Reviews of Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site (Car Wash)

Nick P.

We spent way more time here than we thought. There are tours you can take but start times are infrequent, we didn't know about them until too late. Just walking around and talking to the costumed staff is a fun experience

Michael Vining

Amazing place for all ages. Took a gaggle of kids here ages 2, 4, 6, 7 & 8 (my kids and their cousins) plus us 4 adults and had a great time. The kids enjoyed it so much they're asking when we're coming back. I knew my kids would enjoy it but I was worried their interest would drop off shortly into the excursion, not the case at all. They loved it start to finish. Extremely cool place, the amount of work that's gone into this historically accurate recreation is bananas.

Joel Gallant

A great lesson in history for both kids and adults. Lots to a and do. You could spend an entire day there and still not experience everything. Admission does not include any extra activities inside the fortress, so be prepared to pay if you want to fire a musket or cannon, be imprisoned or even take the guided tour. All "residents" of the fortress are in costumes appropriate to the time period and remain in character when spoken to. They go about their routines as you walk around the grounds. A day pass is less than $20 CAD - highly recommend if you are vacationing in Cape Breton.

Redemption Song

This is an absolute must stop for people of all ages. We did the entire east coast and for my daughter this is one place She still talks about today. She would love to go back again. Fully bilingual. The entire staff are exceptional. Dressed in period clothing and played their roles to a tee. Home made bread the old fashioned way. Military dressed. I honestly can't say enough. It's like going back in time. I'll let my pics speak for themself.

Ana G. Martinez

Went this July and I can’t still get over this place. It was a truly amazing part of Parks Canada to visit, so worth it. I enjoyed stepping back in time and getting to spend time with people dressed up in character. I found out there is a summer camp for kids which I would have loved to go if I were still a kid. So much history to learn from here. One of the employees was amazing and explained everything...such a great story teller, you can tell he is passionate about his work there. If you’re in Cape Breton don’t miss out on the fort.

Tim Hawkins

Loved it! The village is faithfully restored to the 1740, however with well hidden water and power. Very well trained re-enactors in period dress provide life and colour to the site. When we left the park I knew a lot more about France's commitment to early Canada and the hardships that inhabitants endured.

JP Wolf

Great place with amazing immersion, the place is huge, lots of people to inform you, we had a blast. Take note that the place is not wheelchair friendly, they lend adapted walkers but if the person cannot walk they are useless, i strongly recommend taking the guided tours if you are with someone who needs a wheelchair. I did not removed any stars as everyone there helped us as much as they could in the circumstances, really appreciated!!!

WonderWendy M

We spent around five hours here and we didn't do any of the guided tours; that was just us wandering and exploring with a map and an app. Every single costumed staff member that we met had incredibly detailed information to share in an interactive experience. It was amazing. We actually found ourselves wishing we could have stayed longer. With the staff, sometimes I felt a little bit like I was the only one who didn't know my lines....but on the whole they were an extremely informative bunch of people all acting in a massive theatre. We stopped into the bakery and bought a "low class" loaf of bread. It was whole grain rye mix and it was delicious. We ate it warm right out of the bag as we walked. At one point we bumped into an elderly couple, the gentleman was sitting on one of the benches while his lady was deciding where to go next. He interrupted her to say, you know - I WANT to find out where we can get THAT bread! :) It's a Parks Canada site and so every attempt is made to make every bit of it accessible to all. We found a few places that would be difficult, but for the most part, whatever your ability - there is a way for you. We walked out to the "Ruins Walk" and found that very enjoyable as well - the end of the "official path" is the end of the accessible area; after that it's a wish path, (a path where people wish to go) or, as my family would say, a goat track.

Margaux Miller

Great stop. Live interpreters dressed in traditional attire really added to it so well!

Jeremy Buchan

Great place to learn about the history of the early French and English settlements at Louisbourg

conrad kreyling

You may have figured by now that I love history. This is amazing. The original town was destroyed over the years by storms, but has been partially rebuilt from archaeological records and historical documents. An incredible job, nearly as good as Sturbridge Village. The narrative is also something that had flown under my radar. I knew about the fall of Quebec in 1859 and Montreal in 1860, but the fall of Fortress Luoisbourg was the gateway to the British taking of French Canada. Worth the time and the price of admission.

