When it comes to fall leaf peeping, the East Coast of Canada has something for everyone: breathtaking foliage, incredible fall hikes, and the freshest fall flavours. New Brunswick is a must-visit spot for anyone who really loves fall.
But don’t just take our word for it - come and live like a local this autumn season. Plan your fall-inspired bucket list itinerary in New Brunswick.
We’ve compiled a list of some must do fall-themed experiences from every corner of New Brunswick below.
Fall Road Trips
There’s no shortage of roads with beautiful views to travel in New Brunswick - but autumn makes every journey seem all the more exceptional.
Different areas of New Brunswick can see very different weather patterns, even within the same day. For this reason, we recommend planning your trip around peak foliage viewing by region of the province.
Check out these road trips and use them as the base to plan out your custom fall leaf-peeping itinerary.
Northern New Brunswick Road Trips
The Northern part of the province experiences fall leaves starting to change around the second week of September and peak fall foliage happens at the end of September.
Get an early start to leaf peeping with these road trips:
Appalachian Outpost
Campbellton, Mount Carleton, Plaster Rock
Miramichi River
Miramichi, Blackville, Boiestown, Metepenagiag
Rides & Welcomes
Edmundston, Grand Falls
Acadian Shores (Upper)
Bathurst, Acadian Peninsula, Kouchibouguac
Hops & Harvest *
Fredericton, Mactaquac, Hartland
*This road trip falls in between regions and will start slightly later than the north and a bit earlier than the south. It’s a perfect trip to do in between the two regions!
Southern & Coastal New Brunswick Road Trips
The Southern part of the province experiences fall leaves starting to change around mid-September and you can witness the peak of fall foliage at the end of September and the first couple weeks of October.
Take advantage of a later start to the fall season with these road trips:
Fundy Coast
Saint John, Saint Andrews, Fundy Isles, Alma, St. Martins
Acadian Shores (Lower)
Shediac, Cap-Pelé
Hub City
Moncton, Memramcook, Sackville, Salisbury
Ferries & Farms
Gagetown, Kingston, Sussex
Apple Picking
There’s so many incredible farmers and producers in NB that it’s no surprise how many amazing apple orchards there are that offer u-pick options.
Check with the farms directly about open dates, as each season’s harvest depends on weather. Check out our full list of apple picking destinations in New Brunswick.
A few local favourites:
Everett Family Orchard (Islandview, close to Fredericton)
Irishview Estates (Irishtown, close to Moncton)
Verger Belliveau Orchard (Pré-d’en-Haut)
Mackay Apple Orchard (Long Reach, Kingston Peninsula)
Verger Haut Tilley Road (Acadian Peninsula)
Suggested Reading: Family Apple Picking at Everett’s Orchard
Corn Mazes
Kick off your competitive spirits and challenge yourself to nature’s escape room! Get lost and wander around in one of our beautiful corn fields. We won’t tell anyone if you decide to stay lost a little bit longer, just to enjoy the views ;)
Hunter Brother’s Farm (Florenceville)
Green Pig Country Market (Salisbury)
Boyle Family Farm (Moncton)
Milton Mile Farms (Dawson Settlement, near Hillsborough)
Truman Blueberry Farms (Sackville)
River View Orchard (Keswick)
Fletcher’s Farm (Miramichi)
Atlantic Balloon Fiesta
September 6-8, 2024
Catch hot air balloons painting the sky in Sussex September 6-8, 2024 for the annual Balloon Fiesta. Enjoy free admission with tons of free family activities, even if you’re not brave enough to go for a ride.
Take a ride on a hot air balloon during the four day festival, either at sunrise or sunset. Bookings are made exclusively on site during the festival. Be sure to show up early to snag your spot. Learn more about the wonders of the Balloon Fiesta.
Fall Hiking
New Brunswick has incredibly diverse hiking routes from the Fundy region, all the way to the tip of the Appalachians (the tallest peak in the Maritimes, NBD).
There’s no better time to enjoy more challenging hikes than in the fall, thanks to the cooler weather and the trails being less busy.
A few of our favourite hikes:
Sussex Bluff Trail (Sussex)
Mount Carleton Summit Trail (near Saint-Quentin)
Matthews Head Trail (Fundy National Park)
Third Vault Falls Trail (Alma)
Mont Pointu Trail (Rivière-Verte)
Odell Park Circuit (Fredericton)
Suggested Reading: New Brunswick’s Best Hikes for Fall Colours
Miscou Island Peat Bogs
It’s true; Miscou Island is home to beautiful sandy beaches, but come fall, the real star of the show is the boardwalk trail that takes you through the heart of the scarlet red peat bogs.
This accessible trail takes about 15 minutes to complete and walks you through an other-worldly hike that makes you feel like you’re on another planet.
