Bay St. Lawrence Harbour

A small Acadian fishing village at the top of Cape Breton Island, set in a sheltered bay between Sugarloaf Mountain and the Highlands. The harbour is busy with lobster boats from May through July and is the launching point for several whale-watching operators.

What to see

• Lobster boats coming in mid-morning
• Pilot whales offshore, often close enough to see from the wharf
• The Acadian church and small museum in the village

Tips

• Stop in to a whale tour — pilot-whale sightings are near-guaranteed in season
• The Black Whale fish-and-chips is the standard summer lunch stop

Combine it with

• A drive to Meat Cove for the wild beach
• A morning swim at Cabot's Landing on the way north