John Dibben

Lot's of great authentic and original or restored buildings. Good interaction with people playing the parts of the original residents. Great costumes and cannon firing ceremony. Great food and drink. Educational too. The whole family enjoyed it.

Adam Foley

Considering that COVID has likely wreaked havoc on all the tourist places like this, I have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. You can spend a couple days going through all the various displays and walks and really dig into the place, or you can stop and get the gist in half a day. The best part was that it wasn't just buildings and plaques, but there were actors playing roles so that when you looked in a room or went into a house in the fortress there were scenes played out and interactions with the actors. Everyone was exceptionally friendly and events were always offered in French or English. The canon firing ceremony was well done, the small band was excellent and drilled well. There are guided tours, motorized tours, or just walk and explore. Some of the gift shop stock was a bit scarce, but again this place would have been closed for most of the past year plus and had little revenue to feed into itself. All in all I think it was a great experience and hope that the visitors start coming back in droves once more. There are destination chargers for EVs, the parking lot we were in P2, I believe, had them installed but not powered, yet another tourist saw our electric car and mentioned another lot had them powered already. They can be found on plug share. Tesla plug or standard L2 SAE connector.

Emily Sutherland

The staff were all so friendly, not a single unkind person! The grounds and buildings are extremely well maintained. All around a fantastic day well spent! There are several free activities spaced throughout the day as well. We took a walking tour with Hilda first thing, and she was spectacular! Well spoken, interesting stories, knowledgeable on all aspects of the history and workings of the fort/ress. Thank you so much Hilda, and Parks Canada!

RaRa T

I can't believe we hadn't heard of this place before. We went beginning of October, a week before they were closing up for the season, so they have a little less activities going on during the shoulder season. But we were incredibly impressed and strongly encourage the detour. We loved our visit, all the 'guides' dressed in costume and interpreting various roles, always happy to answer questions and tell stories. The site is magnificent, and reflects well all the effort that was put in by the various historians, architects, builders, etc. to recreate a step back in time.

Pei-chi Chang

Amazing place with lots of history. Actors make the experience even better. Could easily spend the whole morning/day here!

Steve Martin

It more than lives up to its name, being historic AND a Fortress. The signage to get there needs help, i.e. don't drive all the way to the Fort, turn in at the Entrance sign well before it to find the secret Visitor's Centre, where you pay and get the shuttle bus to the Fort. There's lots to see, such as canon and musket demonstrations, and the meal at the tavern was some of the best food my wife and I had eating out.

Chris Bing

Enjoyable day at an impressive location. Paid extra for a guided tour which was a good introduction. Food choice and quality should be better, it might be vaguely-authentic 1700s-style but we still had to pay 2017 prices. I pitied the poor guy that ordered the bread and cheese and got 4 small cubes.

Troy Stoddart

The 3 hours I had alloted for the visit was too short. Even though they had a lot of exhibits closed there was a lot to take in. The staff were extremely informative. They present presented their stories like they were in that time and with enthusiasm. It didn't seem like it was just their "job". I could see me visiting again after covid, however, spend most of the day exploring. There are also trails that you can take to see old ruins, original path of the town folk. Bring comfy foot wear as there is lots of walking. Some parts require you to walk on grass. It is not a good place for heals. Also... Some of the grass is on a hill, it could be slippery slippery.

noble salvage

Have been to many many weddings. Many many different venues. Fortress Louisbourg, the welcoming, accommodating, fun, extraordinary event staff, went above and beyond what we ever expected. The atmosphere speaks for itself. The candlelit rooms. So calm and relaxing. Kyle was fantastic and very fun and helpful all the way through. We can't thank you folks enough for making all of us feel so welcome, and at home, on our special day. We will definitely be returning. Thank you all.!!

Robin Taylor

My mom, brother, his girlfriend and I went as a vacation. It was nice even with the fog. Getting to experience some parts of history were really cool! There were people dressed in period clothing and we got to learn about a bunch of different topics regarding the Louisburg area and its history. I liked getting to see a real lime kiln.

Kenneth Vander Horst

Rich in history! Figure on spending 3-6 hours here, including a meal. Be sure to watch the cannon firing.

Wen Sun

You must visit here if you come to the area, so much fun and lots of information/history. Everyone here is super friendly.

Nathan Mannett

Great experience..very informative and knowledgeable staff.

Dom San

Worth a visit. Really well maintained and currated. Don't miss the cannon fire at noon.

Emma S.

