10 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in New Brunswick

Are you thinking of moving or visiting Canada in the near future but are not sure about which province you want to settle in? With 10 provinces and 3 territories, each with their own provincial legislative governments, culture and economic dynamics it can be very difficult to decide which province to choose.

Canada’s immense size (9,093,507 square kilometers) which makes it the second largest country in the world on the basis of total landmass means that each region and/or province is separated from others by large distances.

This results in the development of distinct socio-cultural traditions and lifestyles. For example, the Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick, NewFoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have a distinctly maritime culture from the rest of Canada which pervades and is prevalent in these provinces' economy, social and lifestyle traditions

At the same time the Atlantic provinces are distant and separate enough from each other enough that they’ve developed their own unique aspects with regards to pastimes, architectural preferences, economy, health and education.

This puts more emphasis on the decision to move to a particular Canadian province because the province you move to will offer you aspects of a completely different experiential lifestyle than others.

With this in mind, we would like to recommend New Brunswick as your Canadian immigration destination. Nestled in and around Atlantic Canada, it possesses both the quaint qualities of small-town Canada and boundless urban energy of some of Canada’s more populous communities. The following is an outline of some of the cool and unusual things to do in New Brunswick.

10 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in New Brunswick

Hopewell Cape

Hopewell Rocks is a series of gigantic tidal rock formations along Hopewell Cape. The formations were carved over thousands of years into their present geometric shapes. Nestled close to the sea, it has become a huge attraction for inbound and outbound tourists looking to gaze at its ancient material foundations while frolicking along the beach.

Hopewell Rocks is one of the most popular tourist draws for New Brunswick. Much like Ontario has Niagara Falls as the natural phenomenon that has captivated both Canadians and the world, Hopewell Rocks performs the same function for the province of New Brunswick.

We recommend visiting Hopewell Cape during summer as both the tidal waves and the weather is at its most calm, allowing uninterrupted access to the rocks so you can bear witness to them in their full glory weather in the sunlight or moonlight.

Moncton, Magnetic Hill

Magnetic Hill in Moncton is one of the most unusual places not only in the province of New Brunswick but in Canada as a whole. For over 80 years it has baffled the local residents. On a little cart path, back in the the twentieth centuries ‘30s, when automobiles first became widely available to the mass public, drivers who passed this path began to notice a strange occurrence on the small hill.

When drivers took their feet off the car brake at the bottom of the wheel, they noticed something strange happen which was that their cars began to roll backwards up the hill. People have posited for years about what the source of the phenomenon could be: from ghosts to aliens, all manner of strange speculation abounds.

However, there is a physical scientific basis for this phenomenon which is an optical illusion called “gravity hill”. For this physical phenomenon, what appears to be an uphill incline is actually a component of a downhill incline which our brains misinterpret because of the situational location of the slopes and the little to no view of the horizon.

If you’re curious about experiencing this magnetic hill in the near future, then take a visit to Moncton when you have the opportunity and experience this once in a lifetime oddity.

Hartland Bridge, New Brunswick

Hartland Bridge is a covered wooden bridge in the town of Hartland. Completely made out of wood and at a length of 1,282 feet it is known as the world’s longest covered bridge and also renowned for its quaint beauty.

Its length has become a popular source of tourist attraction as a unique novelty, however, it is also often the generator of lots of comments among visitors who felt that it was a source of claustrophobia.

Built in 1901, the bridge was the first mode of transportation across the St John river not involving a boat. At present, in order to accommodate the growing numbers of tourists who come to sate their curiosity by observing the bridge, a pedestrian walkway that runs alongside the bridge was built.

Reversing Falls

In a spot of the Fundy in St John, New Brunswick lies the majestic Reversing Falls. The falls are under the influence of the immense power of the local tides which cause them to change the course of the waters multiple times per day.

With variable tides of 16 meters between high and low tides, the Bay of Fundy is one of the highest tides in the world. The Bay of Fundy tides are diurnal, which means that the tides rise and fall about once every twelve hours. Should you be lucky enough to visit the Falls at high and low tide, then you will be presented with the perfect opportunity to observe these phenomenal tidal shifts.

As a direct consequence of the high turbulence of the Reversing Falls, most boats and small seafaring vessels wisely steer clear of the epicenter although sometimes boats have been known to bring visitors perilously close to the roiling center.

World’s Largest Lobster

In the quaint small town of Shediac, New Brunswick, lies a fiberglass, steel and concrete structure skillfully shaped into the form of a gigantic lobster. The lobster stands sentry over its location within the town and was installed as means to commemorate the popular moniker given to the town of, “Lobster Capital of the World”.

The Lobster statue is akin to a B-movie attraction and besides the meaningfully symbolic of its installation in relation to the town, it also functions as a mascot and a vision of a monster brought to life. The statue was built in 1989. It sits on top of a large, flat concrete slab of stone and is 35 feet long.

It is situated at the entrance to the town and is in plain sight so those entering or exiting the town may never forget its terrifying visage. As a public monument, it is open to the public who can scale its stone plinth in order to take a picture.

For anyone who enjoys fun roadside attractions, terrifying visions of nuclear monstrosities or just wants to fantasize about satisfying their appetite on a huge lobster, then we highly recommend paying a visit to Shediac to see the world's largest lobster.

Ministers Island

In Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, there is an island across the narrow strip of bay that offers roadside visitors an opportunity to drive across the ocean floor. During low tide the waters recede to such a high degree that a thin piece of slab of the ocean floor appears.

