Top Backpacking in New Brunswick
Among the best destinations for a backcountry hike in this province are Mount Carleton Provincial Park and Fundy National Park, both of which maintain backcountry campsites for visitors. The two landscapes are quite different to hike through, however -- see the appropriate sections for more information on each park, then take your pick.
Top Bicycling in New Brunswick
The islands and peninsulas of Passamaquoddy Bay lend themselves nicely to cruising in the slow lane—especially Campobello Island, which also has good dirt roads for mountain biking. Grand Manan holds lots of appeal for cyclists, too, even if the main road (Rte. 776) has some rather narrow shoulders and pretty quick local drivers. Some of the best coastal biking is around Fundy National Park—especially the back roads to Cape Enrage—and off the Fundy Trail Parkway, a 30km (18-mile) multi-use scenic trail that hugs the coast of Fundy Bay.Along the Acadian Coast, Kouchibouguac National Park has limited but unusually nice biking trails through mixed terrain (rentals of bikes and all-terrain wheelchairs are available right in the park). A lovely network of trails run beside the St. John River in Fredericton, connecting the historic downtown to the countryside, and even across the river on a former railway bridge that now caters to pedestrians and bicyclists. Several trails (South Riverfront, Salamanca, and Old Train Bridge) join up to create a 5.4km (3.6 miles) multi-use trail. A few blocks north, the North Riverfront Trail adds another 5.6km (3.5 miles).
The province is in the process of developing over 2,000km (1,240 miles) of multipurpose trails that link to Québec, Nova Scotia and through Maine to the Appalachian Trail. Much of it will become part of the ambitious Trans Canada Trail.
Mountain bikers would be well advised to check out St. Andrews and Sugar Loaf Provincial Park near Campbellton.
Top Bird-Watching in New Brunswick
Grand Manan is the province's most notable destination for birders, right on the Atlantic flyway. (The great John James Audubon lodged here while studying and drawing bird life more than 150 years ago.) Over the course of a typical year, as many as 275 species could be observed on the island; September is often the best month for sightings. Boat tours from Grand Manan can also take you farther out to Machias Seal Island, with its colonies of puffins, Arctic terns, and razorbills. It's fun to swap information with other birders, too; during the ferry ride, look for excitable folks with binoculars and floppy hats dashing from one side of the boat to the other and back.
Campobello Island's mixed terrain attracts a good mixture of birds, including the sharp-shinned hawk, common eider, and black guillemot. Ask for a checklist and map at the visitor center. Shorebird enthusiasts also flock to Shepody Bay National Wildlife Area, which maintains preserves in the mudflats between Alma (near the entrance to Fundy National Park) and Hopewell Cape.
Shorebird enthusiasts also, yes, flock to Shepody Bay National Wildlife Area, which maintains preserves in the mudflats between Alma (near the entrance to Fundy National Park) and Hopewell Cape. Birdwatching for semipalmated sandpipers at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Shorebird Interpretive Centre in Johnson’s Mills is a must-do experience when some 200,000 sandpipers gather in August during their crucial three-week stop in New Brunswick on their 10,000-kilometre migration to South America. During this short time, they double their body weight by feeding on mud shrimp and other critters found only in the mudflats of the Bay of Fundy. The annual Sandpiper Festival in nearby Dorchester celebrates this natural spectacle for the whole family with live music, a 10 km run, and a chowder supper. Enjoy the breathtaking aerial displays, learn about the rich mudflat ecosystem, and marvel at the world's largest tides.
There's good birding in the marshes around Sackville, near the Nova Scotia border, too.
Best Canoeing & Sea Kayaking in New Brunswick
New Brunswick has some 3,500km (2,175 miles) of inland waterways, plus countless lakes and protected bays. Canoeists and kayakers can find everything from glass-smooth waters to daunting rapids. More experienced canoeists looking for a longer expedition have any number of options, from the St. Croix River along the U.S. border to the mighty Miramichi and its branches or many portions of the St. John River. Check out some self-guided routes at paddlingnb.ca. Several guides and tour operators can help you plan your trip; their contact info is available at tourismnewbrunswick.ca (select canoeing from the Activities).
Experienced sea kayakers have endless coastal options, but it would be wise to go with a guide, especially on the coast where the extreme tides can cause unpredictable dangers. The huge tides that make sea kayaking so fascinating along the Bay of Fundy also make it exceptionally dangerous—even the strongest kayakers are no match for these fierce ebb tides if they’re in the wrong place. Among the most extraordinary places to explore in New Brunswick is Hopewell Rocks, where the coast is sculpted by tides and time into stone pinnacles and arches. At high tide, there are sea caves and narrow channels to navigate.
