Cabot Trail: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

The Cabot Trail winds over and around bald mountains, passes through dense forests of balsam fir, clings to cliffsides as whales breach in the waters below. Near the trail’s southern gateway, the Bell Bay Golf Club (greens fee, $65; bellbaygolfclub.com) overlooks the inland sea of the Bras d’Or Lake. Further west, Cabot Links (greens fee, $80; cabotlinks.com), a hotly anticipated new project from Bandon Dunes developer Mike Keiser, will have preview holes open this summer. But the main attraction is Highland Links (pictured; greens fee, $75; highlandslinksgolf.com), near the island’s northeastern tip. A singular blend of mountain and oceanside golf, it is widely considered to be the best course in Canada.