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NEw BRUNSWICK
Beyond Ordinary
By Susan Maccallum-Whitcomb
New Brunswick is blessed with superlative natural attractions. Here you’ll find one of the planet’s largest whirlpools, some of its oldest mountains and, of course, its highest tides—twice daily ones powerful enough to sculpt monoliths like the Hopewell Rocks and, as evidenced in Saint John’s Reversing Rapids or Moncton’s Tidal Bore, push rivers backward. But they are not this province’s only claims to fame.
Wonderful Waterways
The St. John River is only one of the waterways which merits closer inspection. The wilder, salmon-rich Miramichi River, for example, is a world-class destination for anglers; and don’t forget all that H2O lapping the province’s 2,250-km (1,400-mi.) coastline. Chaleur Bay, to the north, is fringed with vintage fishing villages; Northumberland Strait, to the east, is bordered by warm, sandy beaches; and the Bay of Fundy, to the south, famously generates the highest tides on the planet—walls of water that rise and fall as much as 14.6 m (48 ft.) twice daily. Understandably, the last of these is New Brunswick’s big-ticket attraction, and top stops like the Hopewell Rocks, and Fundy Trail Provincial Park all showcase its power, providing ample opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Cultural Contrasts
The cultural landscape is equally diverse—and equally worth exploring—because Canada’s only officially bilingual province has a split personality, linguistically speaking. The English and French populations put a unique spin on everything from architecture to cuisine. As a result, British-influenced Loyalist locales such as Saint John (Canada’s oldest incorporated city) are visibly different from their Acadian cousins: communities where francophone residents proudly fly their own tricolour flag and have an abiding passion for a potato dish called poutine râpée. When a deeper understanding is desired, New Brunswick Tourism can help you navigate the nuances since many of the unique products and programs it promotes include a cultural component.
Seasonal Sensations
The seasons, too, deserve to be savoured, as each is distinct. Summer, when the weather is warmest and the festival calendar is fullest, is prime time for tourists. Nevertheless, Mother Nature has her own timetable. In early spring, sap runs in the maples and syrup producers open their sugar camps to visitors, whereas autumn promises brilliant fall foliage and delectable harvest feasts. Happily, a rapidly-growing number of restaurants spotlight fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Come winter, frozen ponds and lakes provide an ideal setting for cutting figure eights or playing pick-up hockey. Snow also falls—as much as 400 cm (157 in.) annually in northern New Brunswick—covering ski hills and more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi.) of groomed snowmobile trails.
In a place that has this much to offer, there’s no need to rush. So take your cue from the mighty St. John River and simply go with the flow.
What’s New
The City of Fredericton, which celebrated its 175th anniversary last year, continues celebrating the city in other ways (www.tourismfredericton.ca).
In Saint John, walk “the plank” at the Reversing Falls from a 33.5 m (110 ft.) observation plank. Look over the sides to see 1.2 billion-year-old Precambrian age marble that collided with 515 million-year-old igneous rock. And check out the rooftop theatre (www.theplank.ca).
Immerse yourself in Acadian culture at the new 1.5 km (1 mi.) Lumina Night Walk. Le Pays de la Sagouine opens in August in the Acadian village of Bouctouche (www.sagouline.com/en/lumina).
The Taste of Atlantic Canada Festival, August 18-26 in Fredericton, is an Indigenous culinary event highlighting Indigenous culture across the Atlantic Provinces. It features Indigenous chefs with foods from their communities as well as Indigenous artists, music, workshops, artisans and storytellers (www.tasteoftheatlantic.com).
The Saint John waterfront opened a funky Waterfront Container Village using more than 60 shipping containers. This new collection of retail shops, food trucks, public art and pop-up activities includes a large performance stage (www.area506.ca/village).
The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, in Fredericton, opened the Harrison McCain Pavilion. The new space includes additional exhibit rooms, a café, gift shop and large outdoor terrace (www.beaverbrookartgallery.org).
The Market Square in Saint John is undergoing a revitalization that includes upgrading restaurant spaces by installing glass panels to create multi-season patios (marketsquaresj.com).
City Lights
Fredericton is rightly called “Atlantic Canada’s Riverfront Capital.” The British made it the seat of government 235 years ago due to the easy access the St. John River provided, and most civic sites still line its banks. Chief among them are the two-block Garrison District, where red-coated troops were once quartered; the copper-domed Legislature; the neo-Gothic Christ Church Cathedral; and the top-notch Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Overlooking them all is the University of New Brunswick’s historic hilltop campus (www.tourismfredericton.ca).
Saint John, a vibrant commercial and cruise port, has been defined by its harbour since the Loyalists sailed in. Evidence is found in its 18th century waterside sites and the grand edifices erected by later seafarers during the “Golden Age of Sail.” The harbour’s significance is further apparent in Market Square, a museum and entertainment complex fashioned from waterfront warehouses, and the City Market which was built by shipwrights. Even the Harbour Passage Trail is named in its honour (www.discoversaintjohn.com).
