(North Sydney, Sydney Mines, Boularderie Island, Bras d'Or, Florence)

About this Area

As soon as you cross the Seal Island Bridge over to Boularderie Island on the Trans-Canada Highway, you are on the 'Northside' as it is called in Cape Breton. The community of Bras d'Or has many campgrounds, picnic sites and swimming areas. From here, Route 223 will take you along the shoreline of St. Andrew's Channel to Georges River and Barachois Harbour, where there are several service stations, restaurants and stores.

The Old Sydney Mines Post Office, built in 1904, was renovated in 1989 as the town's Centennial project and now serves as a municipal office. This Heritage Property, with its distinctive gothic design, is now the focal point of downtown Sydney Mines.

The former C.N. Station, also built in 1904, was renovated in 1994 as a heritage property and now serves as the town's police station. In addition, the town bosts a number of historic homes and properties, some of which have been converted into bed & breakfasts to facilitate the needs of visiting tourists.

The community offers shopping, dining and accommodations, excellent beaches and recreational facilities coupled with small town hospitality.

North Sydney, which was founded in 1783, is proud of its fine harbour. It is the terminal for Marine Atlantic which provides ferry service to Newfoundland and is a popular entry point to Nova Scotia.

Passenger and freight service travel to Newfoundland from North Sydney on ferries which include the Joseph and Clara Smallwood, the largest passenger and vehicle ferry in North America.

The waterfront of North Sydney once saw vessels being loaded with coal, and now boasts a magnificent boardwalk and docking facility. The Ballast grounds, where stone ballast was once loaded, today is home to an active lobster fishery and has a park atmosphere with public parking, picnic area, boardwalk and a farmer's market.

Nearby at Smelt Brook Park, enjoy a quiet area with a walkway and duck pond.

Monro Park contains ballfields, a beach, tennis courts, horeshoe pits and other recreational facilities. Next to the Park is the Northern Yact Club, home of marina facilities and a clubhouse.

The community hosts a variety of special events every summer. There is a Canada Day (July 1) event as well as the'North Sydney Bartown Festival'.

The Cape Breton County Farmers' Exhibition is held at the Exhibition grounds with livestock, vegetables and crafts on display. Competitions are for both Western and English riding, as well as heavy horse events. There is a carnival with various booths and rides of interest to the entire family.

The North Sydney Museum, now located on the waterfront off of Commercial Street, offers information on the town's history and the large number of heritage homes.