During the early morning hours of August 22, 2022; I decided to embark on a lengthy drive from Boston, Massachusetts(USA) to the province of New Brunswick, Canada for a long weekend vacation.
I headed north, driving through eastern Maine until my arrival in St. John, the capital of New Brunswick. My first stop was the VEGolution restaurant, which is the city’s only all-vegan restaurant. For lunch, I opted for the doner tofu “meat” taco with lettuce and tomatoes with a side of fries. Dessert was a delicious blueberry tart.
After my meal, it was time to stroll about town to see the local attractions and historic sites!!
A Canadian flag designed statue displayed proudly on the grounds in front of a city building in the downtown area/
The City Market building showcases local items such as artwork and kitchen goods, many with the Canadian flag logo.
Around the corner, I found the historic Loyalist House. New Brunswick was a haven for Americans who fled the United States, because they were loyal to the British Crown around the time of the American Revolution War period. The Merritt family was one of those American families who had fled the USA and relocated to New Brunswick. Thomas Merritt had started a dry goods business in St. John and his family amassed wealth. In the year 1817, his son David constructed the house. The staff gave me a tour of the rooms and shared the family history with me.
King’s Square Park in uptown St. John was another lovely place that I visited in the city. In addition to being a wonderful green space for walking, several monuments reside within the tranquil park.
In 1844, the King’s Square land officially became designated as a park. The monuments were erected here in honor of individuals who contributed to the city’s history. Several trees were planted to commemorate the arrival of the Loyalists in the latter part of the 19th century. A bandstand is found in the center of the park. It was donated by a city band in 1909, in honor of King Edward VII. One will also find a statue of Charles Gorman, a local man who competed in the speed skating category for the 1924 and 1928 Winter Olympics.
After a serene visit to the park, I headed to the waterfront to experience the panoramic vista. Market Square is an area near the waterfront where shops, restaurants, and a lighthouse are found. One of the red brick buildings, a former electric plant called “Dock Street Plant”, displays sculptures called “People Waiting” They were designed by Canadian sculptor John Hooper back in 1977.
I continued my stroll around the downtown area. Artistic murals, Victorian building facades, and outdoor dining are among my encounters.
A beautiful clock displays on the main street in the city center. It commemorates the 225th Anniversary of the City of Saint John as the first incorporated City in Canada and also Loyalist Day celebrated on May 18th in honor of the American Loyalists who arrived in 1783.
Barbour’s General Store was started in Saint John in 1867 by George and William Barbour. They have been producing tea ever since then. During Canada’s Confederation years, they expanded their business to include food products. The building is now a museum where visitors can observe the experience of shopping in a 19th century general store.
Late afternoon had arrived. One of the city websites listed the times for low and high tide for the day and showed the times for when the rapids of the bay would reverse in direction during high tide, before entering into the Bay of Fundy. I headed to the Saint John River to witness the Reversing Falls.
There is a Sky Walk with a glass platform where visitors may view the Reversing Falls from an elevated level. I appreciated the stunning view.
For dinner, I went to Big Tide Brewing Company and selected their delicious red curry with vegetables and basmati rice.
The next morning, I got into my car and drove to the city of Moncton. For my morning meal, I dined at Pur and Simple. My breakfast was their tasty avocado toast with greens and a side of roasted potatoes. My beverage was a nutritious juice with greens and apples.
I made a stop at Riverfront Park. A statute in honor of several constables resides near the park entrance. A paved walkway gave me the opportunity to take a brisk walk by the Petitcodiac River. The park’s attractions include Bore Park, a skateboarding area, commemorative sculptures, and walking trails. During the Summer, Canada Day festivals are held for the community. A quick visit to the downtown area found pink storefronts and cafes.
I then headed to the famous St. Martins Sea Caves, located at the Bay of Fundy, not too far from Moncton. During breakfast at Pur and Simple restaurant earlier in the day, I had also purchased a take-away item. It was now time to eat that bagel with lettuce and tomatoes for lunch.
When I arrived at the sea caves, my eyes looked in awe at the amazing view!! The sandstone caves are formed by tides from the Bay of Fundy. Visitors may explore the caves during low tide, as it is safe to reach them at that time. I walked inside a few of the caves, as the sea water had receded during the low tide hours.
Several mounds of lengthy sea moss along the beach, provided visitors with a spot to sit and snap a few photos.
After my fun visit to the sea caves, I hopped in my car and headed to another popular tourist attraction: Hopewell Rocks!! These rock formations are also sculpted by tides of the Bay of Fundy. There are more than twenty free-standing rock formations along the shoreline in Hopewell Cape. Some are shaped like arches, while others resemble wildlife. They are also known as “flowerpot rocks”. Visitors can walk right up to the rock formations during low tide. The rock base is exposed then and one can see how far up the formation, the sea moss has grown. I enjoyed climbing onto the base of a few of them!!
My next stop was the Fundy National Park in Alma, New Brunswick!! I had a great time hiking in the forest!! The views were stunning with breath-taking waterfalls and a variety of trees, plants, and flowers within the forest!!
After my hike, I was still in the mindset to explore more of nature!! I then proceeded to Quaco Lighthouse, erected in 1835. St. Martin’s was a large ship-building center during the 19th century. The lighthouse resides on an outstretch of land by the shore, with a superb view of St. Martin’s beach and the Fundy Trail coast.
The downtown St. John area is also home to Bella’s Traditional Ice Cream shop. When I arrived back in town, I chose their flavorful, vegan lemon ice cream.
I was famished after my day of outdoor activities and hiking. For my evening meal, I decided to dine at an Egyptian restaurant called “Taste of Egypt”. My dinner was a delicious mousakka tagine of eggplant and vegetables in a tomato sauce with a side of rice. For dessert, a plate of vegan baklava was a delight for my taste buds!!
It was time to get some shut-eye!! The next morning, I walked to brunch at Marci’s Salad Re-imagined. My meal was a peanut crunch bowl of quinoa, snow peas, red cabbage, and carrots and tofu. For dessert, my selection was a fudge oat bar.
Then I started making my way southwest towards the United States border, for my return trip home. I made one additional stop in New Brunswick to the picturesque St. Andrews By The Sea. This village is adorned with colorful shops in its town center.
Murals depicting sea life and local scenes are displayed on downtown buildings.
I strolled by the waterfront, where gazing at one direction would bring my eyes towards Canada and the other side would bring the United States into view. The views were glorious during my sunset visit!!
I enjoyed a cup of vegan ice cream with some strawberry lemonade at Tall Tom’s by the waterfront.
For my dinner in St. Andrew By The Sea, I dined at Kennedy House Inn. My evening meal was a delicious stir fry veggies with rice.
As I got into my car for the long drive home, I started reminiscing about the wonderful time I spent sightseeing in coastal New Brunswick and the great vegan meals in each city during my visit!!