape Breton was Egypt Falls. The hike is only about 1.8 km with 108 metres of elevation gain, so on paper, it looked like a relatively quick stop.

But it was MUCH steeper than I expected.

The trail is mostly shaded, which was really nice for a summer hike, but I definitely wished we’d brought our hiking poles, especially for the climb back up. You’ll also drive along a dirt road to reach the trailhead, so don’t be surprised when you leave the main road.

We even managed to get a little confused once we reached the bottom. We initially went left when we should have taken the trail slightly to the right toward the waterfall.

Thankfully, the waterfall was absolutely worth the effort.

The boys had so much fun playing in the water at the bottom that our “quick waterfall hike” turned into a much longer stop than we’d originally imagined.

🏊 Make sure to bring water shoes and bathing suits and purposely leave extra time to enjoy the water.

Stop 2: Our First Real Cabot Trail Views at Belle Côte

After Egypt Falls, we continued toward Chéticamp and finally started getting the coastal scenery I’d been imagining when I pictured the Cabot Trail.

We reached the Belle Côte area, and I remember thinking: THIS is what I thought the Cabot Trail would look like.

The road followed the water with dramatic cliffs in the distance, and we were incredibly lucky with the weather. We had a beautiful blue sky, which ended up being one of the few really clear stretches of weather during our time in Cape Breton.

I didn’t save the exact name of the viewpoint where we stopped, but it’s hard to miss.

Stop 3: Dinner at the Seafood Stop Restaurant & Fish Market

While hiking Egypt Falls, we met a local family who recommended the Seafood Stop Restaurant & Fish Market, just before Chéticamp. We hadn’t planned on eating there, but we decided to take their advice.

Apparently, we weren’t the only ones who knew about it because it was BUSY when we arrived. Thankfully, there was a huge lobster tank that kept the boys entertained while we waited.

We tried a few different things, including fish and chips and a shrimp and scallop stir-fry that was one of the specials. But my favourite was easily the seafood chowder.

Stop 4: Spend the Evening in Chéticamp

We finished our first Cape Breton day in Chéticamp, an Acadian community on the western side of the island and a really convenient base for exploring this side of Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

We stayed at Laurie’s Inn, which was relatively well located. We could walk down toward the marina.

And as a French-Canadian family, I also loved getting to stay in an Acadian community and seeing that part of Cape Breton’s culture.

We had hoped to check out The Doryman Pub & Grill, which is known for its live entertainment, but there was a special ticketed event happening that evening, so we couldn’t just walk in.

Day 2: Chéticamp to Ingonish Along the Cabot Trail

Day 2 was our BIG Cabot Trail day.

We had a lot we wanted to see between Chéticamp and Ingonish, but there was only one thing on our itinerary with a specific time attached to it: the Skyline Trail: our reservation window was from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., which meant an early start.

Stop 1: Hike the Skyline Trail

If you’re only going to do one longer hike during your Cape Breton itinerary, I’d make it the Skyline Trail.

The trail is approximately 6.5 km out and back, and I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about how the boys would do with the distance, especially first thing in the morning.

But the hike ended up being much easier than I expected.

Before visiting, I had this image in my head of hiking along the edge of the mountains with ocean views for most of the trail. That’s not really what the Skyline Trail is like.

Most of the hike is relatively flat and travels through the forest. You don’t get those famous Cabot Trail coastal views until you get closer to the end, where the trail reaches the boardwalk and stairs overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

But when you get there, the views are worth the walk.

The boys did really well, and we moved through the trail much faster than I’d anticipated. Funny enough, we all found the much shorter Egypt Falls hike from the previous day harder because of how steep it was.

Stop 2: Take a Short Walk at the Lone Shieling

After a 6.5 km hike, we weren’t looking for another big adventure right away.

The Lone Shieling was perfect.

It’s a short forest walk of about 1 km that leads to a stone hut modelled after the traditional homes found in the Scottish Highlands. It was a completely different experience from the dramatic coastal views we’d just seen on the Skyline Trail.

And, as often happens when we’re travelling with the boys, the thing they enjoyed most wasn’t necessarily the thing we had stopped to see. There was a little stream along the way, and they spent several minutes skipping rocks into the water.

