Complete Guide To RV Camping on Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia

Cape Breton Island in northern Nova Scotia is an amazing place to RV. With sprawling coastal views where mountains meet the sea, there is no shortage of beautiful places to explore along this special section of Canada’s coastline.
We spent 3 months RVing around Atlantic Canada and can easily say that Cape Breton Island sits at the top of our list of our favorite spots in the Maritimes.
We are sharing everything you need to know about RV camping around Cape Breton, including how to learn from our mistakes and what to know to prepare for some stunningly scenic (and hair-raising) roads you can take an RV on!
Top RV Camping on Cape Breton Island
Whether you are looking to be in the heart of the National Park, close to iconic trails, or make several stops on your way around the island, there are several good options for RVers making their way around Cape Breton.
A few important things to know before you go:
- The best time to visit Cape Breton: Summer and fall. Summer has awesome weather and events and activities are at their peak. Fall will bring beautiful colors, but the weather starts to cool off quickly
- RVing into Canada from the U.S.? Be sure you are ready for international RVing with these border crossing tips
- Cape Breton Island is made up of mostly small fishing towns. Expect groceries to be more expensive and a smaller selection, consider stopping at a bigger box store to stock up before arriving.
Cape Breton Island National Park Camping
One of our favorite ways to RV is to explore National Parks. As of 2024 we have visited over 40 National Parks in the U.S. and more than 10 National Parks in Canada!
What we love about staying in National Park Campgrounds specifically is that they are centrally located to great hikes, scenic drives, and epic views while also typically being much cheaper, more beautiful, and more peaceful than private RV parks.
They can be harder to book and require a bit more advanced planning, but this tradeoff has always been worth it in our experience.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park has several RV camping options on both sides of the island:
Broad Cove Campground (East side of Cape Breton island)
While we initially planned to camp on both the east and west side of Cape Breton, we ultimately ended up making Broad Cove Campground our “home base” while exploring the area.
This didn’t stop us from exploring the west side of the island and helped save us a lot of miles of backtracking with how this stop fits into the rest of our East Coast Canada RV trip itinerary.
We loved this campground’s large sites with convenient hookups and found it to be in a great spot close to several great hikes, scenic overlooks, and is right along the famous Cabot Trail.
It even has a trail from the campground right down to a beautiful beach surrounded by red cliffs!
Ingonish Beach (east side of Cape Breton island)
This small open campground only allows small RVs up to 21 feet. It is a 10-minute walk from Ingonish Beach and close to several trails in the National Park, as well as the Highland Links Golf course and the Keltic Lodge.
Cheticamp Campground (west side of Cape Breton Island)
This is another larger campground within the National Park boundaries that is RV-friendly and has sites that would fit larger RVs.
Also right on the coast, this would be a great spot to visit the local Acadian fishing village, 6 local beaches, several hiking trails, and world-class golf.
Other Cape Breton Highland National Park Campgrounds
- Mkwesaqtuk/Cap-Rouge (new) – walk-in sites and oTENTiks
- Fishing Cove (backcountry)
- Big Intervale (5 first come, first served sites made for tents, but some small RVs may fit)
- Corner Brook (small RVs up to 21 feet allowed)
All Canada Parks campsites must be reserved through their online portal! Sites are highly competitive so be sure to make note of when the booking window opens and book ASAP!
Private Campgrounds on Cape Breton Island
Hideaway Campground & Oyster Market (Dingwall): Located at the halfway point of the Cabot Trail, this is the best option if you are looking to stay in the middle of the island or are looking to break up your scenic drive. Full hookup sites are available as well as rentals on this 80-site campground with mountain and ocean views.
Waves End RV & Campground (Cheticamp): Perfect for most sizes of RVs. Includes beach access, laundry, and Starlink internet for guests. Sites have power and water and there is a dump station on site free that is for guests. Dry camping sites also available at a reduced rate
Meat Cove Campground (Meat Cove): First come first served campsites (30 tent sites) as well as cabins and a chalet for rent on a stunning cliff overlooking the ocean and Meat Cove. This is extremely remote camping and takes a bit of a journey to get here, but could be worth it if you are looking to unplug and truly get away for a few days. **NOT RV FRIENDLY
Can You Tow Your RV Along The Cabot Trail?
Short answer: yes
The long answer has a lot to do with if you want to. A better question is will you be comfortable?
There are no limitations for RV’s along the Cabot Trail. This being said, the drive is long and includes several sections with steep grades up and down, sharp turns, and anxiety-provoking drops-offs from the cliffs to the waters below.
