Planning a Trip to Inverness? Here’s What to Know Before You Go

Inverness is one of Cape Breton Island's most beloved stops — a stretch of coastline where championship golf meets a wide sandy beach, a scenic boardwalk and a warm small-town welcome. If it's on your itinerary anytime between now and the end of the year, there's one bit of good-to-know news before you set out.

Central Avenue is under construction

Central Avenue, the main street running through town, is being fully rebuilt as part of the Central Avenue Rebuild Project. Work runs from July through December 2026, and it's a big, positive investment: new water and wastewater infrastructure, improved sidewalks and crosswalks, multi-use pathways and streetscape enhancements that will make Inverness even more welcoming for years to come.

What it means for your visit

The main thing to plan around is traffic. During construction, Central Avenue is reduced to one lane on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., so if you're passing through town during the day, give yourself a few extra minutes. Outside those hours — evenings and all weekend — the road returns to two lanes.

If you'd like the smoothest drive through town, aim for an evening or weekend, or travel before 8 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

The good news: Inverness is open as usual

Here's what matters most — everything you came for is open and welcoming visitors throughout construction. The beach and boardwalk are open. The golf courses are open. The shops, restaurants and cafés are all doing business as usual. A little roadwork won't get between you and a perfect day on the coast.

Stay in the know

For the latest traffic updates and project details:

• Visit invernesscounty.ca/CentralAveRebuild
• Call 1-866-258-0223, option 8

And when you arrive, our Visitor Information Centre teams are always happy to help with directions, parking tips or ideas for making the most of your time on the Island. Come see us — Inverness is ready for you.