Learn more about the Peat Bog Trail.
Grande Grouille Festival
Marvel at thousands of pumpkins, all illuminated at night at the New Brunswick Botanical Garden in Edmundston. Stop in for live music, local drinks, family-friendly activities and delicious food served on site at Cafe Flora.
Harvest Music Festival
September 10-15, 2024
Every year the streets of downtown Fredericton come to life as the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival takes over the city.
Featuring headliners like Joel Plaskett Emergency, David Myles, Broken Social Scene and more than 150 additional performances, this week-long festival is hosted across Fredericton with six different stages placed throughout the city.
On top of the great music, you can find vendors, buskers, food trucks and tons of activities lining the streets of downtown Fredericton.
Indulge Food & Wine Festival
October 16-20, 2024
A feast for the senses set throughout beautiful St Andrews by the Sea - Indulge Food and Wine festival returns for the 2024 season.
Relish the flavours of the region with the Taste of St Andrews on Friday, then sip your way through the Beer and Wine Trail on Saturday.
Enjoy lively performances each night, kicking off with an intimate and interactive dueling Pianos show at the debut St Andrew’s Wine Mixer on Thursday.
Featuring multiple markets, dinners and tastings throughout the weekend, this beloved festival promises a fulfilling weekend of food, drinks, and good cheer!
Canoeing & Kayaking
Canoeing, kayaking or paddle boarding down New Brunswick’s rivers and lakes is a sight that can’t be passed up on. Seeing the reflection of orange, yellow and red leaves dance across the water lines up close and personal is one of the most exceptional ways to soak up autumn.
Book your rental
Second Nature Outdoors (Fredericton / Oromocto)
Plan a tour
Sea Caves Kayak Tour (St. Martins)
Aerial Exploring
The only thing cooler than seeing NB’s fall foliage from the ground, is seeing it from above! Zipline, rappel and explore fall from a bird’s eye view to really experience New Brunswick’s show-stopping autumn beauty.
Get Your Exploring On
TreeGO (Mactaquac)
Timbertop Adventures (Saint John / Sussex)
Cape Enrage Zip Lining (Waterside)
Zip Zag Ziplining (Grand Falls)
Fall Biking
Going for a bike ride through New Brunswick’s countless bike-friendly trails is a great way to stay active, spend more time outdoors, and of course, get a first class seat to the colourful show being put on throughout the province.
A few favourite bike-friendly trails
Taproom Trail (Fredericton)
Centennial Park (Moncton)
Harbour Passage Trail (Saint John)
Kouchibouguac National Park
Véloroute of the Acadian Peninsula
Irishtown Nature Park (Moncton)
A few favourite mountain biking trails
Sentier Madawaska Trails (Edmundston)
Sugarloaf Bike Park (Campbellton)
Poley Mountain Bike Park (Sussex)
Fundy National Park (Alma)
Rockwood Park (Saint John)
Sussex Trail Network
Minto Mountain Bike Trails
Birding
Fall and spring are two of the best times to go birdwatching because it’s peak migration season. In general, New Brunswick has so many areas of isolated and untapped nature that make finding a great bird watching destination a breeze!
The landscapes of New Brunswick are incredibly diverse - from the coastal regions of The Bay of Fundy to the highest peak in the Maritimes, Mount Carleton. This diversity makes NB a bucket list birdwatching destination - holding over 400 species of birds throughout the province.
Top birdwatching stops
Campobello Island
Grand Manan Island
Fundy National Park
Jemseg Wetlands
Mount Carleton Provincial Park
Miscou Island (FR only)
Kouchibouguac National Park
Glamping
Where do you stay when you want to feel immersed in nature, but still want some of the comforts of home?
Between nature-adjacent stays, glamping domes, cozy cottages, quirky accommodations and even treehouses - New Brunswick has an option for you.
A few noteworthy stays
Red Bank Lodge (Metepenagiag Heritage Park)
Cielo Glamping (Haut-Shippagan)
Miramichi Treehouse & Camping Adventures (Miramichi)
Maplebrook Retreat Bubbles (Shediac Bridge)
Eko Nature Glamping (Lac Baker)
Ridgeback Lodge (Kingston Peninsula)
Castalia Marsh Retreat (Grand Manan)
Check out even more glamping options
Wineries & Cideries
New Brunswick may boast having the most craft breweries per capita in Canada - but our wine and cider scene is certainly not to be missed either.
Though our wine industry is young, it is diverse and quickly growing. Our scenic wine regions stretch from coastal shores to fertile valleys, producing complex cool-climate grape and fruit wines.
