Inverness is located in Inverness County, which was named after the town. Inverness is located on the west coast of Cape Breton Island, at the front of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Inverness is located 155 km (96.3 mi.) from Sydney.

Inverness was once a thriving coal mining town, which took off in 1890 when William Penn Hussey started a coal mining company in north Inverness. In 1899, MacKenzie and Mann claimed the property with Hussey's retirement and began constructing a railway that led from Port Hastings to Inverness. A majority of Inverness coal was shipped to either Maine, P.E.I. or Europe. Eventually the coal company shut down, and today, Inverness relies of its fishing and tourism industry.

Today, Inverness is home to the Doug Fraser Art Gallery, a local gallery exhibiting beautiful Doug Fraser oil on canvas art, which captures the beauty and spirit of Cape Breton. The Inverness County Centre for the Arts is another art gallery featuring both local and international artists, and has workshops, seminars and special events and performances. The Inverness Miners' Museum, presents a thorough history of the Inverness area, with archives, art and photographs. Inverness is both beautiful in nature and spirit.

Inverness accommodations include inns, bed and breakfasts, cottages and hotels.