Stop 3: Beulach Ban Falls + Picnic Lunch

Our next stop was Beulach Ban Falls, and this was another perfect example of a high-reward, low-effort Cabot Trail stop.

Unlike Egypt Falls the previous day, we didn’t have to work very hard for this waterfall.

The walk from the parking area is very short, and you can get right up near the base of the falls. After our early morning and Skyline hike, nobody was complaining about an easy waterfall trail!

We had packed a picnic and found a picnic table near the parking area, so we decided to have a super late lunch here.

Stop 4: North Highlands Community Museum

After spending most of the morning outside, we stopped at the North Highlands Community Museum.

I’ll admit, I expected this to be a pretty quick visit. Instead, we stayed much longer than planned.

The museum shares the history of northern Cape Breton, including the early settlers, local families, fishing and what everyday life looked like in the area.

We also saw a piece connected to the Titanic. Of course, THAT was the thing the boys thought was especially cool.

Optional Stop: Tartans & Treasures

Nearby, we also stopped at Tartans & Treasures, a little shop filled with Scottish and Highland souvenirs.

With Cape Breton’s strong Scottish heritage, it was a fun place to browse the different tartans and look for our family name. Well, technically my husband’s family name and therefore the boys’ family tartan, not mine! 🤣

We ended up buying a couple of coasters with the family tartan as a souvenir from the trip.

Stop 5: Neil’s Harbour

We continued along the Cabot Trail to Neil’s Harbour, a small fishing village.

There’s a harbour, beautiful coastal scenery and a lighthouse that has been converted into an ice cream shop. You’ll also find The Chowder House nearby if you’re looking for somewhere to eat.

But what I remember most about Neil’s Harbour was spotting our first seals of the trip.

We saw them swimming in the water near the Chowder House, which immediately got the boys excited. After that, we started paying much more attention to the water whenever we stopped along the coast.

Stop 6: Green Cove

Green Cove was one of our favourite stops on the entire Cabot Trail, and we almost didn’t stop. By this point in the day, we’d already made a LOT of stops.

From the parking lot, it’s only a very short walk out onto the rocky coastline. There’s no big hike or major attraction. You simply walk out onto the rocks overlooking the ocean.

But when we arrived, there was a family of seals swimming just offshore. Then we noticed two bald eagles flying above the water and trying to catch fish.

Suddenly, our quick little stop turned into stayed an hour.

There was also a Parks Canada staff member there during our visit who talked to the boys about the wildlife we could potentially see from the coast. They asked lots of questions while we watched everything happening out on the water.

Stop 7: End the Day at Groovy Goat Farm

After a full day of hiking, waterfalls, museums, wildlife and driving, Groovy Goat Farm & Soap Company was the perfect final stop.

There was a little petting farm where the boys could see the goats and a Highland cow, along with a few other animals. And then there was the gelato.

We shared a few different flavours, and the mango was my favourite, although the chocolate was a very close second.

The shop also sells goat milk soap. We smelled far too many of them trying to decide which one to buy before eventually bringing one home.

Where We Stayed Near Ingonish: Glenghorm Beach Resort

After our BIG Cabot Trail day, we spent the night at Glenghorm Beach Resort, near Ingonish.

I’ll admit that this accommodation wasn’t quite what I expected.

Based on the website, I’d pictured more of a resort experience, but our room was more like an older, basic motel room. It was also really humid inside, and the cloudy, foggy weather probably didn’t help.

Though, there was a private beach, so that was cool. After spending the entire day getting in and out of the car, we didn’t have to drive anywhere else. We made our own dinner, eat outside at one of the picnic tables and then let the boys run down to the beach.

Not sure how, but the kids still had enough energy to play in the water. Meanwhile, I just sit relaxed on the sand and watch them have fun.

Day 3: Ingonish to Baddeck… And When the Weather Changes Your Plans

Our third day in Cape Breton was supposed to look very different.

The plan was to spend the morning exploring around Ingonish before making our way toward Baddeck. We wanted to hike the Middle Head Trail, spend some time at Ingonish Beach and then visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site.

But when we woke up, Cape Breton had other plans for us. It was cold, rainy and SO foggy. We couldn’t see ANYTHING!