Truly incredible. Everyone should go at least once in their life! Book at least 3 hours to make sure you see everything. I could have happily stayed from opening to closing to see all the buildings and catch all the great daily events. It's clear a lot of work and love has gone into this place. All of the staff are super friendly, the food is delicious, and the scenery is unmatched. Louisbourg is such a gem.

chris Audi1

this place is amazing! there plenty of thing to do at first when i check the photo and review I was thinking it was small but not at all is gigantic!! A great lesson in history for both kids and adults -you can fired a real canon -can assist a parade -interacting with different soldiers -you can go in all the different buildings and …More what to bring with you: -good pair of shoes -sun screen -water you could probably spend the entire day there if you do all the activity

Jennifer Howe

One of the highlights of my N.S. trip. Characters in full costume and with historical knowledge to boot. Talked to one woman whose family dates back to the time of Lousibourg and who also hid out with the Mi'kmaq to avoid exile. There is an audio tour you can download from Parks Canada - in the app store search for Parks Canada app and there are two tours you can listen to as you walk - one taking you around the rebuilt city and the other taking you out to the original ruins on a beautiful walk right along the ocean. Recommend downloading the audio tour as it adds another layer to the experience.

Rafiq Punjani

*** Must Visit Attraction *** We visited Maritime Provinces in 2015 and didn’t visit here. In 2018 we visited again, and LOVED visiting here. I was wondering in my head why we didn’t come here before. Too good. Some reviews says it takes 3-4 hours to see the whole thing. Let me give you two options: 1. If you Love museums / history and have time: First of all take the 10:30am tour (available both in English and French). It takes an hour and costs $4 per person. After that you would know what to look at and then you go nuts. See each exhibit and it can take as much time as you would like to spend. 2. If you have little time / you like Museums but don’t die for them: Take the 10:30am tour, and that should be it. There are two guided tours, first one at 10:30am and the second one at around 2pm, I think. For you to join the 10:30am tour, you should buy the tickets at 9:45am latest and take the bus (complimentary) to take you to Fortress site. Then its a 15 minutes walk to the Tour start point. Parking is free on site. The restaurant and bakery only serve you food of 1745 AD colonial time, which if you don’t like (if you have taste buds like mine), then you only have an option of a cafe that serves chips and pop. It means, if you plan a 4-5 hours “I Love Museums” kinda trip, pack your lunch. Highly recommended tourist spot, Specialised for kids.

Charity Carr

I come for the history and stay for the bread ???? Seriously, try the bread. The kids and I love this spot. Animals, gardens, history, cannon and musket fire... oh, and bread. The staff are so awesome and friendly, which is astounding given the wool costumes! Highly recommend

David Pike

Fantastic recreation of the original fortress. We spent 4 hours exploring with our three young children; they were enthralled. Be sure to stop in and buy some fresh baked bread before they sell out. Knowledgeable and very friendly staff. Very inexpensive day trip that can easily entertain for an entire day!

Peter

Educational and fun at the same time. Friendly atmosphere filled with interesting characters full of insightful information about the period. Fun filled day for any age. Delicious snacks and hot drinks on site.

Miriam Salazar

A must see. Great historical site with amazing views of the area.

Bee E

The best and biggest fortifications in North America! We always have a great time. Allow yourself the whole day to explore the village, fortifications and have a meal. We were there during a reenactment weekend and the participants were true to the era and extremely knowledgeable. It really is a beautiful must see. (Or stay overnight!)

R. C.

Do you like history and knowing events that helped shaped Canada? If so this is your spot. There are lots of things to see and experience. This is a reconstruction of what Fortress Louisburg was like. It is is filled with authentic recreations and animators. The animators are all amazing. These are people who are acting a role from that specific time period. They are all over the fortress and they have lots of interesting things to tell. Highly recommend going to Fortress Louisburg.

P Ferwerda

Spent a little over five hours here and had a great time. Saw the guards demonstrating their muskets and the cannon. Talked to the staff who were very informative. I asked a lot of detailed questions and received detailed answers. The bakers, blacksmiths, the servants doing knitting or lace, and the servers where we ate were friendly and engaging. We enjoyed our meal in the tavern. All in all a great time.

Rebecca P (LovelyCreatures)

The setting is little diminished due to covid, but still an excellent adventure in history. Definitely a good choice for family trips or for anyone that loves history. The restaurants and taverns are cute and seeing everyone in period costumes makes it a extra special. Make sure you stop by the bakers for bread and the governor's quarters for the beautiful examples of 18th century furniture.

