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Beaubears Island, Miramichi
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Daily Point Nature Reserve, Bathurst
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Brian Atkinson
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Mount Carleton
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Youghall Beach Park, Bathurst
By Darcy Nybo
One Week of RV Heaven - Northern New Brunswick is the perfect place for an RV tour.
It only takes a week to create vivid memories that will last for a lifetime. Northern New Brunswick’s people, places and events will have you carving out time for your next visit before the first one has even finished.
Start your first day in Edmunston, NB, a picture perfect town nestled at the junction of the Saint John and Madawaska rivers. The Madawaska Museum is located here and is home to art and ancient objects that show the history of Madawaska County. There are self-guided walking tours that take you to the Petit-Sault Blockhouse, a gothic style cathedral, and several other heritage buildings. Or visit the Railroad Interpretation Centre hosted by a lively retiree decked out in full engineer attire. This miniature railway will entertain as well as educate you on the train era.
Try some hands on, interactive workshops at the New Brunswick Botanical Garden and learn all about the culinary, therapeutic and cosmetic benefit of herbs. Butterflies, peaceful ponds, bubbling brooks, and secrets hidden in the Alpine Garden are waiting for you to discover them.
Should you arrive in the fourth week of June, be sure to check out the Jazz and Blues Festival (jazzbluesedmundston.com). 2015 marks the 21st anniversary of the festival so it is sure to be a great time.
Before you leave Edmundston, make sure you explore some of the hundreds of kilometers of biking and walking trails here. You may need a good walk after visiting any of their amazing restaurants. From seafood to vegetarian to truck stop gourmet, it’s all available here!
Experience pure Canadiana at Mount Carleton Provincial Park. This park has over 42,000 acres of unspoiled wilderness in a setting of Acadian woods and mountain peaks. There’s so much flora and fauna here, you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the province with this much diversity. It is strongly recommended to stay overnight here and spend the evening star gazing in the park. They have strict guidelines to ensure ecosystems are preserved and there is minimal light pollution. Get comfy in your camp chairs and see how many constellations and planets you can spot!
Next stop: Campbellton, where you’ll find a colourful mix of Mi’gmaq, French, Acadian and Scottish heritage. Take a walk along the Campbellton Esplanade with its Waterfront Amphitheatre, Lighthouse Hostel, Splash Pad and Kiosk Park. Don’t miss Restigouche Sam, an 8.5-meter stainless steel model of the region’s famous salmon in Salmon Plaza. Scan the horizon for the burning ship of the Bay of Chaleur. Some locals believe it is a ghost ship from the Battle of the Restigouche while the more scientific sorts say it is caused by heat waves, reflections or hallucinations.
Biking enthusiasts will love Sugarloaf Provincial Park with over 25 km of mountain biking trails. The park opens mid-June making it the perfect time to explore the budding hillsides at Atlantic Canada’s only lift serviced bike park. No matter your level of expertise, from beginners on a gentle cruise, to steep and rocky black diamond trails, if you can ride a bike, use brakes and shift gears, there is a trail just for you. Didn’t bring your bikes? Don’t worry you can rent them here. Make sure you rest up well as tomorrow is another day of adventure.
Start the morning off right with a trip to Bathurst on Route 134. Incredible panoramic views of Chaleur Bay, the Acadian forest and the Appalachian Mountain range may require you to pull over and breathe in the sheer beauty of it all. Chaleur Bay has been touted as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. Another great rest stop is at Pointe-Verte Atlas Park. It features a man-made lake that was created from an abandoned rock quarry, which is a hub for water activity – including scuba diving!
Once you reach Bathurst, be sure to visit Youghall Beach and La Promenade Waterfront. Both offer boardwalks with stunning views of Bathurst Harbour and La Promenade in the downtown has an array of shops and eateries. Take in a round of golf at your choice of two courses, or make a trip to Pabineau Falls for a seafood treat. Daly Point Nature Reserve is 100 acres of paradise for hikers, bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts, offering year-round interpretation. Binoculars and cameras are recommended!
There’s still more day pure New Brunswick magic to experience. Take exit 300 for a direct southerly route to Miramichi. The scenery will leave you awestruck and tempted to stay here forever. There is, of course, the ever-present seafood to feast upon. Miramichi is known as a River of Festivals with year round attractions and events, far too many to list here.
You’ll feel you’ve stepped through a time portal when you get to Beaubears Island. The interpretive Centre opens in June with historic Tours Through Time starting at the beginning of July. Here you’ll meet early French fur traders, shipbuilders and the Marquis Charles Deschamps de Boishebert, or at least a reasonably facsimile of him.
Then head over to Metepenagiag Heritage Park, which showcases over 3,000 years of history in the oldest, continuously inhabited community in New Brunswick. Walk the trails once walked by the ancestors and visit archaeological finds of their ancient village.
No matter what you do, or where you visit, one thing is certain; you will never forget your visit to breathtaking Northern New Brunswick.
To view more itinerary suggestions go to www.rvodysseynb.com
Click here to watch the Discover Miramichi video.