FREE THINGS TO DO IN SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA

  • 1. The Big Fiddle – The World’s Largest Fiddle located on the Sydney waterfront next to the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion greets visitors as they arrive via cruise ship.  The fiddle and bow reach a height of 60 feet! The Big Fiddle, as many call it, was designed and constructed by Cyril Hearn in 2005.  It is a tribute to the folk music and traditions of the province’s Celtic community.
  • 2. Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design – We serve the craft community of Cape Breton Island from beginners and recreational practitioners to highly accomplished professionals, offering instruction as well as resource and support services.CBCC&D offers a variety of educational opportunities in both contemporary and traditional craft, promotes and markets Cape Breton craft through exhibitions, special events, the maintenance of fine craft showcases throughout the Island and the operation of a permanent, year-round store-front Gallery and Gallery Shop representing over 75 Cape Breton artists.
  • 3. Sydney Downtown Development Association – Want to experience Sydney? Visit Downtown Sydney – a safe, clean, inviting, and walk-able district with a business-friendly area for residents and visitors to experience our unique and vibrant small town atmosphere. Home to a beautiful waterfront boardwalk linked to the world’s largest fiddle, and minutes to our historic district, not to mention a wealth of unique retailers and hotels, with so much to experience Downtown Sydney is proud to be the core of the CBRM.
  • 4. Breton Brewing Co – Making Greatness in Unexpected Places. Sydney’s first Craft Brewery offering four flagship beers: Black Angus IPA, Red Coat Irish Red Ale, Sons of Hector Brown Ale, Sterling Hefeweizen, and a rotational seasonal beer. Enjoy a taste of Cape Breton, local music, and brewery tours.
  • 5. Sydney Merchant Mariners Memorial – Sydney Harbor played an important role during World War II once a Royal Canadian Navy base, HMCS Protector, was established to stage supply convoys bound for Europe. These convoys tended to be slower and had the prefix SC for Slow Convoy.[12] Convoy SC 7 typified the dangers inherent with the Nazi U-boats off the coast of Cape Breton and Newfoundland during the Battle of the Atlantic, when 20 of the 35 merchant cargo vessels were sunk on their journey to England. Sydney Harbour was one of the hotspots of the Battle of the St. Lawrence. Two notable shipping attacks occurred during this battle: the sinking of the train ferry SS Caribou in October 1942 on its way from North Sydney to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland;[13] and the sinking of the Sydney-based HMCS Shawinigan on 24 November 1944 in the Cabot Strait, near Cape North, on Cape Breton Island.[14] Sydney’s coal shipping and steel manufacturing made a significant contribution to the Allied war effort, however federal Minister of Industry, C. D. Howe favored Central Canada’s steel industry given its proximity to a larger workforce and less exposure to coastal attack.
  • 6. Petersfield Provincial Park – Petersfield Provincial Park is a picnic park overlooking the south arm of Sydney Harbor on Cape Breton Island (off Route 239).
  • 7. St. George’s Anglican Church & Graveyard – St. George’s Anglican Church is located in downtown Sydney, Nova Scotia, at the corner of Charlotte and Nepean Streets. The stone Gothic Revival style church, built between 1785 and 1791, is a local landmark. St George’s architecture is a simple, clean expression of dignity and solidness. The building and the graveyard are included in the provincial designation.
  • 8. Baille Ard Nature Trail – 1.7-mile out-and-back trail near Sydney, Nova Scotia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete.
  • 9. Wentworth Park – Wentworth Park is a Canadian urban park located in the community of Sydney, part of Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Regional Municipality. The park was created in 1786, just a year after Sydney’s founding, making it the oldest of Sydney’s parks.
  • 10. Sydney Visitor Information Centre – The Sydney Visitor Information Centre in Cape Breton, NS serves as a resource for travelers seeking information about the local area.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS NEAR THE CRUISE PORT