Sydney

Usually found ranking among the top islands to visit in the world, Cape Breton Island is known for its natural beauty, scenic coastlines, and breathtaking views. While there are countless places on the Island to get away from it all, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) offers a different experience. Centrally located for day trips to local attractions or an afternoon at the beach, Sydney is the biggest community in the CBRM. With all kinds of urban amenities like shopping malls, movie theatres, and fine dining, there are also walking trails, parks, playgrounds, and plenty of green space to get out and get active.

Discover Downtown

Downtown Sydney has some great cafés and a respectable coffee house and craft shops, independent book stores, and a weekly farmers’ market. Restaurants, bars, and pubs with patios and live music are scattered around the streets and alongside the harbour. You can take a stroll on the boardwalk, check out the shops, and get your picture taken beside the Big Fiddle. Or go for a walk around the historic north end of Sydney and visit the museums there. Then take a break for something delicious and nutritious at Café Marie and stop in at the Island Folk Cider House across the street for a locally-made cider. There are all kinds of places to eat and menus to choose from all over the downtown area. You can get home-style, pub-style, food truck or fine dining—from pizza, pasta, deli, and diner to a range of authentic Indian, Pakistani, Syrian, Lebanese, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino meals and specialities.

Lots to do Outside

Along with museums, galleries, and a performing arts theatre, there’s lots to do in the fresh air here as well, like exploring the walking and hiking trails at Open Hearth Park and Baille Ard Nature Trails, skateboarding, or discovering disc golf. CBRM Recreation offers a number of summer programs and a popular one over the last few years has been the Stand Up Paddle Program. The sessions take place throughout the summer months at the Mira River Provincial Park. The beachfront there is beautiful and you can pitch your tent or park your trailer in the campground. Stay overnight or make it a weekend trip.

Surrounded by Nature and History

Sydney is surrounded by natural beauty and history. The Cape Breton Miners Museum, Marconi National Heritage Site, and the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site are all short drives from Sydney. Petersfield Provincial Park, is just across the harbour from Sydney in Westmount. The picnic park, on the former estate of an early 20^th century coal and steel industries manager, has a wide-open green space and a network of trails winding along the coast and through the surrounding trees. For trails with a different view, try Coxheath Hills Wilderness Trail or head out to the Louisbourg Old Twon Trail—it’s beautiful out there. The Fortress and the Sydney and Louisbourg Railway Museum are close by and the waterfront around the harbour is beautiful. If you get a windy day, the waves are awesome at the Lighthouse. It’s one of the nicest hikes in CBRM. It’s not super complicated. It’s pretty much good for all physical activity levels. It’s a great spot.

Enjoy the Day on the Patio

If you want to stay close to downtown, there are some really nice patios in the summer. Portside Beer Garden, Governors Pub & Eatery, the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse, Selkie’s Neighbourhood Diner, and Flavor on the Water have beautiful spots overlooking the harbour. There are also sidewalk patios at Daniels Alehouse and Eatery, Freshii, and Flavor Downtown. Play a round of disc golf at Rotary Park and then have a beer in the fresh air afterward, or regroup over a meal after a day spent sightseeing. It’s an awesome set-up.

Fresh Air and Outdoors

Fresh air and outdoors are kind of what I associate our home with. Hikes and vistas and waterfalls, just that beautiful fresh air that we get everywhere here. I think it’s the natural spaces, that’s my favourite thing about living here. Just getting off the beaten path, being out on the water. For me, that is the Cape Breton thing. It seems like you’re never more than 15 minutes away from a body of swimmable water. So that’s one of my favourite things about living here.