7 hidden highlights
on a self-drive tour of
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is an easy place to explore by car. Following a direct flight to eastern Canada, view the craggy coastline, national parks and urban hubs on a road trip and get to know the province’s people, whales, multifaceted culture and culinary delights.
FREDERICTON
For museum perusing and beer sipping
New Brunswick’s charming provincial capital is on the 512km River Valley Scenic Drive, connecting Saint John and Edmunston. From July into September, Fredericton’s Changing of the Guard ceremony is a reminder of the Garrison District’s historic role. Find out more in the Fredericton Region Museum, home to the 19kg Coleman Frog – found locally, in 1885, at Killarney Lake.
The multi-use trails in Killarney Lake Park are just a fraction of the network facilitating riverside exploration and escapes into nature. Love beer? The Fredericton Taproom Trail connects 11 venues and is a reason for you to stay in the city known as Atlantic Canada’s Brewing Capital. In addition to the concentration of craft breweries, locally made beverages are produced in cideries and meaderies.
For mouth-watering regional delicacies, including maple syrup and cheeses, browse the 200 stalls in Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, where handcrafted souvenirs are also sold.
The city is dotted with grand buildings, such as Old Government House, and stately Victorian architecture – including the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. Self-guided tours provide a way of exploring those premises opposite Beaverbrook Art Museum. The Harrison McCain Pavilion opened in 2022 as part of the world-class art gallery that is home to Salvador Dali’s masterpiece Santiago El Grande.
ST. ANDREWS BY-THE-SEA
For island hopping
St. Andrews by-the-Sea’s grid-pattern layout hints at this pretty town’s colonial origins in 1783. Proximity to Maine explains the presence of the chunky wooden blockhouse and shoreline battery that discouraged American raids during the war of 1812.
The pastel facades of Water Street’s inviting boutiques are surpassed by the bolder hues of carefully curated blooms in Kingsbrae Garden. Stroll around the botanical garden before pausing for lunch. If you appreciate seafood, plan a visit to coincide with the New Brunswick Oyster Festival.
From the harbour, sail out across the calm water of Passamaquoddy Bay and into the Bay of Fundy to observe whales breaching. Rare North Atlantic right whales tend to be sighted towards the end of the June to October whale watching season.
Hop by ferry via Deer Island to neighbouring Campobello Island, the home of the much-photographed Head Harbour Lighthouse. Famously, Campobello was the favoured summer residence of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who became the USA’s 32nd President. His holiday home stands within the Roosevelt Campobello International Park that symbolically represents US-Canadian cooperation.
Accessible only at low tide, Ministers Island is the location of Covenhoven, the grand summer home of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s dynamic former President, Sir William Van Horne.
SAINT JOHN, THE CITY
ON THE BAY OF FUNDY
For art and market delights
Canada’s oldest incorporated city is home to one of the country’s biggest ports. So it’s fitting that Saint John utilises stacked shipping containers to host shops, food outlets and entertainment by the waterfront at the newly opened Area 506.
The city’s urban heart is its Uptown district – the location of numerous art galleries, bars and restaurants. View the elegant Victorian buildings while following a self-guided, 90-minute walk. Alternatively, join a tour led by staff from the New Brunswick Museum. For more historical insights, take your pick of museums that introduce the city’s policing, fire service and Jewish heritage.
Browse stalls in Saint John City Market, Canada’s oldest continually operating farmers’ market, to look out for delicacies including dulse, an edible seaweed that is low-carb and packs protein. You can also sample locally made drinks in the tasting room of Uncorked Tours and join guides at wineries in the Lower River Valley.
The glass-floored Skywalk is one of the best spots to view the phenomenon of the Reversing Falls Rapids, caused by the tide turning the flow of the Saint John River. The visitor centre sits over rocks that crashed together when tectonic plates collided. Explore Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark to better understand the region’s geological significance.
THE BAY OF FUNDY
For getting outdoors and marvelling at the majesty of nature
Home to the world’s highest tides, the Bay of Fundy’s prodigious ebb and flow supports a wealth of marine wildlife. Whale watching cruises bring opportunities to spot species including humpbacks, minkes and finbacks as well as feeding seabirds.
Plan plenty of time to pause and appreciate the scenery along the 460km Fundy Coastal Drive that skirts the shoreline as it twists between Aulac and St. Stephens. Check tidal charts to plan walks on the ocean floor. At St. Martins gaze out of echoing sea caves carved by the Fundy’s churn and meander under the arches of the sculpture-like Hopewell Rocks. Hours later, paddle several storeys above where you walked in a sea canoe for a dramatically altered view of the rugged coastline.
Explore the wilderness of the Fundy Biosphere Reserve while cycling or hiking along the Fundy Trail Parkway. Observation decks provide photo opportunities along the route.
Crack open locally landed lobster for lunch in Alma or sample the Maritimes’ speciality sandwich, the lobster roll, before heading into Fundy National Park. Reach mossy valleys and the tumbling Third Vault Falls along a network of marked hiking trails. Take a clifftop seat in one of Parks Canada’s iconic red chairs to appreciate the rhythm and serene drama of crashing waves and the tidal swing.
SHEDIAC, THE LOBSTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
For local lobster
Known as ‘the lobster capital of the world’, Shediac is home to Winston Bronnum’s enormous and much-photographed lobster sculpture. It’s an homage to the fisherfolk who haul in the crustaceans that feature so prominently in the region’s delicious cuisine. Each July they are celebrated during the Shediac Lobster Festival.
