Caraquet Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Public transportation around this part of the province is very limited as Acadian Lines buses don’t pass this way. Local residents wishing to connect with the bus or train in Miramichi or Bathurst use a couple of van shuttles. Ask for details at the tourist office.

Campbellton

Campbellton is a pleasant but unremarkable mill town on the Quebec border. There are really only two reasons to come here: transiting to or from Quebec; or to hike, ski and camp at Sugarloaf Provincial Park. The lengthy Restigouche River, which winds through northern New Brunswick and then forms the border with Québec, empties to the sea here. The Bay of Chaleur is on one side and dramatic rolling hills surround the town on the remaining sides. Across the border is Matapédia and Hwy 132 leading to Mont Joli, 148km into Québec.

Dominated by Sugarloaf Mountain, which rises nearly 400m above sea level and looks vaguely like one of its other namesakes in Rio, Sugarloaf Provincial Park (506-789-2366; 596 Val d’Amours Rd; admission free) is off Hwy 11 at Exit 415. From the base, it’s just a half-hour walk to the top – well worth the extensive views of the town and part of the Restigouche River. Another trail leads around the bottom of the hill.

The last naval engagement of the Seven Years’ War was fought in the waters off this coast in 1760. The Battle of Restigouche marked the conclusion of the long struggle for Canada by Britain and France. The helpful provincial tourist office (506-789-2367; 56 Salmon Blvd; 10am-6pm mid-May–Jun & Sep-early Oct, 8am-9pm Jul & Aug) is next to City Centre Mall.

Sugarloaf Provincial Park (506-789-2366; 596 Val d’Amours Rd; tent sites $20, RV sites $22-25; mid-May–early Oct) has 76 campsites in a pleasant wooded setting 4km from downtown Campbellton. You can also crash comfortably at Campbellton Lighthouse Hostel (506-759-7044; campbellton@hihostels.ca; 1 Ritchie St; dm members/nonmembers $16/20; mid-Jun–Aug; ) This clean, recently renovated hostel is in a converted lighthouse by the Restigouche River, near the provincial tourist office and Acadian bus stop. Alternatively, Maison McKenzie House B&B (506-753-3133; www.bbcanada.com/4384.html; 31 Andrew St; r incl breakfast with shared bathroom $65-90; ) is a homey 1910 house handy to downtown.

Upper Deck (506-753-2225; 13 Prince William St; mains $13-20; 11am-9pm Tue-Thu, 11am-9:30pm Fri, 10am-9:30pm Sat, 10am-8:30pm Sun) serves up hearty meals.

The Acadian bus stop is at the Pik-Quik convenience store (506-753-3100; Water St, near Prince William St). The bus departs daily at 11am for Fredericton ($35, 3½ hours) and Moncton ($35, six hours). Twice a day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon), an Orléans Express bus leaves for Gaspé ($55) and Québec City ($66, seven hours).

The VIA Rail station (800-561-3952; 113 Roseberry St; 5:45-10:30am Wed-Mon & 5:45-10pm Thu-Tue) is conveniently central. There’s one train daily, except Wednesday, going south to Moncton ($60, four hours) and Halifax ($83, nine hours), and one daily, except Tuesday, heading the other way to Montréal ($125, 11 hours).