Digby

The hardworking fishing town of Digby is virtually synonymous with the plump, juicy scallops that are the prime quarry of the town’s extensive fishing fleet. The area around Digby also offers splendid scenery and is the starting place for a scenic trip along Digby Neck to the rocky coastal landscape of beautiful Long and Brier Islands.

The waters off Long and Brier Islands brim with finback, minke, and humpback whales, and whale-watching tours are one of the region’s favorite pastimes. Some visitors may even glimpse the rare right whale, as about 200 of the 350 left in the world spend their summers basking and breeding in the warm Bay of Fundy.

Fredericton

Straddling The Saint John River, Fredericton is New Brunswick’s provincial capital. Its Victorian homes and waterfront church make it one of the prettiest small cities in Atlantic Canada. Several historic buildings reflect the town’s early role as a British military post.

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery contains an impressive collection of 19th- and 20thcentury paintings, including Salvador Dali’s masterpiece Santiago el Grande (1957).

King’s Landing Historical Settlement, 37 km (22 miles) west of Fredericton is a living history museum that re-creates daily life in a rural New Brunswick village of the 19th-century.

Over a hundred costumed workers bring villagers’ homes, church, and school to life.

Attractions:

Beaverbrook Art Gallery

703 Queen St.

Te: (506) 458 8545.

King’s Landing Historical Settlement

Rte 2, W of Fredericton.

Tel: (506) 363 4999.

Grand Falls

From fredericton to Edmundston, the Saint John River flows through a pastoral valley of rolling hills, woods, and farmland. The town of Grand Falls consists of one well-appointed main street, which is a useful refreshment stop. The town was named Grand Falls for the mighty cataract the Saint John’s River creates as it tumbles through Grand Falls Gorge.

Framed by parkland, the surge of water drops more than 25 m (40 ft). Over time it has carved a gorge 1.5 km (1 mile) long, with steep sides as high as 70 m (200 ft) in places.

Upriver and north through the valley, the town of Edmundston offers the New Brunswick Botanical Garden. Paths lead through eight themed gardens and two arboretums that provide dazzling input for the senses.

Bright colors, delicate scents, and even soft classical music delight visitors.

Attractions:

New Brunswick Botanical Garden

Saint-Jacques, Edmundston.

(506) 737 5383.