Maritime Canada is the perfect fusion of European charm and Canadian wilderness. True to their roots, local dialects still ring with hints of Irish, Scottish, English and French, and the architecture echoes old-world Scotland and France. Its scenery, however, embodies Canada’s untamed beauty. Rugged coastlines, sprawling forests and dramatic dunes define this region and promise a true outdoor adventure. With four provinces to pick from, read on for our low-down of what to do in Maritime Canada...
Nova Scotia
With a coastline curving over 8,000 miles, Nova Scotia is defined by its seaside activities. In summer, celebrate its cuisine and sample salty seafood at Digby’s annual August Scallop Festival. Visiting in spring or autumn? Dig for clams during low tide for a delicious DIY dish. The Bay of Fundy, shared between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, is another one of Maritime Canada's coastal treats. When its tides retreat – up to 52ft – pick through seaweed, sea snails and barnacles while on an ocean-floor walk. Thanks to its abundance of plankton and sheltered environment, the Bay of Fundy is also a hotspot for marine life; on a whale-watching tour, you can spot finbacks, humpbacks and minkes, along with porpoises, seals and seabirds. For island fun, head to Cape Breton to marvel at moose during hikes or discover Celtic culture and coastal cottages in Mabou and Inverness.
New Brunswick
Hop on a ferry from Nova Scotia’s Digby and head to Saint John – Canada’s oldest incorporated city – in neighbouring New Brunswick. Lobster lovers will want to make a beeline for Shediac, the red-clawed-crustacean capital of the world (say that three times) and host of July’s Lobster Festival. New Brunswick is also cloaked in Acadian, Appalachian-mixed and Boreal forests, which boast a maze of hiking trails winding around towering trees, gushing waterfalls and lovely lakes. Treat yourself to a post-walk brew at Canada’s oldest independent brewery in Saint John, or pick from one of many in Fredericton, the so-called ‘Craft Brewery Capital of Atlantic Canada’.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is Maritime Canada’s paradise for literary lovers, best-known as the setting for L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables novels. Learn more about the cutesy Canadian character at the Anne of Green Gables Museum, or crack open a copy while stretched out on one of the red-cliff-backed beaches. This is also the perfect province for cycling, with the 270-mile-long Confederation Trail (once a railway line) offering pedallers picturesque views of farmlands and coastlines. Greenwich National Park’s floating boardwalks are another hit on the island, guiding you through spectacular sand dunes and saltwater marshes.
Newfoundland and Labrador
As one of Canada's wildest and least populated provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador is a mecca for wildlife watching, hiking and biking. The fjords in Gros Morne National Park rival Norway’s beauties, and are best admired on a breezy boat ride. And if you find yourself along the province’s east coast in spring, keep an eye out for icebergs. Known as ‘Iceberg Alley’, it’s a superb spot for viewing runaway chunks of glacier, either from the comfort of a kayak or perched on coastal viewpoints.
Written by Evie Buller. Header Image by Daniel Battersby / Pexels.com.
