Shediac, New Brunswick is known as the “Lobster Capital of the World” because of its history and prominence in the lobster fishing industry. (Image: Tourism New Brunswick)Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeWith untouched forest making up 85% of Canada’s New Brunswick, there’s so much beautiful landscape to explore – as we discovered when we took a trip around this stunning province on the Atlantic coast. One of the most distinctive places to visit is Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, where the giant rocks have been sculpted by the Bay of Fundy’s tides. The tides are among the highest in the world – the differential between low and high tide here can reach up to 50ft. We walked around the rocks at low tide with our knowledgeable guide Joe, who told us about the history of the area and pointed out unique formations like the Jay Leno rock – it really does look like him! At high tide, visitors can kayak along the same route. My top tip is to head down early if the tide allows it. We arrived at 8.15am and shared the ocean floor with just a couple of dog walkers. By the time we left at 10am there were floods of tourists, which makes for far less impressive photographs!
Hopewell Rocks have been carved out by the high tides
(Image: Getty Images)
Walton Glen Gorge is known as the Grand Canyon of New Brunswick
After the early start we picked up sandwiches and famous sticky buns from Kelly’s Bake Shop in the quaint lobster fishing village of Alma before enjoying our picnic in the Fundy Trail Provincial Park. There’s no better spot for taking in the park’s breathtaking views than at the observation deck overlooking Walton Glen Gorge, a beautiful natural rock formation that’s also known as the Grand Canyon of New Brunswick. There’s no shortage of incredible parks across the region, each as gorgeous as the last. We also stopped at Kouchibouguac National Park to catch some rays on the sand dunes at Kellys Beach, before kayaking out into the lagoon. LOBSTER LOVERS Shediac town is the self-proclaimed lobster capital of the world. This is marked by the world’s largest lobster statue on Main Street – you can’t miss it. The annual Shediac Lobster Festival, which next year runs from 5-13 July, draws more than 40,000 visitors – locals and tourists alike – who devour 2,000 pounds of lobster over the course of the celebrations. We kicked off our festival experience with the Corks & Claws event, where eight local restaurants prepared a small lobster dish and a perfect wine pairing. The chefs’ creativity knew no bounds as the offerings ranged from lobster dips to croissant lobster rolls. It’s a great way to try some of the best restaurants in the area when you’re short on time. The entry ticket also includes access to the main tent, where festival-goers can enjoy performances by local musicians. The next night we were part of La Grande Table for a lobster feast, an event that sees 700 people sitting at one long table that stretches the whole way up Main Street. We were initially a little intimidated by the huge whole lobsters set down in front of us, but the New Brunswick locals – who may just be among the nicest people on earth – were kind enough to coach us novices through the cracking process to reap the delicious rewards of the fresh catch. LOCAL FLAVOURS While lobster is evidently the star of the show here, the province has plenty more culinary gems for visitors to enjoy. Anyone visiting Saint John, a city brimming with history and unique architecture, should book an Uncorked Tour, which gives you a taste of New Brunswick’s finest wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks while taking in the city’s sights. We were guided by the fun-loving and friendly Gilliane, who founded Uncorked with her sister Nathalie. We began our tour in the Saint John City Market (Canada’s oldest farmers’ market) with a tasting of local wines, including a wild blueberry offering. These wines were unlike anything I’d tasted before, largely because they’re made with hybrid grapes unique to the region. These vines have to be resistant to cold and rain to withstand the brutal winters.
Saint John City Market dates back to the 1870s
Continuing the tour around Saint John’s buzzing streets, we enjoyed a cocktail at the dimly lit Port City Royal restaurant before sampling a beer flight at popular local brewery Bigtide. WHALE OF A TIME As many as 12 different species of whale can be found in the Bay of Fundy during the summer months, making this the perfect spot for whale watching. The whales use the bay as a feeding ground, feasting on the huge numbers of krill, squid, herring, pollock and mackerel found here as a result of the powerful Fundy tides. From the picturesque town of Saint Andrews, we headed out on a two-and-a-half-hour boat expedition with Jolly Breeze Whale Adventures.
The Bay of Fundy is home to many species of whale
Whale watching has been on my bucket list for some time and New Brunswick seemed the ideal place to tick it off. Of course, whether the whales decide to make an appearance is totally unpredictable, so we felt so lucky to see a handful of minke whales, including one calf. You could have heard a pin drop on the boat as we all waited with bated breath to see when the whales would breach again. It was such a magical experience to see these majestic creatures up close in their natural habitat, and one I won’t forget in a hurry. With the help of our eagle-eyed captain we also spied harbour porpoises, sea lions and even a bald eagle – just some of the wildlife that calls the Bay of Fundy home. * For more information on the area, visit Atlantic Canada and Tourism New Brunswick.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnTravel
