We will be moving our son into the dorm at Dal University in Halifax early September and will have 3 days/ 2-3 nights on our own before heading back to US. We did the Lighthouse Route, Lunenberg,Brier Island, Wolfville last summer....want to head north this time. Can you make suggestions re Cape Breton given our limited time???

Just do it!!!
Cape Breton is spectacular and although you wont have time to dawdle you can go around in three days.

I agree. The drive up to the start of the Highlands National Park in Cape Breton is not too long. I remember we drove from Halifax to Mabou in an afternoon with a baby in back, so it couldn't have been too far - maybe 4 or 5 hrs max. We stopped in Antigonish for lunch. There are lots of places to spend the night to break up the trip, and there are beautiful hikes all along the way.

We did just get an extra night in Cape Breton as we realize we can move our son into his dorm Sunday morning and be on the road either before lunch or right after. So now, we have four nights. Just need to get back to Halifax by Thursday afternoon. Would someone comment on how to adapt plans if the fog moves in? I'm reading that there is no sense in driving the Cabot Trail if you're fogged in.

Head to the Louisborg Fortress. You can easily spend a whole day there. The fog will give you a better idea of how they survived there...LOL!

Enjoy-la!

We have travelled the Trail in weather that didn't appear to be great (raining and foggy), but by the time we got 1/4 way around the trail, the weather improved and it was beautiful. Here in NS we have a saying - if you don't like the weather, wait an hour (it is sure to change). There are several weather cameras available on the NS Dept of Transportation site where you can see what the conditions are. I think they have put one somewhere in the National Park.

Don't worry about the fog and enjoy your trip to Cape Breton.