The Cabot Trail is a 300km loop road around the northern tip of Cape Breton Island, passing through some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in eastern Canada. The road climbs to the Cape Breton Highlands — a broad, wind-scoured plateau that drops sharply into the sea — then descends to fishing villages and tidal flats before climbing again. On the western side, the Gulf of St Lawrence turns vivid blue in good weather. On the eastern side, the Aspy Bay and its tidal flats are prime moose territory.
Drive counter-clockwise (i.e., starting from Baddeck, going north through Cheticamp on the west coast) to keep your car on the seaward side of the road for the most dramatic views. The scenery on both sides is excellent, but the western highlands section above Cheticamp — where the road climbs to open tundra with nothing between you and the water — is the most distinctive. Allow at least two days. The short trails from the road — the Skyline Trail (90-minute loop with sunset views over the gulf), Middle Head peninsula, and the Acadian Trail near Cheticamp — are the highlights. Moose are frequently seen at dawn and dusk.