I’m the one who recommended Cape Breton Island. Cheticamp is close to the park entrance, has whale watching and was just peaceful. Our lodge (a downstairs unit in the Pilot Whale Chalet) was nondescript but the property was beautiful. Baddeck seemed to have a bit more going on but I didn’t find it as pretty. We also spent a night at the English Country Garden Inn in Ingonish which was lovely but I believe has changed ownership since we were there a decade ago. The Celtic Lodge in Ingonish has a great hiking trail and looked like a lively place (perhaps a bit more going on) but we only hiked there - we didn’t stay.

Anonymous wrote:Are you willing to drive and then settle in? We LOVED Cape Breton Island…would you like recs there?

Sure. We're thinking of going to two areas.

Are you willing to drive and then settle in? We LOVED Cape Breton Island…would you like recs there?

St Margaret's Bay? Lunenburg?

More 30 minutes

Define "near" to you. We stayed at a really cute tiny lighthouse cabin over the Bay of Fundy but it's a 3 hr drive from Halifax.

Can you suggest a nice area near Halifax for a restful stay, yet close enough to day trips and sightseeing. I'm looking for a bay or lake maybe.