North Sydney is a community of 5,700 people (2016) on the eastern shore of Cape Breton Island on the north shore of Sydney Harbour. It is mostly a service centre for the ferry traffic to Newfoundland with a number of restaurants and motels.

Understand

Panorama of the harbour

North Sydney is an important port in Atlantic Canada, serving as the western terminus of the Marine Atlantic ferry service. It acts as the marine link for the Trans-Canada Highway to Newfoundland and is often called "the Gateway to Newfoundland". Marine Atlantic ferries operate from North Sydney's terminal to the ports of Channel-Port aux Basques and Argentia.

History

North Sydney was settled around 1785 by Europeans and by Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution. It emerged as a major shipbuilding centre in the early 19th century, building many brigs and brigantines for the English market, later moving on to larger barques. Wooden shipbuilding declined in the 1860s, but increasing numbers of steamships began arriving, drawn to North Sydney for bunker coal.

Get in

By plane

• Via Halifax or Toronto. J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport (YQY), a regional airport, is the closest airport

By car

• Highway 105 (Trans-Canada Highway) travels directly to the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal. Highway 1 in Port Aux Basques within Newfoundland and Labrador is the continuation of the Trans-Canada Highway.
• North Sydney is 24 km from Sydney: southwest on Highway 4, northwest on 126, and east on King St.

By bus

• Maritime Bus, toll-free: +1-800-575-1807, info@maritimebus.com. Operates an inter-regional bus service between destinations in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. . (updated Apr 2022)
  • Its route between Halifax and Sydney includes stops in Dartmouth, Halifax Airport, Truro, New Glasgow, Antigonish, Port Hawkesbury, and North Sydney. Travel time to North Sydney from Halifax is 5.75 hours, from Truro is 4 hours, from Antigonish is 2.5 hours, and from Sydney is 50 minutes.
  • Travel to North Sydney from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
    • From Moncton (6.75 hours) with a transfer in Truro.
    • From Charlottetown (7.75 hours) with transfers in Amherst and in Truro.
    • From Bathurst (10 hours), Campbellton (11.25 hours), Edmundston (13.25 hours), Fredericton (9.5 hours), Miramichi (9 hours), and Saint John (9.75 hours) with transfers in Moncton and Truro.
  • Connections from Quebec City, Rimouski, and Gaspé can be made on Orléans Express. The stop at Pointe-à-la-Croix, QC is a 2km taxi ride from Campbellton.

By boat

• 1 Marine Atlantic, ☏ +1 902-794-5254, toll-free: +1-800-341-7981, reservations@marineatlantic.ca. North Sydney is the site of the Marine Atlantic terminal which serves as the main connection to Newfoundland. The ferries carry vehicles and passengers. From the ferry terminal it is about a 20 minute drive on Highway 125 to Sydney. (updated Apr 2022) There are two ferry routes connecting to North Sydney from Newfoundland:
  • From Port aux Basques (7 hours) located in south-western Newfoundland. Operates throughout the year, typically two sailings per direction per day. An inter-city bus route stops at this terminal.
  • From Argentia (16 hours) located in eastern Newfoundland. Operates several days per week from June to September.

Get around

Transit Cape Breton, ☏ +1 902-539-8124, epw@cbrm.ns.ca. Route 5 travels from Sydney Monday-Friday, 7 times a day (45 min, $5), and 4 times on Saturday. (updated Sep 2022)

See

• 1 North Sydney Historical Museum, 299 Commercial St, ☏ +1 902 794-2524. Apr-Oct 10AM–5PM (closed Su). The museum houses exhibits, photographs, artifacts, original documents and the history of the people and politics that make up North Sydney. The museum also has specific areas devoted to communications, police and fire departments, a Dutch Heritage area and areas displaying the contribution of the town’s citizens to the First and Second World War. It has a 1919 LaFrance Fire Engine. The fire engine was used to fight fires in the town of North Sydney. Free. (updated Apr 2023)
• Cape Breton County Farmer's Exhibition, At the top of Regent Street. Held every August by the Cape Breton Federation of Agriculture, it is possibly the largest tourist attraction in the town. The main attraction is the agricultural and cultural displays. The Exhibition also includes a circus midway and horse riding presentations such as barrel racing, skills competitions, draft horse competitions, the oxen pull, and the cattle (beef and dairy). (updated May 2019)

