The Start of Summer in New Brunswick

Having never been out to this part of Canada before, Tiana and I were beyond excited to check out New Brunswick. After almost three years of not traveling, it hadn’t been on our radar, but when I received the itinerary from Destination NB, I realized it should have been. 

Claims of “the warmest saltwater beach in Canada” at Parlee Beach, or “the highest tides in the world” in the Bay of Fundy seemed fake; but after having been, we can confirm that it is 100% fact.

We began our trip in the city of Moncton, and the very first thing that struck me was the history of the area. Yes, it is in the same country where I was born and raised, but the history is so much greater than back home in British Columbia. Where I currently live, it is rare to see a building 80-100 years old, but in Moncton, as well as the other towns and cities in New Brunswick, it is commonplace to come across a building which is 200 years old.

Close by to Moncton is the Atlantic Ocean, and the coastal communities of Shediac and Pointe-du-Chêne. 

Tiana heading down to the shore with the lighthouse at Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf behind.

Shediac is home to Parlee Beach, which boasts of the warmest saltwater beach in the country. We went in and yes - the claims are accurate - it is definitely that warm. Quite a lot of people go there to swim because it is so warm, and thankfully it is miles and miles of soft sandy beach, so no matter when you go you will be able to find a spot all for yourself.

A nice lady saw we were taking photos of each other and offered to take one of us.

Pointe-du-Chêne was our personal favourite though, especially the Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf. It is $3 to enter, but what it gets you is absolutely worth it. The wharf is filled with restaurants, ice cream shops, a small harbour, and lines of benches facing the ocean. We ended the day with dinner and a sunset on the deck at Captain Dan’s and filled ourselves to the brim with fresh affordable seafood. If you happen to find yourself there, we recommend the Mixed Platter; it’s scallops, prawns, lobster, and haddock with your choice of sides for $33. Something like that would cost over double, perhaps triple, out here on the west coast and probably wouldn’t be fresh.

The small harbour at Pointe-du-Chêne.

The mixed platter at Captain Dan’s. Just about the best thing a person could eat.

After our time in the Moncton area, we packed up the rental car and went for a drive, but not just any drive. Our route to Saint John took us the scenic route, via Hopewell Rocks and the newly built Fundy Trail Parkway through Fundy National Park. We saw the towering cliffs shrouded in beautiful fog, as well as under clear blue skies before emerging. For your visit we recommend starting with the brand new Walton Gorge Overlook, as well as viewpoints numbers 2, 6, and 8.

The sea stacks of Hopewell Rocks.

Heading east to west through Fundy had us exiting the parkway into the small town of St. Martins, a small little fishing village on the Bay of Fundy. We actually visited the harbour here two days in a row, both at high tide as well as low tide, and found out just how high this tide really goes. It truly blew me away. Ships that were almost touching the roadway on Tuesday were sitting flat on the harbour bottom on Wednesday. This is something I have not witnessed anywhere else I have travelled to in the world. If you don’t quite believe me, look up “Bay of Fundy timelapse” or “Hopewell Rocks timelapse” on your search engine of choice. It really is spectacular.

Visiting the charming little oceanside village of St. Martins had us wanting to stay forever. The sun was out and the artisan shops were open, and it was clear the townsfolk had made an effort to make this place as wonderful as possible. If you ever find yourself there, visit Octopus Ice Cream right there on the harbour and tell the owner Mary we sent you.

Carrying on the from the Bay of Fundy, we made our way north to the small town of Kingston and checked into the Ridgeback Lodge to stay in one of the domes. I have stayed in many different types of buildings before; all sorts of tiny-homes, yurts and cabins, but nothing quite like this. A “dome” is exactly how one might describe it, but the technical term is a “geodesic dome tent”. They are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the countryside of New Brunswick, and I can see why. Our dome in particular had its own kitchen and washroom, was entirely secluded, looked out at the forest, and best of all, had a wood fired hot tub. Realistically, the hot tub is where we spent the majority of our nights while staying at Ridgeback.

Our dome home acted as a base of operations while we explored the area. A highlight just 10 minutes away was Moss Glen Falls. There is an upper and a lower falls, and although the upper falls is quite scenic, the lower falls drains out into a large pool directly feeding the Kennebacasis River. There is a rope swing for the adventurous among us, as well as several easier routes into the water.

At this point we are at Day 5 of 6, and after already having seen so much, there is still a lot more to see. This day has us travelling from Saint John, in the south of the province, all the way up to Miramichi, over four hours north, and making stops along the way. Our first stop is in the capital city of Fredericton where we found some espresso at The Tipsy Muse, and continued on our way. Next up is Fall Brook Falls, 30-35 minutes outside of Boiestown. We ventured off the highway in search of the falls, and after paying our $10 road use fee (bring cash), made our way to the trailhead and began the short hike. Side note: if you are not in a 4wd car, just make sure not to drive down the steep hill which is at the far end of the parking area.

Fall Brook Falls felt like a destination in itself rather than just a pit stop along the way. I think this is because it is a decent ways from the main highway, and also because it is such a cool spot. We could have spent a lot more time here given the opportunity. The falls are 30 meters tall and run constantly year-round. The water was nice too, so I went for a dip and was even able to jump off the surrounding rocks into the water. All things considered, this is a good little hike, but a top notch swimming hole.

Continuing on up the road, we came to the little town of Doaktown and stopped for lunch. I don’t have any photos of our simple quaint lunch spot, but it was certainly a trip highlight, at least as far as the culinary aspect of the trip is concerned. The restaurant is called Village Family Restaurant, and you’ll have to write that one down since we didn’t take any photos, and they don’t have a website.

Right around this area is also the longest suspension bridge in New Brunswick, the McNamee-Priceville Footbridge, named after the two town it connects. Before cars were prevalent in this part of the world, the bridge served as the primary route of commuting between the two towns.

Once we arrived in Miramichi, we checked into our hotel for the night at the Rodd Miramichi River. Our room was right on the ground floor, 20 meters from the shore of the Miramichi river, and had its own patio. Just out of curiosity, I looked up what the room cost, expecting around $280-300 per night. To my shock, it was $122. Unheard of for the part of the world I am from.

Yes the reality of flying into New Brunswick is that the flight might cost a bit more than other destinations in Canada, but once you actually arrive in the province, other things become more reasonable and it offsets the price, ultimately resulting in visiting the beautiful Canadian maritimes without breaking the bank. I would highly recommend it for your next vacation, either with your spouse, the whole family, or even as a solo road trip.