Things to Do in New Brunswick: 7 Summer Day Trips in New Brunswick

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Welcome to New Brunswick, a densely forested Canadian province that is far too often overlooked by visitors because of an unfounded reputation for being “boring.” As a resident of New Brunswick who was born and raised in this stunning province, I can assure you that this province is far from boring – and I’m here to tell you some of the best things to do in New Brunswick including the best summer day trips in New Brunswick that will get you booking a trip straightaway.

New Brunswick is surrounded by water: being both a Maritime province and an Atlantic province, it features Fundy bay, Chaleur bay, Northumberland Strait. The province boasts more rivers, valleys and mountains than need to be counted, making it a playground for those who like to be active and in nature as well as those who want to find good food and relax.

1. Parlee Beach Provincial Park and Shediac

A short 30-minute drive from Moncton, Parlee Beach is one of New Brunswick’s most famous beaches. Located in Shediac, it is known for being Canada’s warmest saltwater beach (up to 24 degrees Celsius during peak season) and for its spectacular array of water activities.

If swimming and laying on the warm sand is not your cup of tea, this provincial park also has many trails that you can walk as well as grassy marshes where you might be able to spot a waterfowl or some shorebirds. Going to to the beach doesn’t always need to be simply relaxing on the sand, but we’re certainly not against that as an option.

Local tip: If you prefer quiet time reading on the beach, we suggest driving a bit further to Cap-Pelé and making your way to the beach there. It’s a much less crowded area.  

For our lobster lovers, Shediac has built a reputation for itself as the lobster capital of the world on account of its lobster fishing industry – it even has the world’s largest lobster! The sculpture weighs around 90 tonnes – so although you can’t eat it, don’t forget to take a picture with it. Whenever I have visitors, this is always one of those things to do in New Brunswick that people don’t seem to forget.

2. Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park

The tide

At Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, you can see one of the coolest phenomena on earth. The tide here is one of the fastest and highest rising tides in the world – within 12 hours, the tide will rise between 32 and 46 feet. There’s a good reason we’ve ranked Hopewell Rocks as one our top hidden gems in Canada.

If you want to make the most of this day trip in New Brunswick, we suggest getting there when the tide is at its lowest. That way, you can walk along the ocean floor, explore the area, visit the famous rock formations known as the flowerpots, and watch the tide start to roll in at a rate of four to six feet per hour.

When the tide starts rising, an alarm will sound and you will be able to stand atop the cliffs and watch the tide come in. Within a few hours, where you were standing will be completely covered in deep water.

Kayaking tour

I highly recommend doing a kayak tour at the rocks. Book this long in advance as they sell out quite quickly – and make sure to buy your tickets to Hopewell Rocks in advance as well! A good kayak tour will take you around all the stacks while the tide is rising. It’s truly something you cannot experience anywhere else in the world.

Local tip: Check the times for the tide before you plan your visit. These change daily and can affect your planning.  

Though there is a restaurant on site, we recommend packing a big picnic that you can enjoy while you wait for the tide to rise. Bring a refillable water bottle as well – there are stations to refill your water bottle.  

3. Fundy National Park

Hiking

If you enjoy hiking, you absolutely cannot miss out on Fundy National Park. Fundy offers so many trails for every level of hiking, from coastal to back country trails.

Like Hopewell, at Fundy National Park you’ll also be able to observe the rising tides, up to 53 feet in elevation, rising very rapidly. Make sure to carve out to time to sit and actually watch the tide rise – it really is a magical experience.

Alma and Holy Whale Brewery

Fundy National Park is located near the village of Alma. I highly recommend stopping at Alma following your day in the park. In particular, make sure to visit Holy Whale Brewery. This may read like a slightly strange recommendation, but little known of the things to do in New Brunswick is to visit Holy Whale Brewery simply to try their skittles-flavored sour beer that is insanely good.

If that wasn’t enough, Holy Whale Brewery is located inside an old church and has a really cool vibe. It does get quite busy among locals and those doing day trips in New Brunswick during the summer season, but you won’t find yourself queuing to enter.