Straddling the muddy Petitcodiac River, Greater Moncton has surpassed Saint John to become the province’s most populous urban centre. Originally nicknamed the “Hub City” by virtue of its central location, it now doubles as a hub of tourist activity because Greater Moncton is home to attractions like the Magic Mountain Water Park, Casino New Brunswick and Magnetic Hill which, in addition to the eponymous hill, boasts a popular zoo, winery and concert site (www.moncton.ca).
The Great Outdoors
New Brunswick is blessed with superlative natural attractions: the world’s highest tides, some of the oldest mountains and second biggest whirlpool. The maritime province is 85 per cent forested and surrounded by the ocean and lakes and rivers. These sites are, quite literally, phenomenal. Yet what makes the outdoors truly “great” is that it has something for everyone. Fundy Trail Provincial Park—known for its precipitous cliffs, aromatic evergreens and sublime views—is a case in point (www.parcsnbparks.info/en/parks/35/fundy-trail-provincial-park). Ultra-fit hikers can spend days traversing this part of the Trans Canada Trail. But, thanks to an adjacent parkway, key portions are accessible to children and the physically challenged, too.
Equally important is the fact that nature in New Brunswick is always close at hand, even in urban areas. Visitors to Saint John can splash out in Rockwood Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the country, or go wild by the seaside in the Irving Nature Park without leaving the city limits. Fresh air aficionados in Fredericton, similarly, can stroll, bike and rollerblade on a riverfront path dubbed “The Green” or get out on the water by boat. Moncton, meanwhile, puts sand connoisseurs in reach of both the delicate Bouctouche dunes and bustling Parlee Beach.
Heritage And Culture
Occupied by Indigenous Peoples for more than 3,000 years, New Brunswick has 15 Indigenous communities and the province inherited two other cultures from its early French and English settlers. Indoor/outdoor venues such as Metepenagiag Heritage Park, Village Historique Acadien and Kings Landing Historical Settlement—celebrating Mi’kmaq, Acadians and Loyalists, respectively—help establish the historical context, as does the engaging New Brunswick Museum in Saint John. Local culture here, however, is a living entity that survives outside museum-like settings.
Eclectic artisans, many of them concentrated around Fredericton, put a contemporary spin on age-old crafts. Poets and playwrights uphold a rich literary tradition, performing in coffee houses and theatres. Musicians thrive as well, which explains why, along with almost every imaginable form of modern music, you can hear hypnotic First Nations drumbeats, British folk songs and Cajun-style fiddles in pubs and at concerts or festivals province-wide.
Must See, Must Do
Hopewell Cape’s tree-tufted islands always look lovely, but their full beauty is only revealed when the tide ebbs, transforming them into megaliths looming above the bare ocean floor (www.thehopewellrocks.ca).
For flower fans, Kingsbrae Garden is reason enough to visit prim, trim St. Andrews by-the-Sea. Created from several old estates, the 11-ha (27-acre) property has over 20 themed zones (www.kingsbraegarden.com).
Kouchibouguac National Park boasts an array of ecosystems and recreational options. You can swim, bike, boat, fish, or explore lagoons and dunes on a guided walk (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kouchibouguac).
At Fredericton’s Beaverbrook Art Gallery, A-listers like Gainsborough, Dali and Reynolds share wall space with Canada’s own Group of Seven. Programs for art lovers are available (www.beaverbrookartgallery.org).
The Saint John City Market is overflowing with incredible edibles. Opened in 1876, the block-long building was constructed by shipbuilders, so its ceiling resembles an inverted hull (www.sjcitymarket.ca).
Kings Landing Historical Settlement, a recreated Loyalist village, features 70-plus restored structures, among them antique-filled homes, working farms and picture-perfect churches (www.kingslanding.nb.ca).
Scenic Drives
On the 460-km (286-mi.) Fundy Coastal Drive, welcoming communities combine with top natural attractions—including the Reversing Falls Rapids, Fundy National Park, the Hopewell Rocks and Cape Enrage—which are testaments to the world’s highest tides.
The 750-km (466-mi.) Acadian Coastal Drive delivers a quintessentially Acadian seascape of fishing wharves and lighthouses. Take a beach break or immerse in local history at Village Historique Acadien, where faux townsfolk enliven the scene with joie de vivre.
The 512-km (318-mi.) River Valley Scenic Route follows the winding path of the legendary St. John River, a federally-designated heritage waterway notable for its bankside cities, camera-ready covered bridges, open-deck cable ferries and gorgeous Grand Falls.
The 180-km (112-mi.) Miramichi River Route is synonymous with salmon. Learn more about the “King of Game Fish” at the Atlantic Salmon Museum in Doaktown, then dine on the catch of the day, leaving time in-between for some adventures on or in the water.
Anchored by a pair of provincial parks—Mount Carleton and Sugarloaf—the 278-km (172-mi.) Appalachian Range Route is notable for rugged terrain that promises impressive scenery both on-road and off. Enjoy it to the fullest by breaking for a hike, bike or canoe ride.
Family Fun
Pay homage to the homard (lobster) in Shediac. After clambering over the world’s largest lobster—a 55,000-kg (55-tonne) whopper, albeit made from metal—kids can learn how to catch, and then eat the “king of crustaceans” on an entertaining and educational Lobster Tales Cruise (www.shediacbaycruises.ca).
