Fort Louisbourg vs. Cabot Trail

[SpokaneDan]

will be stopping in Sydney NS with HAL Veendam around June 20th. Was all set to visit Louisbourg with my 3 teenagers, but just found out the Fort will not have any costumed actors until July. Now I am debating b/w cabot trail vs. Louisbourg and I know they are likely 2 distinctly different attractions. Any thoughts/opinions?

 

TIA,

 

Dan

[Putterdude]

If I had to choose between the two I would pick the Fortress. I have done both and the Cabot Trail's weather can be pretty foggy. I think you and your family enjoy the fortress sans actors.

[maryann ns]

Unless you are in port for a long time you would not be able to drive the entire Cabot Trail.

 

However, if you get your rental car ASAP and get on the road right away you should be able to get to Neil's Harbour and back. This is four and a half hours with no traffic or stops, so I would allow about six hours.

 

An excellent resource for cruisers visiting Sydney is toms port guides (google search). He has rewritten them just this year and has a whole section on driving the Cabot Trail (small part of it). He thinks it best to turn around in Ingonish which is before Neil's Harbour. However he allows time for lunch and I would just eat on the go. The scenery is even better past Ingonish. You should at least travel a few miles past there. It is right on the coast.

 

Another possibility for your day is to go to Baddeck and Iona. The Alexander Graham Bell Museum is in Baddeck and the Highland Village Museum is in Iona. The drive is very beautiful along Bras D'Or Lake. Here is the route to take:

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Baddeck,+NS+to:Iona,+NS+to:Christmas+Island,+NS+to:Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.45773,-60.37966&sspn=0.959258,2.705383&geocode=FTYPwAIdl3dp_CmH2p5VKftnSzGi1NYfQuHwCg%3BFc1tvwIdDPVg_CnPkSNJLGJdSzHz0SeXSM56XA%3BFZJPvQIdijBg_Cl3_U_XX2hdSzG-umoFiqZDow%3BFTdSvQIdY9pg_CmLNVmJ_mddSzHgrABkv7cAyg%3BFTYPwAIdl3dp_CmH2p5VKftnSzGi1NYfQuHwCg&oq=+esp&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

 

It is not always foggy on the Cabot Trail, but early in the summer it can be foggy in the morning and then it clears up.

 

If it is a really rainy day then you need to have Plan B (Baddeck, Iona?)

[SpokaneDan]

Thanks for your input.

The time constraint with Cabot trail is a concern. We'll be in Sydney from 10am to 5pm. I am now thinking doing the Fortress and catching part of Bras d'Or lake:

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&daddr=Baddeck,+NS+to:Iona,+NS+to:Christmas+Island,+NS+to:Esplanade,+Sydney,+NS&hl=en&sll=46.45773,-60.37966&sspn=0.959258,2.705383&geocode=FTYPwAIdl3dp_CmH2p5VKftnSzGi1NYfQuHwCg%3BFc1tvwIdDPVg_CnPkSNJLGJdSzHz0SeXSM56XA%3BFZJPvQIdijBg_Cl3_U_XX2hdSzG-umoFiqZDow%3BFTdSvQIdY9pg_CmLNVmJ_mddSzHgr3BFTYPwAIdl3dp_CmH2p5VKftnSzGi1NYfQuHwCg&oq=+esp&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

 

would this be too ambicious?

[maryann ns]

That would all depend upon how long you spend at Louisbourg.