Sail out with retired lobster fisherman Ron Cormier. He’ll demonstrate long-used fishing techniques on a boat trip with Lobster Tale Cruises that includes cooking tips and a lobster dinner.
Shediac Bay has the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. Step into the sea from the soft sand of Parlee Beach, part of a provincial park with a campground and short, easy hiking trails.
The fishing community is a 20-minute drive east of Moncton, the geographic centre of Canada’s Maritime Provinces. The most populous city in New Brunswick, Moncton is nicknamed ‘the Hub of the Maritimes’ because roads and railway lines converge.
That makes Moncton a convenient stopping point while travelling between the Bay of Fundy’s spectacular coastline and enjoying sunny days and starry nights along the Acadian shore. Mural tours, experiencing the thrill of riding the tidal bore along the Petitcodiac River and unwinding in the Usva Nordic spa count among reasons to spend longer in Shediac’s near neighbour.
MIRAMICHI
For coastal nature
The city of Miramichi places you 30 minutes’ drive from Kouchibouguac National Park, whose name reflects the Mi’gmaq First Nation’s term meaning ‘river of the long tides’. Everyone is welcome to attend the Mawiomi, a gathering celebrating Mi’gmaq traditions and demonstrating cultural activities including smudging ceremonies, musical performances and storytelling. At other times of the year, experience elements of that vibrant heritage in an interpretative wigwam.
Enjoy downtime on the golden sand of Kellys Beach after clomping across the boardwalk spanning Kouchibouguac’s dunes. Alternatively, select a hike from the network of marked trails traversing the park’s salt marshes, peat bogs and dense woodland. You may spot black bears, beavers or bobcats in this wildlife-rich region. After nightfall, stay in the Dark-Sky Preserve to stargaze.
A world-class fishing experience awaits you along the Miramichi River. Famed for its fishing, the river attracts anglers for the summer and autumn Atlantic salmon run. Yet it’s the storytelling here – not just about ones that got away – that brings people together. Hear the chilling tale of the Headless Nun while touring French Fort Cove. Many more stories are sung as ballads during August’s Miramichi Folksong Festival.
The laid-back Ritchie Wharf Park introduces the region’s shipbuilding heritage. So too do interpreters at Boishébert and Beaubears Island Shipbuilding National Historic Site. Visit Miramichi to discover what floats your boat.
CARAQUET
For Acadian culture
Widely regarded as Acadia’s modern capital, Caraquet is a vibrant small town whose origins trace back to French settlers more than two and a half centuries ago. With an active artistic community, whose members draw inspiration from the region’s deep-rooted Acadian heritage, it is a welcoming base for getting to know the area.
Aspects of the region’s culture are conveyed in the waterfront Musée Acadien de Caraquet. From there, gaze across to the colourful Port of Caraquet, where leisure craft and fishing boats moor with easy access to the beautiful Chaleur Bay.
Under 15 minutes’ drive west of the town, costume-wearing French- and English-speaking interpretative guides provide a sense of Acadian hospitality at Le Village Historique Acadien. The open-air museum hosts more than 50 relocated historic buildings, the oldest being a log cabin and family home dating from 1773. See sparks fly in the blacksmith’s workshop before visiting mills and farm buildings along a 2.2km circuit whose attractions include old-style shops and a covered, late-Victorian bridge.
August’s Festival Acadien de Caraquet is an opportunity to embrace New Brunswick’s joie de vivre during a celebration featuring music that concludes with the cacophonous Tintamarre parade on 15 August – National Acadian Day.
A WHOLE HOST OF EVENTS
Ballet by the Ocean
Set to original choreography by Igor Dobrovolskiy, members of Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada dance outdoors with an ocean backdrop. Amid the protected wetland at Grande-Digue, the multisensory experience features tasting menus by renowned chefs.
Harvest Music Festival
Fredricton’s September music festival began in 1991. The buzzing six-day celebration features buskers, food and drink stalls plus tents and stages for ticketed acts. It’s a place to enjoy good beer and music.
Indulge
Held during October in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, this autumnal food and wine festival celebrates regional flavours. Sample chefs’ creations while listening to live music on Water Street at the Taste of St. Andrews event.
Elsipogtog Powwow
The annual powwow of the Elsipogtog First Nation takes place in early July. Showcasing ceremonies, cuisine, drumming and dance, the open gathering is a way of celebrating Elsipogtog heritage and culture.
Atlantic Visual Arts Festival
Established in the mid-1990s and centred around the Museum of Founding Cultures in Grande-Anse, this annual celebration of arts on the Acadian Peninsula runs from July into November.
Shediac Lobster Festival
Taking place in early July, this is a long-established annual celebration of Shediac’s associations with lobster fishing. Street performers, musicians and street art help create a convivial atmosphere to appreciate fresh shellfish.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
with Audley Travel
The Canada specialists at Audley have all travelled extensively around the country, returning each year to build on their knowledge and find new and different ways for you to experience your destination. It means they can arrange immersive tours and off-the-beaten-path activities to help you get at the authentic soul of a place. Audley also works with the best local guides, some of whom have become long-time friends of the company, , and can suggest the most interesting hotels, homestays and lodges.
Speak to Audley’s experts now to start planning your dream visit to New Brunswick.
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