Your trip to Cabot Cape Breton is going to be amazing because it’s basically heaven on earth.  However, there are some tips we wish we had know on our first trip. Here are 14 insider tips for a stellar Cabot Cape Breton trip.

1. Avoid a Late Night Arrival 

When booking a flight, try and find one that will land by mid afternoon. Once you are on the island, there is a 2-3.5 hour drive ahead of you, depending on your arrival airport.  Catching an earlier flight means you’ll arrive at Cabot in time to get settled, have a drink and be ready for an early tee time. On our first trip, we made the mistake of landing at midnight, arriving at 4am and paid for it the next day. 

2. Book Airport Transportation ASAP

If you are flying in to Nova Scotia, you are going to need to arrange airport transfer and that can be tricky due to low availability of rental cars.  Once your flights are scheduled, book a rental car right away.  It’s also worth checking out our article  “How to Get to Cabot Cape Breton.”

3. Groups Should Stay Off the Resort but in Town

There are many options available for lodging in the town of Inverness. The resort offers hotel style rooms with amazing views of the ocean and are great if you are travelling with one other person. 

If you are travelling with more people, you are going to want more space to hang out and access to other activities to fill your time after your rounds, so we recommend a short term rental.  There are a few available on the Cliffs course, but that course is pretty isolated from the amenities in town, is still very much under development and doesn’t have a clubhouse / restaurant yet. We believe staying in town is the best option, and are pretty fond of Cabot Cottage and our golf garage.

4. Dogs are Welcome 

We were shocked and impressed to find out that dogs are welcome at the resort, on the patio and even on the course if on leash! If you are lucky enough to be able to drive to Cabot, you may want to bring your pooch.

5. Use the Resort Shuttle to get to the Cliffs

As long as you have a tee time at the Cliffs, you can walk over to Links and jump on a shuttle, no matter where you are staying. There is no need to pre book, just show up and one will be there approx every fifteen minutes.

6. Take a Caddie 

There are no carts at Cabot Cape Breton, and while there are pust carts available for rent, we highly recommend taking a caddie.  The caddies there are top notch and will offer you all kinds of advice, making your round more enjoyable and your score lower. Caddies are paid directly (in cash) after the round and tips are welcomed. A caddie fee, NOT including a tip is $90 for a class A caddie. Class B caddies (carry bag but no advice) and group caddies (provide course knowledge to the group but do not carry any bags) are also available at lower rates ($60 and $120 respectively). You can book a Caddie when you book your tee times.

7. There are Free Cookies and Bottles of Water at the Starter Box

Whether you will be consuming alcohol or not, grab a water.  You’ll be walking for the next 3-4 hours and will need the water at some point. And who does’t love a cookie? These little touches by the team at Cabot Cape Breton, really shows how much they care about your entire experience, and part of why we love playing there so much! This service is availbale on both courses.

8. There are Halfway Houses on the Links course at 4,8 and 14

No need to overstock your cart, Cabot makes sure you are looked after every few holes on the Links course.  Whether its a bathroom or another drink, there seems to be one wherever you need.

9. There are Halfway Houses on the Cliffs course at 1 and 9

The amenities around the Cliffs course are still under development, including what will be their clubhouse/restaurant. Although there is sometimes a cart on 14, it’s not a guarantee, so make sure you have whatever you’ll need for 9 holes, just in case.

10. Non Golfers in Your Group are Able to Join You

Have a buddy that wants to join but doesn’t golf, or only wants to play once? They are welcome to join you on your round, to walk the course.  If you are travelling with your non golfer wife, make sure you check out our article “Why Your Wife will Love a Trip to Cabot Cape Breton”.

11. Sunday Closures

Don’t get stuck without food, gas or booze! The Co-op grocery store, the NSLC liquour store and the gas station are all closed on Sunday’s.

12. Go to the Harness Racing, but Bring Cash

If you are visiting over a weekend, from May-October, or Wednesdays during July and August, a trip to the Inverness Raceway is a must.  Place some bets, grab a beer and a 50/50 ticket and cheer on your horse. Everything is cash only though so hit up the ATM first.  Races start at 7pm on Wednesday’s and 1pm on Sunday’s. Never been to the track before? Check out our article on “A Beginner’s Guide to the Inverness Raceway”

13. Book an Ocean Charter

The Northumberland Straight plays host to whales, dolphins, seals, tuna, bald eagles, lobster and more. Book a sightseeing tour, a fishing charter or even a private lobster boil right on the water with Eagle Eye Outfitters.

14. Make Sure you Have an Ocean View at Sunset

The sunsets in Inverness are pure magic.  Make sure you’ve got a comfy spot to kick back and enjoy, at least once while you are there.  Some of our fave spots are on the Cliffs patio and the front deck at Cabot Cottage. 

Bonus Tip

If you really want to stay at Cabot Cottage (and why wouldn’t you?) then check out our availability first, then float the dates by your group. We’d be honoured to make your experience the best possible by being your host.