If you don’t want to tow the northern section of the Cabot Trail, you can take day trips to either side of the park from the side you choose to stay at if you don’t mind a bit of driving. You could also use the southern section of Route 30 to move between campgrounds on either side of the park and spend time in each, rather than towing through the park on the northern side of the road which can be a bit hairy.
Tips for RVing the Cabot Trail:
- Be mindful of the weather: Road conditions can become much more difficult, especially if fog or rain are to roll in. Always monitor the weather and be careful if conditions are to change (this can occur suddenly on this section of the coast)
- Expect traffic and stopping: The Cabot Trail is VERY popular! There are several pull-offs where people will be stopping, you could encounter wildlife, and tourists will be all around the roads snapping pictures. Expect some stop and go and be vigilant of your surroundings.
- Do a safety check: Ensure your brakes, transmission, tires, etc. are in peak condition. There are steep sections that could push your RV or tow vehicle to the limits and this road would be a less than ideal place to experience a breakdown. Take it slow!
Especially if you have a larger RV you may be more comfortable choosing one side of Cape Breton to camp on and exploring the Cabot Trail in a vehicle where you can easily get out to see the overlooks and overall enjoy a less stressful experience.
Road Conditions
For the most part, we found the road conditions of the Cabot Trail itself to be better than we expected.
Now, we were coming from RVing around Newfoundland where we experienced extremely rough sections of road, so our views may have been a bit skewed!
Overall we found the road to not be overly rough (certainly doable with any RV) and mostly just a bit stressful due to the sharp turns and steep drop-offs.
The one exception was the road to Meat Cove, which was one of the worst we have experienced in our years of RVing. If you plan to head out to Meat Cove on the very northern part of Cape Breton, we suggest NOT taking any RV with you. Or at least plan to go about 5 mph around the extremely large potholes and frost heaves.
Best Things To Do While RVing Around Cape Breton
Cabot Trail: Having already visited the stunning coastlines of Newfoundland, we weren’t quite sure what to expect from the Cabot Trail. From the first hair-raising climb up the orange cliffside with sheer drops to the deep blue ocean below, to the last gentle winds along the water’s edge, the Cabot Trail is truly a masterpiece. A 185-mile loop best driven slow, on a sunny day, with your binoculars and camera in hand.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park: An extension of the Appalachian Mountain chain, the park is characterized by rolling hills, deep canyons, and rocky cliffs set on a plateau high above the surrounding bodies of water. With its large tracts of deciduous forest, this is a great place to experience the colorful bloom of fall foliage as well as experience beaches, hiking, and wildlife.
The Cabot Trail is one of North America’s most beautiful drives. The scenic road winds through Cape Breton Highlands National Park offering jaw-dropping views at every bend. Beyond the views, the park is full of hiking and ample opportunities to explore Celtic heritage and culture.
For hiking enthusiasts these were some of our favorite trails: Skyline Trail, Franey Trail, Middle Head Trail, Broad Cove Mountain, White Point Lookout, Jack Pine Loop, and Theodore Fricker Mountain Trail are great additions to your trekking itinerary!
Experience Celtic culture with a Ceilidh or Kitchen Party. These events celebrating traditional Celtic culture can be found all over the island and on both sides of the Cabot Trail and should not be missed. You can find a full schedule of local events here!
Take a day trip to experience the Fortress of Louisbourg: This is a National Historic site that includes a reconstructed section of the French colonial town (the largest reconstructed historical site in Canada). In the park, you are able to take a step back into history with costumed guides teaching you about the local history. You can even experience a traditional meal inspired by 18th-century French Cuisine at the Grandchamp house!
Whale watching: As we found out in Newfoundland, the coasts around eastern Canada are perfect for whale watching! On Cape Breton Island there are several whale-watching tours including tours leaving from Pleasant Bay and Cheticamp on the western side of the island as well as from Ingonish on the eastern side of the island.
Tours To Explore During Your Trip To Cape Breton
Guided tours can be a great way to take the stress of planning off your plate and allow you to learn from the locals!
Most local tours below will leave from either Baddeck on the very south side of Cape Breton Island (perfect if you would rather have a guided tour around the Cabot Trail rather than drive it yourself), or over in Sydney (a great option if you want to combine sightseeing around Cape Breton with your trip over to Newfoundland and are short on time)
Want to RV more of Canada? Check out these resources: