August 25, 2020
As you all know by now, I LOVE New Brunswick. I grew up on the north shore, have been living in the St. John River Valley for over 5 years and I’ve seen just about every river, trail, mountain and beach the province has to offer, but I still cannot get enough of it. When Discover Saint John reached out to me to send me on a 2-day trip full of adventures, there was no way I was going to refuse. I immediately reached out to my best friend Autumn who agreed to tag along for the ride. Growing up, I visited Saint John many times for dance competitions and softball tournaments, but this visit takes the cake. Discover Saint John built the perfect itinerary for this self-proclaimed “all-around outdoor gal”. 2 days by the Bay of Fundy, full of outdoor time, delicious seafood and refreshing craft beer. It doesn’t get much better than this.
I was so excited to leave for our first day of our little getaway. I packed my car the night before and got to bed nice and early so I could wake up for sunrise and finish getting my trail bike on my car. After picking up Autumn and a nice hot cup of coffee, we drove to Saint John where we met Sam and Lauren for our first activity of the day with Be Rad Adventures. We met them by the Horse Stables in Rockwood Park where Sam set Autumn up with a mountain bike from a local bike shop called Bikes and Beans and we made our way to the trails. They gave us a tour of the park by showing us a few trails, the skills park and some of the lakes. While the views were definitely a highlight of our tour, the knowledge, skills and patience these ladies had is what I was most impressed with. These ladies are the perfect instructors for anyone from those searching for that confidence to get on a mountain bike for the first time to those avid bikers looking to improve their technique.
After working up an appetite on the trails, we stopped by Lily’s Lakeside Casual Dining in Rockwood Park for some delicious food by the water. Our guide Lauren joined us before she had to head back to work for the afternoon. The food, view and the company made this lunch into something special.
While we easily could’ve spent all afternoon in Rockwood Park, we had to make our way to the West side of the city where we would be meeting LeRoy and Angus from TimberTop Adventures. We met both of them at their building in Dominion Park where they set us up with the gear and gave us some very thorough safety instructions. Angus then walked us to the treetop adventure park and guided us through every step of the activity until we felt comfortable using the gear on our own. I’ve been to similar parks before, but it was my first experience in a park built like this one. Similar to a ski hill, you get access to all courses for the duration of your time in the park. Each course’s difficulty level is indicated before entering it starting from yellow (kids/family friendly) to triple black diamond. Even though the courses can be physically challenging, there was not one second where we weren’t laughing and having the time of our lives. After lots of quick thinking, problem solving and upper body work, we were ready for some zip lines where we could sit back and admire the views. Those zip lines felt like such a treat.
It was now time to check into the Delta Hotels by Marriott Saint John where we would be spending the night and hop in the shower before heading out to the waterfront for dinner. The temperature was getting a little bit chillier in the evening so opted for an indoor table at the Saint John Ale House. That being said, we had a spectacular view of the live entertainment on the boardwalk from the second floor. As always, this restaurant knocked it out of the park for both food and beverages. Our food was cooked to perfection and the atmosphere was perfect for relaxing after a long day filled with physical activity. With full bellies, we decided to head out to the Moosehead Small Batch Brewery for a final drink to celebrate the end of such a successful day.
The next morning, we woke up bright and early to drive to Fundy Trail Parkway for some morning hiking. Only an hour and fifteen minutes away from uptown Saint John, it makes for the perfect day escapade from the city. The drive between Saint John and Fundy Trail Parkway was absolutely stunning. Winding roads, beautiful farms and coastal views set the tone for the day. After arriving at the park, we checked out a few of the most recommended trails like the Cranberry Brook Loop, Hearst Lodge Scenic Footpath, the Suspension Bridge Trail and Big Salmon River Trail. The fresh air, singing birds and clear waters made it difficult to believe that we were so close to one of NB’s largest urban centres.
Our next stop was The Caves Restaurant in St. Martins. We drove back to this quaint little town where the tides were still low and picturesque landscapes were plenty. This was my first time at this restaurant. I had heard about their “World Famous Seafood Chowder” before and always wondered “how good could it really be?”. The answer is, SO GOOD! I had only ordered a cup to go alongside my meal, but I will know to order more next time.
Finally, we were heading out to our last and final stop of our trip with Red Rock Adventure for some sea kayaking. We met our guides, Shawn and Liam, and the rest of our group before heading out for a paddling tour of the St. Martins Sea Caves. This 2-hour excursion was the perfect way to end our time by the Bay. Liam taught us about the geology of the Bay of Fundy area and the formation of the sea caves, both guides instructed us on how to paddle safely in moving currents, and we were even served some locally cooked smoked salmon as a mid-adventure snack. We were truly treated like royalty.
I cannot speak highly enough of this trip and the memories we were able to create in just 48 hours. The level of service we received from all of the tourism operators we had a chance to visit was higher than I could’ve ever expected and the quality of the food and beverages we consumed was remarkable. If you’re looking for the perfect weekend getaway full of outdoor adventures, consider Saint John and the Bay of Fundy area. I know I will definitely be returning as soon as I get a chance!
Love & light,
Chlo
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Lover of life, people, adventure, and life-long learning. This is how Chloe tends to describe herself.
Born in Beresford, NB, Chloe has always had a deeply rooted passion for adventure. Her entire life thus far has led the 22 year old to realize that an ordinary life is not what she was meant to live. Finally accepting to live her truth, she has chosen to share her adventures through this blog in hopes of keeping in contact with those who have touched her life as she continues to move forward and to hopefully light a fire in others and encourage them to chase their dreams. She believes that anything can be achieved with a positive mindset, strong focus, and heart full of love.
Please join her as she continues to put every effort into learning and spreading love and light on this journey called life.