Sip & savour your way through autumn
Magnetic Hill Winery (Moncton)
Waterside Farms Cottage Winery (Alma)
Verger Belliveau Orchard (Pré-d’en-Haut)
Yip Cider (Kingston Peninsula)
Richibucto River Wine Estate (Mundleville)
Breweries
If wine isn’t your thing, our craft beer can certainly hold its own.
Canada’s oldest brewery (Moosehead), started in Saint John, so it’s no shock that we are still part of a booming beer scene in New Brunswick.
The craft and microbreweries of NB incorporate local history, folklore and regionality into their brews - so when you sample and savour NB beer, it’s a great way to learn a little bit more about the place and the people who created it.
A few must-visit breweries
Picaroons (Saint John | Fredericton)
New Maritime Beer Company (Miramichi)
Big Axe Brewery (Nackawic)
Pumphouse Fill Station (Moncton)
Grand Falls Brewing Co. (Grand Falls)
Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault (Edmundston)
Four Rivers Brewery (Bathurst)
Tire Shack (Moncton)
CAVOK Brewing Co. (Dieppe)
Brasseux d’la Côte (Tracadie)
Golfing
Whether you’re looking to challenge yourself on a championship course or simply unwind with some scenic views and outdoor time during a round of golf, there’s a course for you in New Brunswick.
With over 40 golf courses in every corner of the province, there’s options to add on to your NB itinerary for every skill-set.
Great golf courses open to the public
The Algonquin Resort (Saint Andrews)
Kingswood Resort (Fredericton)
Edmundston Golf Club
Mactaquac Provincial Park Golf Course (near Fredericton)
Fundy National Park Golf Course (9 holes)
Hampton Golf Club
Herring Cove Provincial Park Golf Course (Campobello Island)
Fredericton Golf Club
Pumpkin Picking (& Carving)
There’s something so quintessentially autumn about picking your own pumpkin to carve for your jack-o-lanterns, or to use for a homemade pumpkin pie.
Stop by one of NB’s u-picks and snag the best (or the quirkiest) pumpkin for a hands-on Halloween experience.
Secure your spooky pick
The Pumpkin Patch (Saint John)
Fletcher’s Farm (Miramichi)
Green Pig Country Market (Salisbury)
Moxon’s Country Pumpkin (Maugerville)
Coburn Farms (Keswick Ridge)
Oktoberfest des Acadiens
August 30 - September 1, 2024
Come celebrate the Bavarian influence of Oktoberfest with beer tastings, delicious food, local music and events for the whole family.
With over 100 beers to sample, Canadian Geographic magazine named the Bertrand Acadians Oktoberfest as one of Canada’s Top 10 Oktoberfest celebrations. Come see the hype for yourself!
Farmer's Markets
With so many incredible farmers, artisans and producers calling NB home, there’s something special to be said about choosing to buy local.
While some farmer’s markets only run in the summer, check out a few of our favourite farmer’s markets that run in the fall, or even year round!
Grab some local NB goodness:
Saint John City Market (Closed Sundays)
Fredericton Boyce Farmer’s Market (Saturday)
Kredl’s Corner Market (Open 7 days a week)
Woodstock Farm & Craft Market (Closed Sundays)
Bouctouche Farmer’s Market (Saturday)
Sackville Farmer’s Market (Saturday)
Saint Andrews Farmer’s Market (Thursday)
Waterfalls
It’s estimated that New Brunswick has over 1,000 waterfalls and although streams and rivers are at their full capacity in spring, fall actually beats summer for having fuller waterflow.
You can visit the same waterfall in a different season and have an entirely different experience. The changing water levels can give your favourite rapids an entirely new look.
Check out a few of our favourites:
Pabineau Falls (Bathurst)
Third Vault Falls (Fundy National Park)
Hays Falls (Woodstock)
Grand Falls Gorge (Grand Falls)
Lepreau Falls (Saint John)
Thanksgiving at Kings Landing
Made with farm-fresh ingredients, historically accurate recipes that tell a story unique to New Brunswick - Kings Landing’s Thanksgiving Dinners are not something to miss.
Every year, the King’s Head Inn Restaurant serves a delicious 3 course meal with the option to add local drinks and classic cocktails.
Whale-Watching
Whale-watching is one of The Bay of Fundy’s main attractions - but it isn’t just for summer!
The whale-watching season in New Brunswick runs from May to October, and August and September are 2 of the most successful months to go out for a trip!
Learn everything you need to know about whale watching in NB.
Powwows
Powwows are traditional gatherings where generations of Indigenous peoples come together to celebrate their culture, practice spiritual healing and honour their traditions.
Take in traditional dances and songs and experience the pride of Indigenous performers while they dance, drum and sing. You can find food, learn about Indigenous tradition and embody a sense of community.
Powwows start in June but you can experience autumn pow wows throughout New Brunswick here:
Check out the full list of Pow Wows
