Outdoors & Nature in Inverness & Western Shore
Cape Mabou Highlands Trails
Network of community-maintained ridge and shoreline trails high above the Northumberland Strait.
Ceilidh Trail
Coastal Route 19 from Port Hastings to Margaree, the heart of Cape Breton Gaelic music country.
Chestico Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
Inverness Beach
Long sandy Gulf beach with warm water, dunes, and a wooden boardwalk into town.
Inverness Beach Village
Cottage and RV resort along Inverness's sandy beach.
Inverness Shean Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
Judique Flyer Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
Mabou Provincial Park
Mabou Rivers Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
MacLeod's Beach Campsite
150-site beachfront resort campground in Dunvegan.
Margaree Harbour Lighthouse
Compact lighthouse at the mouth of the Margaree River where it meets the Gulf.
Myles Doyle Falls
Quieter Highlands waterfall — short hike through hardwood forest to a ledge-cascade, best in spring or after summer rain.
Port Hood Beach
Long warm-water beach looking out to Henry Island and Port Hood Island.
Port Hood Station Provincial Park
Salt Mountain Trail
Trout Brook Provincial Park
West Mabou Beach
Quiet provincial beach with dunes, salt marsh, and warm Gulf swimming.
West Mabou Beach Provincial Park
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Locally-ranked outdoors lists
25 Best Places to Visit in Cape Breton (2026)
A locally-curated, ranked guide to the island's essential stops — beaches, lookoffs, fortresses, lighthouses, fishing villages, and the drives that connect them
The best beaches on Cape Breton Island
Sandy stretches, warm-water swimming, and the wild Highlands coast
The best hikes on Cape Breton Island
From the Skyline Trail to quiet local lookoffs — ranked by what they deliver
The 15 best Cabot Trail stops, in driving order
A clockwise loop with the must-stop lookoffs, beaches, hikes, and meals — plus where to skip and where to spend extra time
Cape Breton in fall — the 12 best stops for autumn colour
Where to be in early-to-late October when the Highlands turn red and gold — plus when to go and what else is on
Cape Breton lighthouses worth visiting
Working harbour beacons and dramatic Highlands cliff posts