Jackie Beaton

It is a wonderful way to spend the day. Costumes were amazing the actors are friendly and very interactive. So interesting with all the sights and smells. It makes you feel like you went back in time.

Jim O'Grady

Certainly a commitment and a drive to get up here but once you arrive it's totally worth the journey. The park has done an amazing job to provide a dynamic experience of what life looked like 300 years ago. Bring a jacket, the temperature between the parking lot and the fortress dropped at least 5 degrees near the water.

Andreas Gorbach

Very high effort and love went into this. We spend two hours here with the family without a second of being bored. Parking has to be done off campus and the a bus shuttle is being provided every 15min. They close at 5pm so better come before 3pm as 2hours is the minimum that I would recommend.

Megan L

If you are thinking about coming here, don't think, just do it. We had a great time, it was a great experience - a wonderful piece of history. You need to park at the visitors centre and after you pay you get your bracelet and get on one of their buses. The buses leave every 15 minutes so you won't be waiting long. Once you're there you're free to walk around on your own, or they also offer tours (which are extra but cheap) we chose to walk around on our own. There's so much to see there and we had a lot of fun. Expect to spend a few hours there if you want to see all it has to offer.

UKADIAN (Skaterboydave)

Just amazing, worth a visit. Full of history.

Jennifer Whitty

Beautiful place! Everyone was so friendly and helpful. My own complaint is that its not very wheelchair accessible. It would have been fantastic if they had a little walkway paved, versus trying to push my mother in her wheelchair through the gravel. Other than that, great place!

Michael Clayville

Great experience. Period actors were knowledgeable, friendly, and entertaining. Buildings were interesting and well-maintained. Plenty to experience including some livestock (turkeys, ducks, geese, sheep, goats, chickens), dancing, and music making.

Vitaliy Mark

So much history related to this place. Hard to believe this place was restored from nothing. Learned a lot.

Emily White

The fortress of louisbourg is not the most convenient attraction on cape Brenton Island, but boy is it worth the effort! This historic landmark is not a hold over from olden times, but rather a recreation of the past in the present. When driving up to the fortress, you might be mistaken to think that the impressive buildings in front of you are relics of the past. However, this location was completely recreated over 2 decades starting in the 1960s. It's recreation supported the livelihoods of countless workers who had lost their jobs. In addition to artefacts strewn throughout the recreated buildings, the attraction uses antiques or accurate recreations along with fully costumed staff fully knowledgeable about the history about ancient Louisbourg. The staff and the atmosphere place you in an historical Era lost to time, but thanks to the efforts take this place a reality, available to all now who are willing to go out of their way to see this wonderful cite.

Ray Parker

A great restoration project marking a watershed in Canada's history. Staffed by enthusiastic guides, traditionally dressed, friendly, knowledgeable and willing to share their experiences with visitors. As well as the beautifully restored buildings there a wide range of exhibitions, pageants and entertainment. One day was hardly enough to fully explore this on going project.

J C

Really cool to check out. We went off season so didn’t get to see a lot of the places inside. Love the roaming sheep and seeing the chickens. I enjoyed the map with brief descriptions for each building.

Scott Power

Wish I could have stay all day

Ma Leizyl Amodia

The best! We have learned a lot of things about the history of Canada. The buildings were awesome. When you get into the barracks you will be able to see a lot of collections of things from the past. The ambiance was so nice. I would gladly recommend this place.

Mark Nearing

Excellent staff and Actors. Start this visit first thing in the morning for the best experience. You will need to stay all day if you want to see everything as there are various timed events during the day.

Jim Jim

Such a beautiful and meticulously restored historical site. Beautiful natural setting, guides dressed in period costumes are well informed and interesting. You will need an entire day for a complete visit. ????

Francine Mader

Excellent, very reasonable admission. We took the tour with the stationed army chap , and learned of a day in the life and visited a dignitary home. Various inhabitants will greet you and talk about their home and life. Stop by the inn for a meal as served then. You can buy bread baked daily at the old bakery. For the brave fire a musket!

Shirlee Davidson

What an amazing piece of history. Definitely need a full day to view everything. We spent 3 hours and didn't see everything.

Mike Swaine

Biggest recreation in North America. A must see if in the area. Lots of history and reenactors onsite.

