North Sydney/Cabot Trail KOA

                        Things To Do.

Activities:

Whale Watching:

Enjoy a selection of cruises any day: with unparalleled beauty as Minke, Finback, Pilot and other species of whales feed of the plankton rich waters of Cape Breton. These gentle giants of the deep are a marvel to watch and enjoy in their natural habitat. We are sure you will leave the tour amazed at their intelligence and graceful beauty.  Some tours offer deep sea fishing as well.

Golf:

 There are over 10 courses within a one hour range of our campground, from par-9 to PGA 27-hole ranges to challenge the beginner or serious duffer. Bell Bay Golf Club is situated just 30 minutes from the Seal Island KOA. This beautiful Thomas McBroom course sits high above the Bras d'Or Lakes, North America's beautiful inland sea, overlooking the Bay from which it derives its name. The course offers incredible views from virtually every hole. Four distinct teeing areas on each hole have been provided to ensure challenging and enjoyable golf for players of all skill levels. 

Casino:

Visit Sydney’s largest gaming casino with slot machines, poker machines, gaming tables, and special entertainment in season and enjoy a variety of restaurants from Oriental dining to traditional full buffets and table services with top quality menu items.

Shopping:

Just 35 minutes to three major malls (Mayflower Mall, Zellers Mall and The North Sydney Mall) with major department stores (The Bay, Sears, Zeller’s, 2 Wal-Mart's, 24 hour supermarkets, (Except Sundays)

All  within one hours drive from the park. 

Waterfronts and Sandy Beaches A large number of our campers like to just tour the area and take in the sights. Because we are in the “Heart of the Island” there is breathtaking scenery in all four directions. Whether the camper is a “water enthusiast,” “photographer,” “beach explorer,” “antique collector,” “scenic buff” or simply a “leisure technician,” there are many things of interest to entertain and occupy the entire family. 

Attractions: 

The Cabot Trail is 185 miles or 298 km and loops around the northern tip of the Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia, passing through many charming communities such as Pleasant Bay, Cheticamp and Ingonish. Each with breath taking scenery, unforgettable hospitality, art work, museums, whale watching, accommodations and some of the finest sea food dining in the world. The Cape Breton Highlands National Park lies along the Cabot Trail, providing world class hiking, camping and scenic look-offs.

Every Year the Celtic Colors music festival tours across Cape Breton Island, and offers a distinctly Cape Breton taste of traditional Celtic music. If your lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend one of these concerts, you will not be disappointed. 

North America's only Gaelic college is located in St. Anne's, and encompasses The Great Hall of Clans. This museum depicts the history of the Scots and their emigration from the highlands of Scotland to the island of Cape Breton. The Great Hall is open June 1 to October 15

Alexander Graham Bell

The museum is situated on 25 acres of land in Baddeck, just across from the Bell estate. The complex is home to hundreds of artifacts and photos that are on display for visitors to enjoy. The museum is in operation year round, hours for the summer months are 9 am. to 9 pm.

TheFortress of Louisbourg 

Toulouse and Rue Royal, as well as along the busy waterfront (quay).  Each summer the Fortress springs to life. 

Dozens of costumed animators become the town's residents of the summer of 1744. Period homes, exhibits and 

theme centers line the central streets of Rue. Men, women and children enact the full range of society from the

leisurely activities of the rich to the hard physical labor of the poor. You'll see engineers, musicians, soldiers, 

merchants, street vendors, bakers, servants and fishermen. The "residents" will surprise and delight you with 

stories, dances, music, nail making, cooking, sewing, gardening and animal care.

Fishing.

Cape Breton offers some of the finest fresh and salt-water fishing in Atlantic Canada Probably our most popular fresh-water species is the Atlantic Salmon . This challenging and very tasty sport fish can be caught from spring to fall at various locations in the Province. Salmon fishing is restricted to fly-fishing only.

Speckled Trout  can be caught in just about every stream, river and lake. Sizes of these feisty fighters vary from six inches to six pounds! Light spinning tackle or fly rod are most effective to land these beauties. Live baits are most effective, flies matching local hatches or baitfish imitations can be productive as well. Rainbow Trout are more restricted to certain locations. They can be fished at u-catch lakes or in various lakes and rivers. Methods are the same as for Speckled Trout. Our personal favorite is the German Brown Trout. These relatives of the Atlantic Salmon are fairly widespread in some of the larger rivers. Average size is from two to five pounds. Some though can reach sizes of ten pounds or more (harder to catch these old experienced guys). Light tackle and live minnows get the best results in both the best sport and the largest fish. Late evening fly fishing with muddlers or mouse imitations can also result in heart stopping action. Other common but seldom fished species include White Bass, Yellow Perch, American Eels, White Suckers, Landlocked Salmon and some anadromous species such as Shad and Gaspereau.

Saltwater Species.

There are many charter fishing guides province wide who offer deep sea fishing. The most popular big-game fish is the Blue fin Tuna. These giant predators are abundant and reach sizes up to 1500 lbs. Most fish caught are in the 200 to 500 lb. range. Guides provide tackle and bait.

Atlantic Mackerel are particularly abundant species. They travel in schools numbering into the hundreds. They will attack any shiny lure or brightly colored fly. They can be fished from shore from late July to October. Earlier in summer they can be found in deeper waters further offshore.

Atlantic Cod is making a strong comeback having a recreational catch limit of 10 per person per day. They are found not far from shore in various locations around the province. They will hit shiny spoons and jigs as well as cut bait or clams.

Haddock also frequent the same waters as cod but later in the summer and into the fall. Hand lines or medium to heavy rod/reel combo's with baited hooks is the traditional method for recreational fisherman. Both these fish average around 2-3 lbs but can reach 15-20 lbs.

Atlantic Halibut are sometimes caught while fishing in inshore waters. These highly prized food fish are also well known for their no-surrender fighting capability. Heavy rod-reel with a good drag is recommended to bring these to the boat where they must be brought into submission with a harpoon, club or even shotgun! They range in size from 90 to 900 lbs. Fresh bait such as mackerel and squid on strong steel hooks and heavy line are used.

Flounder or Sole are common to shallower water close to shore as well as estuaries. They are one of the best tasting, easily caught fish and are a ball on light tackle. Worms, night crawlers and clams fished on the bottom are good bait on small hooks (they have a small mouth).

Pollock or Boston Blue Fish are very abundant around docks and harbor inlets. Mostly ignored by fisherman they will bite on spoons, spinners, flies, bait, jigs, bubblegum....just about anything they can get in their mouth. Small harbor Pollock are only 1-3 lbs. But you can catch their big brothers in deeper waters up to 35 lbs.

SHARKS!! That's right. The warming trend of our ocean waters have brought an abundance of Blue Sharks, Mako Sharks, White tips as well as the rare Tiger or White Shark. Charter trips to fish sharks are Province wide.

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