Stop 1: We Tried to Hike the Middle Head Trail

I had really been looking forward to the Middle Head Trail.

It’s an approximately 4 km coastal hike along a narrow peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and Ingonish Bay. On a clear day, the views look incredible, and the distance seemed very manageable for our family.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t really see those views. We still decided to give the hike a try, hoping the fog might clear or that we’d at least enjoy walking along the coast.

But pretty quickly, it became obvious that nobody was really feeling it.

So we turned around.

But the drive toward the trailhead was still beautiful and gave us a chance to see the area around Keltic Lodge and the golf course, even through all the fog.

Stop 2: We Skipped Ingonish Beach

We’d also planned to stop at Ingonish Beach that morning. But with the rain, fog and cold weather, a beach stop didn’t make much sense.

We simply kept driving toward Baddeck.

Stop 3: Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

With our outdoor plans basically ruined by the weather, we headed to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck.

And we LOVED it.

I’ll admit something slightly embarrassing for a Canadian: before visiting, I had NO idea Alexander Graham Bell had such a strong connection to Canada. 🇨🇦

I knew who he was, obviously, but I hadn’t realized how much of his life and work was connected to Baddeck. So while I originally added the national historic site to our itinerary mostly as something interesting to do with the kids, I ended up learning a lot too.

Even better, the boys loved it.

There were science demonstrations happening during our visit, and BOTH boys ended up volunteering and going on stage to help with an experiment. Parks Canada also had an activity booklet for kids, which is always a win for us when visiting national historic sites.

And then there was an old rotary telephone. I’m not sure the boys had ever really used one before, and somehow this very basic telephone kept them entertained for a surprisingly long time.

Stop 4: A Quick Visit to Baddeck

Our original plan was to spend much more time in Baddeck.

We had actually planned another night in Cape Breton, which would have given us time to slow down, explore the waterfront and hopefully experience some of the area’s Celtic culture.

I would have especially loved to see a Celtic music or dance performance while we were there. But the weather forecast wasn’t looking any better.

It was still cold, foggy and rainy, and rather than spending another night hoping things would clear, we made the decision to cut our Cape Breton stay short.

We still drove around Baddeck and the marina before leaving and stopped at Village People Coffee. Apparently everyone else had the same idea because the café was packed. But on such a cold and miserable day, a warm latte was exactly what I wanted.

And Then We Drove All the Way to Shediac…

It made Day 3 a VERY long driving day, especially after starting around Ingonish, attempting a hike and spending time in Baddeck.

Is 3 Days Enough for Cape Breton?

Three days is enough for a Cabot Trail-focused Cape Breton itinerary, but it isn’t enough to properly explore the entire island.

We knew that going into our trip.

With only three days available, we had to decide what we wanted to prioritize. For us, that was the Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

And for that, I was happy with the amount of time we had. But there were definitely places we had to leave out.

The two biggest ones for me were the Fortress of Louisbourg and Sydney. I would have really loved to explore that side of Cape Breton, but adding it would have meant either rushing through the Cabot Trail or extending our stay.

With only three days, I don’t think trying to squeeze everything in would have made our trip better.

FAQ About Planning a Cape Breton Itinerary

Final Thoughts on Our 3-Day Cape Breton Itinerary

We went to Cape Breton because we wanted to drive the Cabot Trail. And after finally doing it, I’m really glad we didn’t try to squeeze the entire loop into one day.

With only three days on the island, we had to make some choices. I was disappointed that we couldn’t fit in places like Louisbourg and Sydney, but trying to add them would have meant rushing through the part of Cape Breton we’d travelled there specifically to experience.

Instead, we gave ourselves time to hike the Skyline Trail, swim at the bottom of Egypt Falls, stop for picnics, explore small communities and pull over when something caught our attention.

I expected the famous Cabot Trail views to be the highlight. But when I think about Cape Breton now, I think about the boys watching seals at Green Cove, skipping rocks in a stream, going on stage during a science experiment and somehow still having enough energy to play at the beach after our biggest driving day.

Our itinerary wasn’t perfect.

We woke up to fog. We abandoned a hike. We skipped Ingonish Beach. We left Baddeck earlier than planned and ended our final day with a VERY long drive to Shediac.

But that’s also real life on a family road trip.