This piece of visible ocean floor is called the bar road. With deft, expert driving it becomes possible to cross from narrow beachfront to the island, which is called Ministers island. However, during high tide, the waters rise and cover up the entirety of Bar Road, cutting off access to and from Ministers Island.

Minister’s Island and its connecting vein of the Bar Road is very popular with hikers who like to travel through its many trails and wade around and through the surrounding waters. Please note that any visitor who leaves their car on the island during high tide runs the risk of leaving their car and having to wait until morning the next day to go collect it and drive home.

Nackawic, New Brunswick

In the town of Nackawic, New Brunswick, lies an ax that has a bladed haft is half-way buried into the surrounding tiered stone plinth. With a shaft that rises about 50 feet into the air and made of 50 tons of solid steel, the ax is popularly known as the largest ax in the world.

The ax was installed as a commemorative monument that celebrates the importance of the town's lumber and forestry industry. Created in 1991, the tool also puts nostalgic emphasis on the history of the industrious lives and legacy of the lumberjacks of yesteryear.

During the same year of the colossal structure’s installation it was awarded the moniker of the Forestry Capital of Canada. With the thought of future generations in mind, there is a capsule hidden in the axhead that was left in there for those future generations to discover. The wide, stumpy plinth surrounding the ax occasionally plays host to musical and theater performances.

Partridge Island Quarantine Site

During the 19th century, at the height of the great Irish migration to the New World resulting from the potato famine, a lot of Irish immigrants who came to Canada and landed across Atlantic Canada would have made the first landfall at Saint John, New Brunswick. One of the most famous immigration stations was located on Partridge Island, called the Partridge Island Quarantine Site

With the station still firmly in the hands of the nation's military, it can be difficult to gain access to the site. However, the provincial government has recently loosened restrictions and allows those given documented permission to visit via appointment can gain access and bear witness to the site's incredible and complicated history of settlement that stretches back to the mid 17th century.

Campobello Island

Situated close to the U.S. state of Maine lies Campobello Island. At the exact distance of a quarter mile from the tip of the state of Maine is Welshpool which rests on the international border but also crosses right through a time zone.

The isolated locale that has a lighthouse on its grounds was a famous location for rest and relaxation of one of America’s most popularly lauded presidents: Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

As a consequence of this association with a famous American president, Welshpool, Camponello has become famous as a location for leisure among the rich. Should you be interested in learning about history of the rich and leisure beginning with the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, Welshpool, Campobello Island is just the place for you.

Mount Carleton

At a height of 817 meters (2,680 feet) Mount Carleton towers over the surrounding New Brunswick countryside. Mount Carleton is a peak within the Notre Dame Mountains, which is itself a range within the Appalachian mountains which run from the Green Mountains to Vermont.

Made of 400 million years of volcanic rock which over the course of that time was weathered into its current soft form through the relentless bashing of the elements. If you’re a mountain hiking enthusiast looking for a new challenge, then we recommend Mount Carleton as a worthy and durable test of endurance for anyone looking to test their mettle.

Why Move to New Brunswick?

Home to some of the most beautiful and treasured cities and attractions, the province is less populated than Ontario. Yet, fueled by a wealth of opportunity left by an aging workforce, New Brunswick offers an abundance of jobs, leaving you with endless Entrepreneurial possibilities while striving to bridge the worker-to-retiree ratio.

It also offers one of the most relaxed and vibrant lifestyles among Canadian provinces, has a very effective healthcare system and government administered education that is among the most demonstrably efficient in the world.

In-demand Jobs

If your interested in moving permanently to New Brunswick but are unsure of what the benefits of that decision would be, then we're glad to inform you that through New Brunswick's PNP, Express Entry system and Atlantic Immigration Pilot and Canada's chronic labor shortage issues, we have compiled a brief list of in-demand jobs that we believe cover every work experience level.

• Licensed Nursing Assistants
• Home Support Workers
• Sales Executives
• Food & Beverage Servers
• Security Guards
• Contact Center Agent
• Delivery Workers
• Material Handlers
• Long Haul Truck Drivers
• General Farm Workers
• Industrial Butchers
• Fish and Seafood Plant Workers

How can we Help you Move to New Brunswick?

Now that you know more about the life, culture and more interesting attractions in New Brunswick, you might want to travel or call this province home permanently. We can assist you with an application or guide you through a suitable immigration program such as Express Entry or Provincial Nominee program with the assistance of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant who will submit it to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Ready to start a new life in New Brunswick? 

If you wish to go to Canada to see these sights only on a temporary basis, then CanadianVisa will assist you in applying for and receiving a visitors visa. International Experience Canada (IEC) also offers a Working Holiday Visa for young people who wish to work and travel in Canada for about a year or two and CanadianVisa will also be there to assist you in this regard. So don't wait to seize this opportunity. Get in touch with CanadianVisa and let our professional immigration consultants help you.

FAQs

Which City or Town is the Largest in New Brunswick?

Saint John is the largest city in New Brunswick. It has a population of 87,857 and rising, with more and more immigrants flocking to its pristine and quiet environment.

Which City or Town is the Smallest in New Brunswick?

Campbellton is the smallest town in New Brunswick. It has a population of 7,047 residents and although the population has increased, the rise is very slight.

What are the Most popular Festivals in New Brunswick?

These are some of the most popular festivals in New Brunswick: Festival Inspire, Shediac Lobster Festival, Adrenaline Bike Festival and Western Festival and Area 506 Fest, Saint John.