Cape Breton

In 1621 Scottish King James VI granted the territory that became Nova Scotia (Latin for “New Scotland”). On almost any summer Sunday—and summer is the best season to take this road trip—Nova Scotians of Scottish descent gather together for a ceilidh (kay-lee), or party. You just might hear some traditional fiddle music while winding your way through the countryside.

The Cabot Trail encircles magnificently scenic Cape Breton Island, which also is the location of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. One of Canada’s most famous scenic drives, this loop road is a visual feast of spectacular ocean views, lush green valleys and impossibly picturesque fishing villages. Plan your itinerary in advance to get the most out of the journey.

More scenic splendor comes courtesy of Bras d’Or (Bra-door) Lake, actually an inland sea connected to the North Atlantic Ocean by two channels. This recreational boating paradise offers one panoramic vista after another. Near the town of Louisbourg, Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site is an impressive reconstruction of a massive 18th-century fortification.

After leaving Louisbourg the route follows the southern shoreline of Bras d’Or Lake, which underscores the fact that at no point in Nova Scotia are you more than some 56 kilometres (35 miles) from a body of water, whether it be lake, bay or ocean. Little Port Hawkesbury, which bills itself as “Cape Breton’s front porch,” is one of Canada’s major shipping centers.

Nova Scotia's craggy southern coast fronts the open Atlantic. Pocked with coves and natural harbors and sprinkled with offshore islands, it’s a rich marine life environment and thus has long provided small fishing villages with an economic livelihood. End your Nova Scotia adventure in cosmopolitan Halifax, where several outstanding festivals take place in summer.