New Brunswick

The Hopewell Rocks are bizarre sandstone erosion formations known as 'flowerpots,' rising from the ocean floor. They resemble giant arches, stone mushrooms and animals. Many come to marvel at their Dr Seussian look, making the rocks New Brunswick's top attraction and certainly one of its most crowded. You can only walk amid the rocks at low tide; at high tide, the rock towers are still visible from the well-trafficked trails that wind through the woods above, or you can join a kayaking tour to bob around them.

St Andrews is a genteel summer resort town. Blessed with a fine climate and picturesque beauty, it also has a colorful history and feels much like a living museum. Founded by Loyalists in 1783, it's one of the oldest towns in the province, with plaques of the original owners next to many of the stately Georgian homes. It's extremely busy with holidaymakers and summer residents in July and August, but the rest of the year there are more seagulls than people.

The town sits on a peninsula pointing southward into the Bay of Fundy. Its main drag, Water St, is lined with quaint buildings, restaurants and boutiques.

Grand Manan is a peaceful, unspoiled place. There are no fast-food restaurants, no nightclubs, no traffic lights and no traffic. Just a ruggedly beautiful coastline of high cliffs and sandy coves, spruce forests and fields of long grass. Wonderful lighthouses, including the famous Swallowtail Lighthouse, stand guard above cliffs, looking out over the fishing weirs. Along the eastern shore and joined by a meandering coastal road sit a string of pretty and prosperous fishing villages. There is plenty of fresh sea air, amazing beaches and that rare and precious commodity in the modern world: silence, broken only by the rhythmic ocean surf. Some people make it a day trip, but lingering is recommended.

The Saint John River curves lazily alongside the provincial capital, watched over by stately historic buildings, tree-lined banks and walking paths. On warm weekends, 'The Green,' as it's known, looks like something out of a watercolor – families strolling, kids kicking soccer balls and couples picnicking.

The small downtown commercial district is a neat grid of redbrick storefronts set on a flat, broad curve in the riverbank. Surrounding it are residential streets lined with tall, graceful elms shading beautifully maintained Georgian and Victorian houses and abundant flower beds.

Beaches, lagoons and offshore sand dunes stretch for a gorgeous 25km, inviting strolling, bird-watching and clam-digging. The park encompasses hectares of forest and salt marshes, crisscrossed or skirted by bike paths, hiking trails and groomed cross-country ski tracks. Kouchibouguac (koosh-e-boo-gwack), a Mi'kmaq word meaning 'River of Long Tides,' is home to moose, deer and sometimes black bear.

A visit to Kings Landing, 36km west of Fredericton, is a somewhat surreal step back in time. The majority of the early-19th-century buildings are original, moved here and beautifully restored to create a Loyalist village with homes, churches, a schoolhouse, general store, sawmill and print shop. Staff role-play actual people who lived and worked here and are busy with everyday 19-century life, chatting about the village's goings on. Don't be shy – ask lots of questions to learn and experience the most.

Once a major wooden shipbuilding port and then in a slump, Moncton is now the fastest-growing city in the Maritime provinces with the motto: 'I will rise again.' And thanks to a new economy built on transportation and call centers drawn here by the bilingual workforce, it is rising quickly. Its small, redbrick downtown along the glistening banks of the Petitcodiac River has lively pub and restaurant scene. There is also a bustling Acadian farmers market, a couple of worthwhile museums and popular nearby sights like Hopewell Rocks and Magnetic Hill. To top it off, Moncton's event calendar is full in summer.

Saint John has long been a force to be reckoned with. Once a gritty port city, and the original economic engine of the province, it has since cleaned up its act. Its lively historic core is home to one of New Brunswick's top markets and there's a dynamic restaurant and pub scene worth exploring. Wander past beautifully preserved redbrick and sandstone 19th-century architecture, down narrow side streets that offer glimpses of the sea, or along the harbor where the mighty Saint John and Kennebecasis Rivers empty into the Bay of Fundy. Check out the city's unique museums and zip-line over the Reversing Falls. Sure, some of the surrounding natural beauty is diminished by pulp mill smokestacks and an oil refinery but Saint John will welcome you with open arms and knows how to show you a good time.

The northeastern tip of the province is breathtaking. A chain of low-lying islands pointing across the Gulf of St Lawrence to Labrador, it offers a surprising slew of fantastic sights, plenty of opportunities to unwind by the sea and cheerful Acadian culture. Rte 113 cuts across salt marsh, arriving first in Shippagan, home of the province's largest fishing fleet. Get up close to life under the Atlantic, touch blue lobsters and feed the seals at the worthwhile New Brunswick Aquarium.

Hop the bridge to Lamèque, with its modern windmills and tidy fishing village that has hosted the Lamèque International Baroque Festival for over 30 years. Nearby, the Ecological Park offers a boardwalk to a bird-filled 2.6km forested loop trail. Watch for the endangered Piping Plover, Kingfishers ad Great Blue Herons. Definitely stop at the unbelievable Sainte Cécile Church. Built in 1913 and unremarkable from the outside, the inside was repainted in the 1960s by one psychedelic reverend who opted for a kaleidoscope of color. Grab a light lunch at the Aloha Café-Boutique then continue north over the arched bridge to Miscou Island.

Stretch your legs over at the peaceful Cheniere Lake Boardwalk and learn about the local peat industry. The road dead-ends at a Miscou Lighthouse, built in 1856 and one of New Brunswick’s most impressive. Climb 100ft to the top for killer views and then relax in the cafe next door. On your way south down the island, stop at Miscou Beach for sugar-like sand and great swimming. Just before you cross the bridge, gorge yourself on stuffed, steamed or oven-baked lobster and seafood at La Terrasse à Steve. Near here, at very low tide, you can see the ruins of New Brunswick’s first church, built in 1634 by Catholic missionaries.

Back on Lamèque, you can spend the night at the homey Aux Peupliers B&B. Otherwise, continue on to Shippagan where the ultra-cool Cielo has otherworldly domes to stay in, complete with stargazing lofts, hand-built hot tubs and green-egg barbecues. Even if you can’t stay, hit their bar for a local brew and a look-see. Dinner can be had at Pinokkio with its fresh pasta and seafood. All three of the islands also have campgrounds and information centers with local maps.

Shediac, a self-proclaimed lobster capital, is a busy summer beach town and home of the annual Lobster Festival in July. Nearby are plenty of sandy beaches, including Canada's golden child, Parlee Beach, which has the country's warmest sea water.