New Brunswick was the best part of my East Coast road trip. Maybe it was because I spent most of my time in the Maritime province. However, I remember my friend and travel enthusiast Andrew Gunadie recommending New Brunswick to me. I admittedly brushed him off. However, I wish I visited earlier.
From eating moose to riding the longest zip line in Atlantic Canada keep reading for how you can take in the best parts of New Brunswick with my 8-day road trip itinerary.
Day 1 Hopewell rocks Visit the rocks at low tide (be sure to check the schedule before you plan your trip out!). Get there a little early to beat the crowd then stroll about where the water will rise in a few hours. Nothing made me feel smaller than that!
If you head up there when it’s high tide, be sure to get there and grab your pictures but also explore the other trails. Wear comfortable shoes and make the trek to the beach. I put my feet in the Atlantic ocean for the first time and walked along the shore. It was very pretty.
Day 2 Explore Downtown Fredericton Take a bike Ride down the St John river! The Delta hotel had two cruiser bikes reserved for us to take a tour of Fredericton. That was a great advantage of staying at that central and waterfront hotel. There were over 85kms of bike paths. I noticed a lot of bikers uptown and downtown. We chatted up two cops and asked about the laws of bike riding in Fredericton. We had to wear helmets and ensure that we were biking on the street. If we wanted to dismount and walk on the sidewalk, we were allowed to bring our bike on. To take advantage of the biking ensure you map out your path beforehand.
We parked our cruises and enjoyed a quick brunch at the Lunar. The cute bar was located right off of the main street in Downtown Fredericton. When we arrived it was 11:30 am and quiet on the patio. By the time we left at about 12:30 the patio was packed. I enjoyed a delicious salmon salad. The salmon tasted fresh and was cooked very well. The salad itself was lacklustre but the delicious fish made up for it.
Another great spot to explore was the Beaverbrook Art Museum.
Day 3 Kayak the St. John River with Second Nature Outdoors + Eat Away Confession: I didn’t know how to Kayak before I got in one. I definitely recommend getting a guide on board if it’s your first time kayaking. Or if you’re on the water with someone who’s inexperienced. Thankfully Caleigh gave me the run down by the end of it I was able to fake it well enough for my GoPro footage and survived the journey.
We hopped on a shuttle that brought us a few kilometres away from the Second Adventures head location. We then kayaked up to where we started. It was beautiful! The map we were given showed us the common or ‘easy trail’ just a straight shot up the St. John river back to where we started. But the guides at Second Adventures recommended that we also dock at various islands and explore. Since we had dinner reservations and I had to get the hang of kayaking for the first time we decided to only dock once. We explored the shore of an island a few kilometres from where we started. There happened to be a summer camp trip there. The little kids were enjoying their lunch and running around in the sand.
Eat dinner at The Catch at the Delta Hotel Our three-course dinner was absolutely incredible. The standout dish was definitely the oysters. They were bathed in a white wine and covered in a fresh vegetable vinaigrette I was in absolute heaven. I also remembered the sweetness of the delicious jam served with the creamy baked brie. You can check out my full review here.
Dine at Isaacs Way This place was recommended to us a few times. While we didn't get the chance to go, I was able to check out some of their yummy dishes on Instagram.
Have breakfast in bed at the Crown Plaza Hotel While brunch was a delicious option available at the Crown, Caleigh and I felt like sleeping in a bit. I ordered brunch in bed and was pleasantly surprised. After a relaxing shower, I got back into bed and awaited our breakfast. My eggs Benedict sat on a delicious and thick biscuit with a piece of peameal bacon sandwiched between. It was dripping with hollandaise sauce and I was in heaven. I also ordered a fruit platter which was also delivered with a delicious creme fresh. While I could have taken a nap after, we set out on the road after brunch.
Day 4 Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market This farmer’s market is one of the biggest ones in Canada. The selection was actually a bit dizzying. From the indoor to the outdoor market, Caleigh and I took our time peering at all of the options. We were there pretty early (7:30am) and it was already pretty busy. I downed a delicious cinnamon stick (my favourite treat that day) and some homemade maple fudge. The fudge was so good I wished I had actually gotten more.
Day 5 Explore Miramichi
Zipline over the cove in Miramichi Dare to ride the longest Zipline in the Maritimes! The line is strung across a river and hiking trail. Riders have the chance to stroll the hiking grounds before they sprint and dive on the line over the lake. It was absolutely amazing and I was shaking. I had such a fun time
Visit the Metepenagiag Heritage Park I was invited to an incredible repatriation ceremony. The Canadian Government returned artefacts to Mi’kmaq people. The ceremony gave me the chance to visit the Heritage Park and explore the centre attached to it. I learned more about the Mi’kmaq tribe and enjoyed some delicious dishes (I ATE MOOSE GUYS!).
Dinner at 1809 I left 1809 stuffed but ready for more. While all of the dishes were sinfully delicious, I recommend the lobster. The one I ate was fresh, and it actually made a difference. Guests poured into the restaurant from a boat taxi at a dock right on the restaurant’s patio. Our server greeted us in her New Brunswick lilt and gave us a slew of recommendations. I enjoyed my first oyster there and the chef was super friendly and greeted us at our table.
@JesseMacdonald outdoes himself once again with this amazing dinner 😍 pic.twitter.com/wEBzjY96u3
— Discover Miramichi (@DiscMiramichi) 26 August 2017
The lobster was so fresh. I grabbed a claw and went to work it was so buttery and I wish I could go back in time and eat it over and over and over again. The beet hummus was incredible. I enjoyed our meal with a few drinks and definitely recommend trying a cocktail created with their local spirits.
Une première dégustation d'huîtres pour @ElaishaJade et elle a choisi les meilleures: #maisonbeausoleil #miramichi #1809 pic.twitter.com/AOnGzwqDJr
— Découvrir Miramichi (@Miramichiparadi) 29 August 2017
Day 6 Visit St Johns for Blueberries and the Whirlpool I didn’t have the chance to visit the quaint St. John’s New Brunswick. However, I received a lot of advice on what to do there. One of the coolest attractions mentioned to me was the whirlpool. The other point was to find some delicious wild blueberries.
Day 7 Drive to St Andrews and Visit the Kingsbrae Garden St Andrews was stunning. The first stop was the Kingsbrae Garden! With over Over 50,000 perennials in their themed gardens, I was in heaven (and Lord was I was happy I took an allergy pill before we went). It was a cute place to spend the day and I wish we were there longer. There was a little cafe where onlookers were listening to a beautiful show with an opera singer and live orchestra. I was in bliss.
Day 8 Stroll Downtown St Andrews and Whale Watch I took a walk downtown in St Andrews. Families strolled about as they ate their ice cream cone. They walked in and out of stores and restaurants. I walked up the harbour and took a peek into some of the stores myself. I was excited to see whale watching activities available there too.
Want to visit New Brunswick? Let me know what your favourite activity was in the comments below.