L PELLETIER

Beautiful site with friendly staff who does a great job of explaining each building.

Bob Smith

I'm a history buff, so I'm mixed about this place. Great intentions here. It is an important historic site for Canada, so if you're around here you should go. They really do try to be authentic. Just remember, this is all a reconstruction. You can't really rush too much here, I'd say you can do it in 1 hour if you jog between building. Expect to spend 2 hours plus to really explore and take in the site.

Kara Lackie

One of the nicest ways to spend a sunny afternoon. We came in the off season but will be back again in June. The place is amazing! So much hard work must go into it. We loved walking the grounds and checking out the historic buildings. There is a moat and drawbridge! I had no idea. The staff are so friendly and helpful as well. Can't wait to go back!

Michael Conway

Wonderful restoration of a French period and place that those in the US know very little about. Great interpretators and exhibits. Plenty of history and minimally touristy.

Marian MacLennan

Awesome! Helpful and informative staff. Well organized and very reasonable prices. Dress in layers. Weather may change esp if you are there for several hours. Lots of places to sit if you bring your own snacks/lunch. We took a guided walking tour by Gilles M. It was excellent.

Laurie Evans

I really enjoyed going back in time being surrounded by people in period costume. Being taught by mi'kmaw women to make medicine pouches. And finally listening to my daughter sing in the chapel! The acoustics in the chapel are awesome.

Ken P

This place is super cool.. we didn't take in any of the "extras". We just walked around on our own. Countless buildings to enter and period folks dressed to explain anything. We spent about 3.5 hrs there. One could double that. Park in the several options of parking areas. Walk a couple hundred meters to the building to get tickets and a bus running every 15 minutes will bring you to the Fortress. Prepare for lots of walking and stairs. You'll be spending a significant time outside so prepare for that. Cloudy, cool day would be best. 1/2 hr or so from Sydney. I need to build a few of those chairs..

Ron Lynch

First visit in 45 years, and they have expanded the restoration quite a bit. The selection of structures to display presents a wide variety of architecture and primitive tools and manufacturing processes. There are plenty of costumed villagers and soldiers who are very approachable and helpful, while remaining in character. The Kings Bastion contains photographic documentation of the area prior to restoration that magnifies your appreciation for what they've done. They've recently added a working period tavern where adult beverages are available, as well. My GPS tried to take me in the back road as it's evidently shorter, and road signs supported the turn off, but the road is ultimately closed, so stick to the pavement! LOL

Bernadette Sampson

Loved it...had a wonderful day there...staff are all very knowledgeable

Sandy Reed

Great to be back this year and find a lot more open. The interpreters are great. They love to stop and talk and share what life was like back then. They really make it fun to visit. There was a woman in a garden explaining what all the plants are used for, how they are preserved for winter etc. Every one has taken time to learn who their character is. Grandson and I had a great lunch from the Cafe and enjoyed seeing the cannon fired at noon. Thanks for another fun visit.

Judy Sullivan

Enjoyed the Fortress. The staff wear period clothing and tell little stories. It's pretty authentic. Alot of walking.

Frans Sanders

This is probably the best museum in Nova Scotia. The whole town is very well restored, citizens are very helpful and love to tell their stories. Even with the Covid measures in place it was great to visit again. Hopefully next year they bring back the option to overnight in a period tent. We did that 4 years ago and it was awesome.

Chris Watso

The fortress is impressive even from a distance! Your approach to the fortress allows you to see it in all its majesty from about 1 km away. Once there you will walk the streets and meet interpretive guides dressed as and personifying people of that Era. Take the guided tour, either walking or the motorized tour (e friendly). You will learn so much more than just walking through and reading the plaques. Allow your self atleast a full day to explore. 1 afternoon is not enough. Food is available for purchase and there is even a 18th century tavern to imbibe some some local spirits. It was on my bucket list for a long time! I'm headed back today, in the rain, to see everything I missed yesterday.

Lyndsay

This was the highlight of our trip . Love all the history here. Buy a loaf of their delicious bread that they make fresh daily . Try the VR and don't miss the Canon firing . So awesome

Andrea Connell

Left the Cape Breton highlands early this am to fit the fortress of Louisbourg in before our drive home... Sadly after driving almost 2 hours it was closed. Both Facebook and Google says open ...it would be helpful if they updated their hours of operation. Hope to see it when it's open.