Week 8: Another Week, Another Adventure!
July 24 - 30
Day 1 - Caraquet
Road tripping to the North!
Leaving from Fredericton, we packed the van full of #ExploreNB merch and made our way to the north of the province. If you’re driving up to the North through Doaktown, be sure to stop at High-Wheeler Antiques & Collectibles. With pottery, dishes, furniture, artwork and all kinds of antiques, this quaint little shop was the perfect place to stop and stretch our legs while discovering a ton of unique items.
After arriving in Caraquet, we checked into the Super 8 by Wyndham which has a gorgeous view of Chaleur Bay. Conveniently located on the waterfront, we were only steps away from the amazing Resto-Bar le Crapet. Known for their delicious seafood, the staff at this restaurant is incredibly friendly and locals raved about their cocktails! Later in the evening, we made our way to Restaurant du Creek for dinner. Cat had the shrimp roll and Katie chose the lobster roll. Both were fantastic! There is no better place to enjoy fresh seafood than by the shore.
Day 2 – Caraquet, Pokeshaw, Bathurst and Edmundston
A little bit of everything - food, history, and spectacular views!
Today, we traveled to the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries! Upon arriving at the Village historique Acadien we set up in the Visitors Centre. It was wonderful to see the village bustling with visitors and a line started to form by our booth right away! Before leaving, we took the time to walk around the village and we loved to see all of the architecture, characters and history. How cool is it to be able to travel back in time for a day!
In the afternoon, we made our way to Pokeshaw Beach where we met with Tom, a local volunteer who is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the park. A small paradise located in the Chaleur Region, this area offers incredible views of Chaleur Bay and Pokeshaw Rock, which houses a cormorant colony. We recommend watching the sunset from their new boardwalk and lookout!
To wrap up the evening, we traveled to Bathurst where we had a delicious meal from Au Bootlegger (we recommend the nachos and taco salad), and dessert from Frostbites Dairy Bar on the Promenade Waterfront. Melanie scooped us up the perfect combo of strawberry and banana ice cream and told us all about how their location was featured in the Amazing Race Canada in 2022.
Exploring Culture and History in Edmundston
We had a great morning at the New Brunswick Botanical Garden admiring the beautiful flowers and hanging out with the chickens! Next, we headed over to République Provincial Park to check out the kids camp and tour around the campground. We headed back to the garden to eat a delicious lunch at Café Flora. After lunch, we visited the Visitor Information Centre where Josh gave us some awesome ideas for the rest of our day, like touring the Petit-Sault Blockhouse. This building is a reconstruction of a fort from the peak of the boundary dispute between the United States and Britain. Next stop, Du Réel au Miniature: Railroad Interpretive Centre. Here, we explored Guy’s model train and artifact museum, and took a train ride on the promenade! We finished the day with a sneak peak of the upcoming Mamma Mia performance at the Edmundston Arts Centre.
Day 3 – Dalhousie and Grand Falls
Enjoying Treats and the Beach in Dalhousie
Our first stop in Dalhousie was Croissant Délice, and it was exactly that - delicious! We headed over to Inch Arran Park, which features a campground, boardwalk, lighthouse, beach, canteen and the Recreaplex with a pool (and waterslide)! It was great weather for a swim, so we took a dip then ended the day by visiting some local shops and the Visitor Information Centre.
From the Top, to the Bottom, to the Top of Grand Falls Gorge
We began our day by descending all 401 steps down to the Grand Falls Gorge - what a workout! After we came back up, the staff at La Rochelle Centre suggested a walk to see the highest point. Both views of this incredible natural wonder were fantastic! After our visit, we set up in front of the La Rochelle Centre and chatted with some visitors in the area.
Day 4 – Adrenaline Bike Fest
The whole Street Team got together for the Adrenaline Bike Festival at Sugarloaf Provincial Park! This festival is a downhill and XCO mountain bike event featuring races, live music, skills clinics, a pond crossing competition and more! We had a bigger set up than normal for the day, including popcorn and cotton candy vendors, a face painter, giant Jenga and live music. Everyone enjoyed the festivities, and it was great talking with all the visitors, competitors and volunteers! We finished the day by watching the pond crossing event, where bikers cross a pond on a narrow bridge held up by floating tires. It’s quite the challenge and spectators love watching the often unsuccessful attempts!
Day 5 – Woodstock and Dalhousie
Cruising through the Appalachians to Woodstock
We took the Appalachian Range Route and admired the beautiful mountains on our way to Woodstock. When we arrived, we joined the Old Home Parade, part of their Old Home Week festival. Cat drove the van and Katie walked beside it handing out treats to all the spectators. The kids loved our lobster tattoos and fish stickers!
Markets & making connections in Dalhousie
On our way back home from the Adrenaline Festival, we popped into Dalhousie to check out Market Days, part of the Bon Ami Festival. We walked around to check out all the vendors, and chatted with Restigouche River Outfitters staff for a while - what a fun group! One of them told us that they had a job similar to ours over a decade ago - so cool!
Week 8 Highlights
- A sunset so breathtaking we almost forgot our car at the Restaurant du Creek in Caraquet. These views will make you want to walk along the boardwalk all day long!
- East Wind Boutique in Dalhousie and their locally made products.
- Becca joining in the bike parade at Adrenaline Bike Fest (thanks for lending the bike, Felix!).
- Bumping into friends in unexpected places (like the Old Home Parade).
- Receiving Restigouche River Outfitters bandanas from the staff.
Come Along for the Ride
Our summer adventures throughout New Brunswick are one of the many reasons you should come check out explorenb.ca. Visit the #ExploreNB Street Team page weekly to enter for a chance to WIN* an #ExploreNB Adventure Pack. That’s right; we’re giving away a different prize pack each and every week!
Let's #ExploreNB Together
Pack your bags, buckle up, and join us as we hit the road together! We’d love to chat and show you around.
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Subject to Official Rules at www.ExploreNB.ca. Open to legal residents of Canada who are the age of majority in their province/territory at the time of entry. Contest closes at 11:59:59 a.m. Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT) on September 5, 2023. There is a limit of one entry per Weekly Entry Period. During the Contest Period there are 13 Weekly Entry Periods. Each Weekly Entry Period commence on a Tuesday at 12:00:00 p.m. ADT and ends on the following Tuesday at 11:59:59 a.m. ADT except for the first week where the Weekly Entry Period commences on Monday, June 5, 2023 at 12:00:00 p.m. ADT and ends on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 11:59:59 a.m. ADT. A total of 13 Weekly Prizes are available to be won during the Contest Period with one Weekly Prize awarded per Weekly Entry Period. The Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of a Weekly Prize ranges from $225.00 CDN to $1,900.00 CDN. See Official Rules for which applicable Weekly Prize is available to be won and its corresponding ARV. Odds of winning a Weekly Prize depends on the total number of eligible entries received during the applicable Weekly Entry Period. Correct answer to a mathematical skill-testing question and completion and return of the Sponsor Declaration and Release Form is required. Prizes may not be exactly as shown.
