Nova Scotia

[20-20]

My wife and I are visiting Nova Scotia mid-June and will be doing a very quick flyby on the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton. 2 1/2 to three days max.Just a drive-by, no camping unfortunately, and at best limited hiking.Definitely going to Meat Cove, so I can go either clock wise or counter clock wise.Any suggestions as to spots to eat and stay? Not a huge fan of B&B's but not out of the question.

Thanks!

[Lit]

Ooof! That's a brutally short time for the Cabot Trail. We did lots of camping, hiking, kayaking and other beach stuff there, and it is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. We drove most of it both ways (going back and forth from our campgrounds to various day trips) and don't have a preference; although counter-clockwise may be a bit more thrilling.

Both campgrounds we stayed at also have cabins, and I would recommend both locations as great areas and bases from which to take day trips. You could hit Meat Cove easily from either one. On the west coast we stayed in Inverness at MacLeod's campground. The one we stayed at was literally right on the beach and did not have any cabins; but they have another property up the road that does. On the east coast we stayed at the Hideaway Campround (and Oyster Market). Again, we tented, but they also have cabins there. It is a stunning location on Aspy Bay, and as the name implies, they have the exclusive oyster license for Aspy Bay and sell them as fresh as you will ever have them. The proprietor told me that the only way to have them fresher is to eat them under water.

If camping cabins are not an option either, and money is not an issue, I highly recommend Markland Resort. It is also on Aspy Bay, so you could still go to the market at the Hideaway and get the tasty ersters. It is an awesome spot, with a great restaurant on the premises and an excellent music performance space, the Octagon Arts Center, where there are regularly scheduled performances of all types of music. The place is not cheap, but it less expensive than the Keltic Lodge; and is a very cool, rustic and scenic setting. I would love to stay there. I recall that there were also a few other good restaurants up the road from it; we had a great meal in one.

The Gaelic College is an easy trip from any of east coast locations, and they have many concerts in the summer so make sure to check their schedule also.

In the Inverness area, make sure you hit the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou. Great pub with very good food and beer selection, and awesome fiddle music (and sometimes piano too) every night. Just a great atmosphere.

Finally, if you are looking for an area that is more commercial resort-like and touristy, and less rustic, go to Baddeck. It is a very pretty, very commercial area, but a bit too crowded for our tastes.

Wherever you go, get fish/seafood stew and lobster sandwiches. They will always be great.

[VWGal]

In the Inverness area, make sure you hit the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou. Great pub with very good food and beer selection, and awesome fiddle music (and sometimes piano too) every night. Just a great atmosphere.

Ditto to all Lit said. If you're into history, the Alexander Graham Bell museum in Baddeck is well worth a visit. You can do the drive in the time you have alloted but you won't have much time to stop, even though there is so much to see.

I've been to the Maritimes few times, but was lucky enough in 2000 to be invited somewhere very special that I will never forget. You MUST MUST MUST try to take in the family dances at the Glencoe Mills Dance Hall, outside of Inverness. This is not your average ceilidh -- its the real deal with local Cape step-dancers and musicians fiddling up a storm. People of all ages, kids to grandparents -- dads having a wee nip out in the parking lot from a cooler in the car trunk, and whirling high-tempo Cape Breton-style square dancing. You will need to ask someone in town how to get there as they don't advertise and generally, only a local will give you directions.

I got the low-down from the proprietor of the bed and breakfast I stayed at in Inverness -- and the entire house drove out in a caravan. Admission was $6. The dancing had already started -- Natalie McMaster and several of the Rankin Family were on stage turning out reels and strathspeys. (You may not know the McMasters and the Rankins but they are Canadian-Celtic-Maritime superstars. They were not introduced as 99% of the people at the dance know them since birth -- we visitors were amazed to see such talent at a small country dance.)

They were surrounded by immediate family who sit on the stage with them -- I found this mystifying as the little stage was jampacked with 25 people up there -- but only four or five were playing. I figured it out in quick order.
The dance hall is so small there is nowhere to really watch (hence the family of the band getting to sit onstage). Those who are not ready to dance or taking a break stand up on the benches that surround the dance floor, which I did, immediately finding out that the guy on my left was from New York and the gal on my right was from France.

We were shortly dragged into the action and sent whirling around -- there is no caller so it's all rather mysterious as to how they all remember the spins, combinations and formations -- but your fellow dancers happily tell you what to do and give you a friendly shove if you're out of place or holding up the promenade.

This goes on for hours, interspersed with short breaks so the band and dancers can cool off, take a trip to the snack bar and for the adults, expeditions to the parking lot for liquid encouragement. At some point around 1 am, the two oldest Rankin boys, who are not in the recording group, spontaneously began a stepdance "exhibition" that cleared the floor, the like of which I have never seen again or ever will.

