New Brunswick attractions

The big destinations across NB, with drive times from downtown Fredericton. From a 25-minute paddle at Mactaquac to the 2-hour Hopewell Rocks ocean-floor walk, this is the field guide for what Fredericton residents and visitors want to know about.

🏖️ Beaches (1)🌅 Coastlines (2)🌉 Covered Bridges (1)🪨 Hopewell Rocks (1)🗼 Lighthouses (1)⛰️ Mountains (1)🌲 Parks (3)🛶 Rivers (2)🥾 Trails (1)💧 Waterfalls (2)

🏖️ Beaches

Atlantic and Bay of Fundy beaches across New Brunswick.

Parlee Beach

Acadian Coast

Long Northumberland Strait beach with some of the warmest saltwater in Canada. Shediac itself is the Lobster Capital of the World with the giant lobster statue and annual Lobster Festival.

🚗 ~2 hours from Fredericton

🌅 Coastlines

Scenic drives, cliffs, sea stacks, and lookout points.

Magnetic Hill

Greater Moncton

Optical-illusion hill where your car appears to roll uphill in neutral. Adjacent to Magnetic Hill Zoo, the concert grounds, and Magic Mountain water park.

🚗 ~2 hours from Fredericton

St. Andrews by-the-Sea

Bay of Fundy

Heritage seaside resort town founded in 1783. Whale-watching cruises, Kingsbrae Garden, the Algonquin Resort, and access to Ministers Island (drive at low tide).

🚗 ~1.5 hours from Fredericton

🌉 Covered Bridges

NB has more covered bridges than anywhere else in Canada — including the world's longest at Hartland.

Hartland Covered Bridge

Upper Saint John River Valley

The longest covered bridge in the world at 391 metres (1,282 ft), spanning the Saint John River. Built in 1901, still open to vehicle traffic.

🚗 ~1 hour from Fredericton

🪨 Hopewell Rocks

Flowerpot rocks shaped by the Fundy tides. Walk the ocean floor at low tide; kayak around them at high tide.

Hopewell Rocks

Bay of Fundy

Flowerpot-shaped sea stacks carved by the world's highest tides. Walk the ocean floor at low tide; kayak around the rocks at high tide. The interpretive centre, beach access, and viewing decks make it a full half-day visit.

🚗 ~2 hours from Fredericton

🗼 Lighthouses

Working and heritage lighthouses on the Bay of Fundy, Northumberland Strait, and inland rivers.

Cape Enrage

Bay of Fundy

Active lighthouse on a 150-metre cliff overlooking the Bay of Fundy. Zip-line, rappelling, and fossil hunting at the base of the cliffs. Built 1840.

🚗 ~2.5 hours from Fredericton

⛰️ Mountains

Mount Carleton (highest peak in the Maritimes), Sugarloaf, and the Appalachian range running through NB.

Mount Carleton

Northern New Brunswick

The highest peak in the Maritimes at 820 metres. A summit hike with panoramic views, plus 17 km of trails through one of the largest dark sky preserves in Atlantic Canada.

🚗 ~4 hours from Fredericton

🌲 Parks

National parks, provincial parks, and protected wilderness areas.

Fundy National Park

Bay of Fundy

Parks Canada site on the Bay of Fundy: ocean floor walks at low tide, 25+ waterfalls, dark sky preserve, oTENTik camping, and over 100 km of trails through Acadian forest.

🚗 ~2 hours from Fredericton

Kouchibouguac National Park

Acadian Coast

Parks Canada site with 25 km of barrier dunes, warm shallow lagoons, salt marsh, and Acadian forest. Bike the Bog Trail and Kelly's Beach boardwalk.

🚗 ~2.5 hours from Fredericton

Mactaquac Provincial Park

Greater Fredericton

On the Mactaquac Headpond just upriver from Fredericton. Beach, marina, 18-hole golf course, campground, and trails. Easy day trip from the city.

🚗 ~25 minutes from Fredericton

🛶 Rivers

Saint John River system, Miramichi (world-class Atlantic salmon), Restigouche, Nepisiguit.

Miramichi River

Miramichi

World-class Atlantic salmon fly fishing. The Miramichi watershed has been a draw for anglers for over 200 years. Salmon Hall of Fame, outfitter camps, and scenic drives along the river.

🚗 ~1.5 hours to Doaktown, ~2.5 hours to Miramichi City from Fredericton

Saint John River

Province-wide

Wolastoq, the heart of New Brunswick, flowing 673 km from Maine through Fredericton to Saint John. Paddling, fishing, the river valley scenic drive, and views from the Westmorland Street Bridge in Fredericton.

🚗 Right here from Fredericton

🥾 Trails

Hiking, cycling, and the Trans Canada Trail through New Brunswick.

Fundy Trail Parkway

Bay of Fundy

30-km scenic coastal road with lookouts, beach access, the Long Beach suspension bridge, and trailheads connecting Saint John to Fundy National Park. The Sea Caves at St. Martins are at the western end.

🚗 ~1.5 hours from Fredericton

💧 Waterfalls

Reversing Falls (Saint John), Grand Falls, Pabineau Falls, and dozens of backcountry cascades.

Grand Falls / Grand-Sault

Upper Saint John River Valley

One of the largest waterfalls east of Niagara, with a 23-metre drop into a deep gorge. Zip-lining over the falls and a riverside boardwalk in town.

🚗 ~2.5 hours from Fredericton

Reversing Falls Rapids

Bay of Fundy

Where the Saint John River meets the Bay of Fundy, the tides force the river to flow backwards twice a day. Jet boat rides, lookout, and the Skywalk over the rapids.

🚗 ~1 hour from Fredericton