Baymount Outdoor Adventures (tel. 506/734-2660) offers 90-minute sea-kayak tours of Hopewell Rocks at high tide, mid-tide and after dark, from June through September. Tours start at C$66 for adults and C$55 for youth and run around 90 minutes to 2 hours; no previous experience is required. Other good kayak outfitters along the coast include FreshAir Adventure (tel. 800/545-0020 or 506/887-2249) in Alma (near Fundy National Park) and Bruce Smith’s Seascape Kayak Tours (tel. 506/747-1884) down in Deer Island.
Fishing in New Brunswick
The Miramichi River has long attracted anglers eager to catch wily Atlantic salmon. Some experts consider it to be among the best salmon rivers on the planet. There are strict laws regarding river fishing of the salmon: The fish must be caught using flies, not hooks, and non-residents must hire a licensed guide. (There’s an exemption from this rule during Fish New Brunswick Days in February and early June, when you’re not required to use a guide or have a license.) For other freshwater species, including bass, as well as open-ocean saltwater angling, the rules are less restrictive. Get up to date on the rules and regulations at gnb.ca/naturalresources.
Top Golf in New Brunswick
With over 50 courses to choose from (visit golfnb.ca for a list), New Brunswick is a world-class destination for a golfing vacation. In St. Andrews, the Algonquin Hotel’s redesigned golf course is a beaut—more than 100 years old, it was retouched by Donald Ross’s plans in the 1920s, again in the 1990s, and then rethought and expanded in the last few years—it has been a Golf Digest Editors' Choice Award winner in recent years. The course features expanded ocean views, and two entirely new holes to take better advantage of the ocean vistas, in addition to original seaside holes that become increasingly spectacular as you approach the point of land separating New Brunswick from Maine. All 18 of them are challenging, so bring your “A” game. Service and upkeep are impeccable, and there’s both a snack bar on premises and a roving club car with sandwiches and drinks. Greens fees are C$85 to C$145 for 18 holes (carts extra) with twilight discounts. Lessons are offered, and there’s a short-game practice area with a huge putting green in addition to the usual driving range.
In Fredericton, lovely Kingswood (tel. 800/423-5969 or 506/443-3334)—located inside a family entertainment park—it is considered one of New Brunswick’s top five courses, and one of the “Best Places to Play” by Golf Digest. It features 27 holes, a par-3 course, and a double-ended driving range. A round of 18 holes costs C$79, with an extra C$25 per seat on a power cart.
Best Hiking in New Brunswick
The province's highest point is on top of Mount Carleton Provincial Park (tel. 506/235-0793), in the center of a vast area of woodlands far from all major population centers. Several demanding hikes in the park yield glorious views. The park is open daily from mid-May to mid-October. Depending on whether or not you’re camping, you’ll pay between C$13 and C$38.50 per day. You get there either by following Route 17 from Campbellton or taking various local roads (routes 105, 108, and then 385, to be specific) from the border crossing at Limestone, Maine. This should take less than 3 hours from either Campbellton or Caribou, Maine.
There’s also superb hiking at Fundy National Park, with a mix of coastal and woodland hikes on well-marked trails. The multi-use, 30km (19-mile) Fundy Trail Parkway ★★ is Canada’s newest scenic seaside drive with terrific views of the coast and is also wheelchair-accessible. It took 25 years and $100 million to build and was finally completed in 2020, offering not only hiking trails but also 21 roadside lookouts, five beaches, four waterfalls, countless great picnic areas to enjoy nature, and a photogenic suspension bridge over a river. A 2.5 km (1.5miles) round trip hiking trail leads to Walton Glen Gorge—the Grand Canyon of New Brunswick at 1,000 feet across, 525 feet deep and 550 million years of age. This beautiful natural phenomenon was created by a series of volcanic eruptions and is definitely worth a visit.
Grand Manan is also a good destination for independent-minded hikers who enjoy the challenge of finding the trail as much as they enjoy hiking itself.
The province is continuing to develop over 2,000km (1,240miles) of multipurpose trails that link to Québec, Nova Scotia, and Maine, so trail hiking will become increasingly easy to access.
Swimming
Parts of New Brunswick offer surprisingly good ocean swimming. The best beaches are mostly along the "Acadian Coast," especially near the town of Shediac and within Kouchibouguac National Park. If you're coming to this province with plans to swim, bear in mind that the water is much warmer (and the terrain more forgiving) along the Gulf of St. Lawrence than it is in the frigid, rocky Bay of Fundy-- though you've got to be realistic. It's not going to be as balmy as, say, the water in Florida.
Whale-Watching
The Bay of Fundy is rich with plankton, and therefore rich with whales. Some 15 types of whales can be spotted in the bay, including finback, minke, humpback, the infrequent orca, and the endangered right whale. Whale-watching expeditions sail throughout the summer from various docks, wharves, and ports including Campobello Island, Deer Island, Grand Manan, St. Andrews, and St. George. Any visitor information center can point you in the right direction; the province's travel guide also lists lots of tours, which typically cost around C$85 to C$100 for 2 to 4 hours of whale-watching.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
