MAKING CONTACT
New Brunswick Tourism
Phone: (800) 561-0123, Ext. 057
Web: www.tourismnbcanada.com/web/
St. Andrews
Phone: (800) 563-7397
Web: www.townsearch.com/standrews
Saint John
Phone: (888) 364-4444
Web: www.city.saint-john.nb.ca
Fredericton
Phone: (506) 460-2041
Web: www.city.fredericton.nb.ca
PROVINCIAL POINTERS
You can arrange for a cruise of the St. John River aboard the
Northumberland-style boat the new Carlton II, with Fredericton's
former mayor Brad Woodside as captain and guide. Call (506)
454-2628.The Moosehead brewery in Saint John is the oldest independently
owned plant in Canada. Other excellent beers brewed in the province
are Picaroons Whale Ale (Fredericton) and Clancy's Amber Ale (Saint
John).Forests cover nearly 90% of New Brunswick, which is one of
three Canadian maritime provinces.Dulse, a leafy, seaweedlike vegetable, is harvested and dried
for use as a snack and a condiment. It grows on the shores of Grand
Manan Island, not far from St. Andrews. Beware, it is an acquired
taste.The Calithumpians troup- from the word "calithump," to create a
large commotion -- offers entertaining walking tours, "haunted
hikes" and motorcoach services in and around Fredericton. Call
(506) 457-1975.The province's Lieut. Gov. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell lives
there, but that doesn't mean the Old Government House isn't open to
visitors. To arrange group tours, lunch and even a game of croquet,
call (506) 444-5284.Saint John is surrounded by water on three sides, and until
1980, when it was filled in, the site upon which the Saint John
Hilton sits was under water.Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem "Evangeline" celebrates
the tragic tale of two French Canadian lovers who were separated in
the Acadian Diaspora of the mid-18th century.Travelers to New Brunswick can get a refund on the 15%
harmonized sales tax paid on certain goods and accommodations.New Brunswick is the only official bilingual province in
Canada.Pay attention to the posted tidal tables.Time and tide wait for
no man, especially in this region, where Bay of Fundy waters can
rise three feet in a half-hour.NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
The province of New Brunswick abounds in adventure and natural
attractions.
Roosevelt Campobello International Park.
Eight-and-a-half miles of trails, covered bridges and FDR's summer
home.
Atlantic Salmon Federation conservation complex.
Features the Salar's World display center, through which runs a
stream stocked with salmon. Web: www.asf.ca.
Whale-watching excursions.Fifty varieties of whales
inhabit the Bay of Fundy waters. Call Quoddy Linke Marine at (506)
529-2600.
Irving Nature Park. Forested walking trails and marine
mammals, but the 230 species of birds visiting here are the main
attraction.
Reversing Falls. At high tide, the Bay of Fundy waters
push the St. John river back upstream through a narrow gorge,
creating rapids. Best experienced with the Reversing Falls Jet Boat
Tours. Call (506) 634-8987
Fundy National Park. Sixty miles of trails wend through
mud flats, cliffs and Bay of Fundy overlooks.
Hopewell Rocks. A remarkable site where visitors can
walk the ocean floor at low tide to see the fanciful shapes of the
famed tree-topped "flowerpot rocks." Web: www.hopewellrocks.com.
A TALE OF THREE CITIES: FEDERICTON, ST. JOHN, ST.
ANDREWS
St. Andrews
(Founded by fleeing loyalists in 1783, this resort town is
famous for its salubrious climate )
What to see: The Blockhouse (Joe's Point Road
and Prince of Wales Street), erected during the War of 1812.
Kingsbrae Gardens ( www.townsearch.com/kingsbraegarden /), featuring a
forest trail and a "therapy" garden.Where to shop: Serendip' Art (168 Water St.),
for hand-blown glass and pottery. Garden by the Sea (219 Water
St.), for sizzling soap balls whipped up by Debi and Jeff Bowins in
their quarters above the store. Tom Smith Gallery (136 Water St.),
where you might be lucky enough to have artist like Liz Pead
"explain" her paintings.Where to stay: The Algonquin ( townsearch.com/algonquin /), a Canadian Pacific resort
recognized as one of the best in Canada. The Pansy Patch
bed-and-breakfast ( www.pansypatch.com), where each of its nine rooms has
a harbor view.Fredericton
(located inland, on the bend in the St. John River, it is the
capital city of New Brunswick province)
What to see: The Beaverbrook Art Gallery for
its collection of Canadian art and the showpiece "Santiago el
Grande" by Salvador Dali ( www.beaverbrookartgallery.org). The New Brunswick
Sports Hall of Fame, which honors the great (Secretariat's jockey
Ron Turcotte) and the near great (the very hittable boxer Yvon
Durell).Where to shop: Aitkens Pewter (65 Regent St.),
for locally made collectibles; group factory tours are available;
call (800) 567-4416. By the Light of the Moon (385 Mazzuca's Lane),
a studio and shop that specializes in hand-decorated fabrics.Where to stay: The Sheraton Fredericton Hotel
( www.sheraton.com), noted for its waterside dining
venue.Saint John
(At the mouth of the St. John River and a 90-minute drive from
the U.S. border at Calais, Maine)
What to see: The Old Loyalist Burial Grounds
(adjacent to the King's Square city center), where the oldest stone
marks the death of one Canradt Hendricks in 1784. The New Brunswick
Museum (Market Square), noted for its three-story Fundy Tidal
Tube.Where to shop: The Old City Market (47
Charlotte St.), home to Lord's Lobsters, where the battered fish
snacks can't be beat.Where to stay: Hilton Saint John ( www.hilton.nb.ca /),
a pleasantly prim hotel overlooking the harborfront.