Nitin and I spent weeks debating over where to travel this summer. We’ve visited parts of Europe, hit up Asia, done the big cities, and while we love a good beach vacay, we wanted a trip where we could get out and explore. It’s funny to think how many places we’ve travelled without giving a second thought to what’s in our own backyard. Aside from a quick trip to Calgary a few years ago for a friends wedding, and the occasional visit to Montreal, we’ve never truly explored Canada. After one too many discussions, it was decided …we’re heading to the east coast of Canada! Over the next few posts, I’m excited to share with you guys our journey through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. Planning a trip out east? Check out our favourite places to eat and stay, as well as our top hot spots!

The first stop on our journey was New Brunswick. We ended up flying into Fredericton, renting a car and driving through Nova Scotia and PEI. We were only in New Brunwick for one night, which was perfect because you really don’t need too much time here. The people are uber friendly, but in my opinion it’s not the most exciting province. We took an early flight into Fredericton, and by time we landed and got our car we were in the downtown core by early afternoon. After grabbing a bite to eat, we walked around downtown which took all of 30 minutes. The strip is lined with restaurants, shops and businesses, and if you head towards the water you can check out the Lighthouse on the Green and the cute blue bridge (again, I wouldn’t budget too much time for this).

We had originally wanted to spend a night in St. Andrews, but as our first two hotel choices were sold out we ended up changing our plans and spending a night in Saint John. We stayed at The Hilton, which after much research seemed like the safest bet. That evening we walked around the Market Square where we grabbed dinner, and enjoyed some live music by the waterfront before turning in.

The following morning we woke up around 8:00am and headed to the famous Saint John City Market, which was much smaller than I imagined. We walked through the market in about 30 – 40 minutes and picked up some fresh fruit and a lobster roll for the road (yup, lobster roll for breakfast ….hey, when in Rome). We then hopped back in our car and took the Fundy Coastal drive over to Hopewell Rocks.

Hopewell Rocks is one of the main attraction to visit while in New Brunswick. Home to the highest tides in the world, Hopewell Rocks (also know as Flowerpot Rocks) are rock formations caused by tidal erosion. Nitin and I didn’t want to hang around all day to check out the high and low tide as we were anxious to get to Nova Scotia, so we opted for the low tide so we could walk the ocean floor.

After Hopewell Rocks we were pretty hungry. While we didn’t originally plan to visit Moncton, it happened to be on our way to Nova Scotia so we decided to pop into the downtown core to grab a quick bite. It’s lot more lively then Fredericton’s downtown area, but is still fairly quiet and easy to find parking, which is not something we’re used to in Toronto. All the downtown areas in New Brunswick are easily accessible which is a refreshing change.

 

WHERE TO STAY IN NEW BRUNSWICK

St. Andrews – My recommendation is to fly into Fredericton and drive down to St. Andrews. Check out The Algonquin Resort and Kingsbrae Arms, but book in advance because they get sold out quick, especially during busy season. Nitin and I were late in booking, so while I can’t give you our first hand experience, after much research these hotels are going to be the closest you’ll find to luxury in New Brunswick. You can then take the Fundy coastal drive up Fredericton and on your way to Hopewell Rocks.

Fredericton – My hotel recommendation in Fredericton is The Hiton. It is by no stretch of the imagination a 5 star hotel but the location is perfect as it’s right on the waterfront and is in walking distance to restaurants and shops.

WHERE TO EAT & AVOID IN NEW BRUNSWICK

Fredericton

540 Kitchen & Bar – Located in the heart of downtown, we loved the food (fish tacos are delicious), service and vibe at this gastro pub.

The Lunar Rouge – The service is great, but despite the good reviews online the food is TERRIBLE. I ordered fish and chips which tasted like they were microwaved, and the worst part is they came with pre-packaged Kraft tartar sauce (that had me running for the door!)

Chess Piece Patisserie – The coffee and pastries are ok but nothing to write home about. It’s a cute café if you’re looking to rest your feet or grab a quite bite.

Saint John

Saint John Ale House – Featured on You Gotta Eat Here! I had high expectations for this place. I’m not sure if I missed a beat; the location is great, but the food is mediocre. It wasn’t terrible by any means, but it wasn’t exactly my favourite meal of the trip.

Lord’s Lobster Fish Market – Located within the Saint John City Market, I was loving the lobster roll from this place until I bit into a hard shell. #lunchbagletdown

Moncton

Tide & Boar Gastro Pub – With a casual yet trendy vibe, this is a great little place in the downtown core. I recommend ordering the lobster role which is quite tasty, and while it didn’t make my top 5, it was still a great lunch!

Café C’est la Vie – We grabbed our daily latte/ coffee from this café before heading to Nova Scotia. I wasn’t overly impressed with the dark vibe, or average tasting latte (which was super small I might add).

WHAT TO DO IN NEW BRUNSWICK

Fundy Coastal Drive – If you’re going to be driving through NB, take one of the coastal drives. We don’t get drives like this in Ontario, so we took advantage of every opportunity to drive alongside the ocean.

Hopewell Rocks – Plan your visit around the tide schedule which you can view here. If you visit when the tide is low you’re able to literally walk on the ocean floor, and if you visit when the tide is high you will see the rock formations surrounded by water. Your entrance fee is valid for two days, in case you don’t want to wait around for hours between high and low tide. If you only have time to check out one, I recommend the low tide so you can walk the ocean floor.

Eat! – Nitin and I are huge foodies, so whenever we have a chance to try new restaurants and dishes we’re all for it. If you’re visiting the east coast, you’d be doing yourself an injustice if you didn’t at least try in the fresh and delicious seafood that surrounds you!

Stay tuned for all the details on our favourite province, Nova Scotia. Coming soon!

xo, Kiki