There are so many breathtaking locations and hidden gems to discover in Chéticamp and surrounding areas this Summer 2022! Here are some great ideas of things to do to make it an awesome “selfie day”, living spectacular moments!
“Hey I'm in vacay-mode, and I’m a coffee-first-and-relaxing-morning-kinda-person!”(Scroll down for a “Give ‘er! I’m ready to take on anything!” itinerary!)
Start your day off by savouring a delicious breakfast treat and coffee or tea. Our favourite spots include:
- delicious Aucoin’s Bakery (opens at 7am, closed Sundays) https://www.aucoinbakery.com/en/index.php
- amazing Marguerite’s Boutique and Provisions (opens at 8am, and has a beautiful gift and fine foods shop!) https://www.boutiquemarguerite.com
- or wonderful Thor and Freya’s Café (opens at 9am, and includes a small art gallery and artisan shop!) https://www.freyaandthor.ca
Pssst! You can also grab your take-out lunch picnic at the first two aforementioned locations!
Pictured above is one of many wonderfully delicious Aucoin Bakery Breakfast Favourites. A mouth-watering combination of a delightful doughnut, dipped in a lovely chocolatey coating with a sprinkle of crunchy glazed toppings - pure taste-bud heaven!
Then enjoy a leisurely coastal stroll through the picturesque and colourful fishing town of Chéticamp - don’t forget your selfie at the town’s famous Acadian coloured Lighthouse down on the Marina (good to know: the lighthouse was very recently damaged by storms, but is due for a makeover very soon!), and let yourself be impressed by a towering St Peter's Church! The area also has a rich fishing industry history and heritage, which has considerably reduced in the last 30 years, but has left a beautiful imprint on the town. You'll quickly notice that the ocean is a beloved feature here!
OceanFront art at its best!
Talking of the ocean, it’s time to head to the Mi-Carême Interpretive Centre in Grand-Étang for your pre-booked morning “Oceanfront Creations” Workshop! This fun and relaxing hands-on cultural experience is open to all ages, and all talent levels!
You’ll be introduced to Acadian crafting traditions like nowhere else, as well as experience the fun of repurposing oceanfront gleaned marine debris to create a true art-piece with none other than local folk-artist Diane Bourgeois, the Centre’s artist in residence!
After unleashing your creativity in the Art Studio, enjoy the guided tour of the Interpretive Centre’s museum and learn about the amusing Mi-Carême (mid-Lent) tradition.
Before setting off, we highly recommend stepping out onto the beach behind the Centre (there’s a path leading off from the Centre’s parking lot) to capture your creation propped up against one of the beach rocks, so that it contrasts with that rich blue ocean backdrop! Beautiful art and whimsical memories guaranteed!
Easy booking for our OceanFront Creations (multiple dates and times available) right here: https://www.micareme.com/event-details/oceanfront-creations-2022-07-06-10-00-1
Hold it: it's Picnic Time!
Did you know? The Mi-Carême Centre provides its front-lawn picnic tables for free during the day, as well as a free WiFi connection!
So feel welcome to use them and avoid sandy sandwiches or that awfully painful rock-imprinted bum experience!
Enjoy our incredible harbour views as you upload your creative morning selfies right away and share them with everyone back home!
Waterfall Chasing Time!
Head off to one (or several) of the following stunning waterfalls in the area for some amazing Outdoors Adventure selfies (*driving times are from the Mi-Carême Interpretive Centre):
- Corney Brook Trailhead (21 min drive*)
- Egypt Falls (40 min drive*)
- MacIntosh Brook Trail (45 minute drive*) Pictured on left - photo Credit: Tourism Nova Scotia
Just picture yourself soaking up your reward: enjoy those blissfully refreshing cool waters on your hike-worked feet! This truthfully is as beautiful as it sounds and will add a beautiful end to your afternoon!
On your way back from either Corney Brook Trail or MacIntosh Brook Trail, make a stop at the Trois Pignons Centre, in Chéticamp, to discover the amazingly precise art of hooked rugs. It's a local art that is perfectly unique to the area, and famous throughout the world! Bonus: it's fun to explore for all ages!
Hungry for Lobster Dinner?
Hey, did you say you’ve worked up an appetite for… say lobster dinner?
