Many visitors to Cape Breton realize too late that they would like to extend their stay. There’s so much to do and also Cape Breton/Cabot Shores is a peaceful, safe place to be, even during a worldwide pandemic.
In 2019, Travel + Leisure awarded Cape Breton Island the best island in Canada. For some, we are lucky enough to call this beautiful place home. The breath taking views and endless opportunities to experience rural Cape Breton has never been more tempting or available. Although vacations out of province or abroad have been put on hold, why not take some time to enjoy what is around you? Book a staycation at Cabot Shores today!
There are at least four reasons that come to mind to extend your stay at Cabot Shores for your staycation during the current pandemic. They are similar to reasons given by past guests for longer term stays.
Four Unique Experiences for your stay at Cabot Shores
Staycation
CEO Vi Nguyen says: “Staycations and nearby rental homes are an easy way for people to take a small break while keeping their families and loved ones safe.”. Cabot Shores is a natural playground for children, adults, and pets. With a 2007 foot long beach bordering the Atlantic and Church Pond, Cabot Shores is the ideal location for beach combing, walking or hiking, fire building, cookouts, swimming, fishing, kayaking and canoeing and stand up paddle boarding. Whatever your heart desires! All these activities can be solo or in a couple or with family members or friends who already live together in a household bubble.
A Bird Watching Stay At Cabot Shores
A recent guest is a professional birder whose project in Newfoundland is postponed. Locally, he walks along Jersey Cove road almost daily and has seen 40 plus species of birds on Cape Breton – many migrating here from southern climates. Have a look at some of the birds around Cabot Shores!
2. Retreat and Transitions
Over the years, a number of folks have had the need to get away. Among many reasons some include for some alone time to regroup as during transitions of life, included but not limited to:
- job change
- changing family situations (births, birthdays, separations, loss of loved ones)
- honeymoons
- and many more!
Personal retreats help us to get perspective on our lives – which is important and often very necessary during change. To gain perspective, sometimes it is helpful to be away and to create some distance from everyday life. Having that space often helps guests tune into a spiritual aspect they are often too busy to experience during one’s normal routine. For 16 years now, Cabot Shores has been a place for some guests to retreat, to find a kind of sanctuary and to go through these periods of transition.
Local Meditation Instructor Ran Sessions in Her Yurt
A local meditation instructor serves veterans and local folks in her practice. Her husband is a counselor and they meet with groups and individuals. For a few days, her students visited her yurt, learned and practiced with her.
More recently, guests including a monastic from Gampo Abbey practice on their own in Cabot Shores’ lodging.
Barbara Leads Meditation Through Zoom
Weekly, during the Corona Virus, Barbara has been leading a meditation group usually based in Sydney, Nova Scotia. And Kat Gouthro will be leading a yoga class. You’ll see her, as below on our upcoming Cabot Shores Online area.

3. Practice, Study, Learn,Unplug and Create
You may now have time and want a place to practice something that you rarely get a chance to do. Maybe you want to take the opportunity to practice more than usual during your busy work and personal and family life. It could be that guitar or fiddle or singing that you’ve been neglecting, or the desire. Or time to paint, sculpt, dance, or do photography. To write that book or film or video. Do yoga or qi gong or running or cross fit? It could be meditating or some other spiritual practice. The options are endless. To explore a subject you want to learn more about, study and or a skill or hobby you’d like to master, even simply time to read a book or hear your own thoughts rather than the drone of the TV or the endless distraction of your cell phone or the internet consider Cabot Shores for fulfilling this space. It could be your time to upplug and do some digital detox?!
Catching Up on Your Instrument, Meditation, Yoga Practice
Cabot Shores has hosted guests in the process of:
- creating CD’s,
- completing work for an Art Show,
- writing books and articles,
- reading for tests or writing papers,
- doing photography and producing/editing films.
- and many more creative endeavours
Your own chalet, big yurt, or retreat space may be just the place to help create something of value that requires the time and focus you’ve been missing.


4. Nature Connection
Have you noticed that simply taking a walk or short hike clears your head? As a result, you gain a different perspective on your day. To add to that, you’ll discover the extensive wildlife along the Cabot Trail at Cabot Shores: including moose, red fox, beaver, otter, many birds including eagles, ocean and mountain birds…and a variety of trees, plants and delicious berries (wild strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) Enjoy star or moose gazing and bird-watching as you walk, beach comb or paddle.
View from Big Red Yurt