Castle Rock Country Inn

A hilltop inn above Ingonish Ferry with floor-to-ceiling windows aimed straight at Cape Smokey. One of the few rooms on the Cabot Trail where you can lie in bed and watch the sun come up over the Atlantic.

What to expect

• Modern, comfortable rooms with big mountain or ocean views
• Quiet, adult-leaning crowd; not a kids' resort
• Friendly innkeepers, breakfast included
• A small dining room serving dinner some nights

Don't miss

• Sunrise from your room — set an alarm
• Drinks on the deck after a day on the trail
• The walk down to the cove if you're feeling like a hike

Good to know

• Open seasonally, roughly May through October
• No elevator; ask about ground-floor rooms if stairs are an issue
• Limited cell service; Wi-Fi available
• Reservations essential in summer

Pair it with

• The Cape Smokey Gondola, 5 minutes away
• Hiking the Middle Head Trail at Keltic Lodge
• Dinner at the Coastal Restaurant & Pub