Discover the Bay of Fundy
self drive tour
Visit the magnificent Bay of Fundy and travel the 170 miles along a majestic coastline, through one of the 2 National Parks in the province, before completing your journey at Saint John, where the St. John River meets the Bay of Fundy. It is famous for its historic downtown streetscapes, cultural attractions, and natural beauties.
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Your Itinerary
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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Day 5
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Day 6
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Day 7
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Day 8
Day 1 : UK - Arrive Moncton
Collect your car and transfer to your downtown hotel.
Day 2 : Moncton - Hopewell Rocks (23 Miles)
This morning head to the iconic Hopewell Rocks and get a close up of these stunning rock formations. The cliffs at Hopewell were formed millions of years ago as part of a mountain range that was both older than the Appalachians and larger than the Canadian Rockies. However, due to erosion, the rocks and pebbles were slowly washed from the mountains and over time these layers compressed into the rock forming into the flowerpot formations that we see today.
Day 3 : Hopewell Rocks - Alma (27 Miles)
After breakfast take to the road and head to Cape Enrage. Here you will find 320-million-year-old fossils, breath-taking views of Bay of Fundy, a 140-year-old lighthouse and subject to tide conditions you can see a reef that had claimed many a vessel over the last century. On leaving Cape Enrage continue onto the charming village of Alma, located right at the entrance of the stunning Fundy National Park. Once at the national park there is a wide variety of activities to enjoy, including fat biking, golf, geo-cashing, hiking, kayaking and swimming in a pool or with the salmon migration, which is a seasonal activity.
Day 4 : Alma to St Martins (70 Miles)
Enjoy a hearty breakfast and the drive through Fundy National Park en-route to St. Martins, the gateway to the Fundy Park Trailway a 6323-acre park featuring a 19-mile coastal drive that offers stunning views of the Bay of Fundy. The park has been carved out of the Fundy Escarpment and is one of the last remaining coastal wildernesses areas between Florida and Labrador. Visitors can marvel at the coastal cliffs, hike the many trails, enjoy pristine beaches, river estuaries and waterfalls. The park is also home to the Fundy Footpath hiking path, rated in the top 50 in the world and one of the Great Canadian Bucket List experiences.
Day 5 : St. Martins to Saint Andrews (99 Miles)
Leave St. Martins this morning and continue down the Bay to Saint Andrews-by-the-Sea. The stunning seaside resort came into prominence with the building of the railways at the end of the 19th Century. The desire of the wealthy to escape the heat and humidity of the eastern seaboard cities meant that Saint Andrews was the natural choice for the development as a fashionable summer resort. The offshore waters kept cool by the giant tides of the Bay of Fundy and the cooling breezes of the Passamaquoddy Bay meant that the well-heeled would come for a summer season at this stunning resort town. Saint Andrews has many chic restaurants and cafes and is home to the horticultural masterpiece that is Kingsbrae Gardens, a 27-acre public garden rated as one of the top 10 in Canada. You’ll stay in Saint Andrews for 2 nights.
Day 6 : St. Andrews-by-the-Sea
Two days to explore Saint Andrews and the surrounding area. Perhaps you’ll decide to cross to Ministers Island, located just off the shore of Saint Andrews. The 500-acre island is the former summer home of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Sir William Cornelius Van Horne. Minsters Island is accessed by driving across a 1-kilometre sandbar exposed by low tide, but as a rule of thumb, you can spend up to 5 hours on this enchanting island. Van Horne started purchasing land on Ministers Island in the 1890s where he would construct a 50 room summer home called Covenhoven. Van Horne was credited with bringing many wealthy visitors to both Saint Andrews and Ministers Island to experience his lavish social gatherings. Many of these people would later purchase large properties in Saint Andrews. Covenhoven contains many original artefacts from the period and the on-site guides will provide great detail of Van Horne and his legacy. Or maybe head down to the dock to catch the water taxi to the stunning Campobello Island, one of the majestic Fundy Isles. This island is stunningly beautiful and was originally granted to British Sea Captain William Owen back in 1767 and would stay in the family for 4 generations. Sold latterly to wealthy American investors, the island would become the summer playground for the rich and famous including the Franklin D Roosevelt family. Depending on season there’s whale watching opportunities from Saint Andrews as well.
Day 7 : Saint Andrews to Saint John (60 Miles)
This morning after breakfast it's time to head to Saint John and get your final fix of the Bay of Fundy. The city of Saint John has the distinction of being Canada's first incorporated city and has a loyalist history that goes back centuries. It's a city with the highest tides on earth. A place where water runs backwards twice a day and no one blinks an eye. Where the most powerful tug-of-war on earth takes place in the heart of the city thanks to a geological hip-check of South America and Africa. Start your visit by stopping off at the Skywalk Saint John, to get a stunning view of the Reversing Falls rapids and to find out in more detail about the significance of the Fundy tides and the effect they have on the Saint John River that flows down into the Bay of Fundy.
A suggested lunch stop would be at the historic Saint John City Market, the oldest continuously operated market in Canada, and it's "where the locals go". Quick, easy and healthy lunches are served at this iconic location. After lunch head to the vibrant Area 506 Waterfront Container Village and the Ihtoli-maqahamok – The Gathering Space – each offering outdoor public spaces that are sure to please.
Day 8 : Saint John Departure - Arrive UK
Time today to browse some of the unique shops and boutiques in the city, before heading back to Moncton Airport to drop off your car in time to check in for your return flight home.
