Baddeck

According to some historians the name Baddeck is derived from the Mi'kmaq term abadak which has been translated as "place with an island near" (in reference to Kidston Island, immediately offshore).
Today, Baddeck functions as a service centre for the sparsely populated county.
Baddeck became a tourist destination with the 1874 publication of "Baddeck, And That Sort of Thing", a travel story written by Charles Dudley Warner. Tourism grew even more following the construction of the Cabot Trail in 1932, with Baddeck being at the start and end of the loop. While the village population is just over 700 people, local hotels feature over 600 rooms.

Baddeck is on the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 105) about halfway between the causeway to the mainland and Sydney. It is about a five hour drive from Halifax.

Pretty much everything is located on either Shore Road or Chebucto Street. The town stretches out along these two streets, but if you don't mind walking, everything can be reached on foot.

• Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

  phone: +1 902 295-2069
  address: Chebucto Street (Route 205)
  Although the telephone wasn't invented here, Alexander Graham Bell had a summer home in Baddeck where he did some of his research and experiments. This site has a number of exhibits, photos and videos relating to his life and work.

• Sail/cruise on the lake. Tours depart daily from the pier in summer.
• For the golfer, the Bell Bay Golf Club, +1 902 295-1333, is close to town.

Basic groceries and supplies can be purchased from the Needs Convenience at the corner of Shore Road and Chebucto Street (it's next to the Lynnwood Inn). There's also a small grocery store just outside of town near where Shore Road intersects with the Trans-Canada highway (Hwy 105). Restaurant options include:

• Baddeck Lobster Suppers

  address: 17 Ross Street
  Casual with hearty amounts of food. Known for the "all you can eat" Cape Breton mussels, seafood chowder, potato salad, coleslaw, homemade rolls, biscuits, dessert and beverage.

• Bell Buoy Restaurant

  address: 536 Chebucto Street
  Specializing in seafood, but also offering steaks, pastas and salads. Best known for their chowder and homemade oatmeal bread. Lunch menu is available with simpler fare. Offers vegetarian and gluten-free meals.

• High Wheeler Cafe

  address: 486 Chebucto Street
  Little cafe that serves hearty sandwiches and pastries including some sugar-free options. Good spot to buy a sandwich in the morning to take with you on the day's travels. Also, sit down for a bowl of homemade soup (always a vegetarian choice) or a cappuccino. They also offer a number of home-made products made with Spelt flour, for those with digestive issues.

• McCurdy's Dining Room

  address: 257 Shore Road
  Serves a mix of pasta, seafood and meat dishes with a view of Bras d'Or Lake.

• Yellow Cello Cafe

  address: 525 Chebucto Street
  Cafe with soup, salad, vegetarian and Italian dishes. Nightly entertainment during the summer months.

• Baddeck Legion

  address: 37 Ross St.
  Open to all. Features live, local entertainment and a beautiful view from the patio. Large drink list with great whiskies for a good price.

• Broadwater Inn

  phone: +1 902 295-1101
  address: Bay Road (Hwy 205)
  An inn and cottages overlooking Bras d'Or Lake.

• The Dunlop Inn

  address: 552 Chebucto Street
  Small B&B style inn on Baddeck's waterfront.

• Green Highlander Lodge

  address: 525 Chebucto Street
  A 3-room B&B/inn that can arrange guided fishing trips in the area.

• Inverary Resort

  address: 368 Shore Road
  Hotel rooms and cottages on Bras d'Or Lake. The main building was destroyed by a June 2018 structural fire, but a portion of the resort remains open.

• Lynwood Inn

  address: 441 Shore Road
  Reviewers indicate rooms in the newer building are spacious and comfortable. Some rooms have balconies with views of the lake.

• Silver Dart Lodge

  phone: +1 902 295-2340
  address: 257 Shore Road
  Mix of rooms in the lodge, chalets and suites set on a hill overlooking the lake.

• Telegraph House

  address: 479 Chebucto Street
  An old Victorian house with some charm where Alexander Graham Bell once stayed. Reviewers indicate the rooms are clean and well appointed but sometimes a bit small.

• Hunter's Mountain Chalets

  address: 562 Cabot Trail Road
  Hunters Mountain Chalets provides 12 luxury housekeeping accommodation units. Situated on a wonderful, quiet, south view section of land at the foot of the Cape Breton Highlands, the chalets have magnificent panoramic view and offer serenity, access to nature and a central location on Cape Breton Island. They also offer Segway rides on private walking trails.

• Baddeck is a convenient starting and finishing point for a trip around the Cabot Trail, considered to be one of the most scenic drives in Canada. The road is a 300 km loop along the coast and through the Cape Breton Highlands and offers many hiking, camping and scenic turn-off opportunities.
• The reconstructed Fortress of Louisbourg, about two hours drive away, is a National Historic Site and offers a glimpse at what life was like in the mid-1700s.