TINTAMARRE: THE ACADIAN PARADE IN NEW BRUNSWICK The whole town of Caraquet comes together annually to celebrate the triumphant history of the Acadian people. A group of people called Acadians makes up almost two million people, who annually celebrate their return to the Maritimes. Every August 15th, the festival is crowned by a parade in which every resident takes part, whether or not they are in costume.
THE ACADIAN VILLAGE In northeastern New Brunswick, near Caraquet, more precisely at the Riviére-du-Nord, the Acadian Historical Village is an authentic site that accurately re-creates the various eras between 1770 and 1939. Each era is reflected in the choice and layout of the buildings on the marshy banks of the North River. Tremendous efforts have been made to revive the old trades, the costumes and traditions that characterized the Acadians in New Brunswick during the period between 1770-1890.
HOPEWELL ROCKS Hopewell Rocks, at the Hopewell Cape on the Bay of Fundy, is one of the most unusual sights in the world! An on-site interpretive center is loaded with displays and maps that help to explain the geological phenomenon that occurs here daily. The Fundy Tides are the highest in the world and here at Hopewell Rocks, they have carved four-story sculptures out of the rock, known as “flowerpots,” creating one of the marine wonders of the world.
KINGS LANDING On the banks of the St. John River, Kings Landing Historical Settlement re-creates rural 19th-century New Brunswick. Typically authentic farms, homes, shops, mills and kitchens have been created to help keep the heart and soul of this area’s vibrant history alive. It’s basically an outdoor living history museum that is more like 25 museums all in one place.
MAGNETIC HILL Magnetic Hill is one of New Brunswick’s most famous attractions… or is it magic? Stories about the mystery of Magnetic Hill have been circulating since the early 1800s. People still find it hard to believe that you can drive your vehicle to the bottom of the hill, put it in neutral, and be pulled right back up the hill, allegedly by magnetic force. Magnetic Hill is also an entire theme park, complete with the delightful shops of Wharf Village.
THE COUNTRYSIDE OF NEW BRUNSWICK One of Canada’s Maritime Provinces, New Brunswick is rich with natural scenery and crowned with trademark covered bridges, attractive golf courses and vacation getaways. New Brunswick is tucked in under Québec’s Gaspé Peninsula, beside the State of Maine. Its eastern boundary is dotted with warm, sandy beaches lapped by the warmest salt water north of Virginia, while from its northern coast, it’s connected to Prince Edward Island by the Confederation Bridge.
THE CAPITAL CITY OF FREDERICTON Fredericton is the historical capital city of New Brunswick, where treelined streets and the majestic St. John River give the city a distinct signature. A dignified capital city, Fredericton stages a daily changing-of-the-guard ritual and has vibrant architecture in its government buildings, churches, houses and galleries. Modern riverside Fredericton is delightful to nature enthusiasts. Fredericton’s City Hall is the oldest City Hall still in use in the Maritime Provinces and visitors to the building can tour the Council Chamber and see the history of Fredericton woven into 24 colorful tapestries.
HILLSBOROUGH For a challenging land adventure, go for a three-hour tour of two wild gypsum caves in Hillsborough. Special adventures await each spelunker in the bat room at the back of the south cave, where the mysteries of the underground world are revealed. The walk to the cave is long and hot, while the interior of the cave is cool, slippery and damp. The Salem & Hillsborough Railroad is a tourist railroad and museum that operates during summer months.
THE NEW BRUNSWICK MUSEUM Exhibits include a full sized whale and a mastodon. During your visit, you can hike a geological “our changing earth” trail back through time in the Natural Sciences Gallery, where the geology and paleontology collections number about 50,000 specimens, or whale watch in the Hall of the Great Whales. In the History Galleries, you can follow the river route, admire the great sailing ships of the past, and experience life in a lumber camp.
THE PORT CITY OF ST. JOHN Presiding over the Bay of Fundy, picturesque Saint John is the largest city in New Brunswick, which began as a settlement in 1631. It grew up around the ship-building industry, and cruise ships continue to make Saint John a port of call. There is a lot to explore here, such as the thriving ecosystem that is part of the Bay of Fundy, in the Irving Nature Park.