I might take some flak on this, but I'm going to post honestly on my interpretation of the Cabot Trail. Overall, the Cabot Trail was a great drive, but not as great as most of the research I've read and from what others have posted on it. Simply put, it's "left-sided." Everything of spectacular value is on the left side going clockwise. There are tons of outlooks displaying beautiful vistas, twisting roads following steep grades and switchbacks on the mountains, crystal blue water everywhere you look, quaint shops and restaurants, and much more. The pics below will show that. Once you reach the top, past the Cheticamp area (Cape North), you find yourself looking for those same amazing views. They don't come again. The largest part of the drive is wooded on both sides and the woods aren't even as unique as other forests we've seen in Maine, NB, and NS. The city of Ingonish and Baddeck are ok if those are your destinations, but the views are not even close to the "other side." To be fair, we did not get off of the trail for the little off-shoot coastal drives because the drive is a good full day. To sum up, left side spectacular, right side...eh. We ended the trail by taking a ferry at Englishtown, a lift of emotion from the not-so-great second half of the trail.
My research shows that most take the Cabot Trail clockwise. As a matter of fact, there is a sign going this direction, but none the counter-clockwise direction...that I saw anyway. As I'm nervous around heights and steep dropoffs, I decided clockwise. I learned on the trip that I could have gone counter-clockwise almost as easily. It's not as bad as the east Yellowstone to Cody drive I took twice.
We stopped at the Rusty Anchor for lunch and sat outside and enjoyed the awesome view and cool breeze. Temps must have been around 70. We each had a lobster rolls. Mmmmm, mmmmm, good.
$5 for the cross to Hwy 105.
Here's some video I threw together for the Cabot Trail.
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