Day 1
Fly to Halifax Nova Scotia – drive to Moncton New Brunswick (163 miles)
Arrive Halifax Nova Scotia and pick up your hire car, then drive for a couple of hours to Moncton, your first base in New Brunswick. Depending on your flight arrival time you may prefer to spend a night at the Halifax airport hotel or a couple of nights in the downtown to explore this vibrant port city.
Overnight: Delta Hotels By Marriott Beausejour (or similar)
Day 2
Moncton – Shediac - Kouchibouguac National Park - Miramichi (101 miles)
Leave the city of Moncton and head out to the coastal resort of Shediac – The Lobster Capital of the World. Enjoy a stroll down the main street where you won’t be able to miss the Giant Lobster – an 11 metre sculpture that you can climb to the top and enjoy the view. You might want to buy some lobster rolls for a picnic lunch, as your next stop is the Kouchibouguac National Park. This is a beautiful place to stroll the trails through the forest and sand dunes for a beach walk and al fresco lunch.
Continue north to Miramichi Bay and the city of Miramichi for your overnight stay. Enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk of Ritchie Wharf to work up your appetite for dinner.
Overnight: Rodd Miramichi River (or similar)
Day 3
Miramichi – Caraquet (75 miles)
Today you have a lovely scenic drive northbound along the coast. First stop is the at Ile aux Foins Lighthouse set in a pretty park, perfect for stretching your legs. Continue north to the Grand Anse Lighthouse – painted in the bright colours of the Acadian Flag and a useful visitor information centre. It’s a beautiful spot to enjoy views of the Bay of Chaleur and watch the fishing boats. Continue on to Caraquet, your overnight destination. The name Caraquet is derived from the Mi'kmaq term for meeting of two rivers, and it is a bustling colourful fishing port. Before you think about dinner, the fascinating small Acadian Museum is worth a visit.
Overnight: Auberge De La Baie (or similar)
Day 4
Caraquet – Edmundston (198 miles)
You’re now going to be heading west, but first of all visiting the Village Historique Acadien (and we can pre-book admission for you) which recalls the life of the Acadiens from 1770 to 1949. Here you will find more than 40 historic buildings, occupied and animated by interpreters in period costumes with each inhabitant having a story to tell, a craft or custom to bring to life. Enjoy a leisurely couple of hours at this Destination Canada Signature Experience and then continue on to the city of Edmundston for the night.
Overnight: Four Points By Sheraton Edmundston
Day 5
Edmundston – Fredericton (169 miles)
Spend the morning in Edmundston, which borders Quebec, Canada and Maine, USA. This special location is surrounded by mountains and nestled along the Saint John River, so you will find natural beauty here alongside history and cultural diversity.
Drive south on Highway 2 between the Maine USA border and the Saint John River to Fredericton – the capital city of New Brunswick. Fredericton is known as the “City at the Edge of Nature” with the Saint John River meandering through the city and 88 kilometres of hiking trails.
Two nights: Crowne Plaza Fredericton Lord Beaverbrook (or similar)
Day 6
Fredericton
Enjoy a full day relaxing in this charming riverside city. Leave the car behind and enjoy some tastings at one of the many breweries in this, the “Craft Brewery Capital of Atlantic Canada”. If the weather is fine, there are some great taproom patios to savour the beer and the surroundings.
Day 7
Fredericton – St. Andrews-by-the-Sea (80 miles)
Continue your journey southbound through New Brunswick until you reach the ocean. Your home for two nights is the beautiful seaside town of Saint Andrews which is a national historic site of Canada and the gateway to the Bay of Fundy. It was founded in 1783 and later became one of Canada’s first seaside resorts with the building of the Argyll and Algonquin hotels. There are still 140 historic buildings dotted through the compact town, many of which are now lovely galleries, boutiques and cafes.
Two nights: The Algonquin Resort (or similar)
Day 8
St. Andrews-by-the-Sea
An absolute must for your stay in Saint Andrews is a whale-watching tour as this area is renowned for its thriving humpback, minke and pilot whale population. We can pre-book one of two options for you (extra charge). The adventurous will enjoy the Marine Wildlife and Whale-watching tour by Zodiac. You’ll be in a group of a maximum 12 people and will take to the seas with an experienced mariner in a high-speed rigid hull Zodiac boat equipped with the best tracking equipment to maximise the whale spotting. You will also see colourful puffins and swooping eagles. A stylish and perhaps more comfortable alternative is to book the Whale-watching by Tall Ship. On this you will sail across Passamaquoddy Bay and into the Bay of Fundy to spot seals, whales and marine birds from the wide decks of the ship, with experienced guides educating and entertaining as you go.
You’ll need to have a quiet an relaxing time this evening after your day in the bay, and this is easily done in the friendly downtown area filled with appealing restaurants.
Day 9
St. Andrews-by-the-Sea to Saint John (63 miles)
You will be reluctant to leave Saint Andrews, but a lovely drive along the south coast of the province awaits. Take the fast route Highway 1 for a portion of the journey, but perhaps take the 175 to capture some of the beauty spots along the coast such as New River Beach.
Arrive into the city of Saint John but before you park the car, you may want to head straight to the Reversing Rapids - a natural phenomenon caused by bay tides colliding with the Saint John River and impressive to see.
Enjoy an evening in Saint John where you will find a superb variety of restaurants and bars for you to sample.
Overnight: Delta hotels by Marriott Saint John (or similar)
Day 10
Saint John – St. Martin Sea Caves – Fundy Trail Provincial Park – Hopewell Rocks - Moncton (139 miles)
Today is a particularly great day on the road, with the first port of call being the sea caves of St. Martins just half an hour away. If possible, time your arrival for low tide, as it’s a fabulous walk across the ocean floor to these wonderful sandstone caves which have been shaped by the famous tides of the Bay of Fundy.
Drive just a few minutes out of St. Martins to the west gate of the Funday Trail Provincial Park – a beautiful 19 mile drive along the coastline of the Bay of Funday. There are several lookout points en route, a hiking trail runs parallel to the road if you’re feeling energetic and it’s certainly worth parking the car at the Big Salmon River Interpretive Centre cross the suspension bridge here.
Continue your eastbound route to the Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. Over the course of thousands of years, the massive tides of the Bay of Fundy have sculpted twenty free-standing sea stacks into beautiful flower-pot shapes. Depending on the time you are visiting you can either view them from an elevated trail or from the ocean floor. If you had six hours to spare, you could see these iconic rocks at both high and low tide, but the entrance ticket gives you access for two consecutive days, so if your schedule permits you can always return to see them at a different point in the tide cycle. We can pre-book your admission and a self-guided tour on this Destination Canada Signature Experience.
Your final drive of the day is just over half an hour, to your overnight stop in the city of Moncton.
Overnight: Delta Hotels by Marriott Beausejour (or similar)
Day 11
Moncton - Halifax (162 miles)
Enjoy a morning in the city of Moncton - stroll through the brick-covered streets and urban art and visit numerous coffee shops to enjoy delicious pastries.
Then its your final drive of the trip, into Nova Scotia for your return flight home.
Overnight: Choose either the Halifax airport hotel or stay in downtown Halifax depending on your flight time.
Day 12
Halifax – fly home