AND not just any lobster dinner - A delicious lobster dinner cooked the traditional Acadian way, overlooking the orangy-pink ocean sunset while enjoying joyfully upbeat local fiddle music?
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday summer evenings at 6pm, that’s precisely the bucket-list treat that the Mi-Carême Interpretive Centre has in store for you!
A little "extra" bonus: the Centre’s little whimsical museum stays open for guests to explore at their leisure - and its enchanting boutique too! While your lobster is deliciously cooking away, choose beautiful artisan gifts to treasure forever or to gift those special people back home. Here, there are no “Made In…” surprises, they are all authentically made either onsite or in the area, and can be found absolutely nowhere else in the world! Find out more about these fabulous evenings here: https://www.micareme.com/post/5-reasons-for-savouring-acadian-lobster-dinners-in-grand-étang-this-summer-2022
Instagrammable moments are plentiful with this event! Don’t miss it!
Easy booking for our Bucket-List Acadian lobster dinner experiences here: https://www.micareme.com/event-details/salt-water-lobster-and-tunes-2022-07-07-18-30
“Give ‘er! I’m ready to take on anything!!!”
Cape Breton is the perfect place to fuel up with positive energy!
Start your day off right by grabbing a hearty breakfast at:
- Aucoin’s Bakery (opens at 7am every day, closed on Sundays) https://www.aucoinbakery.com/en/index.php
- Marguerite’s Boutique and Provisions (opens at 8am everyday) https://www.boutiquemarguerite.com
since these locations open earlier!
You can even beat the lunch crowds by shopping your take-out lunch or picnic at either of these locations too!
Pictured above is a glorious sunshine breakfast at Marguerite’s outside wooden bench with Verbena Blues Tea (yes it’s indigo!) and chocolate chip cookie (a scrumptious-crumbly cookie where chocolate chips are delicately balanced with salted caramel crackles - the combo is absolutely divine!), and as single-use eco-friendly as you can get!!
Then head straight out to the trails for some amazing morning waterfall-chasing adventures!
Waterfalls on the western side of Cape Breton Island include (*driving times are from the Mi-Carême Interpretive Centre):
- Corney Brook Trailhead (21 minute drive*)
- Egypt Falls (40 min drive*) Pictured on left - photo Credit: Tourism Nova Scotia
- MacIntosh Brook Trail (45 minute drive*)
Best picnic spot ever!
Need somewhere to upload your waterfall adventure photos while satisfying that hike-worked appetite?
Head on over to the Mi-Carême Interpretive Centre’s grounds: we gladly provide our picnic tables and WiFi for free!
Yes, you read that correctly: for free, and that’s every day, all through the summer until mid-October!
Your packed lunch will take on a whole other level overlooking the tranquil fishing harbour with distant rolling green highlands on one side, and the endless-horizon ocean views on the other!
Masks Workshop at the Mi-Carême Centre or Cruise to your next Trail-Hiking Adventure (or… both!)!
Your pre-booked afternoon Mask Workshop is finally here! Prepare to embark for an enchanting world of masks and disguises. Feel inspired by the masks all around the Centre, and let the power of creativity take over as you design your very own mask! Here we will even reveal the best secrets to remain unrecognized the next time you “run the Mi-Carême”! After all, that is the main objective of this whimsical celebration! Discover the best Acadian traditions in an unexpected and fabulously fun way with us.
After the workshop, enjoy some relaxation time on one of three close-by beaches:
- Chéticamp Island's Beach (pictured here) or Margaree Harbour Beach (both 15 minutes' drive from the Mi-Carême Centre). Both are beautiful beaches, where relaxation just seems to roll right off the waves!
- The Beach right behind the Mi-Carême Centre (0 minutes' driving time), although it is a smaller pebble beach, it has magnificent views over the freshers waters of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, it is so little known that its peacefulness will win your heart for sure... relax and enjoy!
Want to know another well-kept local’s secret? the beautiful (and increasingly world famous) Gypsum Mine Trail and Lake is just a 10 minute drive up the road from the Mi-Carême Centre! After a short walk and slight ascent it’s the perfect spot to capture some of your most spectacular outdoor selfies or a “Sel-Feet” (of that blissful moment when your hike-worked feet touch the cool turquoise-green pristine waters)! You’ll know exactly what we mean by the turquoise-green waters when you se