Cape Breton has a full-service airport—the JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport—with direct flights from Toronto, ON and numerous connections via the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Bonus: Nova Scotia is located two hours closer to Europe than any other North American destination, and Halifax is closer to Boston and New York than other Canadian city.
By sea, ferry service is available from Maine, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick to mainland Nova Scotia, and two ferries sail from Newfoundland into Sydney. Visitors with sailboats will find miles of coastline, and access to the magnificent Bras D’Or Lakes.
Getting Around
If you fly into Sydney, car rentals are plentiful. You can also hire a taxi, or take a shuttle or bus tour. Driving in from mainland Nova Scotia, the Trans-Canada 105 will get you from the causeway to Sydney in 2 hours. Other routes loop around various sections of the island and it’s easy to get from one region to another. Secondary roads crisscross to and fro and are full of back road surprises.
Although it’s easy to get around the island, give yourself plenty of time. Otherwise it’s like trying to gulp a giant feast in mere seconds. Cape Breton is a smorgasbord for the senses. Don’t short-change yourself. Slow down. Breathe deeply. Give yourself time to experience the wonder and magic of it all.
Steven Marenick