I staggered out to the car and found my way home at 3 am. The rest of the house rolled in at 430 am. The owner told us all we could check out whenever we managed to roll out of bed. Everyone vowed to return just for the weekly Glencoe Mills dance. I'll never forget it, and would LOVE to get back again.

Don't miss it. :D

[Belle]

We have always wanted to cruise up there...sounds really lovely..

[swag]

I've been to the Maritimes few times, but was lucky enough in 2000 to be invited somewhere very special that I will never forget. You MUST MUST MUST try to take in the family dances at the Glencoe Mills Dance Hall, outside of Inverness. This is not your average ceilidh

Thanks for sharing that story. It sounds absolutely wonderful.

(Not that I'd know what an average ceilidh is like, or even how to pronounce it).

[Rossvegas]

Thanks for sharing that story. It sounds absolutely wonderful.

(Not that I'd know what an average ceilidh is like, or even how to pronounce it).

Kaylee. What do i win???

[20-20]

Thanks for the advice and experiences.MacLeods sounds and looks great Lit,but apparently it is for sale and the owners are not maintaining the cabins so well (at least according to some) so that is a consideration.I am torn between just winging it as I go or making reservations at spots prior to visiting.Mid-June is early but having a spot in the pocket is attractive also.Aspy Bay for oysters is a must.Thanks.Red Shoe sounds like a winner and Inverness sounds awfully interesting.The energy that VWGirl describes just "pops" out of her message.She should bottle and sell that.
Any other suggestions from the Threadhead community would be appreciated.Oh yeah, I am probably spending a night in Halifax.Any dining/drinking suggestions?

Thanks again.

[VWGal]

The energy that VWGirl describes just "pops" out of her message.She should bottle and sell that.

They DO sell it. It's called Keith's! (But you got to say Keets so the locals understand you...)

www.keiths.ca

TONS of pubs in Halifax -- they've stopped some of the cheap food and drink specials, but nonetheless, Barrington Street is the Bluenoser's version of Bourbon Street. One of the gals in the office is dating a Caper, I will get you some primo picks for eats and drinks by the end of the week.

[VWGal]

Thanks for sharing that story. It sounds absolutely wonderful.

(Not that I'd know what an average ceilidh is like, or even how to pronounce it).

It was one of those happy accidents. When I arrived, the B&B owner asked whether I had plans for that evening. I told him I saw posters for a ceilidh in town and thought I'd go to that. There was no way he'd let me go to that one and instead insisted I go with the rest of the house to Glencoe Mills -- he had that right, for sure. The one in town is for tourists -- cute kids stepdancing and they do all the Celtic/Caper "hits" but the audience sits and watches and as he said "Nat's home, you'll not be missing going to a dance especially when she's playing at home. Everyone from 40 miles around who plays dances will be there, and you can meet her mum!"

[Lit]

Thanks for the advice and experiences.MacLeods sounds and looks great Lit,but apparently it is for sale and the owners are not maintaining the cabins so well (at least according to some) so that is a consideration.I am torn between just winging it as I go or making reservations at spots prior to visiting.Mid-June is early but having a spot in the pocket is attractive also.Aspy Bay for oysters is a must.Thanks.Red Shoe sounds like a winner and Inverness sounds awfully interesting.The energy that VWGirl describes just "pops" out of her message.She should bottle and sell that.
Any other suggestions from the Threadhead community would be appreciated.Oh yeah, I am probably spending a night in Halifax.Any dining/drinking suggestions?

Thanks again.

Bummer about MacLeod's. We were there almost nine years ago so I guess things have changed. There should be plenty of other options in that area, but that was the best for what we were looking for then. Maybe try calling the folks at the Red Shoe and asking for recommendations.

BTW, the Rankins and MacMasters are regulars at the Red Shoe Pub. One of the Rankins was playing the night we were there, and the scene was great. Perhaps not quite as raucus as the ceilidh VW described, but still pretty rockin'. Fiddles, piano, a few other instruments, and every single person dancing, including us and our then-1 1/2 year old daughter. It was a great night.

And Natalie MacMaster is absolutely incredible. We did not see her on that trip but have seen her a few times since. (On a related note, anyone who loves Natalie should keep their eye out for April Verch from the Ottawa Valley; she played in a local church up the street from our house here in CT and blew us away every bit as much as Natalie).

I know Hideaway and Markland are still going strong; and after checking the rates at the Markland today I realized it's not as expensive as I recalled--certainly not by US standards. That is a great area too. And I believe there are regular ceilidhs at both the Octagon and the Gaelic College (as well as many other places I'm sure).

Finally, we did not go to Halifax, but I would recommend the Granite Brewery there. I have been to the one in Toronto and thought the beer was excellent and the food was very good (for pub food, that is).

[20-20]

Thanks