Do

• Seaview Golf & Country Club, 370 Seaview Drive, ☏ +1 902 794-4111. An 18-hole, par 71 golf course. 6,146 yards, exceptional views. A clubhouse, pro shop, driving range, on-course canteen. Green fees $25-50. (updated May 2019)
• Indian Beach, 445 Purves Street. A beach for swimming, walking, beachcombing. (updated May 2019)

Buy

The town has a shopping mall on King Street that is anchored by a Walmart and a Sobeys store, and has clothing, jewellery, and variety shops. In the same area is a SuperValue Grocery, Shoppers Drug Mart, and a Nova Scotia Liquor Commission store.

There is also shopping along Commercial Street which used to be the main street of the town but has now become an eclectic mix of service providers, food vendors and variety stores.

• Escape Outdoors, 299 Commercial Street, ☏ +1 902 241-4453. M-W 10AM – 6PM, Th F 10AM – 8PM, Sa 10AM - 5PM. A wide range of outdoor gear, clothing and footwear. (updated May 2019)

Eat

• Black Spoon Bistro, 320 Commercial St, ☏ +1 902 241-3300. M-Th 11AM-8PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM. Maritime fresh seafood, a variety of grilled paninis, home-made soups, and pastas. (updated May 2019)
• The Lobster Pound and Moore, 161 Queen St, ☏ +1 902 794-2992. W-F noon-3PM, 5-8PM; Sa Su 4-8PM. Lobster, of course, but also Asian noodle dishes, ribs, grilled chicken and so on. (updated May 2019)
• Bette's Kitchen, 138 Queen St, ☏ +1 902 794-4452. Daily 11AM-7PM. Burgers, fries, turkey burgers, fish and chips. (updated May 2019)

Drink

• The Cellar Bar, 299 Commercial St. Coffee, cocktails, live music, stand-up comedy. (updated May 2019)

Sleep

• Hotel North, 39 Forrest St, toll-free: +1-800-561-8585. 101 rooms. Wheel-chair accessible, pet friendly and smoke-free. Restaurant with full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Bar on site. $109-139. (updated May 2019)
• 1 Chamber's Guest House Bed and Breakfast, 64 King Street, ☏ +1 902 794-7301, toll-free: +1-866-496-9453. May to mid-Nov. 1880 Victorian home filled with antiques and art-works. Full breakfast included. 3 min from the Newfoundland ferry. $80-100. (updated May 2019)
• A Boat to Sea, 61 Queen Street, ☏ +1 902 794-8326, toll-free: +1-855-580-9540. Extensive gardens, waterside veranda, pet friendly, Wi-Fi available. Less than 1 km from the Newfoundland ferry. $120-140. (updated May 2019)

Go next

North Sydney is the departure point for ferries to Newfoundland. Marine Atlantic provides daily year-round service to Port aux Basques and seasonal service to Argentia (three days a week from mid-June through September). The Port aux Basques trip takes 6-8 hours, with passenger fees ranging from $18-36 (child/adult) and a normal size passenger car costing $102. Cabins are available for overnight sailings for $108-154. The Argentia trip takes 14-16 hours, with passenger fees ranging from $50-100 and a car costing $209. Cabins are available for $158-200.

Sydney, the largest city in Cape Breton, is 20 km (12 mi) away via Highway 125.

Routes through North Sydney

Antigonish ← Baddeck ← Jct Cabot Trail ←	W  E	→ → becomes → Port aux Basques → Corner Brook
END ←	N  S	→ Sydney → END