4. Kouchibouguac National Park

If you ask my parents, they’ll proudly tell you that this was one of my first words. We used to see the sign on the highway so often, and with such a unique name, I can see that they would point it out to me, probably prompting me to say Kouchibouguac as one of my early words. Is this story true? I don’t know for sure, but spending time in Kouchibouguac still one of the best things to do in New Brunswick.

If you like camping, hiking, seeing natural wonders and birdspotting, Kouchibouguac is for you. Kouchibouguac is home to many bird species and has land protected for the conservation of the flora and fauna of the region. It sits along the Gulf of St Lawrence – and if you look closely, you might be able to steal a peek at Prince Edward Island from across the water.

Kouchibouguac boasts beautiful beaches, a super neat boardwalk that goes for miles along the sand dunes, and miles and miles of hiking for all levels. If I can hike in this place, so can you! I assure you.

5. The Acadian Village

If you want to learn more about the history of New Brunswick and its unique Anglo and French populations, this is a good place to start. Acadians are descendants of the French colonists who first came to Canada and settled in the Maritime provinces. The history of the Acadians is not a simple one, but it is an important one.

The Acadians were living in the Maritimes when the English came over and ousted them during what is now known as the Grand Deportation in 1755. Lots of Acadians were deported back to France, some to Louisiana and others along the New England coast (for those of you who know this history more intimately, yes, this is a very simple description of a very complex situation).

Luckily, some of these French settlers were able to return to their beloved New Brunswick (and other Maritimes provinces) after the Paris Treaty. The Acadian Village is a full-size historical museum village that depicts the lives of those Acadians in New Brunswick from 1776 to the 1940s. A visit to the Village always includes a self-guided walk through the homes that have been restored as authentically as possible.

Visiting the Acadian Village is one of the best things to do in New Brunswick because of the sheer theatre of the experience. You’ll get to walk through the homes where you will encounter characters that are dressed in period costumes acting out the history of the home and of the people who lived there.

Walking through the village is truly much like entering a time capsule. The detail of each station and home is impeccable and it is truly a great experience.

Through your walk, you will see the evolution of the Acadians and their way of life. The village is very interactive and such a fun place to visit – especially if you’re looking for a day trip in New Brunswick for kids. If you visit in June, this place is usually packed with school trips; it is a rite of passage to visit this place at least once during your school career for New Brunswickers, if not multiple times!

And if you’re excited by Acadian culture, you absolutely must make sure to try the best of traditional Acadian foods (nun’s farts, anyone?) which will surprise and delight you.

6. Île aux Puces and Pays de la Sagouine

Yes, you read correctly (if you can read French): Île aux Puces means flea island. If you’re interested in history and the Acadian culture, this is a place worth visiting. Pays de la Sagouine is located in Bouctouche which is a roughly 30-minute drive northbound from Moncton, making it one of the best day trips in New Brunswick.

The Pays de la Sagouine (which translates to Sagouine Country) is a theatrical island that explains some of the plights of Acadians through characters straight out of the books of Acadian author Antonine Maillet. For context, ”la Sagouine” is an old lady who tells the stories of the characters created by Antonine Maillet.

I’ve come here more often than I can count, and this place is truly just magical. It is completely immersive and just such a fun place to be. You will leave with your head spinning and your heart full. And if you want a little more of something special, Pays de la Sagouine also puts on an immersive enchanted light walk from May to October called Akadi Lumina.

7. King’s Landing

King’s Landing is kind of the English version of the Acadian Village. Whereas the Acadian Village is located in the Acadian Peninsula along the Bay of Caraquet, King’s Landing is closer to Fredericton along the beautiful Saint John River. It is a historical village that depicts the life and history of people who lived in the beautiful valley of the Wolastoq river (formerly known as the Saint John River).

King’s Landing is a historical museum and a rite of passage for every school-age child in the western school districts. If you’ve visited or plan to visit the Acadian Village, you will note many similarities between the two places. Seeing the hardships of New Brunswickers in the 1800s makes us feel more appreciative for the lifestyles we have today.

New Brunswick is today a fully bilingual province (the only official one in the whole country). This has been made possible by the fact that the English and French (after a few wars) were able to come to some agreements and share the land along with the First Nations Peoples to whom it belongs.

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